La Douleur Exquise

It basically smells like Rochas Femme and Portrait of a Lady having an amorous spider fight on Lesbos. Then Patchouli starts perving on them. But it's also not that AT ALL. So it's finally here, Eugen's fragrance brand and I was privileged to be one of the guinea pigs, testing the water with acerbic, hard to please, so called 'reviewers'. This fragrance is perculiarly rosier at a distance than it is close up, on skin. On skin it's a sensual, spicy thing, at least to begin with. So honestly the rose is very measured, has some sweetness in the form of a pear type top note, then the twinkle of iris or violet to it, powdery in a slightly oldskool manner, there's a faint note of cumin or something giving that effect and then balmy resinous warmth. It's not a typical amber (did someone mention myrrh?) because it's much darker than the usual sweet benzoin or biting labdanum amber, also, myrrh and patchouli play very nicely together, especially in a composition so gentle as this one. The woody patchouli which follows is not obtuse or chocolatey, it's quite angular (for a while) and often thought to be synthetic smelling but that is just the way some patchouli oils are. All hangs cohesively with a kind of softness on the skin. The wearing experience is much more dusty and dusky and with a sombre tone, than perhaps my description would have you believe. Exquisite really is the word and I'm not just soft soaping and bypassing my critical eye because I consider Eugen a pal and because I really like and respect the people behind this brand like Antoine Lie, and Atelier Francais des matieres those high expectations made it have to work harder if anything. But this perfume has delivered. I think due to the name and the inspiration, there's a feeling that it should be more bombastic and impactful, but just think for a second about the sorts of perfume Eugen enjoys. Chanel for starters, I mean they sort of exist in a whole chic, echelon all of their own, and this is perfume which glimpes that aesthetic, it's not trying to wow you with the latest 'niche' fad or starfish notes or cannabis or grab your money because it's a Youtuber fragrance. It's about painting with a familiar palate to convey emotion, and for me, it does just that. Do not mistake refinement for banality. My particular enjoyment of this could be down to the fact I'm in the market for a rose at the moment and one which is not sweet or trope laden, and has a patchouli with some bite but also has dreamy, pussycat drydown and classic perfumery nods, and frankly this perfume has all those things. So good on Eugen and everyone involved for creating something really great with a meaningful brief. I know something of what this perfume means to him and where it's come from artistically, emotionally and that makes it all the more meaningful to me personally, and that's the only valid reason I might agree with as to why I connect with the perfume and why I could be a little biased. Speaking objectively, Antoine Lie has been involved in two other brands I can think of in recent years, in Eris and Les Indemodables, both of which I raved and gushed about, with no vested interest, so it stands to reason that a similar brand will also tickle my fancy. What I do find remarkable, is that each of these brands are distinctly different, as good as Les Indemodables are La Douleur Exquise is not just Les Indemodables MKII, it's not more of the same. Okay quality and artistically sure, and that's a good thing, but it's still a unique prospect and that is credit to Lie and Eugen. I can't wait to see what else this brand has to offer because this is a strong first outing for me, without being all shiny shiny, look at me, I think this will slowly plod on and grow in stature. I genuinely love it anyway, great perfume, take my money!

Way better than portrait of a lady. It's more complex, it lacks the fixative overdose, it's darker and more juicy. It's a very dynamic perfume, offering different wafts as time goes on. The performance is stellar and all of the listed notes are there. There's a warm, resinous, pissy skank underneath which reminds me variously of Le Lion, Attaquer le Soleil and 8 88, although the perfume doesn't smell like those ones per say. It has the hallmarks of an Antoine Lie perfume, and makes me think if only he'd had access to these quality ingredients when he made the ELDO and CDG scents (some of which I like, but not love), they could have been exquisite, because the synthetic, screechy, pseudo-spicy elements of those perfumes are gone here, instead making way for sumptuous photorealistic spices and animalic depth. Regarding the name, it makes me think of some line spoken by a sexy brooding vampire, and what better name for a darker than dark perfume with a blood red dripping rose and smouldering funk. Isn't it some sort of orgasm reference too? Not sure, but I think it's a very fitting name. Update: hmmmm now I'm an hour or so in, it's fallen a bit flat to be honest. It's a real shame as the opening was spectacular but, while it's still going strong, the drydown is getting a bit boring. I'd rather a perfume be more ephemeral than fall apart into something persistant but not great. I am now getting a strong, woody base that I know is gonna start to piss me off. It's beginning to remind me of the drydown of Toy Boy, which I can only stand until it properly dries down, then I run to scrub it off. Such a shame.

