Experiscent Number 9: Get into the...........

Mmm.  Oils.  I don't know anyone who doesn't have an affinity for them.  Experiscent number 9 is n ot a very well known scent outside of perfumista territory but it deserves a lot more attention than it's ever gotten.  Beautiful and mysterious yet approachable and somewhat familiar, with a relatively low price for the punch that it packs.  It was super-enjoyed by all the blind reviewers almost immediately (score!!!)  Panel reviews:

Paula:  First wearing: This is an oriental (?—or maybe an oriental fougere?) that perhaps shares some notes with Trayee.  It doesn’t exactly REMIND me of Trayee, just seems to have something in common. There is something pungent, not quite camphoraceous, in the opening of this fragrance. I’m struggling to identify what I’m smelling. Herbs? I don’t know, but it’s kind of dark and chemical-ish, almost medicinal. It’s sort of interesting but nothing particularly attractive, at least on me.

Second wearing, a few days later: Now it reminds me of Panda (note:  from Zoologist perfumes), but instead of being fresh and green like Panda, it’s murkier, like bamboo and tea leaves at the bottom of a pond. It’s warm, dark, musty, and pungent all at once. …After the top wears off, I’m getting some sweetness in this one too. …In the drydown, I’m getting some woods.

Erica (edited because she knew what it was immediately :)  )  Oh how I love this gorgeous, unmistakable, unique perfume. The orange blossom is almost soapy and almost sugary, a vivacious and vibrant contrast to the deeply brooding oudh. All other accent notes such as saffron, cinnamon, and sandalwood are merely glints of light thrown by the main gemstones of orange blossom and oudh. I am obsessed with this perfume oil and deeply grateful to own a bottle myself.  

Igor:  At first I absolutely hated this scent. I thought it was cumbersome and heavy like a tombstone. It reminded me of the black leather car seats that get burning hot in summer and radiate a very noisome heavy smell. That was my reaction for the first 5 minutes, I even wanted to go ash it off. I’m very glad I did not. I gotta say that it has become my most favorite among all nine. I’m not a fan of leather in fragrance, but it has dissipated into deliciously buttery and soft Italian leather. What makes it especially beautiful is the addition of the sweetness, maybe vanilla, which makes the scent smooth and waxy, yet earthy. Within half an hour the heaviness lifts, leaving behind engulfing sunny warmth of amber and musk undertones. The longevity is fantastic due to the nature of notes used, 12 hours on me. The sillage is moderate, stays close to skin, but you definitely leave a trace as you walk by. I don’t know why but it painted a very vivid picture in my mind. Sophia Loren in San Remo in 1970’s, is seating at the small café by the water on a lazy summer Sunday afternoon. She is wearing a white airy linen dress, clanking gold bracelets and oversized dragonfly sunglasses. She has a horn shaped terracotta Florentine leather bag from which she whips out a cigarette, lights it up, leans back and enjoys a cup of coffee. The fresh air hits her face and caresses her hair. Everything is filled with soft warmth of a perfect summer day.

Alyssa:   Hellooooo smooth oud! The color and consistency in the vial made me smile as soon as I saw it because of my intrigue with attars and such. While I was hooked on the opening of this fragrance due to the smoothness I couldn’t wait to see what was in store but the dry down unfortunately let me down and turned a bit bitter on me. I cannot wait to find out what this one is though to see what else is offered

Nicole:  Boom! The spicy cinnamon and spilled bourbon wafting in the air on a dusty summer day. The heat baking it into the wood even harder than it would soak in alone. A slow rolling, boozy drawl that seems to linger past normal business hours. Sensual in a way because the warmth and pepper surround you, while the whisky slow burns on it's way down. Just the way a cowboy likes his drink, neat with some heat. This particular scent lasted an unusually long time on my skin, and remained bold until the very end. The pepper, cinnamon and bourbon notes all gave distinct imagery this time around. It obviously reminded me of the Old West, cowboys, little mining towns and dusty trails. Gorgeous, seemingly simple at first but then it evolves into so much more! I would enjoy wearing this on a night out dancing, just because of how sensual it comes across.

