Pasha
Cartier (1992)

In my perception, the following sequence of flavors has definitely been built up:
Pasha Cartier EDT > 1881 Men Cerruti > Lauder for Men
There are all three. I am comparing exactly the old editions of the 2000-2010s.
That is, 1881 Men Cerruti is somehow in between them, as if Pasha Cartier EDT and Lauder for Men were mixed in approximately equal proportions. At the same time, Lauder for Men seems to me to be the most refined and crystallized of this trio. Where Pasha Cartier EDT can be compared to the most "greasy" oil that has not yet been refined, and Lauder for Men is a crystal essence that has gone through all the stages of "purification" and thus got rid of all "excess". On the other hand, it is this "extra" that is more to someone's taste, like unprocessed cold-pressed oil, cloudy and with sediment, with a full palette of shades and facets.

The fougeres started getting more fresh at some point. Maybe it was Drakkar Noir or Paco, but by the mid 80s it was more soapy and citric than ever, and by the time we got Blue Water, it had turned into something far more synthetic, leading to scents such as Platinum Egoiste and probably Eternity but I never tried that.

Right before we threw ourselves into the modern fresh fougere, Cartier gives us this. The basic profile reminds me of zesty soapy fougeres, such as Duc du Vervins or even Platinum Egoiste, but while those are assertively fresh, Pasha is subdued, aromatic and elegant.

Mint is joined with soapy citrus at the start, leading to a heart with woods and a great coriander note, over a traditional, but not overly heavy fougere base, with a good dollop of oak moss and patchouli.

The end result is that although the style and effect of this perfume is dated - it may have even been dated when it was released - the quality and elegance make it timeless. Ideal for a rainy summer day, Pasha will make you feel clean and wordly.

Note: Review is based on bottle purchased in 2021.

Excellent minty-aromatic opening, not too dry, and in similar vein to Jazz and Safari. The mid phase is a textbook fresh-spicy aromatic fougere. Unfortunately the dry-down has a strange sweet note (had to double check vanilla not listed as a note). This undermines what came before, and even it can be a bit cloying in the wrong way. In my experience it's more enjoyable to wear in cooler weather.

Pasha is closest to Jazz, and Jazz is arguably a better crafted scent - though it doesn't have the minty freshness of Pasha. I wonder if the dry down was more refined in vintage versions, especially if those contained noticeable oakmoss (being speculative). If they fixed the base, this would have been one for the ages. Top marks for the first ninety minutes or so.


3/5

There’s a whole mess of fragrances from the late-80s to early 90s that smell like this; if you lined them up only a few would stand out. There would be some you'd pick out to wear now and then there'd be some you'd pick out as classics. This would not sit in either camp. This is not bad, but it’s not going to be something that stands out either. I don’t think I would wear this again as this just screams older sensible man; and though I’m older I’m not the guy that this is geared towards. This is the guy who would be in bed before 10pm with a historic biography or sensible magazine, pyjamas that look like a suit, a glass of orange juice after a game of golf/squash, radio 4 on the drive home, twink holed up in an affordable flat, Labrador, daughter in Uni, wife with Kath Kidson addiction and home in time for the 6pm BBC News and Shepard’s pie.

If I was a very handsome alpha-male power broker who wore suits to work and who attended power lunches and ate watercress in my salads I'd wear Pasha all the time. It would be my signature fragrance and people would associate me with it and when they smelled me they'd in turn associate that scent with wealth and success. Alas, I'm just a regular 8-5er, a happy dude to be sure, but I don't feel like I am wealthy enough to wear Pasha on a regular basis. It out-classes me.

A crisp, clean aromatic fougere with the traditional structure as you'd expect from a 90s scent. The lavender is quite prominent and nicely blended, as are the woods in the base.
Pasha is very much on a par with Safari by Ralph Lauren. Instead of the Caribbean spices, it uses mint and wraps the fougere accord around that. Others have rightfully drawn similarities with the now discontinued VC&A Tsar and YSL's Jazz. I would also extend the Venn diagram to overlap with Boucheron Pour Homme and Cerruti 1881.
I am not sure how 'mossy' Pasha is in 2020, but formulations from about five years ago when I last wore this scent were OK. Pasha is not a projection monster or as long-lasting as one might expect of a modern day ambrox chemical bomb, but long lasting and acceptable enough for the average working day. It's not a skin scent by any means.
All in all a traditional aromatic fougere available at ridiculously good prices if you know where to look. A surprisingly low-lying scent. Beware of the flankers: stick to the original Eau de Toilette.