Rima XI Carner Barcelona

Desirability: Decant

Source: pinterest

Rice pudding was my first thought on sniffing Rima XI applied to the crook of my elbow. Jeux de Peau was my second thought. It does have that salty sweetness that I love about the gourmand Lutens but where Jeux de Peau conjures up a reel of memories taken from a warm bakery on a cold day, Rima XI brings to mind the Asian dessert of silky rice pudding flavoured with vanilla and gently powdered with spices. 

It starts off rather dry, with the spices (cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg) dominating the scent at first but mellowing as time progresses, underneath is the creamy rice pudding that is a good balance of sweet and savoury. I like eating rice pudding but smelling like it for hours would not be as enjoyable, thankfully the spices break the mundaneness here in Rima XI. The scent gradually morphs from a gourmand into a soft woody amber base with a little musk. A comfort scent from start to finish. 

By the way this scent doesn't bloom as well on paper as it does on skin, so don't test it on paper. It also performs better in the heat, the scent projects much more than it does in my "colder" office where it creeps back to the skin. Overall I find it a rather light scent with average longevity of about 6 hours. 

Nice but not super interesting which is why I'm happy with my decant.  

Miroir des Envies Thierry Mugler (Mirror Mirror Collection)

Desirability: Full bottle and a back up

Source: Fragrantica

Phoarrrrr! Christine Nagel is a sorceress and Miroir des Envies is her magic potion/drug.

A real shape-shifter it is too! One moment I smell divine white flowers and the next I smell buttered caramel popcorn or warm buttered toast or...oh never mind I just smell like gourmand heaven! I kid you not. I was having the shittiest upon shittiest day imaginable and this gem came in a parcel as part of a swap with a super duper generous fragrance friend. On the way to bed I decided to try this and it put an instant smile on my face (the first of the day too so you can imagine what extraordinary powers this has)! 

Source: lovethispic.com

Source: pinterest

I can't quite make up my mind if it's caramel buttery popcorn or buttered toast with syrup/honey that I smell as both keep popping up like a short movie on repeat in my head. 

Miror des Envies has been said to resemble Thierry Mugler's Alien and its flanker Taste of Fragrance Alien, but I have to strongly disagree (personal experience and opinion only of course, kudos to those who had fabulous experiences) as Taste of Fragrance Alien (ditto The One Desire by Dolce & Gabbana) had the most nauseous, synthetic-smelling caramel note that I couldn't scrub off fast enough. Needless to say that bottle got swapped away very quickly. Whereas the caramel in Miroir des Envies smells like real caramel and thankfully has no synthetic vibe to put me off. The buttered toast bit reminds me of Jeux de Peau but the Lutens does not have the alluring white flowers that float dreamily in waves, taking turns with the gourmand facet of Miroir des Envies to lull you into an olfactory bliss.  

Jasmine is obviously present but I also detect a delicate, slightly citrusy orange blossom in the floral bouquet. It might sound like a dubious combination-white flowers and buttered/caramel popcorn/toast but 1) neither the gourmand nor the white flowers dominate the scent but are seamlessly layered upon themselves creating an utterly addictive essence and 2) this has to be one of the most unique fragrances I've smelt in a while. Like I said...Phoarrrrrr! It knocks your socks off. Sillage is moderate and longevity is good. I will be guarding my bottle closely. 

P.S: This is possibly the first time I've smelt popcorn in a perfume. The note was lost on me in the pre-reformulated Miss Dior Cherie but I'm happy to report that I'm in the camp of perfumeheads who smell popcorn in Miroir des Envies! 

Una Tira l'Altra Hilde Soliani

Desirability: Full Bottle

Source: Fragrantica

Source: www.cookingforkeeps.com

Cherry, more cherry and more cherry.

I enjoy both Bambolina and Doolciiisssimo where lovely dark cherries are to be found, in the former mixed with green and watery notes and in the latter with a warm and sweet tobacco, but if you are looking for cherry without much distractions, you don't have to look further than Una Tira l'Altra.

Source:www.hungrygirlporvida.com

It's like a gazillion ripe and luscious dark cherries tumbling out of the bottle, there is a syrupy tinge at the beginning that makes me think of glazed cherry tarts or Cherries Jubilee but the sugar level adjusts itself over time so that it feels more like you are getting the fresh fruit where it's both sweet and a bit sour rather than a cherry dessert by the drydown. 