Trona:  Warm, indulgent, sweet, caramelized honey syrup drizzled over vanilla ice cream, that is all I could think of when I walked into the coffee shop, it was a beautiful day, sprinkling showers and sun mixed together creating a relaxing, laid back atmosphere. Creamy Caramel Macchiato was on the agenda in this cozy street café today. Initially, I smelled this lovely buttered popcorn drenched in caramel and then came the benzoins and musk, I never wanted to leave the café, The smell draws you in and you get warm fuzzies all over, it is strong and seems to last all day. I notice it is an oil type, and gourmand. It is a wonderful scent, not at all overbearing and can be worn anytime of year. It makes me think of warm, cozy days, toasty marshmallows and the woods. Unisex and reminds me of Kyse perfumes

Jen:  WOW! This one packs a spiked-velvet punch. I'm fighting a cold and debated on trying #9 or waiting, and decided to just do one dab on one wrist so I could have some to try again after my head clears up…and it was a wise choice. I'm guessing this is a perfume oil from the viscosity. I get some cinnamon and maybe a few other warm spices. Something else is quite earthy. It smells as heavy as it felt on application; I'm glad it is a cold day here in the desert to keep this at bay! This is the first tester that has given me a distinct mental image of the wearer, and I totally see my 19 year old Bauhaus and black loving self going gaga for it. This one calls for dark rooms, dark lips, dark clothes, and (possibly cheap) dark booze.

Alfredo:  No.9 Is smooth and almondy with hints of anise or licorice...I'm also getting something green lying underneath....Patchouli is that you??  The drydown on me is a rich french vanilla...this would be a scent I'd reach for on a Bright Autumn afternoon going to a Café with one of my Friends.  Easy and relaxed.

Emily:  I'm 99% sure that the first thing I smell from this oil is olibanum (aka frankincense), so that probably means I'm totally wrong. Well, if I'm wrong it'll be worth the humilition to find out what that is because it smells amazing. It only lasts 15 minutes or so, sadly, and goes through a minor powdery stage as it transitions to some indolic white flower, probably tuberose.

My review and reveal:
So excited to reveal this one.  It's Ghroob (the oil version) by Arabian Oud.         
There are some scents that immediately throw me back to my early twenties.  This would have been 1991 to about 1995......that time of my life was marked by late nights, lots of leather and loud music, and long days in the sun at music festivals, having a drink and not having much of a care in the world.  I moved to Seattle during this period and at the time there were many import stores and smoke shops, with the occasional coffee bar.  Grunge was the music of the day and various oil perfumes could be smelled in every dive club.  Everyone's youth was underscored by the intensity of the fragrances......spice here, wood or musk there.......patchouli, vanilla, jasmine, and china rain scents were also the rage.  At this point in my life most of those scents are something that i only associate with the past, but when i find an oil that has the apprpriate level of maturity that I love at the current stage in my life I'm all over it.  Ghroob was one that I picked up after a wonderfu person on an online forum stated her love of the fragrance....and now it came in an oil!  A bonus for me, since living in a low-humidity environment can subdue even powerhouse fragrances.  I bought it online and was very pleased with how it immediately brought to mind the memories of my early Northwest days and the sense of anticipation that I had about my future.  

Ghroob opens with a pale yet rich leathery aura, with something that feels like fuzzy apricot skin.  The fruitiness I will attribute to orange blossom, it doesn't seem like a smack in the face here but hangs in a hazy veil.  A melange on spices hangs in the atmosphere.....saffron always weaves a silky feel for me and here it is an indulgently rich addition,  exotic yet welcoming.  Cinnamon is definitely apparent, but like the baking cinnamon, just a touch, like you would find in a tagine.  

Though i get florals they are incredibly well blended.  For brief seconds each is identifiable, but just as quickly they blend back into the fold, and the use of palmarosa (which to me smells like an oregano touched lemon and rose) and herbs adds a new and intriguing element to the florals.  They never get too sweet and makes this scent a perfect unisex fragrance.  At no point does this scent ever identify as one family of scent...... Layer upon layer, it shifts and turns, constantly keeping your nose intrigued.  Now it is spice, now musk, is this a floral?  As you become used to one facet, another teases in the background until you focus on it, and once that one starts to fade another one is ready for your attention. 

When I wear this now and someone who has now lived a bit, the anticipation about my future has proved to be a good thing.  I have maintained much of who I was, but have the perspective of an adult.  When I go 'home' to where I grew up, it's wonderful to have a scent that makes me appreciate everything that I have experienced.  Ghroob allows me to embrace my maturity while still providing me a vision of my past.  Now,  I feel that this is a leather jacket on an autumn night in NYC.  It's a little smokey, a little steamy, and a hint of spices and headshop incense pop as you walk past different shops on your way to meet your friends.  The present stage is good, but we will always retain a fondness for who we were before.

