Must de Cartier (1981)

It's hard to write about Must de Cartier without first acknowledging Luca Turin's withering and amusing review in Perfumes: The Guide. Referring to the perfume's unusual marriage of fresh green notes atop a "floriental" base that includes jasmine, vanilla and amber, Turin compared Must to an ill-conceived chocolate truffle with a weird filling (like pineapple cream) that you find in those chocolate sampler boxes:

“Must is the perfume that brought into the world, in expensive liquid form, the full ugliness of the chocolates nobody wants. The basic accord of vanilla, flowers and galbanum is so indigestible that you could use it as an appetite suppressant."

It is indeed an odd fragrance, but in the same way that certain chic people are able to mix stripes with crazy prints, Must de Cartier combines fresh notes with decadent gourmand ones in a daring way that reads as beautiful for some people. For me, it bypassed rational analysis and went straight to my limbic system's Decider, who nodded her head and said, "Yes, please. More."

Top notes: Galbanum, mandarin, neroli; Heart notes: Rose, daffodil, jasmine; Base notes: Vanilla, sandalwood, vetiver, musk tonka bean, civet (from Michael Edwards' Perfume Legends: French Feminine Fragrances)

Top notes: Bergamot, aldehyde, lemon, rosewood, green notes, peach; Heart notes: Jasmine, orris, carnation, orchid, ylang-ylang, leather, lily; Base notes: Vanilla, amber, benzoin siam, opoponax, oakmoss, sandalwood, vetiver, musk, civet (from Haarman & Reimer)

Perfumer: Jean-Jacques Diener

Must's back story is interesting. When Cartier was sending around perfume briefs to perfumers that described their ideal first fragrance, they had in mind two perfumes: a fresh perfume for daytime, and a more seductive perfume for nighttime, probably in the Oriental family. (All of this historical info comes from the Edwards book.)

They were most interested in the young Givaudan perfumer Jean-Jacques Diener's brief; he decided, essentially, to put two fragrances together. Diener said he was inspired by Shalimar's animalic-vanilla base, but wanted to change the top note from bergamot to galbanum, as he loved the way Aliage's top notes were constructed. (Aliage is a green "sport scent," remember!) He also gave it a civet overdose to make it even more animalic than Shalimar. (Perhaps civet, which I love, has tricked me into loving Must in spite of its apparent wrongness?) Must's "cool/warm accord," according to Edwards, inspired Obsession, Roma by Laura Biagiotti, and Dune, among others.

I had initially smelled Must at Sephora, and it's close to the vintage parfum I've reviewed here (with much less civet, however.) I ordered a vintage EDT on eBay and had to return it; it was awful! Nothing warm, vanillic, or odd about it. It just smelled screechy and chemical-y.

According to Michael Edwards, the early Must EDT was not constructed by Diener. It was supposed to be the "fresh" Cartier fragrance they had originally envisioned, which (rightly) confused the Must-lovers audience, who just expected a less concentrated version of this "chocolate nobody wants." Cartier scrapped it in 1993 and replaced it with Must de Cartier II. (So if you want to try this odd perfume for yourself, either go to Sephora and spray it on — I can't remember the concentration — or get the vintage parfum. You will regret getting a vintage EDT.)

I think Must is a beautiful freak of nature chemistry. The beguiling rush of galbanum and brightness at the beginning soon evolves into the lush floral Oriental that is its true character. This beginning is like an introductory trumpet announcing the celebration to come. It may not be in good taste, but liking it is akin to that strange midnight snack you assemble that you wouldn't want anyone to see you eating late at night. (For me, something like buttered toast with anchovies and red pepper flakes.) You can't help what you like sometimes!

I can only take Must de Cartier's wild ride once in a blue moon. (It goes from galbanum-pineapple to vanilla-amber-civet in a roller coaster lurch that might make your stomach feel funny.) But when I'm in the mood, its strange seductiveness is just what I need. You could call this perfume Opium, or some other drug name, and it would make more sense than Must. Its intoxicating, animalic/gourmand dry down is 80s excess at its unapologetic best.

