A Little Secret

We’re closing the book on the serious, contemplative mystery of O, Unknown today and shifting into something far more delicious and intimate for a significant moment: the review of our last Imaginary Authors sample, the highly exclusive, limited-edition A Little Secret. This fragrance drops the literary pretense for a wonderfully cozy, specific narrative, built entirely around the comforting scene of a slice of cherry pie with a cup of coffee on the side. With spotlight notes like Ranier cherry, marzipan, and pastry crust, the expectation is an authentic, hyper-realistic gourmand and comforting aromatic experience. So, the main thing we need to figure out is this: Does a fragrance built around cherry pie translate into something sophisticated and wearable, or does it stay strictly a delectable novelty that belongs on a plate, and not on the skin? Let's cozy up, unlock this sweet little secret, and conclude our journey with the house of Imaginary Authors. Opening: The opening is an instantaneous burst of fruity, sweet, and warm notes. The primary accords I perceive are cherry, marzipan, rum, and patchouli, with the cherry and marzipan being the clear standout notes. The cherry, specifically Ranier cherry, leads the charge with a photo-realistic fruity accord that is both sweet and perfectly tart. When discussing cherry, Tom Ford's Lost Cherry is the gold standard for comparison, and the note here is strikingly similar in tone, delivering that luscious, almost liqueur-like quality. Following the cherry is the marzipan, layering on additional sweetness but in a wonderfully powdery, doughy, and nutty variety. Next up are the rum and patchouli. The rum, instantly recognizable, plays a supporting role as a sweet and boozy note. Lastly, the patchouli resides in the background as a deep and slightly earthy/green accord. I also distinctly pick up on a bitter, pure black coffee note that is mentioned by the house; though it isn't listed in the official three notes, its presence helps all the notes come together to create the vivid illusion of a warm slice of cherry pie and a cup of coffee as the house intends. Dry Down: The dry down remains fruity, sweet, and warm, making this a rather linear fragrance. The primary notes are still cherry, marzipan, rum, and patchouli, and the most prominent notes remain the cherry and marzipan. The profile is virtually identical to the opening, just softer, with one key difference: the bitter coffee accord that provided that initial sharp kick is absent in the dry down. The overall composition is a softer continuation of the pie illusion. Performance: The initial projection within the first hour is strong, reaching out about six feet. Sillage is a bit stronger, leaving a dense and easily noticeable scent trail. After about 3–4 hours, the performance was largely unchanged. At the 7-hour mark, the projection had died down slightly but was still noticeable at about 3–5 feet, while the scent trail was noticeably lighter but still perceptible. The fragrance demonstrated good endurance, becoming a skin scent around the 9–10 hour mark. When to Wear: A Little Secret is a rich fall/winter fragrance that works equally well during the daytime or evening. Despite its intense, decadent nature, this fragrance has a fair bit of versatility; it could be worn casually or as a knockout special occasion fragrance. However, it is too rich and gourmand to be considered appropriate for formal events or the office. Blind Buy: If you love cherry-forward gourmand fragrances and especially the DNA of Lost Cherry, A Little Secret is most likely a safe blind buy for you. Just be aware that the cherry is beautifully joined by that dark coffee accord in the initial stages, which adds complexity. Final Verdict: A Little Secret is an outstanding offering, delivering a very enjoyable cherry gourmand fragrance that perfectly balances sweetness, warmth, and depth. It remains safely within the confines of unisex without ever leaning feminine, proving its versatility. The core DNA is strongly comparable to Lost Cherry, but the expert addition of the powdery marzipan, rich rum, and that surprising, bitter coffee accord makes A Little Secret significantly more interesting to my nose. Crucially, its performance is levels above what Lost Cherry provides, giving strong wear for up to ten hours. As a huge fan of this specific cherry profile, I would absolutely add this to my personal collection. Unfortunately, since this was a limited-run, discontinued fragrance, I don't have the luxury of easily acquiring a bottle. Should I ever see one pop up for sale, I will not hesitate to snatch it up immediately. What a perfect way to wrap up my exploration of the house of Imaginary Authors. Scent: 8/10 Longevity: 7/10 Sillage: 9/10 Versatility: Average Mass Appeal: Average Gender: Unisex Value: Fair