Ghroob's notes as per Fragrantica:
agarwood (oud), saffron, cinnamon, orange blossom, thyme and marjoram; middle notes are bulgarian rose, jasmine, gardenia, palmarosa and geranium; base notes are sandalwood, white amber, musk and vanilla.  

Experiscent Number 8: sweet explosions

Scent number eight is a fragrance that I bought on impulse and while I enjoy it, it's not a favorite of mine.  I wanted to have it reviewed blind for its interesting qualities......it's light, yet rich.  It's a mid range scent in terms of price.  It was not created by a niche house, yet it's not completely mainstream either.  I found it to be a fragrance that could garner fans on either side of the perfume preference spectrum:  woods, florals, citrus and gourmand notes all mingled in this one, and the responses I got were similarly mixed.  Blind reviews were:

Igor:  Explosion at the Willy Wonka Factory, a tsunami of sweetness, sugar, sugar, more sugar, flowers, vanilla , and musk. I love sweet fragrances so this scent, naturally, for me is great. The top note is a dune of sugar and then some, but it quickly goes away, within 10 minutes, leaving behind a very lovely steady flow of vanilla, berries and musk. The base notes have, if I’m not mistaken, patchouli and caramel and some dark buckwheat honey. In the drydown the cloying sweetness transforms into earthy bitter-sweetness that is not overbearing, but very grounded. The longevity is great, lasts hours on me and the sillage is lovey, just enough for others to notice you without being too much. I have a suspicion that this juice can be a member of the Thierry Mugler family; maybe a new Angel flanker? Perhaps? Anyway, a nice visual that I get is the Parisian bistro drowned in a cozy winter evening. A gas heater sends it soft warmth to the couple on the covered terrace. They are sitting on the old wooden chairs that have been recently lacquered. They are speaking softly, while enjoying foamy cappuccinos with caramels and almond cookies. The smell gets mixed and a new concoction of cold Parisian pebble street, coffee, sweets, warm sweaters and scents of freshly baked bread. A sweet and happy “Yes” for this scent. 

Emily:   Impressionistically, I would say that this is a watercolor of a perfume. It feels soft and muted to me. It begins as a candied floral to my nose, somewhat powdery with a tiny bit of mint (or perhaps a minty patchouli). The bouquet strikes me as light purple—and that’s not impressionistic: I mean I think it’s based on purple flowers, guessing heliotrope. I’m going to call it a fruity floral overall, but what I find most interesting is that the stone-fruit note is at its strongest 4 or 5 hours into the perfume’s development. That's something I don't see very often.

Paula:  

First wearing: This one is a sweet almond fruity-floral…it reminds me a little of Decou Vert from last month regarding the sweetness part. But it is warmer and more generic, less fresh and floral than Decou Vert. Pleasant, but not particularly interesting or memorable to my way of experiencing it. One thing I do like about it is its “waftiness”—you smell it all around you when you are in motion.

Second wearing, a week later: I am getting fruit to open. I can’t say for sure which fruits. Maybe berries, or plum? Anyway, fruits. There is a little green freshness to it, like eating fruit salad outside with a cool breeze blowing. …Now I’m getting some of that odd buttered corn note I remember from January's Guerlaine Elixir. I believe that was supposed to represent marshmallow? …This one has super longevity. It’s gone on the whole day.  …Next morning: I can still detect it!

Erica:  What a bright, ebullient perfume! I haven't smelled Clinique Happy for about a million years but this is what it should have smelled like. Joyful freesia and a sunbeam of bergamot, with a friendly white musk, soft as goose down. Fresh and innocent, carefree and jubilant. Just darling! Not my style for personal scent choice, it feels a little too young and fresh for me, but I do appreciate its happiness.

Jen:  Sweet, fruity floral with something creamy underneath. Definitely berries, possibly some litchi? I initially wanted to peg it as a specific Lancome fragrance, but when I grabbed my sample to compare they were not nearly as similar as I had thought! Noses and brains are so funny sometimes. It still smells like Lancome or another mainstream perfumer to me, though. 

Nicole: 
Such a fun spring scent! The opening reminds me of sun sweetened orange peels. The bright opening note is perfect for spring, so fanciful and happy. As it settles, a white musk comes in the forefront and the sweet falls to the back, subtle but still there. Then a floral note appears slowly; mixing sweetly with the citrus and musk. It dances along a familiar memory but twirls away before you can grasp it. The dry down is wonderful, not too bold and yet not too shy.

