Mind Games Caissa Extrait

Description

Caissa is named for chess's own patron muse, a goddess invented by Renaissance poets to preside over the game, most notably in Hieronymus Vida's 1527 poem "Scacchia Ludus." Perfumer David Apel built an amber floral extrait around, in his words, "the texture, color and surprising aroma of licorice candy": opening with black licorice, pink peppercorn, and cardamom, moving into gardenia, ylang-ylang, and Egyptian jasmine, and finishing on ambrocenide, cocoa bean, and musk. Apel calls the result "deliciously sophisticated": sensual and a little mysterious, built for after dark.

Scent Character

• Woody: 41%
• Sweet: 23%
• Floral: 18%
• Spicy: 18%

Translation: black licorice and warm spice opening into sun-soaked white florals over cocoa-musk woods.

Fragrance Pyramid

Top: Black Licorice, Pink Peppercorn, Cardamom, Fougassette Accord

Heart: Gardenia, Ylang-Ylang Madagascar, Egyptian Jasmine

Base: Ambrocenide, Cocoa Bean, Musk

Performance

• Longevity: Very good. Most wearers report 6 to 8 hours, occasionally longer.
• Sillage: Moderate and well-behaved, noticeable up close without filling a room.
• Projection: Present for the first hour or two, then settles in.

Best Occasions & Season

• Season: Fall and Winter.
• Occasion: Evening, Night Out, and Leisure.
• Wear: Unisex.

Concentration & Provenance

Concentration: Extrait de Parfum
Perfumer: David Apel
House: Mind Games (The Fragrance Group)
Released: 2022

Try Before You Commit

Not ready for a full bottle? Sample Caissa first: 1mL from $6.99, 5mL from $33.99, and 10mL from $54.99, then step up to the retail bottle once you know it's you. Every decant is hand-poured from the authentic bottle.

100% Authentic

• Backed by 200,000+ orders and a 4.9★ Trustpilot rating
• Free US shipping on orders over $100
• Hassle-free returns

FAQ

Is Caissa unisex? Yes. The licorice-spice opening and cocoa-musk base wear well on anyone.

What does it actually smell like? Black licorice, pink peppercorn, and cardamom opening into gardenia and jasmine, drying down to cocoa bean and musk.

Is this an office scent? Not really. It's sensual and a little bold, best saved for evenings and nights out rather than the workday.

What does the name mean? Caissa is the goddess of chess invented by Renaissance poets to preside over the game.