Talisman

I don't know where to begin with this one. There are so many things I love about it! The box it comes in is rather elegant. It's matte and textured with dark purple and gold print. It will probably become dirty from me touching it and looking at it. And then there's the BOTTLE. True to its name it really looks like a magical object that will bring good fortune to its keeper. That frosted glass! That purple swirl cap! Swoon! The juice in mine is brown now but I don't mind. It just adds to its appeal for me. Very elegant flacon in my opinion. And finally how does it smell? That's the best part. In the olden days of Japan, royalty were carted around in these enclosed wood carriages with silk pillows inside. Imagine yourself inside sipping the finest rum money can buy...spilling it all over yourself...someone has offered a bouquet of exotic flowers to console you...the carriage is made from the most exquisite carved sandalwood. Hands down the best sandalwood I have ever smelled. Absolutely stunning. Edp version. Edit- ok so Santa Maria Novella's Sandalwood is the best but this is still a stunning sandalwood in a different way.

Gleaming and dazzling like a topaz, Talisman is pretty much the definition of a tropical perfume for me. Upbeat and cheery, but it still maintains that exotic, dusky warmth. It is a very balanced and great perfume in my opinion. Chemistry seems to be a big player here - it really blooms on my skin, whereas it fell apart on my friends. The opening is quite classic and fizzy; aldehydes are supported by the fruity notes. It doesn't smell like the hideous fruity florals that are occupying the store shelves today. They are more of the velvety, fleshy kind. It morphs into a soft, smooth floral bouquet - everything is perfectly balanced. The opening and middle stage don't last quite long on me, luckily enough, since the base notes are Talisman's selling points. The base is pretty much a very dense, but somehow airy combination of notes, which make it stand out from other gourmands/orientals. It pretty much translates to a slight animalic, powdery, skin like warmth on me. Very beautiful and unique. Sillage and longevity are enormous, but it hovers around me nicely. Recommended if you can find it.

I couldn't really put it much better than the reviewer below. I am so lucky I managed to find a full bottle of this stunning scent and yes I did pay extortionate price for it but I do not care. It is amazing and I love it. There are definitely simlarities between this and Rumba, the longevity and sillage are amazing. I find it particularly well suited for colder wintry weather as the boozy honeyed dried fruits come out and warm me up and can easily transport me somewhere tropical and sunny. Shame this is not in production any longer, wish Balenciaga would bring it back. If you can get hold of the scented shower gel from this range, it is almost identical to the perfume.

I always wondered where this perfume went, did I throw it away, or did I give it away? Sometimes I'm more studpid than a livingroom-fly looking for the way out ?? (Well, are they, or aren't they??) (Oh, so very blond we are today/night) (don't tell me you are in the army now..) But, than my best friend tells my by the phone this evening that she got the bottle ... And, I'm so very, very happy, because this is a very beautiful scent, and I have some few drops left in another småller dispenser, I have about 30 more differnt perfume bottles to give away to my best friends and family on my birthday coming up, they dont know anything yet, and I'm so excited!

Wow, I think I'm in love. Despite the numerous notes usually attributed to loud 80's frags, this one is well blended and delicious. For some reason, the caramel comes to the front right away on me with a muted softness of flowers and suede. It reminds me a little of Boucheron but has none of the "head shop" vibe. Unlike some other scents, I don't think I could ever tire of sniffing this one. It's perfect and goes to the top of my "buy a big bottle asap" list. (and since when is 1994 ancient history? "Very old"? Give me a break.) Update: Looks like it has to be layered...EDP only last 2-3 hours.