Natural rose Natural iris Natural castoreum Natural patchouli Natural oppoponax Natural labdanum The juice color is rich and yellow. Not many brands are using high quality naturals like this, and of course boosted with some synthetic materials I’m sure. No colorants have been added to the fragrances. The materials found in Les indemodables fragrances are the same materials used in Les abstraits, and the same perfumer. I mention this because it’s evident by the quality. Antoine Lie is very familiar with those materials, but now Antoine Lie is working under the creative direction of the brand owner who goes by the name Eugen. I’ll start off by saying there isn’t many 2022 releases I’ve tried, but this is the best by a mile. This does NOT smell like Frederic Malles Portrait of a Lady. 0% I’ve worn this everyday for 4 days straight and I can’t wrap my head around it, because I’m getting something new at different stages every time I wear it. Depending on temperatures outside and inside. That being said, iam picking up on every single note here. Every note takes a turn through out the wearing. Sometimes I get more rose. Sometimes I get more castoreum. Sometimes I get more resins. Sometimes I get more spice. Sometimes I get more patchouli. This fragrance is a chameleon, and because of the frequent changes I get excited to smell my arm to see what else I might pick up on. The main accords I get in order Floral Resinous Leathery Spices Powdery Smokey Animalic Natural Balsamic sweetness Amber Iam very excited to see what’s next. Congratulations and best of luck, eugen.

I have never rushed so quickly from "spritz the 2 mL sample atomizer" to "purchase a 100 mL bottle from the official website." I'm a sucker for counterintuitive (or downright naughty) rose-based fragrances. My main rotation includes Xerjoff's Deified and Ensar Oud's Rugosa. I'm happy to welcome La Douleur Exquise into my collection, where I intend to keep it in heavy rotation. La Douleur Exquise comes courtesy of Antoine Lie--a rock star perfumer in his own right--who has worked at houses ranging from Armani to Versace to E'tat Libre D'Orange to Les Indémodables. In this fragrance, our renegade genius presents a seemingly demur duo of Bulgarian and Turkish rose only to unleash their animalic wild side in short order (by way of an intoxicating amalgamation of castoreum, oppoponax, and labdanum); a devilishly smooth iris maintains this union as it all writhes and churns atop a mattress of patchouli. Over the course of his long and august career, Antoine Lie has created several classic fragrances, a few of which are bona fide household names. And yet, from Les Abstraits--an unlikely little scrappy startup (which I think was borne from a YouTube channel?)--emerges his arguable masterpiece. La Douleur is a celebration of the rose: its delicate beauty; its unflinching carnality; its 'come-and-get-some' appeal to all wearers without regard to sex, gender, or orientation; its bold projection that refuses to be ignored; and its subtle nuances that take hours to discover. This is what happens when an inspired concept is executed flawlessly. True art. 10/10.

As La Douleur Exquise is often compared to Portrait of a Lady, I’d like to explain why I don’t really see the similarity between them. Even though I own and enjoy POAL, I’d like to add LDE to my collection for a completely different take on the rose. First, there’s a kind of musty heaviness in POAL that I don’t find in LDE, which feels much airier and lighter. Second, POAL has a distinct sweetness coming from its fruity notes, while LDE strikes me as much drier and dustier. Third, the patchouli in POAL is far more pronounced, whereas in LDE it’s interwoven with a subtle castoreum note.The castoreum in LDE is by no means skanky or animalic; rather, it gives it an elegant edge. It’s used sparingly (though I clearly detect it) in a way that somehow enhances the fresh aspect of the rose. For me, the castoreum here is a game-changer. While POAL-beautiful as it is-can sometimes feel quite oppressive and over the top, LDE has a subtle elegance that makes it wearable for many different occasions. It’s already on my to-buy list for 2026, alongside Des Cendres. Belle Âme-another lovely creation by Lie-isn’t really within my scent profile. But if the brand ever decides to release smaller bottles, I might just pull the trigger on that one too.

