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Mind Games Castling
Mind Games

Castling

Citrus
Fresh
Floral
Iris
Fruity
Green
Woody
EDP · 2022 · unisex

Mind Games is an indie fragrance house focused on chess-inspired compositions, with Castling representing their 2022 exploration of strategic elegance through scent.

Castling opens with a crisp burst of fig leaf, sea salt, and bergamot that establishes a fresh, slightly saline character. The heart transitions into a soft floral territory with iris, lotus, and freesia creating an airy, delicate middle phase. The base anchors everything with sandalwood, vanilla, musk, and Madagascar vetiver, building a woody-vanilla foundation that grounds the fragrance without overwhelming the florals. The overall composition balances fresh and woody accords with a creamy floral core, leaning neither heavily masculine nor feminine.

This works well for anyone drawn to sophisticated unisex florals with structural depth. It's equally suited to cooler months when you want something with earthy woody-iris character, or warmer seasons when the fig leaf and sea salt opening shine. The fragrance hits notes of strategy and composed elegance without demanding attention. If you gravitate toward The Tactician, The Homesteader, and The Romantic, Castling will feel like natural territory.

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ModerateLongevity
$395Best · 100ml
$38730d Avg
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Price Comparison4 retailers · updated daily
Size
Updated 182m ago
$395.00
at Neiman Marcus
$337 low$399 retail
near retail, consider waiting
Buy Now →
RetailerStockPrice
Neiman Marcus✓ PartnerBestIn Stock$395.00−$4Buy
Mind GamesMSRPIn Stock$395.00retailBuy
Olfactory Factory LLC✓ PartnerIn Stock$399.00Buy
Olfactory Factory LLC✓ PartnerTesterIn Stock$399.00Buy

✓ authorized retailer · ⚠ verify seller · delta vs. MSRP · we earn a small commission

Price History · 100ml
Low
$337
Avg
$387
Now
$395.00
11 days tracked · 2026-05-01 – 2026-06-02
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Main Accordsreported by community
Citrus
26%
Fresh
70%
Floral
100%
Iris
90%
Fruity
26%
Green
26%
Woody
100%
Vetiver
60%
Earthy
37%
Musky
37%
Powdery
44%
Vanilla
37%
Sweet
37%
Gourmand
37%
Creamy
50%
Fragrance Notesbrand verified
Top · 0–30 min
Fig Leaf
Fig Leaf
The green, milky, and slightly sharp scent of freshly torn fig leaves rather than the fruit itself. Fig leaf is one of perfumery's most vivid green notes, with a raw, sap-like quality and a distinctive slightly sour, green-milk character. Used to add an intense, photosynthetic naturalism to green and woody compositions.
Sea Salt
Sea Salt
Crisp, ozonic, and slightly mineral, sea salt in perfumery doesn't smell 'wet' so much as briny and fresh, evoking a breeze from the ocean rather than a swimming pool. It adds a clean, outdoorsy quality to aquatic fragrances and pairs naturally with citrus and musks to create uncomplicated, wearable freshness.
Bergamot
Bergamot
A sun-ripened Italian citrus with a brightness that goes beyond lemon, simultaneously tart, floral, and slightly spicy. It's the defining note of Earl Grey tea and the backbone of countless fresh colognes. Perfumers love it as an opener because it lifts the entire composition without overpowering what follows.
Heart · 30 min – 3 hrs
Iris
Iris
One of perfumery's most prized and expensive ingredients, iris has a powdery, cool, almost carrot-like richness that is hard to describe and impossible to mistake. It's simultaneously earthy and refined, like the inside of an old Parisian couture house. Iris root (orris) adds quiet luxury to anything it touches.
Lotus
Lotus
Serene, aquatic, and faintly sweet, lotus sits between a water lily and a white floral, with a cool, meditative quality. It's simultaneously clean and warm, suggesting the scent of still water and temple incense. Frequently found in Asian-influenced and spa-inspired fragrances for its calm, contemplative character.
Freesia
Freesia
Bright, clean, and slightly peppery, freesia is a springtime flower with a fresh, almost citrusy edge that prevents it from reading as purely sweet. It's one of the more versatile florals, sitting comfortably in both delicate feminine compositions and fresh unisex fragrances. Approachable and elegant simultaneously.
Base · 3–12 hrs
Sandalwood
Sandalwood
Creamy, smooth, and milky with a soft, skin-like warmth that clings beautifully. True Mysore sandalwood is one of perfumery's most precious ingredients, simultaneously wood and skin, never cold or sharp. It rounds off sharp edges in any composition and makes the wearer smell subtly, irresistibly warmer.
Vanilla
Vanilla
Warm, sweet, and universally appealing, vanilla is to fragrance what salt is to cooking. Real vanilla is complex and slightly smoky, though most perfumery vanilla is synthetic and reads as clean, sweet, and creamy. It slows the evaporation of other notes and is the reason certain fragrances feel like a second skin.
Musk
Musk
The base layer of almost every modern fragrance, a soft, warm, skin-like scent that extends longevity and bridges other notes together. Natural musk was once derived from deer (now banned); today's musks are synthetic and range from clean and soapy to dark and animalic. The right musk makes a fragrance smell like 'you.'
Woodsy Notes
Woodsy Notes
Madagascar Vetiver
Madagascar Vetiver
A vetiver variety grown in Madagascar with a clean, rooty earthiness and a slightly herbal, green freshness. Madagascar vetiver sits between the earthiness of Haitian varieties and the refinement of Java vetiver, making it a versatile choice for woody and fresh compositions. It adds a natural, grounded quality without overwhelming.
Who Wears ThisScent DNA matches
📐
The TacticianBest match87% match
Precision over excess. Always.