There is a noticeable bittersweet almond note and this delicious combination of nuttiness and fruit makes Una Tira l'Altra an awesome gourmand scent with a perky attitude. Sillage and longevity are both very good. 

Fraaagola Saalaaata Hilde Soliani

Desirability: Decant

Source: Fragrantica

The listed notes mention salt and strawberries and I smell a candied version of strawberries (sweet but not agonisingly so, still it might appeal more to gourmand lovers) but salt...not quite a sprinkling of table salt however I am reminded of Garrett's Mix popcorn with the combination of Garrett's Savoury CheeseCorn and CaramelCrisp...so what I do get from Fraaagola Saalaaata is buttery salty sweetness. 

Projection is massive, so do be extremely careful when applying this, I accidentally sprayed one time too many and shortly after my family could smell it two floors below. It lasts and lasts and lasts...until you give your clothes a good washing. I slept in the same teeshirt and the scent carried over on to my bedsheets which meant I had lovely buttered strawberry smelling dreams for a few nights. 

Pumpkin Strumpet Alkemia Perfumes

Desirability: Full bottle

If smelling like a sweet spiced pumpkin pie is your thing and Etat Libre d'Orange's Like This was not enough to satisfy your dessert cravings, look no further than Alkemia's Pumpkin Strumpet. If you didn't already know, Alkemia is one of the first indie perfume oil stores on Etsy and is definitely my go-to for desserts in a bottle. Besides gourmand scents, Alkemia Perfumes has a multitude of other fragrances to fulfil many desires and if you can't decide on just one, the Etsy store offers a 3 for 30 Set - Any Three 5 ml Alkemia Fragrances for 30 Dollars USD. Since the perfume oils are highly concentrated, a little goes a very long way. 

Alkemia describes Pumpkin Strumpet as such: 

A decadent blend of rich pumpkin, caramelized sugar, Madagascar vanilla, precisely balanced with a swirl of cinnamon, ginger, & clove and a tiny drop of amber musk. In a famous study by the Smell & Taste Treatment & Research Foundation, pumpkin pie was found to be the scent most arousing to men. We are not responsible for any indecencies caused by wearing this mouth-wateringly delicious temptation.

I don't totally agree on its seductive powers having tried and failed but then again the fault could lie with me but anyway, I fully agree that it is decadent and sets the salivary glands working and endorphins racing when sniffed. I don't smell the amber or musk per se but the scent gives off a warm and cuddly glow that is reminiscent of amber and musk fragrances. Pumpkin Strumpet is delicious if simple, very affordable and delivers on its promises. What are you waiting for? 

Source: www.theyummylife.com

Bois Satin Keiko Mecheri

Desirability: Adoption by a more appreciative nose

Source: www.basenotes.net

Syrupy leather.

I get boozed up syrupy sweet fruit followed by the smell of wood which is quickly followed by a smooth sweet leathery smell. Leather in fruit syrup may sound weird but that's what I think of in the drydown of Bois Satin. The wood notes that were present at the opening are nowhere to be found, probably fell victim to deforestation. I enjoy leather scents like Les Exclusifs de Chanel Cuir de Russie, Cuir Mauresque by Serge Lutens and I don't mind gourmand leathers like Dzing! by L`Artisan but Bois Satin doesn't rest easy on my stomach, I find the proportions of leather and fruit syrup too jarring here and frankly it makes me queasy. 

Average projection but longevity isn't the greatest, I clocked a maximum of four hours with two wearings. 

Daimiris Laboratorio Olfattivo

Desirability: Full bottle

Source: Fragrantica

March 2015 is my month for "Eat, Pray, Love". I can't remember the last time I was off for a whole month. Since I'm between jobs I decided to run away from my tropical home to the other side of the world with little stops on the way. Packing for a month especially when one is going to experience all four seasons through that month is no joke and in order to keep my luggage weight reasonable, I obviously had to tone down on the perfume bottles. The problem is when one has so much choice and favourites it gets difficult to choose ONE, I know, first world problems right? Anyway in the end my scent of the moment Daimiris got to come on my soul searching trip. My arguments for choosing Daimiris were as follows.

