I love oriental and floriental fragrances redolent with oud, spice, incense, leather, and tobacco. But now and then I want to wear something different. Chai by Robert Piguet ($195/3.4 fl. oz.) is classified as a Citrus Aromatic fragrance for women.
The Nose:
I always think of the perfumers as rock stars. The nose behind CHAI (launched in 2012) is Aurelien Guichard. He is a senior perfumer at Takasago. He has more than 167 perfumes credited to him including perfumes for a lot of major designers. So many, in fact, that I can’t even pick out a few favorites.
How Does Chai, Smell?
CHAI by Robert Piguet is what I’d call “user-friendly” for all ages and for all reasons. Chai means tea in a variety of languages. However, we think of the chai beverage as Masala Chai. That’s a blend of tea and spices. This is more like jasmine green tea, or even lighter.
White tea and honey make sense in this fragrance along with YerbaMate (also used as a beverage). But it’s neither deeply spicy nor sweet. In fact, this fragrance would probably be best categorized as “green and aromatic” also with hints of citrus, and a tiny bit of wood and spice.
The initial spritz brought up a bright feel with some citrus. However, the mid and bottom notes quickly meld together to change their personality to a lightly floral (to my nose at least). The dry-down is almost like a beautiful luxury soap, but with a bit of sweet floral. Some might call it a mild gourmand. It is soft but it is still significant on your skin, and it lasts!
The Key Notes:
This luxury fragrance starts with a top note of Bergamot Leaf. The heart has key notes of White Tea and Beeswax. In keeping with the Chai theme, the base notes are YeraMate and Oak. My editorial sample was sent to me with the suggestion that this is a Summer scent. I think it also would work well with soft luxury fabrics in cooler weather such as cashmere. velvet and wool. I’d wear this with a special occasion dress, especially in a room that will tend to get heated up.
For the Asian Market:
According to what I read on a reputable website (Fragrantica) this was one of three fragrances in a collection (“The Pacific Collection de Robert Piguet”) that was targeted at the Asian market. That said, I honestly don’t know that much about Asian preferences vs. Western ones when it comes to fragrance. However, our cultures are quite different. Perhaps for the Asian market light, ladylike and floral scents appeal more than the stronger and in-your-face scents we embrace as Westerners. It’s just a guess. Please weigh in and tell me what you think.
Where to Buy:
You can find Chai by Robert Piguet in department stores and many places online. For more information visit https://www.robertpiguetparfums.com/
