Le Temps d'Une Fête (2006)
by Parfums de Nicolaï

The first notes that I smell from Le Temps D’Une Fête are a strongly animalic green, and those notes hold for quite a long time – they are rich, unique, and viscerally rewarding. When the animalic notes finally subside, the heart notes provide a luscious green note – galbanum – coupled with the light, delicate notes of the spring flowers. It is such a creatively unusual progression and destination, and it is a typical genius performance of a Patricia de Nicolaï fragrance… The gentle lightness of the spring bulbs is a brilliant counterpoint to the rich, full, and earthy green accord, and both stand in comparative balance following the dense animalic overtones of the opening. Le Temps D’Une Fête has good sillage in the beginning that softens to a skin scent by the time the base is accomplished. It manages finesse and sensuality at once and has good longevity… a totally excellent fragrance.

Compellingly weird top notes that suggest licorice, a barnyard, and a wood fire resolve into an indolic, warmly animalic floral accord on a classically structured chypre foundation. I’m not surprised to find narcissus listed twice (“daffodil” = “narcissus”) in the pyramid, as it’s the peculiarly decadent, bittersweet, hay-like aspect of narcissus that dominates the scent’s heart. Whereas many of Patricia de Nicolaï’s fragrances strike me as stodgy in their understated, classicizing style, Le Temps d’une Fête holds my attention from the moment I put it on to the very tail end of its mossy drydown. I set it next to Odalisque as one of this perfumer’s best.

“Daddy, what is a big girl’s blouse ?” “Here, Junior, let me spray this in your eyes and then you’ll see.” Now, that daddy was a bad daddy, not only in his pedagogic methods and weakness for cruel puns but also in his inferior perfumistadom, for this fragrance is loaded with galbanum and therefore, like Insensé, its older, wiser and cheaper sister, is not gurly at all but rippling with taut sensitivity like my thighs. The first spray is a magic sparkly powder straight out of Disney but then it settles back into a buttered-up Chamade with a similar gestalt of dangerous honey. It comes to rest somewhere wonderful, moss with the sweetness of broom or gorse (but not exactly gorse with its coconut warmth). And finally, it is just the right scent for this precocious spring because it reeks of narcissus and narcissi are in season now, the wafty little darlings with their pert faces and dirty undertow. The best of this line.

Another beautiful, classical (not "old fashioned") fragrance from PdN. Nothing done to excess...just a lovely, not too green floral with a soft, powdery drydown. As pretty as this is, it does not compare to the unusual Odalisque. (Don't let the reference to muguet on the website keep you away from Odalisque. I assure you that the lily of the valley note is just a fraction of the total effect.)

Another masterpiece from Patricia de Nicolai! In the past, I've always found narcissus perfumes too bitter and sharp, but this is heavenly. A modern, fresh green floral that also has a timeless quality. Perfect!

Clean, green, and modern, yet classical at the same time, with a lovely surge of narcissus at the forefront, and a honeyed, warm, and lush drydown, this scent is as circumspect as it is charming. Thoroughly engaging!