A Little Secret is the most recent release from Imaginary Authors, now officially part of their permanent collection and the last IA fragrance I will review until there is a new release. People were very excited to have it back, as it flew off the shelves during the Black Friday sale. With that out of the way, let’s hear this little secret. The opening is exactly what I was expecting: a tart, bright cherry with that shiny, almost lacquered quality saffron brings. It’s sweet-tart, face-puckering cherry for the first ten minutes or so, bold and unapologetic. But this fragrance doesn’t stay still for long; it evolves, and it evolves well. After those first ten minutes, the cherry remains prominent but begins to soften. This is where the pastry crust starts to come through, along with hints of marzipan. The best way I can describe it is this: the opening is the cherry filling being poured into the pie mold, and now you’re draping the crust over the top. About two hours later, the patchouli and rum move toward center stage. The rum is especially well done here, adding a mature, boozy undertone that keeps the sweetness in check. And finally, the patchouli. Don’t worry, this patchouli is far less aggressive than the one in Bull’s Blood, especially alongside these notes. Here it’s gentle, earthy, and even a touch tobacco-esque. At this point, it reminds me of cherry pipe tobacco as it is inviting and soft. As others have said, this isn’t a true gourmand. By the dry-down, the cherry hasn’t disappeared, but it’s greatly reduced from the opening, woven into something deeper and more nuanced. At this stage, the fragrance feels harmonious and layered, each note settling with the others. So, after all those stages, all the subtle shifts and layers, how does it come together? How does it feel as a whole? Well, let me tell you: this is excuse me, a damn fine oriental fragrance. I’ve tried, I can’t tell you how many oriental fragrances in my life, and this is one of the best. I think this one sold out for good reason. It’s a very nice, approachable, easy-to-love cherry fragrance that I think just about anyone will appreciate receiving as a gift. It’s familiar enough to feel comforting, yet distinctive enough to feel special. And with that, I’m closing the chapter on Imaginary Authors for now. 📕🌟 Happy Holidays, everyone! :)

I pick up that cherry and patchouli in the opening. The sweetness is very well balanced and isn't overpowering. Thought it's not listed as a note, I think the combination of Tonka and rum notes gives this the feeling of roast coffee with a little cream and helping of cherry pie with a little kick to get the get the day going. This is definitely going to be better in the colder months of the year. On my skin, I get about 8 hours of longevity. Projection is fairly decent; it becomes an intimate skin scent a few hours after spraying. Personally, this is a new favorite for me from the line, and absolutely a top favorite in the gourmand category. It's a shame this is a limited edition, because I would keep a bottle of this as a permanent part of my collection. It's a nice bounce back after Untamable.

The reviews on here are SO incredibly different! First off, I'm a huge cherry lover. Secondly, I'm a gourmand kinda guy. I don't really know what I was expecting, but it blew me out of the water - I purchased another bottle the next day, I'm not missing out on this masterpiece! Sweet, slightly spiced juicy cherries and sugared pastry, drying down to a cherry infused marzipan. The projection is typically large and its lasting power is just as big. Almost photorealistic, it's really hard to describe. As with every other IA fragrance, this is such a unique piece of artistry - probably why there are a vast amount of conflicting opinions. Personally, this is an instant favourite. It ticks every box I've been looking for in a cherry fragrance, it's just a shame it's a limited edition.