Trona:  It’s June in London, birds are singing, the sun is shining and people are bustling about. A very large park along the outskirts of the city is home to a very beautiful old world English garden, upon entry, you are hit with a citrus blast that quickly settles down, The garden is overgrown and in full bloom, A sea of green covered in whites, pinks, and gorgeous blues create a meadow of lovely wildflowers nestled throughout the tall grass. Jasmine and lilies stand out and compliment the lime (Bergamot) mojitos one can imagine drinking here and on this day. The air is sweet, yet, dry and a bit sour from the citrus, as the hours tick by, the heavenly air is warmed by the sunshine and a sweet warm amber shows itself. It is slight and not to be overdone. By nightfall, all that is left of the garden is the shadow of its earlier glory. I also felt this one was familiar, it is nice and feminine but lacking a WOW!! Factor, I think it is elegant and appropriate for day wear and office wear. Sillage is about 3-4 hours, pretty close to the skin.

Alfredo:  A fresh citrus, creamy opening which quickly becomes warm & soft.  I'm picking up honeysuckle & orange lower with just a touch of patchouli & soft sandalwood.  Having gentle sillage and projection, this is the type of fragrance you can enjoy on these first days of spring sitting in the backyard while reading a good book and enjoying a refreshing glass of lemonade.  It's easy & relaxed.

Alyssa:  This one I had to try out a few times and I had the same reaction each time - I want it off unsure emoticon. It was such a mish mosh of notes on my skin and just smelled perfumey. I could not pick out a single note due them all wearing me at once.

My review and reveal:

Scent number 8 was Boucheron Place Vendome Elixir.  This was a flanker released in 2014, meant to be a cration bawsed on the departmentstore in Paris bathed in golden light in the evening.  The bottle itself is a beautiful quilted heavy gold tone, and the scent definitely reflects warmth and light. The notes listed for the scent are mandarin, pink pepper, pear, jasmine, rose, orange blossom, rosewood and vanilla. Curiously,  usually not listed are the two notes that overpower me every time:  honey and benzoin.  I like benzoin.....I like it a heck of a lot.  But when coupled with honey, it's all I smell.....a sweet, unctuous, thick scent that feels like I'm wearing a heavy fur in 95 degree humid weather.  These notes are not listed in Place Vendome Elixir but are sometimes listed for the original, and I still find them very strongly present here.  In this version, however, there is rosewood.  Is it real rosewood?  I'm have no idea.  Rosewood is a fairly expensive material and and has been over-harvested for decades.......there are many blends that have been created to simulate the scent, so the chances that it has a high percentage of true rosewood is seems low to me (or maybe it contains a very low ratio).  However, what I do enjoy about Place Vendome elixir is that it 'fits' into a mood for me.  The original, though pretty, left me scratching my head.......the honey/benzoin really seemed to steamroll the light elements of the scent and I couldn't imagine ever liberally spraying it and then walking around in a floaty daytime dress.  However, the Elixir flanker clearly fits into a dark, winter evening mold for me.  The honey and benzoin are still there but are curiously handled with a lighter touch.  The use of those notes do remind me quite a bit of La Vie Est Belle and Guerlain's Mon Exclusif so if you enjoy those this is worth a try.

Place Vendome Elixir opens with a definitive burst of pink pepper followed by a rose-hazed blast of flowers.  The jasmine is somewhat apparent but I don't get any large impression of orange blossom, which may be because of the pink pepper hovering over everything.  The presence of this scent is very apparent in the beginning....if you're going to wear this around scent-phobes you might want to give yourself about 20 minutes before going out with them.  The first phase is the most impacting and has the most strength.  There's a brief period about a half hour in where I get glimpses of the pear, nicely used to balance rather than becoming an overly terpenic wave of fruit.  It goes nicely with the rose-y undercurrent and the jasmine is more noticeable at this point.  Continuing to develop,  the scent starts to highlight a touch of wood......this would be the rosewood.  It's a pleasant underpinning, in my opinion it smells a bit like walking into an abandoned homestead that's been baking in the hot sun.  It's a touch sweet, a bit papery, and gives the impression of warmth and air. 