Les Abstraits La Douleur Exquise (2022) - spicy-rose cashmere - It’s been quite awhile I was surprised by a scent. (If you have been checking my reviews, dear reader, I’ve been around.) With this #antoinelie perfume, the surprise isn’t in how it shocks you with brand new accords or ingredients not used in perfumery - but how excellent ingredients are used at such mastery that they evoke feelings of elegance and interest. Portrait of a lady, this is not. Starts with a spicy aromatic accord (cumin, clove, cinnamon) and this beautiful fresh, yet dark Rose. I also get smoky Incense, albeit at the background. While that is lovely, it is in the heart and drydown this fragrance shows its true gift. This is where the Rose shows restraint and gives way to Powdery Iris mixed with well-constructed white musks and Castoreum that creates a cashmere-like image upon the wearer. I also sense an oriental-amber base akin to Opium using Myrrh, Labdanum and Patchouli - a wonderful surprise. It’s as if Madam Chanel and Monsieur Beaux had their souls transfixed inspiring Mr. Nizic and Mr. Lie, as modern bastions of this style of perfumery. Versatile year-round and true artistry.

If the rose is the symbol for love, it feels like hope in the beginning, only to shrivel and dry the colour leaving its petals, then you're left with a shadow of what once was.. Eventually everything will change or won't last. Biggest surprise was how this brought forward emotion as I don't attach sentiments to my perfumes. I did find myself about to cry as the perfume was unfolding, finding the nuances in the notes and understanding why they were chosen, how it works in the composition. Lush roses, a bit of greenness. The spices and resins work together to lift the other. As it goes forward I get a bit more of a powdery patchouli. As a different (and excellent) reviewer has said, the castoreum seems to be the pillar, with everything moving around it, provides the shadow lurking in the background beautifully. On me, I find it incredibly nuanced. Subtle. For me subtlety is key.

Of the three Les Abstraits fragrances, La Douleur Exquise is, surprisingly, my favorite. I didn’t expect to fall for a spicy rose, but here we are! The opening is an incredible mix of fleshy, creamy, and textured rose, mingled with woodsy and animalic spices. There’s a wine-like quality to it, almost reminiscent of wooden barrels used to age wine, with leather, a generous dose of pepper, and a slightly sweaty cumin or castoreum note. Though the deep drydown flattens a bit—almost like a refined Toy Boy—it’s still thoroughly addictive. I can’t stop sniffing it. Let’s not ignore the obvious: yes, this bears a strong resemblance to Antaeus (and even Imitation Man by Amouage), but La Douleur Exquise strikes a much sweeter, more likable chord for me. It lacks that woody, aftershave vibe that Antaeus takes pride in. All in all, a gorgeous fragrance I hope to own someday.

Without learning of the background and inspiration behind its formulation, I found La Douleur Exquis to be a multi-rose floral blend with an effervescence in the beginning, expertly blended to reveal multi layers of earthiness and animalic depth that plays so well with the beguiling rose at the top. There's also a saltiness and almost a carnation floral that momentarily reminds me of Serge Lutens De Profundis; not in notes per se, but more in feeling, which has been linked to feelings of sadness, loss, and well, as the name suggests, heartache. Tears maybe? At any rate, it's not a completely dour or depressing emotion expressed. If anything, it's like the nostalgic feeling you get after reliving the good times, having since moved on. There's always beauty in what remains, if you're willing to look for it.

I can whole-heartedly relate to the theme of this perfume - "la douleur exquise" embodies much of my own pain that was gradually healed... Truly healing from love makes you extraordinary... if you believe it. I rarely wear rose perfumes but this is certainly a beautiful exception . For me, it iis all about the "rose" morphing into an earthly beam of light. I can hear, Eriks Esenvalds, " The Earthly Rose" playing in the background. The authenticity of this Bulgarian and Turkish rose is what captured my olfactory senses... I cannot deny that the animalic blend of labdanum and oppoponax is what finally captured me. Extraordinary work! Bravo, Eugen!

