As much as I love the Frederic Malle line, I must confess that Bigarade Concentree leaves me feeling a little nonplussed.
It smells decent, but having been a fan of Ellena's earlier Cartier Declaration, I can't help but feel that Bigarade Concentree is simply a riff on a very similar theme. Citrus (bitter orange), a hint of cumin (perhaps), a whiff of spice (cardamom?) and some subtle woods (cedar?). Those all appear in Declaration, but amped up to a far more interesting level in my opinion. And also don't forget that Declaration can probably be had for a third of the price.
Yes, it is a somewhat cynical view, and in fairness, Bigarade Concentree is a good perfume, but I personally think there are far more interesting compositions in the Malle line. Another thing: longevity is not particularly good on my skin. I haven't tried the original Bigarade from the same line, but if this one is fairly subdued and fleeting, then who knows how much less the other is?