Oddly enough, the wood recedes for a while, allowing honeyed flowers to bloom continuously.  The pink pepper continues to pop and serve its influence over the whole life of the fragrance.  Overall, it's a fruity floral that has been given a dose of sophistication without going the route of fruit/patchouli.  However, it doesn't quite go the route of completely mainstream, there's enough to garner interest here from people looking for a scent that holds a bit more intrigue. This is a grown up scent, an adulterated version of candy.......eating a honeyed pear in a dimly-lit, plush velvet chair on a dark winter's night. It's not incredibly long lasting which is surprising.  I found the original to be more present, long-term, than this one. 

Experiscent Number 7: Sexy Pears

With spring here, much of my current rotation is being spend revisiting scents that I haven't worn in months, and pulling out scents that may have been forgotten for a time.  Opening the armoire of my scents is always a little bit like a treasure hunt.  I may go in looking for something but along the way I start down a road of scent adventures that may or may not take me to my original goal, but possible turning me towards another forgotten payload of beauty.  It's always a thrill of rediscovery.

My choice for Experiscent number 7 is a modern creation by Bertrand Duchaufour.......one of my very favorite noses.  When I first tried this scent I didn't pay attention to who had created it, but once I looked at a larger description I felt like 'Of course!'.  I always love the way he blends light, effervescent notes with darker elements that I don't always think would work together, but somehow he balances them beautifully in his creations and this one was no exception.

Notes from the panel:

Alfredo: I Kissed a Boy and I Liked it....the taste of his CHERRY Chap Stick!  Wow what a FUN sweet, almost waxy scent.  I'm getting loads of Cherry Goodness from this BRIGHT flirty juice...whatever florals are in this I'm getting cherry blossom of course.  When I get a close sniff it practically tickles my nose.  This would be the perfect Party Scent...when you're out to have a good time with your friends ...or THAT Boy with the Kissable Lips!

Alyssa:  #7 was definitely my favorite of the bunch. Mmm what a pretty, bright and effervescent fragrance! It had a little bite to it as well which I always enjoy. I thought I smelled a bit of anise in the opening but couldn’t really pick out much of anything else. It wore pretty well on skin, 5+ hours but I would’ve loved for it to stick around a little more!

Paula:  

First wearing: This is a soft floral with iris. Very quiet. I think I detect some heliotropin (almond) too. Some sweetness….cocoa? And amber. This scent is not very strong--I have to really press my nose to skin to smell it now after 20 mins even though I used half the vial on one forearm! Not radically different from #8; in the same style for sure. After the top notes subside, the amber is becoming more prominent and starting to take on a shrill chemical character that makes it a no-go for me. …Not much longevity on this one. Gone in a couple of hours despite a generous application.

Second wearing, a week later: Is that orange blossom to open? I detect the iris for sure (not a very rooty/starchy or carroty iris), and the amber is right up front this time--it’s really strong, and has a burning quality to it. …After the opening, today I am also getting a very sweet note that is almost overwhelming. It smells kind of gross and fake. This strikes me as not a very well balanced perfume.  (later)…I am actually getting a bit nauseated by the sweetness, which has a chemical edge, not like something found naturally. …Luckily this stage didn’t last too long. I wonder why it bothered me this time? I am on a diet so hungrier than usual…maybe my tolerance for the weird sweetness was lower on an empty stomach! Between that and the burning amber, I was glad that there is no longevity to this scent. 

Trona:  When traveling through an Italian countryside in Tuscany, I breathe in the crisp fresh air tinged with a sort of tomato note, I capture such an effervescent pear scent, it tingles in my nose. It is strong enough to get my curiosity going and I continue walking into a marvelous orchard of pear trees with green grass and violets about, I smell the sweet and fresh remnants of grapevines from the vineyard alongside me, the odors akin to a lovely version of Lolita, the day is cool, but the sun is out and shining its light on all of natures beauty around me. I immediately felt I recognized this perfume, moderate sillage, lasts about 3 hours on me, the fragrance is a strong pear for me, I also get something else, a fresh green and something that is reminiscent of tomato. This was well blended, as I had a tough time pulling notes out, but I have a feeling there could be anise or licorice in this one and it comes off as pear to me. 

Emily:  Fruity! I’m thinking pear, though I wouldn’t say no to apple or litchi. It reminds me a lot of Asphalt Rainbow by Charenton Macerations (there’s a bit of a plastic quality), but with a quieter floral. It's probably not rose; certainly not one of the big, white tropical beauties. I want to say peony, even though I am not sure I know what peony actually smells like. It seems to be dipping its toe in the aquatic notes, so for all I know it could be water lily or lotus blossom. Whatever it is, I’ll bet it’s pink. Drydown strikes me as mostly musky, with perhaps some very light woods and comes far too soon.

