Category: Floral Woody Musk

Notes: Heliotrope, frangipani, rice, cherry blossom, tea, vanilla, musk.

The Bottle: Their resemblance to abruptly decapitated ostriches aside, I quite like all of the Kenzo creations. Simple, unusual lines, never flowery or overdone, this graceful silhouette puts most clunky high-end bottles to shame. ****

The Scent: I enjoy this, but only after the frangipani shuts its yap. That particular floral isn't a favourite of mine, and I find its presence here a tad intrusive/shouty at the outset. The lovely, delicate Eastern trio of the rice, cherry blossom and tea leaves is exotic and yet understated – softly spoken, but richly arrayed in bright textures. The vanilla wafts through intermittently, like a small child peering out from between her fingers. Sweet and graceful, once the frangipani recedes and the other notes have room to shine. ****