i don't care what anyone says i love this perfume DOWN. though the cherry gets outshone by the marzipan and pastry notes, it still smells delicious, and despite what people are saying, there are no medicinal or carmex notes to me. it's a photorealistic smell of cherry pie crust SOAKED in rum with brown sugar sprinkled on top. its tart rather than sweet it gets woodier, nuttier, and a little incense-y as it dries down & the marzipan comes out even more but it's still delicious nonetheless. this is not for you if you don't like boozy notes. i personally think the booze ties everything together and it has me craving rum every time i put it on it becomes liquid cocaine to me once i layer it with vanilla 28. delicious & optimal if you want more vanilla, tonka, and brown sugar

Smells AMAZING! Not what I was expecting, which I was worried about because it was a blind buy but I’m impressed with it anyway. I was expecting a very sweet and realistic cherry pie smell, which I would’ve been happy with, but instead it’s very woody, spicey, and surprisingly smells like incense which I wasn’t expecting at all. However, it all comes together and smells awesome, there is cherry, there is vanilla, and cinnamon but I don’t think that’s what shines. It truly smells like sweet boozey, woody, incense fragrance and if that’s your cup of tea this is perfect. It’s also one of the first colognes I’ve got complimented on just walking around the store which was kinda crazy for my first time wearing it. This will be a fall/winter time favorite of mine.

Very pleasant, refreshing and surprising cherry affair, rather feminine, attractive, sweet and sour but leaning towards acidity, gentle spiciness and sharpness. Marzipan is moist, soaked in rum, not too gourmand, noticeable saffron reduces the sweetness even more. No problem for a tall adult woman rather than a young teen. Apart from cherry, the scent mainly flashes a note of wax, rubber candle or latex at the beginning, reminding some of berry candles from IKEA store. Not cloying, not too sweet, usable even in summer nights, more soulful than for example Cherry punk from Room 1015 and instead of leather I do get there strangely more plant-like hints of cumine + dill...and its a very flashy gimmick :)

Love this scent. Interesting how different days, I get different impressions. I get the initial cherry, but not any vanilla or tonka...yet there is something mouth watering , that rich cherry. I do not get straight up patchouli but it seems to be in the background, softly giving the cherry an incense smoky tinge. After 30 mins, it softens and sweetens in a gentle way. After 6 hours it’s a light fruit scent I was downwind of someone recently, chatting, and he stopped, eyes big and said I love that perfume you’re wearing ! I read somewhere it’s not a permanent part of IA scents, so I bought another bottle of this masterful concoction. I wish I had snagged the mug!

9.9999/10 the saddest cherry pie. It smells like the dessert you got for free because you're trying to hide your tears behind your sunglasses. You only eat the filling because you don't like crust. The waitress lights two cigarettes, hands you one, and asks what happened? I have Very Good Girl Glam and Good Girl and they don't smell like this. It's not sweet but not sour either. My tinfoil hat theory: IA wanted to make a fragrance that actually smelled like embalming fluid after tiktok found out 6 months ago. Then David Lynch died and they were like "PERFECT!". It's probably best to wear this for fall, but hear me out, Fourth of July night.

Opens with a sort of a waxy-cherry doll’s head approximation that never entirely leaves but gradually gives way to the more buttery rummy pastry-like elements. It is one of those beguiling fragrances which doesn’t smell that great close up, but is an absolute dream as it wafts up throughout the day, calling to mind Dolly Madison’s raspberry coconut Zingers and something adjacent to Swisher Sweets. It is more a trip to my childhood than the Double R, but that’s okay. Will likely buy a FB once I’m through with the sample. (Update: bought the full bottle.)

on first application this is straight up cherry cough syrup with an undertone of berry flavored hi chew. when it dries down it's almost like someone took that scent and crushed it with a mortar and pestle. while i really love the twin peaks concept it is giving elevated bath and body works. but also somehow i feel like the resident Cool Girl at the bar who drinks copious amounts vodka but somehow never gets drunk would smell like this. the longevity is really nice. my cat loooooooves the smell of this

Oh, this was not what I expected at all. But I do like it a lot. What does it smell like then? Well, not like the listed notes really. There is cherry, yes, but a very artificial cherry, like winegums or gumdrops. Then I get a very particular Danish brand of black currant wine, that was popular with Scandianvian teenagers in the 90’s. That’s it pretty much and it smells very fresh and airy on my skin. Longevity is not great but Ok and it stays quite close to the skin from the start.

