Splendid Attars
September 30, 2025 at 07:13 PM
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I do not trust faux-fresh. Too many “glacier” perfumes smell like laundry softener in a ski jacket. Nissaba Les Alpes by Fabrice Pellegrin caught me off guard. It feels like stepping off a funicular at altitude, lungs opening, the world going bright and quiet. No neon marine notes. No sticky sugar. Just cold light and wood.
First spray is brisk and bracing, as if citrus zest met the bitter-green bite of alpine herbs. I get a juniper-cypress sparkle, almost gin-tonic cold, with a hint of minty chill that never turns toothpaste. Then it shifts into a walk among evergreens. Imagine crushed pine needles, resin on your fingertips, a whisper of angelica or gentian that adds that alpine bitterness I crave. It is outdoorsy, but not macho. Clean, not sterile.
The drydown moves toward timber and mineral. Cedar shavings, a silvery, slightly saline musk, and a quiet vetiver that reads like cool soil rather than smoke. There is a soft mineral glint that gives it altitude. The structure is tidy and modern, but it is not trying to seduce you with amber fireworks. It is here to clear your head.
Performance on me is steady. About 7 to 8 hours, with a refined sillage that never chokes a room. It wears best in cool air, early mornings, long commutes when you need focus. Office friendly, date friendly, hike friendly. Genderless by design.
If you love the crystalline cleanliness of Creed Silver Mountain Water but want less tea and more timber, put Nissaba Les Alpes on your list. If Bvlgari Man Glacial Essence gives you the vibe but reads too synthetic on your skin, this feels more textured and natural. Pellegrin’s hand shows here. He has a knack for clarity and elegance, and it keeps this from sliding into cologne cliché.
Verdict. This is not a snow globe in perfume form. It is a real breath of altitude, a fresh-woody built for people who are bored of “fresh.” I’ll be wearing it with grey cashmere and beat-up hiking boots, hair still damp from the cold. And yes, I’ll be smiling when the elevator smells like a spruce grove instead of a detergent aisle.
Source: cafleurebon
Source: Splendid Attars
Published: September 30, 2025 at 07:13 PM