Fragrance mavens, listen up!

Whether you are a collector of fancy bottles or just love smelling divine, I think perfume is something that gives us all a feel good factor.

There is no doubt that it makes an excellent gift, but I think when chosen for yourself it tells quite a lot about you and your taste. This week I am going to tell you about some of the most opulent ones available.

The new one

Love, don’t be shy Amber & Oud by Killian (€300) begins with bright Bulgarian rose oil and glorious orange flower absolute from Morocco, blooming with refinement and sensuality into the unforgettably delicious marshmallowy accord.

In this heart begins the opening notes of a rich ambery accord, boldly with intensified spices and resins. Amber and Oud are the core resonance, with a touch of akigalawood, known as transparent patchouli, lending a captivating paradox of lightness and force to this special blend. The oud is sourced from wild and protected resources in Laos, Southeast Asia, chosen specially by Kilian Hennessy for its sustainable cultivation and for its slightly nutty notes, an oud as multi-layered as it is rare.

The Classic

Frederic Malle Portrait of a Lady (€200) is elegance personified. One of the most well known fragrances available today, the luxury speaks for itself. Consider perfume a portrait of its wearer. This bottle is simplicity and femininity. At the fore, an exuberant dose of Turkish rose — 400 flowers per 100ml bottle, no less. Beneath, a bed of patchouli heart imbued with sandalwood and frankincense. An accord of clove, blackcurrant and raspberry binds the perfume together for a final characterful brushstroke.

The Sustainable one

This year, Giorgio Armani reveals the new My Way Parfum (50ml/RRP €120) fragrance, opening a new chapter of the My Way story. A floral woody powdery fragrance, My Way Parfum is characterised by its contrast between the bright, solar tuberose note and the majestic blue iris pallida.

Among its composition are refined ingredients, including those that are sustainably sourced, crafted using the most advanced, meticulous extraction techniques.

The new refillable bottle creates a striking contrast between its deep blue cap and vibrant pink juice. The bottle is dressed in tones that graduate from inky blue at its base to radiant pink at its neck.

Reflecting Giorgio Armani’s long-standing commitment to sustainability, My Way Parfum, like all My Way fragrances, is eco-conceived. My Way Parfum’s bottle is refillable and designed to last.

The sexy one

To boost the raw power of Black Opium (50ml/€114), already a supreme head-turner, the master perfumers knew just what ingredients to add. The most desirable note in the perfumer’s palette…vanilla. And not just any, an over-vanilla rush blending with a radical quartet of black vanillas.

The sexy power of the pod is boosted by Black Opium’s signature accords. An over-black shot of coffee notes. the iconic accord, bolstered with patchouli’s velvety woody depth and incredible lasting power, turns sexy vanilla into a feral, nocturnal creature. An over-juicy splash of green mandarin.

Like a flash of light in the night, the fruity essence, sweetened with suave pear accord, energises the top notes, spiked with the cool-hot burn of cinnamon. An over-sensuous white bouquet.

In Black Opium’s signature chiaroscuro effect, the ultra-feminine ultra-hypnotic floral heart acts as a spotlight, with solar jasmine sambac and petally orange blossom shining in the night.