Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.
The perfume branch of the famous jewelry house Cartier has produced a number of unusual fragrances, from the animalic elegance of Must de Cartier to the ambery sensuality of Panthère. With Délices de Cartier, Cartier has entered the fruity-floral, gourmand domain previously underexplored by the house. As can be expected, the presentation is stunning, especially for the parfum. Inspired by one of Cartier’s Art Deco brooches from the 1920s, the dark red flacon glistens like a precious jewel in its white satin lined box.
Created by perfumer Christine Nagel (who is also responsible for the crisp refinement of Eau de Cartier), the perfume is well- made; its gently ambered base balancing the fruity-floral accord, never allowing the syrupy sweetness of cherry to obscure the rest of the arrangement. Délices exists in two concentrations, the eau de toilette and the parfum. …
The Eau de Toilette sparkles as it begins to unfold, with the pepper adding a pleasant sharpness. The luscious fruity note has a transparent sweetness that contrasts with the radiant floral accord in the heart of the composition. Even without knowing that Délices de Cartier was created by the same perfumer as Miss Dior Cherie, it is possible to grasp the similarities between these fragrances. While the crisp strawberry notes of Miss Dior Cherie crown a sheer patchouli and amber accord, the cherry in Délices de Cartier falls onto the oriental base made soft and vanillic by coumarin. The cherry is not the bittersweet cherry flavoring of cold medicine, nor is it the fresh dark fruit. The best description might be cherry jam. The violet tinged woods temper the sweetness; however, the result definitely has a candied fruit element.
The parfum amplifies the juicy sweetness of cherries, lavishly sprinkling them with pepper and melting their crimson flesh over the warm oriental base. If the EDT were a sorbet, the parfum would be the equivalent of a mousse. A ribbon of red cherry runs through its composition, and while in the EDT it is sustained as a sweet, transparent note, the cherry has more presence in the parfum. The vanillic density of tonka bean adds an opaque and creamy touch, like the remnants of red lipstick on a silk handkerchief.
Neither the EDT nor the parfum can be called heavy; although, the parfum is definitely richer, with a more beautiful harmony amongst the floral, fruity and ambery facets. The floral notes are made more voluptuous, thus restraining the cherry sweetness. In this light, my preferred concentration is the parfum, especially since the EDT has the sharp, sweet fruitiness reminiscent of Chanel Allure and Miss Dior Cherie. Overall, the fragrance presents the same ambivalence for me that I have experienced with Lancôme Hypnôse. While undeniably well-made, it is exactly the kind of fragrance that does not appeal to me personally—candy-sweet and fruity. However, the fans of fragrances like Lolita Lempicka, Miss Dior Cherie and possibly Chanel Allure will discover that Délices de Cartier might be a lovely new release. In fact, if I were in the market for a fruity-floral, I would certainly choose Délices above all others.
Notes include pink pepper, cherry, Sicilian bergamot, freesia, violet, pink, white and yellow jasmines, tonka bean, amber, sandalwood. The line includes eau de toilette, perfume, body cream, body milk, and shower gel. The fragrance is available at Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Cartier boutiques, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, Sephora, Macy’s and Holt Renfrew.
33 Comments
violetnoir: Gorgeous bottles, V! I don’t think this will appeal to my taste, but sure can give it a try. 🙂
Hugs! February 3, 2006 at 1:06pm
Robin: Sounds even less appealing than I thought, but still want to try it! February 3, 2006 at 1:10pm
Marina: You make it sound very, very appealing, even though I also am not a fan of candy fruity sweetness (unless it’s sweet and sour fruitiness of Quel Amour). I can’t wait to try this one. And the bottles are gorgeous. February 3, 2006 at 10:21am
parislondres: Beautiful bottle and thank you for the lovely review! I am not a fan of fruity perfumes but do plan to test this.