Spicy and warm, the smell of cardamom and saffron is unmistakeable in the dusty and earthy opening of Daimiris. Beneath the spices you have a blast of heady booze and rich leather, all perfectly proportioned with no rough edges. When I first tried Daimiris while in a hurry a few months back, I could not make out the candy note and vowed to go back for a more leisurely second try and voila! The "daim candy" note is so yummy and true to the taste of the crunchy chocolate almond candy but despite the candy note, Daimiris is not all that sweet and I would say it is more of a spicy oriental than a gourmand. Iris which gave the dusty and earthy/rooty effect of the opening is very much present in the drydown showing its buttery side, saffron prevailing till the end with a subtly sweet amber and an animalic musk contributing to the happy coziness that is Daimiris. Despite all its richness, I find Daimiris to be more of an alluring reddish-gold silk than a thick blanket of spicy warmth.

So gourmand + musky + oriental. It has a few of my favourite things, good projection and longevity and is one of those well-rounded and charming fragrances that you can wear anywhere, even on long haul flights without invading the personal space of the person in the seat next to you. Into my bag it went, wrapped in my wool scarf for insurance against baggage handlers using my luggage for discus practice. 

Ylang in Gold M. Micallef

Desirability: Decant

Source: perfume.org 

There's no denying that Micallef makes fine and pretty fragrances. You can't hate a Micallef, they are  quality fragrances and just too pleasant to inspire negativity but at the same time I find some too sweet and some others too...prosaic? Apart from the seductress Le Parfum Couture the other Micallef creations I have had the good fortune to sample are lovely if innocuous ladies.

Ylang in Gold would be welcomed into this society of ladies for like a Stepford wife she is perfectly groomed, decked out in luxury and...a conformist. Not a hair out of place nor a toe out of line, Ylang in Gold has no edges or surprises but is a seamlessly blended sweet and intoxicating (but of course) ylang ylang drenched in vanilla cream. Adding to the food theme is a smell of fruit, more like a fruit stall then a particular fruit but there are coconuts or rather coconut milk involved and overall has a tropical vibe but more an upper class resort in Tahiti than a beach hut somewhere less glamourous. 

Great projection and decent longevity, I would recommend Ylang in Gold to those who enjoy sweet fruity fragrances with an emphasis on the word sweet. Ylang ylang lovers might want to try this too for the ylang ylang note is gorgeous and realistic although engaged in a tug of war for domination with the sweet fruit. You will undoubtedly smell charming, obviously expensive and everyone will adore your scent but you won't make history. 

Isis Agonist

Desirability: Full bottle

Source: www.parfumaniya.com.ua

High quality gourmand oriental. 

A potent gourmand that on the superficial level smells mostly of caramel, vanilla and in proportions of 40/40/20. Digging deeper I sniff out more ingredients that make up Isis. There's a spicy herbal-ness that breaks through the thick blanket of sweetness created by the three dominant players and tosses a zingy twist into what might have been a tedious trip with yet another confection in a bottle.   

The opening might have been loud and boisterous but the drydown of Isis is another ball game altogether. What started as a super smooth candy with a spicy edge morphs into a glowing amber of warm resins and ripe fruits- I smell the fuzzy skins of peaches and the citruses from earlier still lingering. The caramel isn't as strong any more but the combination of the resins and fruits make me think of the burnt orange-brown colour of caramelized cake tops.The distant drydown is a snuggly amber tinted vanilla that although has none of the volubility of the opening, nonetheless is still easily discernible even after a full twenty-four hours.     

Isis would be repulsive for those who do not care for sweet treats but if given a chance, it evolves from its gourmand roots and proceeds to dip its toes into the warm and sensual territory belonging to oriental fragrances. This far along my discoveries, Isis is probably the best caramel dominant scent that boasts and delivers more than just caramel, unlike my unlucky experience with the multiple notes yet smelling of 100% caramel Versilia Aurum. It's all down to chemistry. 

Cologne of Love Le Couvent des Minimes

Desirability: Full bottle and back up

Source: www.fabfitfun.com

A cross between an orange popsicle and a cologne. 

On the sweeter side of life but not cloying and enjoyable even in humid tropical weather, Eau Aimable is a sunny scent brimming with honeyed orange blossoms and sweet oranges. Actually it smells like orange cordial with a floral touch and a refined manner. If orange cordial was made of natural stuff that is because Eau Aimable despite its saccharine content does smell natural. More feminine than unisex I see this appealing to those who love their gourmands and those who love their orange blossoms sweetened, like the liberally sugared orange blossom Love from By Kilian but Eau Aimable lacks the cotton candy effect of Love. 

