Or du Serail

Or du Serail is my favourite of the Naomi Goodsir family. It feels very true to the brand, and has a cool dapper feel to it. It's also rather unusual when you examine it up close. I've had this since early 2020 and have used it somewhat scarcely once the initial "I just got a bottle, this is so cool!" excitement died down. Owning a bottle is still super exciting, don't get me wrong, I just purchased a few scents afterwards and the excitement transferred to them. I imagine this being the scent for a cigar bar, with a shot of whisky on the rocks. and I gave that a shot by suggesting it for a date, as a fan of whisky. I don't like cigars, it appears. Was a classy date, though. Beautiful leather chairs. The note pyramid is super complicated but once you give it several wears, it makes sense. On the surface this is a warm and boozy fragrance with a little bit of woods but once it develops, it becomes a little bit tropical and somewhat herbal (artemisia). The listed mate I initially couldn't detect because I'd never smelt it but I made it my mission to understand this fragrance fully. So, I made my way to a specialty tea store in my city and picked up some mate tea. I didn't care much for the taste (quite bitter), but I'd finally smelt it and the taste also assisted. I could detect it... a little. It's not prominent. The tobacco is also quite dominant, given time to develop. Performance wise, this is up there with the best. When people talk about 80s fragrances being huge, this is what I imagine. The materials used are obviously magnificent. I don't think there was any corners cut. Performance and quality were obviously of utmost importance to all involved, as was concept. I think this fragrance is a brilliant olfactory representation of Naomi Goodsir's style. I've been a massive fan of her ever since I saw an interview she did with Lee Lin Chin on SBS in 2003-ish. Her style has definitely developed since. If Iris Cendre was her as a student milliner, making hats out of bizarre repurposed materials ... Or du Serail is what she's become. Bertrand Duchaufour has created a 10/10 masterpiece which isn't surprising, given his catalogue of creations. In saying this, it is a smidgen expensive so it is worth trying first. I wouldn't call it overpriced, because its lasted me 3 years (and counting) but, as a quality niche perfume, it can be construed as prohibitively priced. This is something that one could call a special treat, or perhaps if someone asks you if you want a perfume as a gift this could be it.

A sweet, rich and surprisingly bright tobacco fantasy Or du Serail is, similar to very few fragrances I have encountered such as Spiritueuese Double Vanille or Benjoin Bohème, in my mind an olfactory anomaly, the equivalent to a restaurant meal that hits all of the sweet spots, putting you in a trance of sorts, a tingling all over my scalp and nape when I smell it. It is the tobacco fragrance I never would believe I would even be interested in, mango coconut into rum into honeyed tobacco with the darkness of cypriol and golden glow of warm spice in the back. I’m perplexed because I dislike anything tropical smelling in perfumery, because I’m normally reminded of sunscreen. Or du Serail surpasses anything I could expect of a tropical opening, tart fruity notes mixed with the intense honey, resembling a mango nectar and coconut sugar rather than a tropically flavoured candy, retaining however ample brightness and freshness. As the opening blast disperses I am treated to the richest tobacco accord with honeyed, fruity, spiced and slight smoky facets adding a gentle musty darkness, probably coming from cypriol, the Dechafour special. Amazing experience for as long as it lasts, around 6-8 hours, after which it caves into itself and vanishes into thin air. A bottle is already on its way. Benchmark sweet gourmand tobacco, unique, sexy on either gender and extremely addictive.

Beautiful fragrance for quite many occasions with great lasting power. I ran into this perfume when I was looking for a new iris fragrance. As Iris Cendre by Naomi Goodsir was quite inspiring, I decided to try the others as well. And it was a great decision!! For some reason I love tropical ingredients a lot, especially if these are well balanced, and the mango-coconut-rum impression mesmerized me immediately. I could almost feel the crispy coconut flakes on the mango in my mouth! I tried this creation first in colder weather, then I had a chance to test it at summertime too. In the cold I experienced quite strong performance, while in the warmer weather it disappeared faster. I found out that the mini tester had weaker performance than the actual bottle, as the final bottle has much better atomizer. Start is tropical and juicy, but also dessert-like. Mango and coconutty-rum is present quite from the beginning. This is very magical already and the honey character turns it even more desirable. Although it is a sweeter fragrance, sweetness not its main character. It is very hard to describe, but this perfume is more than inviting. If you want (the best possible way) a sticky fragrance with tropical and honey-like undertones, and great lasting power, this fragrance is a beautiful option for you.