Yes, this is a cherry scent, but if you're looking for a big bright juicy cherry this is not it. The best I can describe this is by referencing Heretic's Dirty Rose. "A Little Secret" is the cherry version of Dirty Rose (which I love). There is a funky BO base to this that really grounds it. I do not feel that this is a straight-up gourmand, but I do detect a bit of pastry, but not much. This is a very unique cherry scent that is not for the unadventurous.

I thought this was an April Fool's joke so I did not pay much attention, but I grabbed a vial eventually. A Little Secret starts with the signature spiciness of Saffron and the sugary sweetness of Cherry. I don't get any coffee but there the cherry pie's accord is more about the tart and the cinnamon. I think this is how Dale Cooper would smell like when he visited Double R Diner. I can almost hear his screaming from the booth right now.

It starts for the first 2 or so hours smelling like early 2000s Cherry Carmex of Chapstick, which, when combined with some of the other notes, creates a very nostalgic smell that reminds me of early 2000s scholastic book fairs. After this initial cherry phase, the pastry notes start to develop as well as some of the rum notes, but not too strongly to disturb that strong sense of nostalgia brought on by the cherry.

This smells like Christmas pie! I love the sweet spicy scent -- the sweetness is really tamed by the patchouli and the result for me is a gorgeous semi-sweet gourmand that I adore! It dries down to a softer scent and I think would be great for fall and winter daytime wear. I am currently wearing it in warmer, but rainy spring weather --- so it will be interesting to see how this performs in the cooler weather.

Love at first sniff. Tart cherry surrounded by sugar and spice. I want to drown myself in this scent. This is a realistic boozy cherry pie and I'm head over heels for it. It makes me actually crave cherry pie. The dry down develops into something a little more like incense in a bakery, but the cherry, sugar, and rum are still always front and center. I adore this fragrance.

cherry is one of my favorite fragrance notes and almost always works for me, so combined with my love for twin peaks, this felt like a safe blind buy. i was not disappointed! smells like a fresh slice of warm cherry pie at the RR diner— i just wish there was more of a coffee note, which i don’t pick up on at all.

Ive never seen Twin Peaks so I had no expectations of Lynchian vibes from this scent so I really enjoyed it. It reminds me A LOT of Tom Fords Lost Cherry so if youre looking for a similar scent at a literal FRACTION of the cost, get this. Tart cherry, pie crust, brown sugar, with an almond drydown. Heavenly.

Delicious cherry pie. I got incense throughout, not just in the dry down. Can't stop smelling myself! I'm also a lover of Kayali's Lovefest Burning Cherry, but this one feels a little more interesting in that it isn't cherry alone.

Cozy, heavy, waxy, like cherry pie filling boiling over and a few droplets burning on the bottom of the oven. Layers great with an even smokier scent like Memoirs or A City on Fire. I will pray for its re-release.

AHHHH. Finally, we get to visit the Double R Diner and find out just how good Norma's cherry pie and coffee are. What a brilliant idea for a fragrance. Although, I would have called it "Cooper's Peak"

Absolutely love this scent. It has nothing to do with the vibe of Twin Peaks, but who cares—a good scent is a good scent.

