Forget about summer, and fresh, and fruity, this is a classy oriental, date of launch 1981 (crated by Jean-Jacques Diener) and still fully deserving its place in the perfume stores shelves.

The opening is, well, it smells mainly of ash, and in a very good way. There is also warm and sweet-ish orange, and a feeling that yes, it is a winter fragrance but very gentle, in spite of being from a decade where the more you fill the nostrils the better.

The opening of Must Cartier Perfume gives an idea of what’s to follow, and it doesn’t take too long before it becomes sweeter and spicier, with a very warm sandalwood backed up by musk. There is also supposed to be a whole bunch of different flowers there, but I doubt you’ll have that in mind when you wear this.

Still at this point, and until the end, it shows a controlled force. It’s a fragrance that doesn’t need to shout to assert its personality. The volume of the voice is just normal, but you will hear it nonetheless.

The finale is just as one would expect it: ashy, spicy (mainly cinnamon) powdery, warm, vanilla-sweet (but just the right amount), and also slightly fortified (it’s probably the tonka bean).

Although not extremely intense – if you’re careful enough, you may wear it in the office without intruding other people’s noses – Cartier Must Perfume is strong and wrapping, like one of those thin blankets that turn out to be very warm.

If this perfume was a color it would be this:

Must de Cartier

Must De Cartier Parfum