Must

Released in 1984, Must is the first fragrance from the house of Cartier. At first, Must was only a lighter, the first item sold by the brand. Must is the representation of an exacerbated sensuality. Sophisticated and mysterious, the Cartier woman is thus associated here with a lighter, which leaves an additional enigma hanging in the air, and which suggests that Must is a masculine fragrance. Bold, the composition is akin to an oriental juice. Powerful and self-assured, this composition is signed by Jean-Charles Diener.

Cartier shakes up the codes of perfumery with Must

For its first perfume, the house of Cartier chose Jean-Pierre Diener as perfumer. This first perfume is not only bold, it truly upends the codes of perfumery. An oriental juice freshened by the intensity of galbanum then appeared as very daring for the era. This oriental accord is above all unprecedented. Indeed, galbanum was not usually used in oriental compositions, but rather in floral, citrus, or woody ones. Also called ferula gummosa, galbanum is a perennial plant native to Central Asia. Galbanum is a gum resin, more or less dry and solid. Since ancient Egypt, galbanum has been used for its medicinal properties, mainly antibacterial, antispasmodic, and anti-infective. In perfumery, galbanum is used for its particularly green and earthy scent. Galbanum gum is harvested by incising the roots of the plant. The gum is then distilled to obtain an essence.

Must by Cartier, ultra-sensual fragrant notes

Must opens with one of the most unusual and truly bold pairings, with the presence of peach, galbanum, pineapple, and mandarin lending the whole a green, tangy freshness. Native to South America, pineapple is an edible fruit. It was Christopher Columbus who discovered pineapple during his second voyage to the New World. In 1535, pineapple won unanimous favor at the Spanish Court. Louis XIV demanded that his gardeners cultivate pineapple in the gardens of Choisy-le-Roi. The plant that produces the fruit is a herbaceous perennial forming a clump that can reach 1.50 meters in height! Pineapple is rich in vitamins and iron and is a highly prized fruit in summer, as it is very thirst-quenching. In perfumery, the pineapple note is reproduced in the laboratory mainly through the molecule allyl caproate. Pineapple gives off fruity, sweet, and exotic tonalities. Then, the heart of Must is very feminine, as it is essentially floral. It combines jasmine, rose, narcissus, and neroli. The narcissus flower originates from a rather tragic legend, since it is linked to the myth of the young man known as Narcissus. Son of the river god and a nymph, he fell in love with his own reflection, owing to his immense beauty. The first narcissus flowers sprang up around the pool where he drowned because of his own obsession. In perfumery, narcissus offers tonalities that are both floral and green. Finally, the base of Must is meant to be opulent and sensual, as it combines tonka bean, vanilla, white musks, sandalwood, and amber.