Igor:  The scent is very light and milky at first. I might be imagining, but could be lactones to recreate the scent of peaches or a touch of watery milky iris. The notes that add to complexity are florals, maybe Lily of the Valley in it and some orange blossoms and very faint green hints on the base of laundry musk. After 20 minutes he scent becomes very powdery and sweeter. Ok, maybe it is just me, but this fragrance does not engender any emotions whatsoever. It is a clean, generic scent, almost like a hospital disinfectant. I work at a hospital and I swear our hand disinfectant smells just like this.  (audrey's note:  I'd be disinfecting all day!  :)  )  Longevity is moderate, about 3 hours on me; the sillage is low as I could barely detect it on my wrists. I would easily pass that at the fragrance counter since it has no emotional anchors for me. 

Jen:  In the bottle and immediately on my skin it smells like cherry cough syrup. After a bit I get a deep, rich sweetness; think dried fruits swimming around in a thick syrup. A bit of a waxy vibe comes around every now and then. There is also a surprisingly savory something, too. Maybe something nutty? I'm pretty ambivalent about this one.





 Nicole:  This one literally sparkles in the opening and seems effervescent. It brings to mind sparkling mimosas, pineapple and tropical breezes. The bright, pretty opening softens fades and then returns throughout the day. As it softens, a powdery floral simpers in, soothing and gentle. After about 30 minutes a hint of the top note returns and dances along as the dry down begins. As it develops, there is a sensual warm vanilla that envelops your senses. After a short time the top note seems to return and a sparkling vanilla caresses your skin. On me this one lasts all day and remains into the next day. Beautiful, full and absolutely divine. This is something I would gladly wear all the time because it is so beautiful.

Erica:  This is far and away my favorite from this round. It reminds me so much of Serge Lutens Douce Amère that I wonder if it's a SL scent I haven't tried yet. There is a gentle grace infused into this perfume. I sense round white blossoms resting on a wispy cloud of pillowy vanilla. I swear I can detect nutmeg as well. At the bottom I sense clove or star anise, a cautious hint of some ancient spice. It's a feminine, delicate aroma with a glowing warmth that I'm drawn to immensely. I also must say that after the drydown, I am nostalgically reminded of Vanilla Fields and it is such a tender scent memory. Love! 

Reveal and my review: 
Scent number 7 was La Belle Helene by MDCI.

MDCI scents always surprise me.  I find many of their scents to straddle a line between modern and quietly vintage.  La Belle Helene opens with ylang and pear with a slight hint of lipstick wax.  Pear can be tricky.....sometimes it can feel like a strong dose of nail polish remover, but not here.  In La Belle Helene, the Pear is sweet and clear, not quite juicy but closer to a pear skin or pear brandy.  The pear and ylang blend well with the lipstick note, there's a whisper of rose over a rich underpinning of plum and wood notes.  The use of ylang here is light handed; ylang can sometimes overwhelm but here is enhances, giving the pear great clarity.  Myrrh is a lovely addition as well, adding a silken, rich element to what might have turned this scent towards a basic fruity floral, and gives it a 'grown up', sexy twist.  As the scent develops it loses nothing of its top sparkle and gathers more character,  very much as if a pretty woman has become even more beautiful once you've spoken to her and found out just how intriguing she is.  The notes continue to dance and weave, now it is vibrant, but a minute later it's slightly mysterious and plush.....the basenotes of myrrh, a wisp of vetiver, musk and a touch of oakmoss.  The notes also list licorice wood......and I do think I get a hint of licorice but it's very faint, though notable.  This lingering veil lasts for hours on me and I keep getting delicious whiffs of it from my shirt sleeves, and every time I say 'mmmm' and breathe it in deeply.  Great transitional scent from a cool to warm season or summer night scent. 

I like combinations of fruit and oriental notes.  This scent sits firmly in the same line as Patou Forever, Histoires Georges Sands, Boadicea Glorious, and to some extent Quelques Fleurs.

Official notes as per Fragrantica:  Top notes: pear, aldehydes, tangerine and lime. Heart: rose essence, osmanthus, ylang-ylang, orris butter, Mirabelle plum and hawthorn. Base: myrrh, vetiver, patchouli, cedar, oak moss, white musk, sandalwood and licorice wood.