(I got a lovely sample from the Miniature Perfume Shoppe, where you can try vintage perfume without going broke.)

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Angela Cox]

Love that review now I must try it . Many a Pregnant woman might love this odd mix or throw up ,who knows ? I was told that Cartier's "Happy" was like Chanel no 22 so I ordered a miniature which is now isolated in case it gets out again. It smelt of chill to me .

[Angela Cox]

Sorry ,make that "So Pretty" by Cartier !

[Olfacta]

I loved the original Must perfume. My next-door neighbor worked at Saks in Beverly Hills and gave me a sample -- yes, they actually gave out samples of extrait back then -- and I made it last the winter. I had the EDT, too, which is as weird as you say, but, for some reason, I loved it. I still have a little of it and wear it occasionally -- it's that galbanum rush. The new versions of Must smell like vanilla and chocolate, but even they aren't as bad as LT says! Considering the crap coming out now, they're not bad at all.

[Perfumaniac]

Angela, I don't think Must is so bad it could inspire regurgitation, but you never know!

Olfacta, I'm glad I'm not alone in liking the original/vintage Must. Luca T's review was so scathing that liking it seemed tantamount to wearing a sign that says, "I have bad taste in perfume." (I have to remember, however, that he praised Tocade, which I find dreadful.) Interesting that you liked the EDT. I wonder if I hated it because I was expecting something else, too?

[Cheryl]

I have a vintage sample of parfum. It is a difficult scent. I don't get chocolate, but the metaphor of a lot of things all going on at the same pitch is apt. Strange midnight snack certainly conveys the feel of it. But, I appreciate that it wasn't going by the book, connect the dots, in it's inception.

[breathe31]

I met Jean-Jacques Diener while working in the office of his accountant in the late 80s. He was young and breathtakingly handsome with a sexy French accent. He would come to his appointments bearing gifts for all of the young ladies in the office-small,cylander shaped 1/2 ounce spray bottles filled with various EDTs. Knowing that he was a perfumer I always wondered if some of them were his creations (Red Door, Chloe Narcisse, RED, etc.). I did not know back then that he was the mastermind behind the brilliant MUST. I first experienced MUST on an acquaintance who received it as a gift from a married man she was secretly dating (forbidden scent is what it spoke to me!). She insisted that I only purchase the pure perfume (no EDP or EDT). Being in my late teens I had never owned pure perfume but my mother, who always enabled my perfume addiction (and still does!), bought it for me as a Christmas present(Believe me it was not cheap!!). This delicious elixer was housed in a very small container shaped like a cigarette lighter and wrapped in a real leather small burgundy pouch. At 18 years of age I did not find it difficult,odd or freakish in any way (but then again my taste in perfume has always been a bit unusual as I wore various Chanels in junior high!). It was indescribably beautiful and to this day will always be included in MY list of top 20 favorite vintages.

[Sylvia]

Hi Barbara, I really need some advice regarding Must. I read your faboulous (again) review above and asked a perfumista friend for a sample. It smelt heavenly (Yes, me like), but when I asked her what it was she said "a vintage edt or edp", she also sent me a picture of a similar bottle you have above, but said it wasn't golden in the frame as the pure perfume is. That would be the vintage edt. Anyway, the smell: The top starts exactly like any fruity chypre I love: galbanum, juicy fruits ect. But instead of going floral/woody and drying down on oakmoss it transforms it self into a yummy floriental/oriental only to dry down similar to Shalimar, the same smell of old books, a little heavier on patchouli but less on the vetiver I guess. Civet probably but no overdoze. Do you think the vintage edt ha been reformulated as well? My sample smells like Must should I guess, but I'm quite terrified to order any vintage edt as I dont want the "green" version described above. Any ideas about which kind of bottle to order? Or should I go for the perfume (I'm a bit afraid to od on civet) or the reformulated one they sell today? May I share your thought about this matter? Regards Sylvia

[Perfumaniac]

Hi Sylvia,

The review I wrote was for vintage Must in the parfum concentration in the gold bottle. If what I described — green fresh notes followed by a Shalimar-esque vanilla/civet finish — is what you want, that's what you should get. (There actually IS a civet overdose here, which is partly what makes it so sexy and the galbanum, which is a top note, IS a "green" note.)

