Quick answers
History
Nishane unveiled Hacivat at Esxence in Milan (Italy) in 2017, alongside Karagöz and Zenne in the Shadow Play trilogy. ÇaFleureBon announced it on 16 March 2017, working from the house’s release.
The trilogy draws on Turkish shadow theatre, popularised in the Ottoman period. Hacivat and Karagöz are its two lead characters; Zenne is the name for the women who appear in the plays.
According to the release, Hacivat is a shortened form of “Hacı İvaz”, meaning “İvaz the Pilgrim”. Its current product page calls the perfume a tribute “to elegance, kindness, competence, and love of art”.
The same text says Mert Güzel and Murat Katran created the trilogy as “co-noses” with perfumer Jorge Lee. These were, it adds, their first fragrances in that role.
Nishane now says Hacivat “has become an iconic scent for many in such a short period of time”. The house counts it among its global hits, alongside Ani.
Fragrance notes
These are the notes Nishane publishes on its official page. They match the list in the 2017 release.
Citrus on top, patchouli at the heart, oakmoss in the base: the classic chypre frame, lit up by pineapple.
Scent profile
Nishane labels it “Citrus / Chypre / Woody” and calls it an “eau chypre”. The house describes a joyful structure of pineapple and bergamot backed by woody notes.
Pineapple and grapefruit give a fruity, sparkling start. Patchouli and cedarwood take over, then oakmoss pulls the scent back towards the classic chypre.
Osmetheca files it as a fruity chypre, the sub-family of Mitsouko, rather than a woody: oakmoss and bergamot hold the structure together.
“A tribute to elegance, competence, and love of art.”Nishane, 2017 release quoted by ÇaFleureBon
Key characteristics
When and where to wear
Nishane gives no wearing advice. Its citrus and pineapple make it brighter than most of the house’s extraits, and it sits well in the milder seasons.
Similar perfumes
Three perfumes help place Hacivat, through pineapple or the chypre structure.
| Perfume | House | Why related |
|---|---|---|
| Aventus | Creed · 2010 | The same pineapple over bergamot, patchouli and oakmoss. |
| Mitsouko | Guerlain · 1919 | The benchmark fruity chypre, bergamot and oakmoss. |
| Chypre by Coty | Coty · 1917 | The founding frame: bergamot, patchouli and oakmoss. |
Frequently asked questions
See also
Sources
- Nishane, official Hacivat page (notes, concentration, collection, description), accessed 4 November 2026
- Nishane, home page (“global hits”), accessed 2 November 2026
- Michelyn Camen, “Nishane Istanbul Launches Shadow Play Perfume Trilogy: KARAGOZ, ZENNE and HACIVAT (Mert Güzel, Murat Katran and Jorge Lee) 2017”, ÇaFleureBon, 16 March 2017
- Osmetheca, Nishane house entry