A Full Review of Nishane Ani: Nishane’s Vanillic Powerhouse

If you have been involved in the world of niche perfumery for at least a little while, there’s no doubt that Ani by Nishane has crossed your path. Released in 2019, it quickly became a highly sought-after creation for many perfume connoisseurs, especially since the nose behind Ani is the acclaimed perfumer Cécile Zarokian.

Nishane is based in Istanbul, Turkey and has quite an extensive portfolio of fragrances. Some other popular fragrances from this house are Fan Your Flames, Hacivat, and Nefs. The inspiration behind Ani is the long-abandoned historic city of the same name in Armenia and the perfumer’s Armenian heritage. Ani was once a bustling city full of churches, monasteries, palaces, and places of trade since it was on the Silk Road. In its place now are impressive ruins surrounded by lush green hillsides.

So, what is Ani like? As evident from the title, vanilla is the primary note around which this fragrance revolves. The opening wows your senses with a heady, effervescent burst of bergamot, fiery, juicy ginger, and something coming across as a shade of verdancy. Perhaps it is some kind of herbal nuance. Added to this piquant mixture, while also further enhancing it, is a splash of slightly rosy, fruity pink pepper. All these vibrant tones provide a nice contrast to a rich, yet dry and sweet vanilla slowly making its way up from the depths of the fragrance.

Gradually the spicy vanillic character deepens in tandem with the fruitier, citric hues. The bergamot, ginger, and pink pepper are reinforced by a slightly tart, yet succulent blackcurrant and the mesmerizing, yet classy touch of cardamom. There’s a certain silky quality present from the use of Turkish rose serving to bind all the top elements of Ani to the heavier base.

Over time, the citric, fruity aspects recede into the background as the fragrance’s main profile takes on a more woodier, creamier appearance on skin thanks to patchouli, cedarwood, and sandalwood. There’s a bit of benzoin used as well providing some more dimension to the sweet, dry vanilla. Even here in the dry down, though, there are still perceptible traces of spicy cardamom and fruity, green blackcurrant. At this point in the fragrance’s life on skin, the magic rendering Ani into a sensuous vanillic masterpiece is brought into full view through a passionate combination of warm ambergris and musk.

This enchanting combo of creamy woods, vanilla, musk, and verdant, yet subtle spices lasts for an eternity on skin. Adding the powerful projection exhibited by Ani to this tenacious lifespan, it is easy to see why I call it a vanillic powerhouse. Although it has a great scent profile perfect for any time of the year, some restraint should be shown when spraying, as Ani can easily be overwhelming. The perfume is quite unisex, still I think the woods and spices make it lean a bit more masculine.

If you love spicy vanilla fragrances and desire something with tremendous longevity, Ani by Nishane is definitely a creation to check out.