Unlike some niche brands that consistently under perform, both Eau des Missions and Cologne of Love have excellent projection and longevity on me. At the prices that they are available at online, I firmly believe they are a great bargain and highly recommend them.  

New Haarlem Bond No 9

Desirability: Decant

Source: Fragrantica

I swapped for a half used bottle of New Haarlem, eagerly anticipating being drenched in coffee and maple syrup as others have experienced. In reality, this is what I got.

A burst of citrus greets you, its green and fresh self followed quickly by lavender and a dark woody smell, the combination of these three notes made me think immediately of male cologne. The citrus calms down and when it does I can smell the coffee and the maple syrup that many perfumistas have been gushing over. The coffee is a black bitter coffee but diluted or maybe overpowered by the thick maple syrup which conjured up images of a stack of golden brown pancakes drenched with the amber coloured syrup. So in proportions, I smell of: woody lavender>maple syrup>black coffee. On hindsight or smell I think I prefer this proportion rather than if it were an outright gourmand consisting only of maple syrup and coffee which might be a bit OTT. The cool, broody effect of the wood and aromatic lavender are a nice relief from the heavy gourmand side of New Haarlem. 

So instead of a hearty breakfast, I got an invigorating walk in the woods bordering lavender fields while dreaming of said breakfast and suffering olfactory hallucinations. 

Lolita Lempicka Parfums Lolita Lempicka

Desirability: Full bottle

Sweet and gourmand without the gag or diabetic factor. 

Ok so there are way too many fruity floral gourmand combinations out there, most of them smelling too similar and generic. Ok so I get totally confused by how many flankers there are for the Lolita Lempicka fragrances, it's just as bad as the spinoffs of Thierry Mugler Angel, Alien, Womanity and almost more numerous than the progeny legitimate or not in some ruling families. Anyway I digress...

Lolita Lempicka (the original I speak of) like Mugler's Angel is one of few scents that I will always have in my wardrobe no matter how ridiculously large it gets or how many white hairs or lack of hair I have in the future. Lolita Lempicka and Mugler's Angel in my opinion are THE royalty of gourmand scents. 

A fanfare of syrupy black cherries on vanilla ice cream before the protagonists come in. The major players star anise and licorice add a nice twist to this sweet gourmand, a spicy sharpness contrasting the thick creamy praline, giving Lolita Lempicka a darker side like the wicked witches and sisters that are a staple in any good fairytale. I've mentioned a lot of sweet treats but Lolita Lempicka in reality isn't that sugary, it's nicely balanced between the spicy aromatic herbs, the sweet bits and carrot-iness of the iris/orris root. Feminine and fun! 

If you need any further persuasion look at that bottle (ok maybe not the best argument if I'm selling this to a guy), that polished apple that looks like it was made by fairies is whimsical and cute without being childish. And the price tag? I highly approve and wish many more perfumes could be priced as sensibly. Plus Parfums Lolita Lempicka could give a few niche houses lessons on projection and longevity. 

Gourmand Coquin Guerlain

Desirability: Decant

Source: www.guerlain.com

Love the bottle and the marketing blurb behind the Elixir Charnel range from Guerlain. Taking this excerpt from the description for Gourmand Coquin on Guerlain's website:

 A delicious and sexy fragrance reflecting a mischievous, intrepid and charming woman. 

Who wouldn't want to be all that? I know I would. 

The thing that frustrates me about Gourmand Coquin and holds me back from getting a full bottle, is that the vanilla outweighs the chocolate on me. Yes the chocolate is there, a divine milky chocolate bar that's covered by...vanilla. There's absolutely nothing wrong with the vanilla, it's a gourmand dream of a yummy sweet vanilla but my vanilla corner is densely populated from gourmands to woody to vampy and currently on the pedestal is Vanitas who won't be happy with competition. 

Gourmand Coquin besides the chocolate and vanilla is lightly spiced and slightly boozy, giving one a festive air of partying and indulging without the hangover and self recriminations. Well done, smoothly blended. It's Guerlain. So back to the advertisement. Yes it's delicious if you are into gourmands, yes it's sexy if well you get turned on by dessert, mischievous and charming it is but intrepid...hmm. That's something I would reserve for Mona di Orio's Vanille instead.

Valentine's Day is around the corner so if you are feeling particularly generous and loving, I can let you know where to send a bottle :) Oh and if it's not too much trouble I'll take bottles of Oriental Brulant and Angélique Noire too :)

To Twirl All Girly Pilar & Lucy

Desirability: Adoption by a more appreciative nose

Source: Fragrantica

Fruity indeed. 