Ordered a sample after watching one of my favorite YouTube fragrance reviewers say how it’s one of the top rose/oud/patchouli combos. I had to sell my Oud Satin Mood ( too synthetic) and I barely wear POAL since it’s not an easy fragrance to wear on the daily or in high heat. LDE is absolutely stunning! I don’t get any oud from it but the rose and patchouli blend is so smooth. The rose lingers throughout the fragrance and the base is so addicting. Was still smelling it after waking up in the morning. I find this more wearable than Epic Woman as well. I can’t stop thinking about it.

Exquisitely balanced blend of highest quality naturals and ingredients. La Douleur Exquise is the brainchild of new parfumeur Eugen Nazic and the creative genius Antoine Lie. An ode to the pain of loss expressed as a veil rather than a blanket thanks to the freshness and clarity. Contemplative and transportive. Two rose varieties and iris beautifully spiced with cumin, cloves and saffron all rounded by myrrh. Anchored by patchouli, resins and cedar. Stunningly beautiful proof that pain can be understood and mastered.

I fell so in love with Des Cendres that I essentially overlooked this beautiful creation. I love this fragrance so much more than POAL, which I was always sort of lukewarm on POAL to begin with. It's that castoreum/rose that I find just stunning. Stunning! I already added Des Cendres to my Top 5, I'm a few more wearings away from adding La Douleur Exquise to the Top 5 as well.

Sparkling soda like effervescent rose similar to Oud Ispahan in the opening but then takes a different path towards vintage antaeus with a beautiful castoreum note but at the same time being its own distinct character throughout the entire experience. I am not the biggest fan of rose heavy perfumes but I enjoy this a lot. 8/10

One of the most beautiful rose fragrances I have ever smelled. I really dislike cumin and castoreum in fragrances, but here they offset the jammy rose superbly without making you smell like you forgot to shower for the last week. I can NOT stop sniffing my wrist.

Rose is usually tricky for me but this could be the Goldilocks of Rose fragrances - not too sour, not too sweet...just right. Rich velvety rose, spices, resins. Nothing loud or obnoxious though. It's tender, like a warm embrace from someone you cherish.

My sotd...This has been long awaited as I am already enjoying the high quality rose, wrapped in an animalic, chypre- envelope... A spicy shaving foam, resin and lovely powder...Lot's to unpack. Congrats, Eugen. ...the cumin be strong with this one.

Wow. This is good! This was a full bottle blind purchase for me. I wanted something more masculine than POAL (which I love) and this is it. It leans perfectly unisex. The rose + patchouli + animalics is amazing! The balance is perfection. 5/5.

If you want a excellant rose-oud buy this, if you want to smell like a grand ma, buy portrait of a lady

Basically angry Portait of a Lady + Antaeus combo. It's as good as it sounds.

where ́s Eugine, there ́s a hi-quality!!!!!! no doubt!!!!!

Can confirm I shall not be reviewing this 🤣

Where can I find this beauty in Canada?

What's the point to write a review after Alphairone's? ;) Well....let's try: Starts with a spicy/dirty rose, supported by a delicate but noticeable vanilla. In the heart, the rose is still present, but will leave some space to a fresh iris note, supported by olibanum and a hint of saffron. The base will allow the resins and patchouli to bloom, with the rose still on. Overall I would place this one on the shelf in between Azzaro Acteur and Antaeus (with the rose amped up), but a very unisex take on these two. Performance is not its best selling point (it barely project after half an hour with 3 sprays at single point on my arm). Antoine Lie is one of my favourite perfumers, and that's again a hit he signed here after Rose de Jamal by Les Indemodables (from which Douleur Exquise might be somewhat inspired from, and the name of the house as well). This is the second time I got pleasantly surprised by a youtuber's fragrance, after Motif Olfactif (that managed to keep a reasonable price point, by offering 50ml bottles). Now... the painful point: the price. It has been recently launched at 240 Euros, that will probably translate to $250-300 + tax... That is Malle's price point at discounters... and unfortunately it's nothing unsmelt before (even if well done), and the design, name (as well as perfumer) might dangerously have it appear as a clone house of Les Indemodables (that's a compliment in terms of smell... but it also cloned the price tag, unfortunately). While I acknowledge the high quality of ingredients, I regret a bit the deja-vu impression. Great fragrance... but is it really great value? Your noses will judge! Still, I'm looking forward to smell more of that house (considering that 2 other ones are ready to market as well), but would suggest to Eugen to consider offering lower volumes (30ml bottles or so, like many indies do, to offer high quality at contained cost). Overall a like for me.