I've tried the reformulated Must de Cartier EDT at Sephora, and while it's beautiful, it doesn't smell as rich as the vintage EDP. Plus, from what I can recall, I think it was more floral than this one. Gorgeous — but a different perfume. It could be your thing, though. I wouldn't NOT wear it, but I have the vintage, so I don't need it.

What you want to avoid if you want Must's characteristic richness is the vintage EDT. That has a fresh character and never turns rich and vanillic. It's unlikely you'll get that unless you bid for vintage Must and get a fragrance that's not in the gold bottle.

I hope that helps! In short: reformulated Must is nice, but to me, not as nice as the vintage parfum. Just avoid vintage EDT, which I think is in a red bottle but I don't remember.

And I guess this goes without saying, but let's say you go to Sephora and try Must and love it. Why not just get it? I don't want people to fetishize vintage perfume. Wear what you think smells good. It wouldn't hurt to try a mini of the vintage EDP, of course, if it's not too expensive, and do a comparison. Good luck!

[Sylvia]

Thanks Barbara for your quick and helpful reply, I guess the pure pefume would be what I'm looking for as I both want galbanum and the oriental shalimar-like vanillla :) I do love civet, like in Versace Blondes opening notes. But Joy vintage edt I kind of overdozed once. Maybe I sample first. Take care now and continue writing your beautiful reviews.

[brigitte]

Sylvia-get the vintage perfume! This was what I had years ago and adored! But I agree with Barbara. Anything contemporary that you find and like - go for it! There are plenty of indie companies out there that are making unusual fragrances with interesting notes that stray from the mainstream.

[Sue MckINNEY]

Is this definitely the ORIGINAl (80's) wonderful, musky Must De Cartier, and if so, whre can I purchase,
Thanks, sue.

[Perfumaniac]

I write about vintage perfume, Sue, I don't sell it. (With the exception of one post that advertised vintage decants.) My advice: look on eBay, and look for the Must bottle that resembles the one in the above ad. Good luck!

[Jerezzemer]

A favourite of mine.But now its yesterdays news.

[yolanda restrepo]

The best is the vintage Must or the Must II. Tha actually Must is so different

[Pamela Rusk]

Must de Cartier is a parfume that has been my sole comfort since 1980's. My children want it sprayed on their pillows when the visit dad. My best friend knew that she would know me in heaven, because of my fragrance.
These are things that can only be believed by experience, my best friend died, that week and know I scour every site I can to get the tail ends of the most incrediable parfume that was ever to grace this earth.
That is what this means to me.

[Perfumaniac]

Im glad you love it, Pamela. I love it too! Its beautiful and comforting.

[Lena]

Must de Cartier parfume is the only perfume or me, nothing else compares to it. I've been using it since 1982 & my daughters & everyone who knows me say they can always smell me by my perfume. Even my car seatbelt smells of it.. It's so intoxicating & beautiful, I don't know what I'd do if Cartier ever discontinued it. Before Cartier I used Balenciaga Quadrille & Le Dix however they're difficult to buy now. I must be a vintage perfume gal.

[linda]

hello have you found a similar fragrance to the Must II cartier?

[Ray Burrington]

My Aunt gave me a bottle of Cartier some 30-40 years ago. It came in a red box and the bottle had gold colored metal with the glass. She told me it was gold plated. Is this true? I think it was the "must be Cartier"

[Melinda L]

I wore Must de Cartier from the 1980 to some time in the 90's when the scent changed. Strangers asked me what scent I had on. I loved it above and beyond anything else. I was so sad it changed. Why did they do it!!!!!

[Perfumaniac]

You can still find it on eBay: vintage Must de Cartier and youll recognize the gold bottle. Make sure its not red.

Sent from my iPhone