Vaara

Vaara is a really really interesting fragrance. It is more like a bottle full of surprises (All of them good ones of course!) It is a very complex fragrance with so many exotic and beautiful notes and each of them compete for your attention and that is the secret to its surprising nature, because each time a different note wins the competition. It is like every time that you spray it on yourself you are getting a slightly different perfume than other days. This chameleon like aspect of it makes it very dear to me. Every time I spray it I ask myself: "Who is going to win today? The spicy saffron and coriander? Or will Vaara be a floral scent today and give me the luscious rose and magnolia? Or will the winners of today be the incense-like notes like sandal wood? Or maybe Vaara would be sweet and creamy like honey today?" You never know! The most interesting and original note in this concoction in my opinion is the carrot seed which is its wild card. Every time it appears it gives a devious twist to the whole composition. It is very interesting. I love it. I was a bit surprised at first that Vaara was listed as unisex. But after wearing it for a while I realised there are some days that it smells really salty believe it or not and on those days specially when the musk and carrot seeds are louder I can see a man wearing this perfume. But most of the time it is really feminine. This fragrance is really a masterpiece. It is really well crafted. It changes all the time and all its notes be it on the top or heart or base remain and play with each other a most interesting game till the last molecule is evaporated. Every sniff is a surprise and takes you to a different place. My only complaint is that it is rather fleeting and sadly on me it lasts no more than 3 hours usually. After that every so often after I have already given up and forgotten all about it I see a note jump out at me and flee again into oblivion. But the scent as a whole evaporates too quickly. That makes it not such a good value for the money. The sillage is quite modest too.That's a pity since even though I am not a fan of too loud and in your face fragrances, but on this occasion I would have wanted others to enjoy this olfactory symphony along with me. It is fancy and sophisticated enough to be worn in any evening occasion but its light touch makes it also suitable for daytime wear. I would say it is also suitable for all four seasons since it is so versatile . Light and floral enough for summer, but spicy and warm enough for winter. All in all a great fragrance and something truly original at last!

WOW! I have the privilege to write the first review (for once)! Just being launched in London recently and this fragrance has truly taken the city by storm. Obviously it is inspired by Indian culture (both product colours and name give it away). The ingredients are truly unusual and extremely well blended (despite their wonderful weirdness). Bertrand Duchaufour who I see as the Heston Blumenthal of perfumery (in other words what Heston is for the world of palates, Bertrand is for the olfactory world) created a truly wonderful concoction of florals, fruits & seeds, woods, et al without creating a heavy, cloying oriental monster. No, he mastered a truly delightful, fruity, wet and juicy, interesting and compelling new age world scent (I can literally see the Bollywood belly dancers in a promotional video in front of me). It is truly a pleasure to sniff this over and over again. True that the quince note "makes" the fragrance (and I love everything about the quince for my father planted and made jam and jelly from it when I was a child) but it is the whole vision and concept that turned this brief into a truly modern contemporary masterpiece, I dare to say. Best season for this is the "Indian Summer" for the scent breathes melancholy to me and funnily enough, despite being a "floriental" it is somewhat on the cool side. For me it represents the beauty of Indian fabrics, fruit/ flower markets and that cool morning/ evening breeze on a perfect Indian summer day in late August. I would wear this on my Wedding Day (in India)! 10/10 from concept to selection of ingredients to quality of ingredients to finished product to packaging (to customer service in one of London's most prestigious Arcades).

Missk's comment is on point. All I can add is: 1. Rose scents are very volatile. I recommend applying an oil prior to spraying; this helps with the issue of longevity. It's even better if I can use also as a base some rose scented lotion after the oil. 2. Sometimes a girl (or, why not a guy) just wants to smell like roses. I own many rose fragrances, I love to wear them as a comfort scent, something easy, warm and light for the weekends mostly. Here's the difference between Vaara and Vera Wang's Truly Pink or Cartier's Goutte de Rose: While simple rose scents are linear, Vaara takes you on a journey. It is an easy journey, one in which someone else is carrying your suitcases. Bertrand Duchaufour is a genius at giving you a tour. He presents the magnolia and freesia, the quince, the carrot seeds and coriander, while carrying a 3 dozen roses bouquet, as he takes you on this voyage, that begins with a very rosy "feminine" vibe and ends in a more "masculine" cedar and clean musk spectrum. I treasure Vaara, and only wear it when I can take the time, to just sit down and enjoy the journey

My first impression of the perfume is floral spicy and it doesn't change even after smelling it for so many times. It is one of my spring and daytime favourites as it is unique and elegant. The floral part seems like a combination of white flowers that I can hardly distinguish one from each other, not even the rose as suggested by many others, let alone other flowers. In the very beginning, I don't like it very much because of the spiciness. I love floral scents and I like the floral vibe of this perfume from first smell, however I found the spiciness totally destroys the floral. About 2 years later, I did a fragrance test in one of the Penhaligon's branches to see what fragrances do I prefer and the staff recommended Vaara according to my result from the test. Surprisingly, I found it super amazing and bautiful, especially with the spicy vibe probably provided by quince. I immediate bought a bottle and sprayed it every day for some time. Until now, it is still my top favourites.