I feel like I've just stuck my nose into a row of fruit soaps or walked into The Body Shop or Bath and Body Works. Both smell like a mishmash of everything they stock which is fine for a shop but not as a fragrance. The melon note is really strong in To Twirl All Girly and I have to be honest that it smells artificial. More like melon gummies instead of the fruit. With a heavy dose of sweet vanilla. I don't smell flowers but they could be hidden behind the vanilla and melon which is really distracting me. Good sillage and longevity for the EDP, I smelt like a gummy bear all day. 

Source: flickr.com

At heart I'll always be a girly girl who secretly loves pinks and frills, in my teens to early twenties To Twirl All Girly would not have been too much of a frivolous fruity gourmand but now...well I stopped wearing tulle puffball skirts a decade ago. 

Source: pinterest.com

Vani Choc Hilde Soliani

Source: Fragrantica

This is a good example of why you shouldn't judge a book by its cover or a perfume by its listed notes. On my perennial chocolate fix I did check out the notes and reviews for Vani Choc but was disillusioned without trying it based on the naysayers and well, lack of chocolate or cacao in the note pyramid. Like duh! How can you call it "choc" when there's no choc? 

Thank god for fragrant friends and second chances. Just yesterday I received a surprise package sent by a dear fellow fragrance traveller which included a good sized decant of Vani Choc amongst other little treats. Since the tape on this decant came off the easiest, it was the first to be sampled. I had absolutely no expectations but oh what joy! 

As uplifting as Vivaldi's Gloria must have sounded sung by the orphans of the Ospedale at the Church of La Pietà, or sunlight streaming through crystal clear windows, you get a burst of joy and energy at the first spray of bright zesty citrus and sugared almonds. The brightness fades away as does the tangy-ness and Vani Choc becomes a cuddly creamy chocolate scent either through trickery on the nose or Hilde Soliani left out chocolate in the official ingredient list.

This is no bitter chocolate for sure and chocolate purists would not be enamoured of this for it is a sweet milk chocolate containing vanilla ( I feel that vanilla is the olfactory equivalent of salt, it adds a little extra to everything and chides the other ingredients to get along together and here it enhances the chocolate effect) that smells nutty and warm with a subtle hint of citrus rind that gives the chocolate some tartness without actually smelling like Terry's chocolate orange.

Good projection, excellent longevity and one helluva "feel good" scent. 

Bouquet Ideale Xerjoff

Source: www.coccio.de

Having more perfume than I could finish in several lifetimes, I try to purchase new scents in the smallest size bottles possible. Which is why I'm very pleased that Xerjoff has both the Oud Stars collection as well as the "female" Casamorati scents in discovery boxes at reasonable prices. 

I smell no flowers in Bouquet Ideale. No matter. It's very yummy from beginning to end, if you like all-fattening, no calories spared vanilla that is. The opening is dry, spicy and sweet but the aridness of the festive spices disappears quickly to be replaced by a thick, creamy almond and vanilla combination that cannot fail to conjure up images of sinful desserts. As if one is indulging more than the vice of gluttony, there is a rich and aromatic pipe tobacco scent in the background which adds to the decadence of the scent. There are soft woody notes and warm musky undertones in its drydown and overall it feels quite linear, a tobacco vanilla lightly laced with spices, woods and musk. Beautiful and alluring.

Average projection and good longevity, unless you are a man who adores his sweets and can wear them with aplomb, I find this more suited to women, there's something playful even flirty about Bouquet Ideale, irresistible feminine wiles for every woman's arsenal.

Lulu, Pandora's Box. Source: wn.com

Tubéreuse 3 Animale Histoires de Parfums

Source: Luckyscent

If by "animale" they mean dangerous, I think not. The closest animal this would resemble would be a purring lap cat and this is as comforting as a cuddle with said cat after a long day's toil. Unless you have asthma of course. In that case maybe cuddle a hairless cat instead but I digress.

So there's no danger lurking here but lots of fruits, syrupy and boozy plums mostly and of course tuberose, the dense creamy floral lacking its narcotic/animalic facet here and mingling well with the tobacco ( who knew?). Fresh tobacco as if you stuck your nose in a humidor and are inhaling the sweet crisp smell of unlit cigars. Those who are adverse to too cloying tuberose in dramatic white floral perfumes or overload of tobacco can rest easy as neither the tuberose nor the tobacco dominate and overall the scent smells well-blended and full-bodied if a little on the sweeter side of life thanks to the syrupy effect of immortelle in addition to the rich boozy plums minus vanilla that seems to pervade many if not most gourmand fragrances. 