Crisp, dry, clean, worn close. Citrus, aromatic herbs, light woods, soft musks.

🏡
The Homesteader86% match
Rooted, warm, and entirely self-sufficient.

Warm skin musks, sandalwood, soft cedar, clean vetiver. Grounding, intimate, unhurried.

❤️
The Romantic82% match
Your fragrance is a love letter you never stop writing.

Warm roses, vanilla, amber, creamy musks. Soft, evolving, intimate.

Based on this fragrance's accord profile · Find your Scent DNA →
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Most Popular with this Scent DNA Type?
📐
The Tactician
Precision over excess. Always.
Crisp, dry, clean, worn close. Citrus, aromatic herbs, light woods, soft musks.
Discover your type →
Scent Profile
Citrus26%Fresh70%Floral100%Iris90%Fruity26%
Decants Available
9
listings in stock
1ml$6.99/ml1ml$9.29/ml2ml$5.00/ml2ml$6.25/ml

Mind Games Castling— Prices, Coupons & Buying Guide

Best price today: Castling is $395.00. Without a coupon the lowest price is $395.00. Gush tracks 47+ retailers updated every 2 hours.

Are grey market retailers authentic?

Yes. Jomashop, FragranceNet, and MaxAroma sell 100% authentic Mind Games fragrances through unofficial distribution channels. The fragrance is identical to department store stock. Grey market refers to the supply chain, not product quality. The price difference comes entirely from the distribution channel.

Frequently asked questions

Cheapest price for Mind Games Castling? +
$395.00 at Neiman Marcus. Gush compares 47+ retailers updated every 2 hours.
Is $395.00 a good price for Castling? +
Yes. The current best price is $395.00 and MSRP is $399.00. At $395.00 you save 1% vs retail.
What does Mind Games Castling smell like? +
Mind Games is an indie fragrance house focused on chess-inspired compositions, with Castling representing their 2022 exploration of strategic elegance through scent. Castling opens with a crisp burst of fig leaf, sea salt, and bergamot that establishes a fresh, slightly saline character. The heart transitions into a soft floral territory with iris, lotus, and freesia creating an airy, delicate middle phase. The base anchors everything with sandalwood, vanilla, musk, and Madagascar vetiver, building a woody-vanilla foundation that grounds the fragrance without overwhelming the florals. The overall composition balances fresh and woody accords with a creamy floral core, leaning neither heavily masculine nor feminine. This works well for anyone drawn to sophisticated unisex florals with structural depth. It's equally suited to cooler months when you want something with earthy woody-iris character, or warmer seasons when the fig leaf and sea salt opening shine. The fragrance hits notes of strategy and composed elegance without demanding attention. If you gravitate toward The Tactician, The Homesteader, and The Romantic, Castling will feel like natural territory.
What are the notes in Mind Games Castling? +
Top: Fig Leaf, Sea Salt, Bergamot. Heart: Iris, Lotus, Freesia. Base: Sandalwood, Vanilla, Musk, Woodsy Notes, Madagascar Vetiver.
What other fragrances smell like Mind Games Castling? +
Based on shared notes, Mind Games 10 Piece Discovery - Artisan Collection 10 x (Sandalwood, Vanilla, Iris, Lotus), Mind Games Check Please () (Sandalwood, Vanilla, Iris, Lotus), Mind Games Collectors 12 x (Sandalwood, Vanilla, Iris, Lotus), Mind Games Discovery Discovery 10 x (Sandalwood, Vanilla, Iris, Lotus), Mind Games Kingside () (Sandalwood, Vanilla, Iris, Lotus) may smell similar to Castling.
What is a grey market fragrance retailer? +
Grey market retailers sell authentic fragrances sourced through unofficial distribution -- typically excess inventory from authorized distributors. The product is real and identical to retail. FragranceNet (est. 1997), Jomashop, and MaxAroma are well-established with millions of verified reviews.

Gush earns a commission on purchases at no cost to you · Prices update every 2 hours · Coupon success rates based on affiliate feed data · Grey market = authentic, unofficial supply chain