WŪLÓNG CHÁ X by Nishane

The anniversary of any perfume brand can be a tricky celebration when it comes to managing customer expectations, but it's made harder when you're globally renowned. Do you launch a new fragrance? Do you bring something back from the archives? Do you simply let it pass with no fanfare at all? This is the situation that Nishane found itself in this year as it celebrated its tenth birthday. The route that they've taken though is a wonderful way to both honour their heritage as well as looking to the future. So, prepare yourself to revisit one of their classic fragrances but from a different angle, as we discover the sensational Wūlóng Chá X.

Nishane burst onto the perfume scene in 2013 with its debut trio of scents - Pasion Choco, Santalove and Sultan Vetiver - and became famous for being the only niche fragrance house based in Istanbul. Its location has always actually played a large part in the style of the perfume releases, with it referencing a pull to both the traditional ways and the more cosmopolitan city, and it’s this that helped it to gain a solid fan base. Founded by Mert Güzel and Murat Katran, the company’s original goal of attaining excellence has never wavered.

For their tenth anniversary, Nishane has cleverly gone back to five of their bestselling fragrances and re-presented them in a slightly richer, and subtly reorchestrated form. Fashions change over time, and what resonated in 2016 may not resonate with today’s customer. So, by keeping the original but also offering a revised version, you’re appealing to the existing fans as well as those looking for a more contemporary take. It’s this concept that perfectly echoes their promise to be “inspired by the rooted traditions, modern vision and the cosmopolitan”. So, which fragrances have they decided to breathe new life into?

The five fragrances in the new collection are inspired by Wūlóng Chá from 2015, the 2016 releases Hundred Silent Ways and Fan Your Flames, the 2017 Hacivat, and Ani from the 2019 No Boundaries range. As I said before, the essence of each of the originals has been preserved but there is an additional depth along with new focuses within each. To differentiate between the original and the new editions there is also an “X” at the end of the names, which references the tenth anniversary of the brand. All of the perfumes are worth rediscovering, but I have to admit to absolutely falling for the charms of Wūlóng Chá X.

The fragrance opens brightly with gloriously vivid notes of bergamot, orange and yuzu, but it’s alao supercharged with the arrival of the lemon-esque litsea. This brightness takes “effervescence” to a new level, especially alongside a peppery back note, but the appearance of the revised heart subtly changes the direction. This new version of Wūlóng Chá includes magnolia and rose, so you have a waxy floral quality that comes through, but it’s still accompanied by an evocative tea accord. This slightly biscuity watery aroma softens the vibrant beginning, before an unexpected touch of aromatic thyme adds a further glint of excitement. The dry down of the fragrance reveals the scent of leather-tinged fig, but supported by a pillow of white musk, before a final whisper of cedarwood and vetiver completes a truly exceptional perfume.

Wūlóng Chá X is available from the Nishane website at nishane.com, and exclusively in the UK from Selfridges, priced at £190 for 50ml, £280 for 100ml. It's also available as part of the Discovery Set priced at £33. [Sample provided by Aspects Beauty]

Posted by Stephan Matthews at 07:00:00

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Labels: Ani, Aspects Beauty, Fan Your Flames, Hacivat, Hundred Silent Ways, Istanbul, Mert Güzel, Murat Katran, Niche, Nishane, No Boundaries, Pasion Choco, Santalove, Selfridges, Sultan Vetiver, Wūlóng Chá X