Attractive in an edible way, I am left thinking of plum pancakes smothered with maple syrup the whole day while wearing this incredibly tenacious scent that packs a lot of oomph in the projection department. In the drydown there's a dusty and dry hay/woody effect and together with the maple syrup character of the immortelle, casts a golden shade over the fruity tuberose and tobacco. Unique and bold without being overpowering. Simply a must try! 

Andy Warhol Lexington Avenue Bond No. 9

Source: nitrolicious.com

Spiced crème brûlée. 

It starts off like a spicy gourmand, a spiced crème brûlée literally making me want to eat my arm. It's as if someone stole the chai latte notes from Five O'Clock Au Gingembre to jazz up the custard. Fresh figs and plums decorate the dessert which smells like a well-proportioned combination of fruit, vanilla and spices, none dominating the others.The sweet and milky sandalwood here reminds me of Le Labo's Santal 33, which is all the sandalwood I need and never fails to garner compliments. As it dries, the scent becomes even warmer and bundles you up in a downy blanket of contentment. All in all Andy Warhol Lexington Avenue is perfectly balanced between woody, spicy and sweet, smooth and rich but not too much, beginning with dessert and ending up with you satiated and comfortable on a cushy sofa all ready for a snooze. 

One common trait amongst the Bond No. 9 range whether I like the perfume or not, is that all the ones I've tried have mega projection and longevity. For example the little spot where I've dabbed Andy Warhol Lexington Avenue is outperforming my SOTD Annick Goutal's Ambre Fetiche. 

On a side note a lovely friend sent me this and I thought I would share it with you in case you ever need a spot of sunshine.

Source: inniepoo.wordpress.com

Doolciiisssimo Hilde Soliani

Desirability: Full bottle

Source: Fragrantica

I tried three Hilde Soliani scents today including Mmm and CiocoRosissimo and while all were interesting experiences, some more than others, Doolciiisssimo has the siren call that keeps drawing my nose to my wrist to inhale the scent over and over again.

I enjoy tobacco in lighter doses such as in Serge Lutens' Chergui and L'Artisan's Havana Vanille, cherry can be difficult and most times either smells quite artificial or fleeting, the most promising I've chanced upon recently was Hilde Soliani's Bambolina. Cherry and tobacco though? I had my doubts. Proved unfounded. This is no cigarette ashtray or the malodorous smoker's breath.  It's like sweet aromatic cherry flavoured pipe tobacco and smells nothing like cigarettes or cigars. On a side note I never realised that pipe tobacco is about as complex and interesting as wine, what with the different tobacco leaves, the different ways of curing the leaves, mixing and blending several types of tobacco and the addition of casings to give it flavours like whisky, maple syrup and cherry for example. The cherry note in Doolciiisssimo is so realistic that visions of the dark red succulent fruit come to mind with every sniff and I can practically taste the tart sweetness. Vanilla is there in the background, sweet and creamy but whilst there are suggestions of gourmand in Doolciiisssimo, it is not very sweet for those who are wary of smelling like dessert platters.

After finishing the rest of my sample, I've decided that I do want this cherry tobacco scent in my life and as luck would have it, Luckyscent currently has it on discount! 

Tihota Indult

Source: flickr.com

It was Serendipity that brought Tihota and I together. As I'm sworn not to reveal my source, all I can say is I went looking for a sample and got a full bottle of this beauty as a very generous gift. 

This is a perfect, uncluttered and swanky vanilla without any Desperate Housewives plastic surgery done. I find it straightforward but I don't mean boring, think back to CK's clean black and white advertisements of Kate Moss' days. It is sweet without being artificial or callow and smells as ritzy as its accompanying price tag. In the drydown it becomes an incredibly warm and snuggle-worthy vanilla musk that is part comfort and part carnal. A final point is that Tihota lasts forever plus a day and it is loud but not unbearable even for my nurse who hates the smell of vanilla and has made me swear never to wear Dior Addict around her.

Blooming expensive but I can't quite bring myself to say it's not worth its price. If you want a solid performing excellent quality gourmand vanilla and don't mind splashing the cash...this is IT.