Based upon the reviews, I was not sure what this fragrance would be like. I wonder if some have received a knock off, because my opinion is that is is BEAUTIFUL! There is a great deal of rose in it, that's true but there is also an exquisitely feminine complexity to this fragrance from the beginning. As time passes, the full on rose of Vaara is enhanced by an almost spicy woody musk which does not so much as take over as it does emerge and transform. I percieve a beautiful palace garden from the Arabian Nights as the warmth of the afternoon turns to darkness and the fragrances of the flowers change from the heat of day to the cool of night. From the clear precision of rose to a soft and almost smokey combination of cool aquatic rose and blooming night jasmine. I think this might be what Turkish Delight tasted like before it became mass produced and besmirched by Westernisation. Purest rosewater instilled with exotic splendor.

Not what I expected at all. I expected something sweet and musky but this is very green and dewy. I don't get India at all, more English country gardens. It has a delicate sweetness which is very pleasant. Edit, I ended up buying a full bottle of this as it was such a grower and unlike anything else in my collection. I agree with Gaz, I find it quite a unique fragrance, and nothing like Coco Mademoiselle, which I find far too sweet and heavy. It's certainly very floral to begin with, but the citrus stops the floral notes from becoming cloying. Quince was an original idea, where it could have been lemon or bergamot. As this dries down the deep spices come into play, leaving a delicate musky undertone on the skin. Smooth, rounded and sophisticated, as I would expect from Penhaligon's.

To me Vaara is a very pretty scent. The delicious quince top note lingers throughout the whole scent journey without being cloyingly sweet as it is well supported by its floral and woodsy frame. Not a complicated scent either that would change over the day on my skin but I just like its linear performance as this beautiful quince note is what I would die for a full bottle and then an upcoming back up one, and this perhaps my most beloved from Penhaligon's. Definitely a feminine scent but if for guys or who wants a more unisex comparable, try Byredo Mojave Ghost where the Sapodilla note is so well countered by its pencil shavings. I have no idea why Fragrantica names both Vaara and Mojave Ghost as Amber fragrances, which obviously these 2 are fruity floral spicy combination.

I can smell a hint of spiciness along with the floral scent but I don't know what makes it like that. Maybe it's the smell of quince? I'm not sure as I am not familiar with the smell of quince. The white flowers are obvious as I can always smell them throughout the day. Rose, peony, freesia, I can smell all of them. As for the spiciness, I have to admit that it is what makes it a succeed in terms of formulation and composition. However, personally I don't quite like it. I would absolutely love it more if there is merely floral scent but after all there are so many floral scents in the market and it would not be so special without the hint of spiciness. Now it is not a mediocre one but not one of my favourite. Anyway not a bad choice as it was a bling buy.

I still have an old bottle with me which I used yesterday! Oh my word! Stunningly beautiful! A fragrance fit for a Princess! Incidentally it was named after Princess Vaara of Jodhpur,Rajasthan,India. The blurb on Penhaligon website says “ The Maharaja’s granddaughter is born into luxury. Succulent quince, fragrant roses, and wood warmed by the midday sun. Vibrant Rajasthan, captured in an eau de parfum. Tempered by stately elegance.” Years ago I went to India & visited this region of India & the Palace, a magical place! Wearing this scent yesterday took me back! Scent notes on my skin are a beautiful creamy rose with hints of sandalwood & saffron. It is a rose but not like other rose perfumes. Soft,creamy,fresh with hints of spice! Utterly divine!

Juicy with delicious quince and floral happiness right on first spritz, like an abundant spring bouquet of dewy freesias and peonies. Then a clean and luminous rose takes center stage with the velvety feel of magnolia petals, warm honey and soft musk. Unfortunately, I don't get any obvious carrot seed or coriander, but there is a cleanness and depth to Vaara that could be attributed to these spice notes. The wood base of cedar and sandalwood is well balanced and does well in making the flowers radiate. Benzoin and tonka, along with the honey give a roundness suggestive of full, sweet petals. Vaara is beautifully and simply a bright, full-bodied floral fragrance that will make your heart swell with delight when you wear it.