I see where people who have compared this to Imitation Man are coming from, in the opening at least. I tried this for a full day and am now today wearing it again but with IM on the other arm and in the opening at least, very similar profile. But from the initial stages on LDE goes darker and starts to go animalic and IM has gone somewhere different. LDE starting to go darker from that happy rosey opening I think fits great with the theme here, from romance to something darker, sadder I suppose. But it's not a depressing fragrance, this still sits pleasantly, it's not a super dark rose like I found in Olympic Orchids Cryptical Envelopment for example it's more I guess a "thinkers rose" or something :) I get the comparisons to Antaeus too, this probably sits somewhere in the middle of that and Imitiation Man for me. The castoreum muskiness and dry earthy quality you'll feel is like Antaeus and the overall structure is something like IM. Great fragrance in concept and in form but I don't love it enough to go to full bottle I think given the pricing and it only being available in 100ml.

A beautiful rose-centric fragrance, on the same shelf with Malle POAL, but don't be scared: this one is unisex, if not leaning slightly masculine. Indeed, the dark patchouli, the incense and the spices, added to a hint of animalics, perfectly balance the rose, making it a graceful tango to look at, not a caricatural in-your-face rose a-la Malle. Yes, you got it: I prefer it to Malle's Portrait OAL. Whoever likes POAL, as well as Chanel Antaeus, Amouage Imitation Man and Elie Saab No.1 Rose should definitely put their nose on that one. Yes... that's a lot of name dropping, but this one really plays in their league. It is also somewhat close to GFF Uomo, Hendley Rosenthal and Galimard Napoleon 1815. Probably not the most creative one, given how many played on that theme before this one, but should one keep only one rose chypre, that might very well be it. Great job, Eugen!

The perfume opens up with a combo of leathery castoreum and saffron with a hint of the rose and resins that will come later. After half an hour or so it switches into its main phase which is an oscillation between rose and sweet resins, and a more traditional smelling rose patchouli. Towards the back end the fragrance’s lifespan it fades into quite a cold smelling incense with just a memory of rose. The main drawback of the perfume to me is a lack of wow-factor in any of its phases, it’s fairly muted and restrained for being the initial release from a new brand. Despite this it is non-linear and intricate so it is still an interesting wear that I think delivers on the brief.

To me, this is the scent of a dying beauty. It's like smelling a rose on the verge of wilting and then smelling what remained after. The scent opens with the rose but spice makes it leathery, earthy and somehow melancholic (it makes me think of Amouage's Lyric Woman just for a second). Then it starts to show a different, more aromatic face...fresh, more masculine herbal notes is what I smell. Interestingly, on some days the myrrh is more pronounced on me and I really like the subtle sweetness it adds...it makes the perfume more unisex although the dry-down leans more masculine. No resemblance to PoaL, I would look at Rose de Jamal by the same creator for some comparison.

Typical rose-patchouli fragrance supported by resins and some spices. The leatheriness from castoreum and saffron is definitely there, albeit more subtle. It's nice, but I have similar and more nuanced versions of this in my collection already.

Imagine the best parts of Antaeus and POAL here...and amp up the quality. Yes. Just world class dewy rose, with slight vintage animalics, green aromatics and amber base. Sad and hopeful at the same time. One of the best roses i ever tried.

