China White

The Verdict

Nasomatto China White is the kind of fragrance that makes you feel, as one reviewer put it, a bit schizophrenic. Alessandro Gualtieri's 2008 creation for women is a powdery floral-woody-musk composition presented as an extrait de parfum, and it shifts identity throughout its wear in ways that can be thrilling or maddening depending on your perspective.

With 58% positive, 29% neutral, and 13% negative reviews on Basenotes, China White sits in that fascinating territory where genuine artistry meets divisive execution. Now being discontinued by Nasomatto, it has acquired the bittersweet status of a fragrance appreciated more in its departure than during its availability.

What It Smells Like

The opening presents sweet wood, aldehydes, light rose, and smoky incense -- an immediate impression of frosty-powdery sophistication with a smoky edge. Now Smell This described it as opening sweet and old-fashioned with a vintage air reminiscent of early Chanel, featuring a kumquat-like citrus alongside fragrant florals evoking jasmine, violet, and ylang-ylang.

A damp-forest aroma emerges mid-wear alongside what The Scented Hound identified as a hair-spray quality that comes and goes unpredictably. The drydown reveals smoke, a sweet-charred note, and a powdery finish of vaporized wood and nougat. Some reviewers detect a restful, aromatic leather with pleasant herbal bitterness, while others encounter an unfortunately sour, chemical character as the fragrance ages on skin. The result is a composition that genuinely cannot seem to make up its mind -- and therein lies both its fascination and its frustration.

When to Wear It

China White is an intimate fragrance suited to cooler weather and subdued settings. Its close-to-the-body projection and artistic complexity make it ideal for evenings, gallery openings, intimate dinners, and moments of personal reflection. The smoky incense and powdery florals are at their most evocative in autumn and early spring.

This is not a summer fragrance, nor is it suited to boisterous social occasions where its subtle, shifting character would be lost.

Longevity & Projection

Despite being an extrait concentration, China White's performance is a study in contradictions. Now Smell This praises its above-average lasting power, while The Scented Hound observes it almost retreating immediately after application. The fragrance stays close to the body, creating an intimate scent experience rather than projecting outward.

Most reviewers agree on moderate to good longevity of 5-8 hours, with the caveat that the fragrance's shifting character means you may lose track of it during wear as it moves through phases that are more or less perceptible. It is a fragrance designed to be discovered when someone leans close, not detected across a room.

The Community Says

The community views China White as genuine artistry with caveats. Basenotes reviewers call it modern, unique, and oozing class and style, while acknowledging that it becomes sour on some skin chemistries. Fragrantica forum users debate whether it is one of Nasomatto's finest or an overpriced disappointment. Now Smell This named it the reviewer's favorite Nasomatto, praising its luxurious character that evokes opulent opium dens without being suffocating. The fragrance has many facets that feel like a long journey, with a beautiful floral note that flourishes and becomes airy.

Who Should Buy This

China White is for the fragrance collector who values artistic ambition and accepts the unpredictability that comes with it. If you appreciate powdery, incense-inflected florals, enjoy fragrances that evolve in unexpected ways, and can accept that every wearing may offer a slightly different experience, this discontinued extrait is worth seeking out.

Skip it if you need your fragrances to perform consistently and predictably, or if you prefer bright, clean, or fresh scent profiles.

The Bottom Line

Nasomatto China White is perfumery as art -- beautiful, mercurial, and resistant to easy categorization. Its powdery rose-incense-musk composition offers moments of genuine transcendence interspersed with phases of uncertainty, making every wearing feel like a new encounter. As it exits Nasomatto's lineup, it leaves behind the kind of divided legacy that only truly interesting fragrances can claim.