Unmistakable as a Bertrand Duchaufour creation; as multifaceted as Sartorial, as sticky as Traversée du Bosphore, and as evocative as Avignon. Vaara's top notes shimmer over rich, deep powerhouse florals. I agree with originaldeftom (first!) that quince is the distinguishing note and, I would add, what distinguishes Vaara from anything else on the market. Indeed, the only comparison I can make between Vaara and another fragrance is with one of my all time favourites, Poison by Christian Dior (the original 1985 edit). Here the honeyed plum has been replaced by quince but I would not be surprised to learn Duchaufour has made use of the same lush alpha- and beta-damascone combination of the Dior masterpiece.

I know it is super subjective, but for me this perfume means Springtime, Easter, April sunshine. There is something very sunny, innocent and joyful in this perfume. I do not mean sickening silliness. There is nothing artificially sweet in Vaara - on the contrary, there is something bittersweet, and i mean this more emotionally than olfactory. I think about movies based on Jane Austen's novels, childhood days in the garden, about saffron flowers covering the meadows in Tatra mountains. I love the unique smell of quince fruit - Penhaligon's did an excellent job, again, in interpreting Nature's best perfumes. It is certainly not like any other perfume I know.

Vaara is something else... It is a ball of happiness 🧡 Many comments below already nailed the review what can I say :)) This is the only citrusy fragrance that I own (for now) and LOVE as it is so exotic, spicy, zesty, effervescent, and special. I would bathe in it. Some might think Vaara is just rose/saffron water, but there is definitely more to it. The perfume nose is very detail-oriented, in my opinion. It is uplifting yet does not feel bubbly. Airy but not light. Cheerful yet elegant & sophisticated enough. Seems suitable for summer/spring but can definitely be worn all year round. Dear Penhaligon's, please do not discontinue this princess...

If you have not had the opportunity to sample this but want to know what it smells like: Hermes Un Jardin Sur le Nil + rose = Vaara That's the first thing that came to mind when I tried this, before looking up the notes. I suspect the carrot seed is largely responsible for that. Very fresh and clean, and 100% unisex to my nose. The rose is most prominent, with some subtle fruitiness added by quince. This is not a strong fragrance, but wafts gently as you move. This would be great in warm weather, but right now it it cold in my part of the universe and I don't feel like I'm doing Vaara justice. Will wait a few months.

Dear Vaara, You are my sun, my moon, and all of my perfume stars. My HOLY GRAIL. You can really smell the quince and rose. If you're not familiar with what a quince fruit smells like I'm not sure how you'll perceive this...but it's a rose water and quince bomb. Lasts through my entire 8 hour office workday with moderate to low sillage. Perfect for spring or summer but can be worn all year round. I mostly get indirect compliments when I wear this such as; "something smells really great over here..." but who needs compliments when you KNOW you smell amazing. Forever and always, XOXO

This is beautiful! I get ok longevity out of this,first hour is very loud,followed by two hours of a cloud of fragrance around you then a skin scent. Starts off very floral with sour fruit and an almost oud note. Then it becomes very floral and sparkling, in the dry down the floral continues but a ginger/cinnamon starts to eminate under the florals. Contrary to what others say I find this very unique,it morphs from one fragrance to another,just when you think it smells one way it then changes.

Beautiful fresh and slightly spicy rose with lots of clean and bright citruses. The heart of the composition is more soft, musky and sweet, but still quite spicy and refreshing. The most dominant spice is cold coriander, but I can also smell tons of earthy and vaxy carrots seeds. Such a complex and brilliant fragrance. But white floral notes could be a bit cloying, so be aware. Follow me on IG: scent.guide

I fell in love with this perfume at a Penhaligon's shop; it was truly created for an arabian princess (according to the shop owner!) Magnificently complex, sweet, with exotic oriental notes which I later identified as quince and saffron. One of my favorites. Lasts 4-6 hours. I have 100+ niche samples for swap within Europe - updated spreadsheet of samples on my profile, get in touch!

I blind bought this and am so glad I did. It doesn't smell like anything else I own, and to me, while it is very unique, somehow reminds me of something forgotten, maybe from childhood - although I can never pinpoint what. The bitterness of the opening I love, and the florals are light. It feels strong, yet inviting. Love, love, love this. Don't regret buying at all.

It's really the scent of rosewater.... The one that's usually sold in Turkey... It's sweet, a bit aquatic for me though there's no marine accord here. It conjures up the image of pink roses petals that float in the water. The dry down is smooth and gentle. Project moderately, but the longevity is good.