A heavy, leathery, waxy rose that dries down to an earthy patchouli. I don’t find I’m in the mood for this very often. It does have very distinct familiarity which is apparently an inescapable problem most influencer fragrances seem to have. I smell a Portrait of a Lady opening and an Antaeus dry down, but less detailed than either. It follows a very cliched rose-patchouli formula that usually substitute for rose-ouds. Nice but I’m not impressed and find Antaeus or a multitude of other rose-patch combos can be had comfortably in place of this. I’m put off slightly by the concept of “wearing one’s depression” which seems a bit try-hard and feels subconsciously based on the context of the debut novel by author J. R. Rogue of the same name. I don't know if that was intentional. I mention try-hard because even though it is a dark perfume I never feel the theme with this profile. Heavy smoke and leather with a sweet, waxy, rose that feels more rebel, goth or punk to me. It is predictable and smooth. For its construction and name it wants to be taken seriously. But to me it pretends. To me a celebration of delinquency rather than a memory of pain. But that’s my interpretation as an outsider. It was given to me by someone I know that watched the YouTuber who made this. I wouldn’t consider it a bad fragrance but for me it's close. More uneventful. The base is plain and smokey all that made it slightly interesting has left. I think many would enjoy it. It is a very common identity that you've probably smelt after all but this isn't Lie at his best. In the end not for me.

Those who compared this scent to POAL should get their noses checked It’s trying to do something completely different than POAL Sadly this one isn’t what I expected I will state what was my initial ideas Before trying it and after testing it out 1.I thought maybe it would be full of animalics and it wasn’t it’s a good dose and frankly enough for the scent 2.heard alot about the performance yes it did last for a good while but projection was lacking big time 3.what really disappointed me was the rose it smelled cheap maybe it wasn’t ....but it was the vibe I was getting 4. The bottom line that it’s fairly to say it’s a good scent nothing special but something to try at least So far my favorite is des cendres but I still have very high hopes for belle ame

I want to like this one, but strong rose and patchouli fragrances have never been my cup of tea. However, the quality is exceptional, so if you enjoy a patchouli and rose bomb then this will make you more than happy.

Save your money and buy Antaeus instead

This is not even close to Antaeus or Imitation Man or Oud Ispahan or any other masterpieces. My first impression - this is a mess and a pathetic and failed attempt to recreate vintage floral animalic chypres. The drydown is kind of nice and resembles Diva (hence comparison to Coco on here) or current version of Paloma Picasso etc. The rose is nice, the castoreum is not too strong but still great but only on opening. The problem here is patchouli - it smells like wet vegetables. To make things worse, at least the first 30 min or so, there is this unpleasant funk which is probably badly chosen/mixed cumin and vegetal patchouli. This bad mix of notes makes it a disaster which lasts for the first 30min or so, although the wet vegetal patchouli smell stays around for at least 3 hours. The opening is great, the next 30 min or so are a disaster, the following 3-4 hours are just unpleasant but not dirty or animalic (notes that I love), just a bad damp smell! Patchouli should not be in this frag at all, it destroyed what could have been a very nice animalic dirty rose. They (the brand and the perfumer) mixed together too many notes which do not go together or simply there are too many notes and in this case less would have been better. Hence the result - nothing new or special, just unpleasant because of badly selected and/or mixed patchouli and cumin and possibly other notes. Longevity is good and projection is moderate.

As a fan of fairy tales and fantasy: if this perfume were to be made into a story, it’d be a focus on the Beast in “Beauty and the Beast”. This perfume represents a person like that character; a person who appears to be frightening, intimidating, unbreakable; but in reality is a person who is longing to be loved, accepted, and encouraged to learn to love. The narrative for this perfume is “heartbreak”, but I would say it’s not the only thing going for this perfume. The heartbreak is just a facet of all the emotions this perfume is able to portray. It’s a person with curiosity for the world; with a hunger of purpose; an inner child who is overly protected to prevent further pain to be inflicted... it’s symbolic to Eugen himself. The Beast’s rose is the “main star of the show”: a beautiful, lush and crimson red rose, that sparkles in shades of purple and blue due to the inflections that a delicate, buttery and waxy Iris flower gives it. Yet, these beautiful elements are being guarded by a crystal dome: the castoreum, giving the rose a leather cloak to dress with; never constricting, but preventing the rose from any sudden movement that could break it. They are being held captive in a room where every step you take feels heavy and slow (the resins, amber and labdanum). However, the enchanting rose continues to seduce you, and makes you want to navigate through the sticky uncomfortable to try and perhaps reach the dome and break her free. Sometimes the air feels thick and dense, because there’s a sulfuric smoke (cumin, incense) that pull you back into the ground, reminding you of your imperfect human self. The goal, however, is the Nirvana: to transcend and embrace the rose, to be one with the rose. And yet, the story is about the Beast himself: about his process of learning to let go, to release the rose and allow himself to change. For years the Beast has protected his rose from danger and harm, but in doing so, the rose has withered, as it is no longer free. To learn to love is to let go: of bias, of ego, of self... a task that we should all continually try to do. Will the Beast ever learn to love and become the person he is meant to be?... only the Beast can answer that question, if he deliberately makes a conscious choice to love.

