Empress of India

My first experience sniffing anything from this Natural Perfume House, Empress of India already has me bowing deeply to her! This was included in a batch of samples sent to me with an "Incense" theme by another member, and suffice it to say we are now in the middle of negotiations on a 12 ml travel spray! One of my very favorite novel while growing up was "The Far Pavillions" by M. M. Kaye. A epic story of an Indian princess and her forbidden love for a British soldier in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Empress of India reminds me of not only their forbidden love, but the warm summers and the stark, but beautiful mountains in Northern India. A sunny fresh optimistic opening of sunny juicy, ever so slightly feminine, mandarin and zesty, bitter bergamot surrounded by innocent sweet smelling blossoms combined with the sharp green of corriander bring to mind Spring and falling head over heels in love. As our "lovers" discover each other more and their hearts begin to race...gorgeous oriental floral notes appear; as sitars play strange tunes and drums beat with carnal rhythms and zills made of brass meet while a teasing and taboo seduction begins. Rose and tuberose create a love that is at once celestial (pure and "of the heart") and taboo ("earthy" and dirty) while jasmine and orange flower carry laughter and stolen warm caresses. Unable to fight this love anymore, our Lovers escape the Maharajah's palace turning their backs on all they hold sacred for the love they KNOW in their hearts is right, into a world that is against them both from the start. Love comes easily, making it "work" is another story. This is illustrated (here) in a very earthy, oriental drydown made from the seemless blending of resiny opoponax and warm tonka beans, surrounded by a very sexy musk, yummy vanilla and delightful sandalwood, as incense burns in the background. Do they live happily ever after? You are gonna have to read the book...Does this perfume live up to its name?...Absolutely! Sillage: very good Longevity: excellent Overall: 4.5/5 "Exotic" does even not even begin to describe the dark and sexy beauty of this fragrance, and I hope the illustration above, of forbidden but all-consuming love, helped you to understand the wonder and loveliness contained in this simple bottle. And, for a NATURAL perfume, this has blown me away with its projection, complexity and development; not to mention how long just three wipes of a sample vial's dipstick persisted on the back of my hand for this review. I know how they felt: I must have MORE of her...no matter what!

This scent is a potent juice of roses, orris and spices with great longevity & projection. Absolutely beautiful! Best for cold winter nights in the west! Thumbs up!

Poor Catbiscuit's experience doesn't mirror mine. It is such an opulent full-on scent that one hesitant squirt on my throat and I'm all set. Voluptuous and heady, indeed - perfect for cold weather and intimate dark nights. Less is more with this regal lady. If you like it, you can risk a smidgen more but go easy with the nozzle fingers!

When I very first applied Empress I will admit to being completely confounded by a perfume for the first time. What the ... IS this? You see, all that citrus is perculating in a miasma of murky dark oil and deadly coriander. I just could not understand this assault upon my nostrils! As the fire burns off the top notes the inclusion of florals sweetens and pacifies this heady brew a tad but the interlaced and lingering top accord turns my stomach when sniffed up close. The base on the other hand is full-bodied, rich and warmly sweet courtesy of velvety sandalwood and incense infused vanilla. If you can (literally) stomach the opening and heart, this is your reward. There is no question this is skillfully made and a perfume in the true sense of the word but I don't care for it. No sir, I do not.

Well, ... I will give the "Empress of India" one thing : I certainly never expected an "all-natural" perfume to ever be able to find the strength to be quite so loud, brash and "in-your-face". Usually they prefer to sit much closer to the skin, not announce themselves with such loud volume and silage. (Plus, I wouldn't be surprised if the scent dropped to the ground the moment it left the bottle from it's sheer weight). So that in itself is quite an accomplishment. ~ Also, a little uncouth even. (At least, at first !) Unfortunately, I find the top notes positively grotesque ! (Although, to be fair, it's natural for natural scents to need more time to settle on the skin and unfold. ~ This one even more so ! ) ~ So I would highly advise one to plan ahead and spray this concoction a good half hour, at least, before leaving the house. Give it some time to settle and come into it's own a little. (Otherwise, not only will the scent take a bite out of your nose, it's liable to assault someone in close proximity). ~ Albeit, given the time , as it unfolds and develops it does at least redeem itself and start to become much more tolerable, even attractive. That's when it's beauty finally starts to show. So the scent certainly has it's moments along it's long development. ~ (However, I must confess, I've always been one to prefer the "baser notes". I do luv my "ambers, woods and resins". So, teensy bit biased perhaps !?). And this is an "oriental" after all ! And ORIENTAL it certainly is ! ~ Nevertheless, it's certainly masterfully blended. And quite the accomplishment for a "natural" composition, that's for sure ! ... Also, it's certainly well monikered, for it certainly could not have been any "more" of a scent than it is. "Empress" perfectly fits it's character. And one will have to be of equal character to be able to "carry it off", I suspect. It's one of those perfumes that if you're not careful, could easily wear you instead. ~ Personally however, I could only ever wear it if it were possible to wear it a few hours in. When it reaches it's lovelier smoother incensed vanilla woods "dénouement" stage. It's "bottom half" so to speak.. The "top half" however, sorry but : "Off With Her Head" ! ;) ~ Not to worry though, I'm sure it will find some others who will gladly wear it's crown ! (~ And in all it's rough edged glory !) ....