Sixth and final sample of my set. I definitely kept the best for last. Immediately on strip this was a love and on skin, it performs very well for me. I feel this is a more complex (more "niche" I find is a derogatory, pretentious way to put it) version of Le Beau Le Parfum. I definitely get a lot of fruitiness in the opening, a blast of apple, mango and coconut flesh. If I smell it immediately upon spraying, I get a blast of alcoholic coconut rum (Malibu) which is really nice. Later on, it dries down into a woodsier, creamy coconut with a tinge of greenness (artemisia?). The florals I don't really get here (thankfully for me) and the honey I think just supplements the sweetness, I don't pick it up as a note which is good since I hate honey. A very interesting work by experimented perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour. It performs well and lasts a good 5-6+ hours on me before getting closer to skin and projects well the first 2-3 hours. So yes, I find this is a more complex Le Beau, just as sweet but much different in the drydown. This turns out to be a common theme in Naomi Goodsir's fragrances, they morph a lot from opening to drydown! I'll be enjoying this when fall comes, for sure.

What a freaking journey this thing takes you on... Upon initial spray, first sniff is “oh, fresh cinnamon apples” second sniff is “oh, raw honey” and third sniff is “ew wtf, pissed on rotten fruit”... not even joking everyone I had try this opening said the same thing Now you’re probably thinking “ew gross why would anyone want go smell like that”? Well thats because this fragrance doesn’t ACTUALLY smell like that. This is a freaking journey, remember???! The honey spends the next 5 minutes or so settling down as the rum and spices begin to amp up. The apple begins to peak back out from behind the screeching honey. Soon thereafter, it’s a creamy rum-coconut cocktail that is to fkn DIE for! This is where you begin to get transported to a smoky dive bar in downtown nashville. Rum, tobacco, vanilla is what you are left with. This scent develops the entire time you are wearing it and it is just such an olfactory experience from top to bottom. Probably my next full bottle (if i can learn to love the smell of pissed on fruits for 5 minutes, that is) Absolutely incredible stuff, worthy of all the high praise it gets.

Incredible fragrance. First time I smelled this my brain conjured the smell of a 1890s high class prostitute from Paris. Now, to say that a fragrance could possibly evoke something like that in someone's mind is saying a lot. Of course, that is just me (and a friend, who also thought the same), but essentially this is a very sweet fragrance which smells prominently like orange, pomelo and honey. Ultimately wearable by men and women, since it will give a different vibe to each gender. The drydown, to me, is not as pleasant as the opening. You know when you were little that sometimes used to leave licked lollipops on random places? Well, it smells just like those. Not necessarily bad, but it definitely reminds me of that. It also gives me some Valentino Uomo vibes in the drydown, but gently. Do I recommend it? Yes, but first get the sample kit for 15 euros. Naomi's Goodsir PR is amazing. The first time I ordered it the delivery got wrecked during arrival and never came. I told them and they sent another one the day after without any hesitation! 9/10.

This is an impressive work of olfactive art that manages to be exceptionally expensive smelling, unique and wearable at once. Somehow, despite the gourmand notes, this fragrance has an old school elegance I find evocative. I would be curious to know how many other fragrances partner tobacco, coconut and a stewed fruitiness, because unexpectedly they blend together perfectly. It surprises me that another reviewer says it isn't refined, because I think it is in fact the epitome of refined. For me, by far the predominant note is tobacco, and it's much leafier and more savoury on the dry-down than, say, TF Tobacco Vanille. Contrary to the notes, as far as the gourmand aspects go, I find this less tropical and more like a spicy chutney. More dominant on my skin than the creamy sweetness coming from the vanilla and ylang ylang is the pepperiness from the oak and cedar. Whilst different for sure, this would fit well on the shelf next to the equally exquisite Atelier des Ors Lune Feline.

Who tipped over the potpourri vase? The opening is a powerful trifecta of sweet honey, fermented fruit and a tropical cocktail. Or Du Serail was almost too much for me but fortunately it changes and morphs rather quickly. Within 15 minutes I was transported to a Havana nightclub. In the drydown this perfume blooms. Or Du Serail is layered and complex and most importantly, wearable. It still reminds me of potpourri, but it’s softer. Tobacco is my problem child note, but here it’s playing a supporting role, apparent but not too loud. Surprisingly no single note dominates, Or Du Serail is smooth, natural and unique —a word I try to avoid unless it’s warranted. This is Duchaufour at the top of his game. I would wear Or Du Serail in the colder months only. Despite that difficult opening, the rest is expressive perfume art.