Have a super weekend. 🙂 February 3, 2006 at 1:50pm
kaie: I tried this parfum and it was nice, but very sweet for me. I wished it would be more jasmine and less cherry. February 3, 2006 at 11:25pm
Patty: I liked this, but only in the EDP, which is very pricy for a fruity floral, unfortunately. The EDT left me cold, no depth at all. February 3, 2006 at 9:54pm
Donna: I liked it ok, but I really hoped for more from Cartier. The bottle is enough to make me buy it though. LOL! February 4, 2006 at 11:05am
BoisdeJasmin: Marina, I simply adore the bottles, especially the red parfum bottle. The parfum is nicer than the EDT, although still too fruity and sweet for my tastes. February 4, 2006 at 4:57pm
BoisdeJasmin: R, I think that you might like it more than I do, because your tolerance for sweetness is higher than mine. It is a really well-made fragrance, that is beyond any doubt. February 4, 2006 at 4:58pm
BoisdeJasmin: R, I am curious what you think! February 4, 2006 at 4:58pm
BoisdeJasmin: N, I would be tempted more if the fruitiness were more subdued. Cannot wait to hear your thoughts! February 4, 2006 at 4:59pm
BoisdeJasmin: Patty, do you mean the parfum (in a red bottle)? It does not come in the EDP at this point. I also much preferred the parfum. February 4, 2006 at 5:00pm
BoisdeJasmin: Kaie, I cannot agree more! I also hoped for less cherry. February 4, 2006 at 5:00pm
BoisdeJasmin: Donna, the bottle is lovely! I think that the fragrance is very well-done, but it does not suit my tastes. February 4, 2006 at 5:01pm
Patty: Yeah, the parfum. The clerk kept referring to it as the EDP. I thought it was very pricy for an EDP. February 5, 2006 at 1:00am
Laura: F and I tried it yesterday. It is VERY cherry, that’s for sure. I think Cartier needs to rethink its fragrance line–this one and the dragon one need to be a lot more subtle, less hit you over the heady. February 5, 2006 at 1:09pm
Bryan: I believe perfume is art. Simply stated, yes. Sharpness of word is often more eloquent than a paragraph. I must write that this is the first blog I have ever read. I absolutely adore your reviews and insights. Should I have a blog concerning mes parfums, it would simply be called, in gratitude to you and my own favorite flower, bois de la tubereuse.
BrYan February 6, 2006 at 10:42am
linda: I am off to try it during my lunch break. I will be back with my thoughts. February 6, 2006 at 12:53pm
BoisdeJasmin: Patty, yes, for the EDP that would be too much! I liked the parfum, but I still am not sure it is my style. February 6, 2006 at 3:16pm
BoisdeJasmin: Laura, I think that Cartier has selected a commercial variant. Truth be told, that is what seems to be popular these days. I would have wished for something more daring. February 6, 2006 at 3:17pm
BoisdeJasmin: Bryan, thank you for a nice compliment. I am glad that you are enjoying my writing! Like you, I tend to think of perfume as art, first and foremost. February 6, 2006 at 3:17pm
BoisdeJasmin: L, I cannot wait to hear them! February 6, 2006 at 3:18pm
Tara Cazaubon: I thought this was fantastic – I bought the parfum. But then, I love sweet fruity stuff. What I liked most about it was it didn’t come across as a teenybopper fruity scent, just a delicious red fruit smell with a touch of sweetness. I’m layering it over the sadly discontinued B&BW Red Currant & Thyme tea lotion, which works great. I despise Miss Dior Cherie BTW – this is far superior IMHO. February 6, 2006 at 9:36pm
BoisdeJasmin: Tara, I would definitely agree that Delices is much more interesting than Miss Dior Cherie, especially in the parfum. BTW, Red Currant & Thyme tea lotion was excellent. Too bad it is discontinued. February 7, 2006 at 12:08pm
Melinda: Am I the only one that thinks this perfume smells a lot like Burberry Brit Red? I’m tempted to spray this one on one wrist, and Burberry Brit Red on the other to see if people can tell the difference! May 9, 2006 at 1:03pm
BoisdeJasmin: Melinda, I will try them side by side. I do not remember noticing obvious similarities, but I would not be surprised if they are. May 9, 2006 at 2:06pm
Melinda: The Burberry Brit Red is a little “sweeter”, I think. The Delices de Cartier tends to be a little stronger in my opinion. May 9, 2006 at 3:13pm
Marla: Anyone out there who has the Delices De Cartier parfum, how would you describe the cherry scent, and is it a long-lasting note? Thanks for any information! May 23, 2006 at 3:23pm
Jill: I just got a bottle of this and absolutely love it. It is a very sensual scent to me and it drove my husband crazy. After testing both I belive the parfum is the better of the two. It seemed to be richer and longer lasting. June 27, 2006 at 7:21pm
lyra: It’s sweet and sensual at the same time. Hard combination in my opinion. Also, the bottle is just like a jewel! August 28, 2006 at 10:03pm
shelly: I love this scent. I just purchased it and it will be one that I wear for a years to come. It’s not too fruity at all. It’s very sensual and my husband loves it. I receive so many compliments when I wear it. May 24, 2007 at 1:50pm
sadaf: sadaf said…
i dont find its all that its very mild though i dont like strong perfumes but this is extra mild u cant even smell ur self and its very expensive. February 15, 2011 at 10:06am
talia: is this consider to be a winter or summer perfume ? March 8, 2013 at 11:57am