The whole Les Abstraits line - all three of them - feel to me to be a pasticcio collage. A bundling together of Eugens favourite facets of his favourite perfumes, all rolled up into units of their own, of sorts. This is a velveteen rose duo, much more sultry and darker than Portrait of a Lady with a very artificial smelling castoreum note (of course it will be IFRA aligning and artificial though) with some slight sweatiness in the back room from the cumin. I like this, and it is full bottle worthy, but can't help but feel that it is not only not unique but derivative.

Antoine Lie is a master at combining spice and freshness with florals in unconventional ways, and one can feel his touch in this unisex fragrance. But there's something in this composition that feels too cerebral and deliberate to suit the name of this fragrance imo--as if all the life in the materials has been squeezed out. Perhaps that's how heartbreak feels to the creator, but I expected to feel more emotion from this. Projection is closer to the skin and longevity is pretty good.

Beautiful rose fragrance, with a lot underpinning the rose, which initially takes centre stage. You can tell the perfumer is working with some very high quality roses. When first spraying, I get the saffron under the rose and the resinous amber notes start to reveal themselves in the drydown, where the intensity of the rose starts to settle. At first I wasn't so keen on the drydown, but with the rose sat alongside the saffron and amber notes, it's a perfectly enjoyable perfume.

Roja Dove is renowned for expertly combining a vast array of notes in his fragrances, resulting in seamless blends where individual notes are indiscernible. However, in this case, it appears that the notes were forcefully merged, lacking the smooth transition characteristic of Dove's creations. Whether due to the ingredients or the blending process, none of the notes harmonize well with each other, creating a disjointed and off-putting scent profile.

Probably the least novel of the three Les Abstraits perfumes. Takes inspiration from quite a few perfumes: Portrait of a Lady, Rose 31, Lyric Man/Lyric Woman, Antaeus, etc. For that reason, it comes off a bit like a pastiche. The incense and resinous woods combine to suggest an oud accord to my nose, pulling the fragrance in a Middle Eastern direction. I prefer it to Belle Ame, but i like it much less than Des Cendres.

I usually do not enjoy rose in my fragrances because I'm not my mother and it triggers headaches for me. But the rose in here is quite balanced and tolerable for being so dominant in the scent. Side note: The rose used here is similar to another rose dominant fragrance from Penhaligon's - Savoy Steam. It's my least favorite from the 3 offerings, but I can appreciate the craftsmanship behind it.

This is such an opulent, rich, kaleidoscope of florals and darker materials. It has a feeling of perfumes of a bygone era - not in a powdery, potpourri way, but an animalistic beauty. The roses, castoreum, myrrh & patchouli are the stars of the show. Simply stunning. Also, not sure what @Fragboy702 is reviewing as this isn’t a Roja Dove fragrance...

I received my bottle only a few minutes ago. With just one spray, my studio was filled with the scent of a very lovely animalic rose bouquet! I do have an arsenal of rose-centered perfumes and La Douleur Exquise would confidently stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the best of them. I look forward to experiencing the rest of this perfume triad!

Amber category of Musky Rose & patchouli.. it's been done plenty of times before so it's nothing groundbreaking. I think it will cater well to the middle eastern market (based off assumption) IG: eatandsmellgood

I imagine he wanted a more pronounced, maybe modernized rose note from Antaeus, and so he asked Antoine Le for just that.

Natural castoreum????!!😔If I knew it's the case, I'd never order the sample.

The best rose fragrance created the past decade. Worth every penny.

Is this made by same company that is behind Navitus and Galeria?