i really like this one, not quite as much as bois d'ascese (which is more challenging and generally impressive) but enough to buy it. i really don't get'coconut' at all, but a wonderfully balanced tobacco/booze/woods richness that never cloys or flatlines. duchaufour has stretched a bit outside his incensey comfort zone yet OdS bears his trademark heavy/sheer effect, which over the course of a good 8 hour lifespan stays incredible cozy, vibrant and just perfect for this season (fall!). at times this smells very close to something slumberhouse might do if Josh Lobb went a little more 'commercial' with something like Baque or Sova. tobacco scents rarely work on me (duchaufour's havana vanille also does though) but this excellent frag really connects to my nose. yummy!

It is one of those scents that if you've smelled somewhere once you will remember forever. I'd called this "gourmand for those who have a dark past and nothing to lose". Very unusual opening, almost like fermented fruits - sour and grotesque. Spritz it on your skin and give it some time to settle, and you won't be disappointed. I find it quite heavy on sour fruits accord, honey, and booze. Or du Serail does have a little sweetness to it, but it is juxtaposed to dry and tobacco notes. Some people also sense apple pie kind of smell, and I get it sometimes. If I had to describe it in 5 words I would say: "Smoky rummy mango with honey". Not a safe blind buy unless you are a fan of Bertrand Duchaufour and you know what to expect from his creations.

i went into my favourite perfume shop talking about how i want my art to smell like overripe rotting fruit and decay. they brought this out of the back rooms and i was enchanted this was the most beautiful fruit fragrance i have smelt i HATE HATE HATE tropical fruit and the smell of mango makes me nauseous but this is so well balanced. the wood and tobacco base makes this multidimensional and fruity but also smokey and mysterious. this is the only gourmand i would ever wear because the darkness of the wood, tobacco, and rum makes this a spicy and not sticky sickly sweet gourmand. it was love at first smell and i long to own this in my collection i pledge allegiance to naomi goodsir for making this incredible fragrance

My first sniff from a blotter instant impression was a vision of summer afternoon sitting under an apricot tree, dry sweet straw and weeds warmed by the sun and herbal, apricots decaying and boozy. After testing on my arm the dry down was a honeycomb/fruity/lactonic combination and addictive. Sweet, warm, with mango coming through, but not cloying. My arm still smelled marvelous the next morning. I purchased the bottle and spritzed lavishly. A new impression; of a medieval feast. A smoky hall, creamy beeswax candles burning, mead spilling over onto oak table tops, dried herbs, syrupy preserved fruits and yeasty breads. Deep, sexy, yet totally friendly and wearable. Beautifully blended, unique and I love it.

Another splendid offering from the Naomi Goodsir brand. The nose behind this perfume is Bertrand Duchaufour, who usually is a hit-or-miss for me (blind-buying Dzongkha was one of my grave mistakes). This time, however, it is definitely a hit. The Gold of Seray starts with radiant honey and amber, very sweet but a mature way. You can smell some tropical fruit, such as mango, coconut, glistening in gold and laid over a slightly skanky base. The whole thing vividly evokes the image of opulent harem quarters. It’s heavy but not suffocating. Longevity is eternal, after a few hours I get that same shimmering golden glow I get from Shalimar once the citruses finally fade.

Been looking for a tobacco fragrance and I think I found it here. Opens up on my skin with this ripe mango drizzled with honey . Then I start getting bee waxiness alongside the honey , and tobacco but not not too smokey just a smooth dried tobacco . After 3 hours I start getting the booziness alongside the coconut. I usually steer away from booze and coconut together because both together tend to make me nauseous, but thankfully that’s not the case here . I am still getting sifts of the tobacco too, with some syrupy honey and no more mango. Wow this is absolutely incredible . Best tobacco fragrance I have tried.

Oh my God, how I love this fragrance! It is a marvelous concoction of sweet fruit poached with rum and honey and a beautiful base of sweet tobacco, vanillic, ambery and woody notes, all super smooth and a bit creamy thanks to the coconut and ylang ylang, which are not very present per se, but give some kind of creaminess to the composition. It is a very warm and comforting fragrance, almost gourmand, but not foody, very wearable. I adore it in autumn and winter. I do not smell the artemisia, sage and geranium, but I think that they can prevent the scent to become too sweet. Totally love it!

