Pasha
Anise and caraway are not materials most men's fragrances would risk, and Cartier Pasha Eau de Toilette 100ml puts them front and centre.
The result is a composition with a distinct, slightly old fashioned character. Lavender and mint open it cold and aromatic, mandarin orange gives a brief sweetness, and then the anise and caraway arrive with their liquorice tinged, seedy spice. Coriander and Brazilian rosewood hold the middle together, one sharp and lemony, the other dry and smooth. Underneath, oakmoss provides the damp, earthy bitterness that was the backbone of men's perfumery when this was made, with patchouli, sandalwood and labdanum filling it out into something dark, creamy and resinous.
Jacques Cavallier Belletrud composed it, and it was released in 1992. It has survived three decades of fashion moving away from this style, which says something about the quality of the drawing. Eleven materials, developing properly from top to base, so it rewards paying attention over the first hour. Toilette strength means it was formulated for a free hand, and the 100ml bottle allows for that. Reckon on five or six hours and a close, mossy trail at the end of them. The progression is the pleasure here, and it is worth smelling at intervals across the first hour.
It suits cold weather, formal occasions and older tastes, and it is a men's fragrance of the traditional sort. Anyone tired of sweet modern releases should smell it. There is a formality to it that modern releases rarely attempt.
The house dates from 1847, when Cartier opened in Paris as a jeweller and watchmaker, and it opened its first sales salon six years later. It is now owned by the Swiss group Richemont and, unlike most fashion and jewellery names, it composes its fragrances in house.
Please note: images are a guide only. Packaging and bottle design may occasionally differ from those shown due to manufacturer updates or promotions.
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