Best blind buy ever, strong but not offensive pleasant but not usual

I loved it. I find it very sexy and unique ❤️🔥

Just got the sample for this after eagerly awaiting for a week! I was really excited at the concept of a unisex, realistic cherry pie, but was wary because of some of the negative reviews here. I sprayed it maybe 10 minutes ago, and I'm undecided on it. HATE the opening spray. I really get the carmax/waxy vibes. It is an overwhelming, almost like, plastic-y vinyl chair vibe. I start to get the hint of a very juicy cherry, but it's overall very unpleasant. I'm much more open to the dry down, but I wish there was more pastry/sweet vibes, because i'm getting a lot of booze/almond/pachouli and smokiness instead of anything sweet. this is VERY unisex- i would even say leaning masc. I am undecided on the drydown. there is something REALLY addicting and appealing in it, but also something that is very unpleasent and too heavy. Like soap and cigarettes. Very synthetic, headache inducing. Under it all there is a really nice bright fresh cherry scent, but overall I think I might shower to get rid of it. Super sad- I was really excited for this fragrence. EDIT: okay i take it all back. love this perfume. I think you have to let it sit after it comes in the mail, because that awful synthetic note is gone. I was just too eager to spray them but they really do age into something much nicer. It's not really a sweet fragrance or a sugary gourmand, but rather something oriental, deep, spicy, and not at all a cheap bath and body works cherry. WIth all the fragrences from this house, I think it's something you have to get used to. These aren't crowd pleaser scents that you'll find at a sephora. They're more about capturing vibes and moments and concepts. I find I love wearing these at home, just for me to smell. they last forever on my skin and I keep finding myself sniffing my wrist to get more whiffs of them. I think I would layer this with maybe a little bit of a sugary vanilla perfume or something if I'm wearing it out, but it really does transport you to an old memory or something like that. I can see why this would be a polarizing scent- DEF not a safe blind buy, but i'd recommend grabbing a sample and trying it for yourself.

After sitting with this for two days, I'm convinced that "a little secret" is a great name for this fragrance. It's simple, relatively quiet, and yet oddly enigmatic. Everything here is so well-blended that, while the marzipan/bitter almond note stands out to me, no other single note does--and that almond doesn't read in the way almond notes typically do in gourmands. It may be the single most difficult-to-describe fragrance I've tried. And yet, the effect is enveloping, comforting, familiar, and yet just a little on-edge -- like sitting in your favorite low-key diner, clutching your nearly-empty coffee mug, having a conversation with a friend that the two of you know is important but will seem pretty ordinary to whomever is sitting in the booth behind you. I get the potpourri references. This is just a bit old-fashioned in the same way. I have no idea where people who are smelling cat pee are coming from.

It’s very wearable and pleasant. It doesn’t blow my mind but I don’t usually go for fruit or patchouli, so the fact that I’m a few hours in and haven’t felt the need to scrub it off means something. For an earthy, not aggressively sweet cherry scent, this is very nice. It’s also a bit more feminine than I’d usually wear, so it’s a nice scent, just not for me. It has a very specific nostalgia to me that I’m really struggling to pin down, the cherry carmex that’s been mentioned is part of it but it also reminds me of summer camp when I was a kid. I don’t really get much gourmand on my skin, maybe a scant trace of something kind of like puff pastry. After about 5 hours, the scent transformed into something similar to spicy earthy incense which I enjoyed. Feels like a warm sticky summer night.

Super cool perfume - literally smells like a scene from Twin Peaks - almost like you're in the cafe eating a slice of cherry pie, drinking a coffee, and smoking a cigarette with the cast. The cherry is very sweet and syrupy but is balanced by a load of rum and patchouli. There are no smoke notes listed in here, but there is absolutely an undertone of cigarette. I adore the art of this perfume, but I'm not sure how wearable it is. It's extremely strong and the smokiness is a bit overwhelming for my taste. I can definitely feel a headache coming on and I only used 3 sprays. Love the concept, executed pretty well, but a little overkill to actually wear all the time! Rating: 7/10

I've never smelled a cherry like this. It has gourmand notes, but it's not gourmand to me at all, but that's not a knock against it. It smells like driving through a thick forest on a one-lane highway - Tennessee or even Montana. The windows are down, and the breeze is chilly. There's almost - sniffing my skin again, looking at the notes - I think this is the first time a patchouli has registered to my nose as camphoric and minty. Usually, patchouli smells earthy and woody to my nose. Yeah, from the get-go and 3 hours later, this is just cherries and camphor to me. How neat.