Opens with mango and thick honey on a bed of beeswax It then reveals slight boozy notes and some almost incensy spiciness with the slightly burnt tobacco note and accompanying aromatic mate The fragrance is very rich and thick just like some good quality honey As it dries the honey moves more to the back and makes room for toasted coconut and rum to emerge, turning the entire experience into a delicious boozy drink The ultimate dry down is a bit smokey boozy dream on a base of dry woods and some residual sweetness from honey and vanilla

Outstanding fragrance! Sweet of course but in a very good way. The rum, tobacco and and coconut temper the honey and there is a little darker side in the drydown that balances the top notes perfectly. I also get a fruity note in the drydown. Great sillage and longevity, I love the smell. A blind buy, I am very pleased and is even better than I thought it would be. I have other sweet colognes in my collection but this is definitely one of the best. Reminds me a little of Nishane Fan Your Flames but I think this is even better.

This is easily my favourite tropical/ boozy fragrance ever. I discovered it even before all the hype when I was searching for a mango fragrance and the lady gave me this to smell. Starts off fruity (ripe mango and berries) and boozy (rum), then you start getting just a bit of the coconut that fades away quite quickly but the rum remains and finally you're left with this beautiful intoxicating blend of tobacco and honey. So unique and a must try for any gourmand tropical lover!

Just scored a partial bottle of this. I am a fan of Bertrand Duchaufour, having not smelled any of his creations which I don't (at the very least) like. This is a very quick review, as I sprayed this on skin about 7 hours ago, and need to test some more. It is absolutely stunning. It's borderline gourmand, with an undertow of tobacco and woods. I have over 1200 bottles of perfume and this is unique. Not a safe blind buy (unless you've similar taste to me).

Trying to compare It with other perfumes i find It Closer to soir de lune by sisley than to arabie ir tobacco vanille. The most i can feel is the honey and on the background the tropical fruits, a bit similars to the ones in Moonlight by Lilian. The longevity is good but the projection only average. It is a good perfume, very sweet with the animalic vibe of honey. Scent: 10 Longevity: 7 Sillage: 6 Originality: 6 Versatility: 6 Quality/price: 5 Global: 8

I really don't like gourmand perfumes, but this.. it's a win again from Naomi goodsir! I have no idea how to describe it, but it's pure bliss!booze, tobacco and dried fruits, soo soo soo gentlemanly and distinguished! and I am sure it would be as good on a woman! refined at the best possible grade. Powerhouse, lasts forever you'll get noticed! Said that La nuit de Bakelité is still my favourite. That's just impossible to beat ever I bow to her!

Splendid! What a perfect scent for late spring and summer! I was intending to buy Cuir Velours and received a sample of this beauty as a bonus. It was love at first sniff! Ended up with this as a full bottle instead of the other one! It smells sooooo good! Yes, I smell coconut and I adore honey, but this does those notes in diifferently. I do not get any tobacco, by the way (but yes, I adore Back to Black, sigh). Mmmmmm! Mmmmmmm! Mmmmmmmm!

Oh my many gods, I needed this. So I got it. The packaging is amazing PLUS you can dab it. It's truly strong enough for that! This is the sexiest, warmest fragrance in my current collection and possibly my favourite scent of all time. Smells mildly foody but that boozy opening is a god sent. No one I've showed this to dislikes it. Feels like a Euro christmas. Naomi Goodsir truly only releases quality fragrances under her name...

I'm absolutely hooked. The top notes is this burst of mango and fruits, 10mins later it becomes this delicious creamy honey gourmand tobacco scent. The drydown is mysterious, sensual and sexy and makes me feel like I'm being comforted and caressed by an older, kind gentleman. Maybe a crush towards a lecturer of some kind? Huge projection and sillage scent is to die for. Very unique and what I would consider a masterpiece.

This beauty start with a ripe mango and coconut burst that recedes very shortly after and almost immediately like a magic trick a very dense , dark tobacco with a clearly distinguishable mate note, the honey is barely there also but is present, the rum note reminds me of Ursa from Tiziana Terenzi. Projection and longevity are pretty good.

It's a really well constructed fragrance, with gorgeous opening and interesting development starting with the fruits, then coconut for some time and smooth finish with honeyed amber. But this "fruity-amber" DNA, in the same ballpark like Frapin 1270 or DS&Durga Black Magenta is just not exciting at all, at least for me.

Blind buy (loved the notes and wanted to try). To me it opens with strong honey and settles with light tobbaco mixed with fruits. There's something waxy (almost powdery) to it. I usually use one spray. Sometimes it fades, sometimes I can smell from arms lenght. Maybe need to try in the middle of the winter...

