Parfums de Nicolai New York Intense was originally launched in 1989 - suffered through IFRA reformulation that sorta mutilated it - and the intense version was launched in 2014. Created by Patricia de Nicolai, it has notes of bergamot, Sicilian lemon, pepper, cloves, thyme, cinnamon, lavender, chamomile, vanilla, styrax, incense, civet, castoreum and musk.
Luca Turin said this about the original - "“New York’s exquisite balance between resinous orange, powdery vanilla, and salubrious woods shimmers from moment to moment, always comfortable but never slack, always present but never loud. It is one of the greatest masculines ever, and probably the one I would save if the house burned down.”
And this about the reformulation into Parfums de Nicolai New York Intense - "“Now, owing to who knows what brilliant alchemy, New York has circumvented all pettifogging and comes roaring back in full glory, with its unique combination of bracing bitter orange, cosseting petit-beurre and dreamy lavender. I doubt very much that there is at this point a better masculine fragrance out there.”
From Scentbound - "New York Intense has an Old World perfume. It is the classic masculine scent of a refined gentleman from twenty years ago. He looks handsome no matter the age and his white shirt always looks good against his golden skin. For me, all that masculine glamour and refinement has a more fitting name - Paris Intense."
From Mr. Smelly - "Any fan of masculine fougeres and chypres, and anyone who misses the glory days of the 1970s and 80s when men smelled like men, would do well to try New York Intense. The beauty of the fragrance is that it captures much of this nostalgic aura without smelling outdated in 2019. The best bits of the old classics are here plus a little magic that’s new. Absent are the hairy chested medallion man connotations of many late 20th century powerhouses."
From Basenotes - "This seems to have been Nicolaï's intentional tribute to Guerlain, a contemporary recreation of vintage Derby with a dash or two of Héritage. The result is inferior to neither and may be better than both. New York Intense is truly a gentleman's scent par excellence."
"In my books, among the best perfumes released in this decade, and surely the best 'masculine'. It's right up there with Patou pour Homme, vintage Heritage, and all the be-alls and end-alls among perfumes. Absolute perfection; sublime."