Cherry Punk slips off her leather jacket at the Double R Diner and orders a slice of sweet, spiced cherry pie with a marzipan crust. Because once a day - every day - she gives herself a little present. Like Twin Peaks, this is young and unassuming on the surface, dirty and dangerous below. Nostalgia and a diehard love for Lynch may be coloring my perception, but I adore this concept, and I think it was beautifully executed: oversaturated, uncanny Americana. Smells like: a damn fine slice Looks like: an Audrey Horne fan edit Sounds like: Angelo Badalamenti on the jukebox

On me this started out kind of acrid and gave a strong impression of peach rather than cherry. The dry down smells very much like someone with great taste in perfume is eating cherry pie with a buttery crust. A wealthy woman wearing an expensive designer fragrance stops at a small diner on the way to a ski resort, perhaps? To me it’s like 85% gourmand, 15% non-specific classy perfume scent. More heavy on the bakery notes than the cherry which is appreciated in the wake of 10,000 fruity scents inspired by Lost Cherry.

I wanted a cherry again, and this one fits the idea that IA was trying to get across. It reminds me of baking that my grandmother used to do. She never did Cherry Pie, but this is a gorg slightly spiced cherry with rum/pastry. It’s not your typical almond cherry. For a gourmand it presents itself very high up on wear factor vs smelling like food. I also do find that the cherry note will exist all the way through the wire which is really nice to other options. Price is nice too!

The drydown is what makes this really special. The opening is a little disappointing, because the cherry's a little synthetic, the pastry and coffee notes are barely apparent, and there's no sweetness. but the drydown is a really complexly balanced accord dominated by a much improved sour cherry note mixed with patchouli. This may not remind you much of Norma's famous cherry pie from "Twin Peaks," but it's still such a nice and unusual drydown that it's worth pursuing.

I was nervous this would be incredibly sweet but on me this pulls like straight cherry with the smallest hint of patchouli underneath. It really is so reminiscent of berry and cherry picking in the warm (not hot) Washington summer. I think this is a lovely day time cherry scent that can be interpreted in so many different ways depending on body chemistry, and everyone should definitely sample before buying. Plus, the new bottle is so cute.

Got this as a blind buy from Facebook marketplace, I’m a fan of cherry fragrances and the show Twin Peaks. So I bought it mostly as a novelty. I like the sourness of the cherry in this fragrance. It’s definitely a tart cherry pie, not a cherry amaretto. I like it, but I don’t love it, I only paid 10 dollars for an almost full bottle which was quite the steal. I don’t know if I would pay full price.

starts incredibly boozy, almost too much so, and slightly waxy. very candlelike. settles into a delightful, well rounded sweet cherry. the pastry notes are hardly present, but the cream and vanilla create a sweet backdrop. once dried, the pastry notes arise, creating a creamy, decadent cherry. layers beautifully, adding a gourmand note to darker cherries, and lasts longer than other IA scents

i DID buy this for the twin peaks theme, and i was a little disappointed in that department. despite the lack of a strange vibe that would be consistent with the theme, it does smell really nice. i wear it almost twice a week with a vanilla body spray, and it smells like pie and BARELY like coffee. first spray is straight cherry tylenol. the rest is very pleasant and shockingly androgynous

Yes, cherry. Yes, patchouli. Yes, cake vibe. But not full gourmand. It smells more like sweet almond marzipan with baked cherry and warm patchouli underneath. Like cherry pie filling next to a cup of coffee — warm, nutty, slightly spiced. It may feel a bit artificial. But cherry tarts don’t grow on trees either, right? Overall: sweet, eccentric, a little theatrical. Exactly eccentric.