Really enjoying this, takes me to the souks of egypt / dubai with all the sweet / apple flavoured shishas and oriental lokhums. All those gourmand scents combined - yumm! Strong matcha on the drydown, which comes too quick. All those gorgeous fruity notes only last a moment :(

If you can stand for the first 10 minutes when the beeswax and apple hardly presence, then you can enjoy for the rest of the frags life.. after 10 minutes you will smell its beauty and i love it so much! This is the best boozy tobacco even compare to initio side effect!

When I compare Or du Serail side by side with Sova Slumberhouse. Serail is more muted than Sova, The tobacco notes in Serail are in much better proportion. Serailis also a bit sweeter than Sova. Sillage is moderate Like it very much.

I love the ever changing notes in this. Mango pulp, coconut water, indolic honey, warm amber, vanilla, tobacco. A dash of dry mate, almost hay like. This perfume is sweet and sour.. syrupy and feels almost hot. Mmm... Pure bliss!

After falling back in love with deep scents and gourmands, this is magical!! It’s honeyed, dried fruits with Tobacco. The coconut comes through a bit too! Very sexy I get many compliments :)

معجزه ای از لطافت و ظرافت تنباکو و رام ----------- Scent & Quality: 10/10 Longevity: 8/10 Sillage: 9/10 Creativity & Uniqueness: 10/10 Affordability: 3/10 ----------- Overall: 8 +1= 9/10

@markvel i think the same thing happened to me as well. when i tried this one in the nose store it was fruity honey tobacco, now it just smells like a strong woody hay.

A busy fragrance reminiscent of Nishane belters (a less aggressive Fan Your Flames perhaps). Not for me but very nice all the same.

Fantastic! It reminds me Kilian ́s Back to Black a bit but it ́s softer, more fruity, eatable, optimistic. A new must have for me.

Opens with mango, leading into smoky rum and a honey-dripped amber accord. As warm as warm can be.

Or du Serail Naomi Goodsir is similar to Gris Charnel Extrait BDK in Base Notes, particularly.

Fruity, dusty tobacco, honey bomb! Its super lush and addictive, love it :)

Comfortably sweet mix of dried mango and rum.

First of all, if you care about performance, keep on reading and look into this perfume. It lasts and lasts and lasts. Over night, even through a shower if you don't thoroughly scrub it off. It's intense, but I don't find it overwhelming, because it's so warm and cozy smelling. But I guess that will differ for different noses. Anyways, this is also a very multifaceted fragrance. Or du Serail opens with a lot of pipe tobacco and an undertone that I perceived as hay first, which must be the mate tea. It's quite herbal. Soon the fruit notes come out. This is quite an unusual development, in the first moments I thought this would be more on the masculine side of unisex, but it really gets fruitier as it dries down. And sweeter. It turns from dry to juicy, from autumnal to tropical. I smell coconut flakes, dried mango, orange and even a little peach, all spiced with cinnamon and enveloped in a buttery texture. The honey might also play a part in this, but I don't find it dominanting. I'm not sure if this makes sense to anyone else, but I think it's like a modern unisex niche version of feminine 90s orientals a la Cašmir. Later in the drydown the balsamic notes move into the center of attention, so you're left with a vanillic amber that still has traces of fruits and tobacco. I'm not that fond of the aromatic opening and don't find this very fitting for myself, but Or du Serail is definitely a unique, complex beauty that does fruity notes in a very natural, high quality style.

I can identify the mango now, after I read some descriptions, but mostly it is a honey bomb. You will definitely get some tobacco from underneath. Reminds me a bit of the JPGaultier squared (?. the incense one). It's simple and plain but I still love it, I had a bottle, because it's much of a character and smelling like honey and beeswax ain't everyday. Would buy another bottle only with a discount, there are many more perfumes to explore. Wouldn't regift it, though. Shite bottle and sprayer, like their goal was to flash in the sky and leave the business. Bottom line, like that band you love from only one song. UPDATE: I apologize for my hasty conclusions, still had some of it in the bottle, put it on, I now see, it's more complex than I had impression of. But no matter how good it is, I'm still kind of reserved about it, not celebrating. It's probably the "greedy" part the authors mentioned in their description.

