There are brands which confound me. They can play it safe so much of the time and then truly amaze me when I am not expecting it. I ask myself why they can’t work this way all the time. One brand which continues to do this to me is Istanbul-based Nishane. When they find a unique perspective, they have a way of turning it into magic. It happened again with Nishane Ani.
Mert Guzel (l.) and Murat Katran
Nishane is the brand co-founded and creatively directed by Mert Guzel and Murat Katran. They have been around since 2015 and have made some of my favorite perfumes in Afrika Olifant and Pachuli Kozha. For the last few years I have been disappointed in what seemed to be the choice to take a safer route. Every brand must make the business decisions which are correct for them to survive. I was disappointed because I know there was the ability for more. Ani is what I mean when I say that.
Cecile Zarokian
The name comes from a medieval city currently in Turkey. In its time it was a place known as the “City of 1001 Churches” as well as sitting at the crossroads of many trade routes. It was a multi-cultural metropolis. It holds a pride of place for Armenian and Turkish people. This is of interest because Messrs. Guzel and Katran asked perfumer Cecile Zarokian, who has Armenian heritage, to create a perfume version.
This is the first perfume Mme Zarokian has composed for Nishane. It is focused around vanilla. It is also another of Mme Zarokian’s recent perfumes which continues to explore the boundaries of the gourmand genre. She is putting together a group of releases which show how much room there is to expand within this style of fragrance.
Ani opens with that vanilla out front. What takes place in the early going is a reminder that vanilla comes from an orchid. The top accord is like finding that flower in the jungle as she fashions a humid green accord. She uses a set of green notes to create a green strand within the vanilla. Baie rose is used to give it an herbal infusion. The keynote to this accord is a fabulous ginger which creates a kinetic vibrant version of vanilla. The ginger persists into the heart as the vanilla rises in intensity. Mme Zarokian uses a green cardamom to re-establish the green. Damascene rose and blackcurrant add a floral fruity frisson underneath it all. As the vanilla comes to its full intensity it finds an equally intense sandalwood waiting in the base. They swirl together in a sweet duet which is warmed by benzoin and patchouli.
Ani has 12-14 hour longevity and above average sillage.
A warning I am writing about Ani in the summertime. This is not a warm weather fragrance. It is a powerhouse which is going to be awesome when the weather cools off.
Ani is the best perfume Nishane has ever produced. It is also one of my favorite new perfumes of this year. It is a triumph on every level. You can feel that the creative team wanted to find something as regal as Ani, the city, was in its day. Ani, the perfume, rekindles that glory.
Disclosure: This review is based on a sample I purchased.
–Mark Behnke
Hi mark,
Thanks for your great review. Ani and Hacivat are my favourite from the Nishane brand. Do you think Ani could be a signature scent to be worn year round with the exception of the summer high heat?