Lovely! It’s very light, if you like that. I kind of wish it were stronger because I feel like others can barely smell it on me and I can barely smell it on myself, but at least it’ll never give you a headache. There’s an unexpected brightness to it. It’s not a heavy gourmand. Kind of like a unsexualized Fuckery by Sorce.

Like a cherry pie barfed up by a sugar plum fairy. Kind of really like it?! A little boozy on the dry down, but linear cherry bomb throughout. A fantasy cherry, for sure. Apparently if you ever step into faerie-world, never, ever eat anything (tricksters and such).. that is basically how I feel about this fragrance.

I’ve only tested this once so the jury (me:-)) is still undecided on this one. The cherry is not sweet; I smell none of the middle notes at all. The drydown the next morning smelled EXACTLY like pipe tobacco. Interesting! At this point it’s a like and not a love like I have for several other of IAs scents.

A detective in the PNW smells like this after leaving a diner at 8 in the morning. Juicy (artifical) cherry pie with over baked crust and rum. Smells like a mature boozy dessert.

i actually really enjoy this. biting artificial cherry, a bit spicy and raunchy. smells like fucking while drunk. laura palmer died for this

Sweet cherry that dries down piney. Pretty yum

I'm a Twin Peaks fan, so when I saw this I had to grab a sample even though cherry fragrances are not my favorite. I don't get cherry pie from this. It's more of a cherry liqueur than a baked cherry fruit scent, with a sort of undefinable but not too offensive sweetness on top. I wouldn't call the sweet note specifically "sugar" or even "marzipan", though marzipan is probably closer. I was really interested to smell the puff pastry, but I don't get that at all, sadly. After a long while, I get more of the patchouli and saffron, which feels like the outdoors being pulled in, something like redwoods in a temperate rainforest. It's very subtle, though. The notes seem to have a lot more nuance than the experience in person, which is common but still a little disappointing. It's a little clunky, but I'm charmed by the origin and novelty. More concept than execution. Can't help but think it could use some strong, black coffee, though! If you like the Tom Ford cherry scents, this one will probably be up your alley. It's nothing special, but it's not bad. 7/10.

I got a sample of this to try because my husband loves cherry fragrances. Imaginary Authors is hit or miss for me. Sometimes they are brilliant and sometimes they fall flat. This falls flat for me. It's much sweeter than a piece of cherry pie, at least the way I make it. Sour cherry pie is one of my specialties in the kitchen and if mine tasted the way this smells I would consider it a failed desert. I should have known better then to try this sense I am not the biggest fan of rum notes in perfume. The rum for me takes over the whole composition. The cherry is an afterthought. It is more of a rum and almond soaked puff pastry with slight cherry accents. My husband loves this and will wear the sample himself. The rum overwhelms me.

There's a sharp tartness/sourness that's very strange to me (borderline unpleasant but not quite there), where I had expected a pleasing, cozy gourmand. But the syrupy cherry, almond marzipan, and tonka are all definitely present, too––just not super sweet! I'm really liking testing this one out, but I don't know that I'm liking having it on me all day. Happy to have gotten a sample, and while not a new IA favorite, I can see myself reaching for it occasionally in cooler weather

I would describe this perfume as “cute”. I don’t think it’s something that anyone would really choose to be their everyday scent, but it was fun to try out because of the Twin Peaks theme. I would say it’s a very loose inspiration, and it didn’t really transport me, unfortunately. There’s a lot to work with there... and I think they missed an opportunity in not making it more interesting or Lynchian in some way. It’s a fine cherry perfume, but certainly not “damn fine”.

The opening reminded me of the synthetic cherry note clone houses use to dupe Xerjoff’s Naxos. This note on me last for at least an hour. Once it dries down, a soft patch/tonka combo takes over. Longevity is above average. Projection is moderate. Unisex fragrance best for fall and winter. Can rock it in spring by spraying less. Overall, it’s a pass for me because of the sweet synthetic cherry opening. The dry down is pleasant, but not worth the cash for a 1.7oz bottle.