Complex and unique tobacco scent with a mature blend of fruits. The honey isn’t overly apparent, but adds a welcome touch of powdery sweetness. The scent transforms a bit over time which I always appreciate. In terms of comparisons, there’s nothing I can think of that would make this redundant. The closest comp I would say is Nishane Fan Your Flames, but where I found that one an interesting darkly-tropical tobacco IDEA, it was ultimately way too harsh and incongruous. This one is MUCH more smooth and balanced. A more common comp is maybe TF TV, but spice dialed way down and less aggressive, and with a tropical twist. Reading reviews I was worried it might lean too feminine for me, but it is firmly unisex IMO. Performance is decent. This house excels at making high quality, truly unique fragrances, and I hope they keep ‘em coming!

This is a very sweet scent that instantly reminded me of a particular holiday. I asked my love what he thought of it and he uttered the exact word that came to my mind when I smelled it - Christmas!!! There are those moments in a relationship that solidify why exactly you mesh well with someone and this was one of those. The exact word that was in my mind and the exact feeling that this evokes is indeed Christmas. There is heavy berry, apple and fruit, with honey & vanilla and then this gorgeous shisa tobacco. It smells as though there are savory elements almost missing because it is so laden with festivity. You could almost expect to smell a turkey, a ham and stuffing accompanying it. This is not an everyday perfume but one that could bring comfort for me if I needed it. It's like comfort food but with perfume.

Even if you consider yourself a gourmand lover I can't assure you'll love this, you have to be a gourmand ADDICT. Opens with a slightly synthetic and super juicy berry note. I can't describe it that well just whatever you picture that red berries photo on fragrantica smelling like is what it smells like. There's absolutely mango in here as well but it's like a mango candy note. However I won't lie, I didn't let this dry down because god forbid this is soooo sweet I had to discard of my testing strip. It smelled like sticky, slightly melted hard candies. On the one hand, it's well done for a synthetic leaning fragrance and on the other, this is just syrup. Not for me but hey, if you're a gourmand fiend this will be a great experience for you 7.5/10

Or Du Serail is a complex, multi-faceted, but approachable gourmand. A first phase of fruited, tropical rum is fresh to begin, more aromatic in the heart. A honeyed, vanillic tobacco accord comes in second, developing into the main presentation of this scent after half an hour. The tobacco is warm, sweet and smooth - easy to wear, and very unisex as far as tobacco scents are concerned. Very likeable, and more approachable than most tobacco scents, which skew heavily masculine. The complexity here is also remarkable, and there is something interesting to discover with each sniff. Or Du Serail is a very high quality blonde tobacco, featuring gourmand threads throughout. A must try for tobacco fans!

I once had brunch in a very, very expensive hotel. It had an actual ladies’ “powder room”. Not the toilet, but a little gender-segregated lounge, with couches and mirrors and ashtrays. That’s this perfume. Wood furniture, expensive perfumed cigarettes, berry-flavored hard candy, scented talcum powder. I’m startled by those commenting that this is “masculine”. Maybe evoking an older gentleman with a pricey cigar, and a whisky old fashioned with extra cherries. And he uses talcum powder. I like it, but I don't see myself wearing it out. Or du Serail is a fun, unique, and evocative experience. Worth a sample for sure.

Sadly to me the opening was the best part. Kind of sour (well more tangy because it's a fruity kind of sour) and that's the only phase it bore any resemblance with any sort of fruit. I was hoping for tangy fruit with a bit of darkness and hopefully beeswax but as soon as it dried on the skin it became something gourmand. Sweet but not heavy, light but not immature like candy. It reminds me the most of Sorriso by Profumum Roma, similar elegant sweetness, only without its cocoa tones obviously. Fruity stuff is always so fake and overly sweet, in the opening of Or du Serail to me it's just perfect. Sad.

This is sweet but there is something that just makes this pleasant and balanced, like someone that has a grandeur about them but doesn't make a parade out of it, a relaxed opulence, if you will. Opens with a very evident mango but on my skin, it meshes with a slightly dirty musk. After a few minutes you get the honeyed woods but in the back there is a sharpness that controls it. Ends with a amber-vanillla-musk combo. In theory i would absolutely hate this but i actually like it. Dare I say, would maybe even wear it for a night out. Thank you Naomi for making me question all of my perfume universe.

Immediately, sweet sweet amber. Twisted into a gleaming ribbon of honey brightened by juicy mango. There are some definite earthy and herbal elements here - labdanum, mate, sage, but they are all evenly ground into a fine powder. In the dry down, the honey settles itself into more wood and spicy tobacco, and I am so surprised it finds suitable balance on my extremely sweet skin. Normally a dominant amber or honey note would outweigh other notes and flatten a fragrance into a disappointing linear sweetness. This stays a multifaceted, balanced, amber-honey delight.