A warm, spicy, delicious rose with the freshness of quince. I love this scent and would wear it year round. The only drawback is that it is rather fleeting. On me, one spray is gone within 2 hours. I'd probably need to layer a few sprays, and it would be worth it.

this is one of the most beautiful penhaligon's fragrance i think i've ever smelled. it's such a beautiful, complex floral perfume; it feels like silky and spice and reminds me so much of home. i would love to buy this one for my mum <3

A secret garden in an India palace...fountain, melons, pears, saffron, unnamable sweet flowers under the bright sunlight. Energetic yet elegant. Very lovely.

عطر رائع نقي العطر من أوله لإخره رائحة الورد مع العسل رائحته جميلة جدا يصلح للجنسين لجميع الفصول من اجمل العطور التي اعجبتني الثبات والفوحان جيدان 10 /10

sweet honey citrus rose lovely scent

*Sorry, I mistakenly delete my entry. (First entry around 2023) Vaara by Penheligon's (H22D5A, April 2015, 50 ml. for 55 usd) First Impression I blind-buy Vaara out of curiosity as my brother do the declutter sales. As the price is not really bad, I blind-bought this as a rose-lover and intrigued by composition. I danced around, I am so happy. Varra is the hit on my nail for rose lover like me. It happened that, I applied Xerjoff's Alexandria II before Vaara a few hours. As I am not really sure rather I wish to keep this bottle. I have Alexandria III which is truly ok but the rose, for me just not enough. I got Vaara, I spray him on top of Alexandria II a bit. And Boom! Miracle happened. This is just the perfect Rose-Oud I am looking for. The dewy Rose-Oud fragrance of Dream. Vaara, alone is not really magical. It can be describe as Dior Forever & Ever with a drop of spicy. It is Rose water scent with hint of honey and spiciness. And the scent develop Rose is more stronger but never pass the point I would call this Rose fragrance, It is rose-water scent. But A bit of Groovy honey in base is quite worthy. For the price I got, I will keep her as Alexandria II / III topper. The little treasure form the brave blind-buy. Score : 9/10 (as topper 11/10 another keeper in my collection) Longevity : TBA Projection : TBA Classification : Summary : ===== Review 1 on February 24, 2025 Vaara: The Rose Water scent; a soapy rose/floral that dry-down to soft amber, musk and incense. A clean skin, post after bath kind of scent. It is not a complex scent even during the mid-wear which is 2 hours post wear. Varra is really interesting, by the way Woody Spicy note cut the floral element. That's some how reminds me of Dior Forever & Ever (soft animalic powdery freesia and Dew Rose) and it round out with soapy, waxy quality Magnolia / Violet. Certain aldehydic property get me going. I believe how this can be so soapy, Orange Blossom kind of play a main roll in component. (Concoction of Rose, Orange Blossom and Jasmin normally create soapy effect - Fleur de Oranger). I don't necessary don't like this scent, I find this slight unnatural by the way scent build. As scent alone, I find this balance in unique way and pleasing. I don't except someone with come up with anything that smell like Spicy-Soapy rose water. That's a point I really enjoy. It is not girly-pink scent. It have slight exotic feel. As Floral Bouquet from Bertrand Duchaufour, it is out-standing as usual. Yes, I found this close to DNA of Neela Vermeire as a whole. Not really close to "Mohur" as it goes more powdery violet and almondy dry-down. The powdery-rose while Varra end up more like a Soapy, musk and white-aldehydic incense. But It does recall a similarity in Mohur while Soapy Rose with Spice last. I find the dry-down of this closer to Pichola by Neela Vermeire. It clean, soapy dry-down but Pichola it more stronger Orange Blossom profile. I personally enjoy a Green Geranium Rose; So by my personal preference. If I judge concisely; Vaara won't make a cut to my olfactive. But, as always. There nothing really precise it always exception. I am delighted to revisit Varra. Time to time. TL:DR; Varra. Is exotic-rose water spicy-scent with moderate to good longevity and moderate to soft projection. A clean skin scent with spicy. Kind of fun and good for the weekend. Fairy unique creation with twist of spice but not really new creation; kind of Forever & Ever genre. If you a fan of spicy-floral you can easily love this creation. It might be too occasional to wear but I think this is good enough to enjoy.

This fragrance bursts into a delightful mix of fruit and flowers, notably a light fruit with a very prominent rose note. In fact, the longer I wear this the more I feel it is about the fruit rather than the rose. According to Fragantica, this fruity note is quince, which unfortunately, I have not had the pleasure of trying. This is a very unique fragrance that is immensely pleasurable to wear. It is an uplifting perfume, full of life and joy and light! If this is an "oriental" fragrance, it is certainly not rich or opulent like Guerlain's vanilla-overdosed orientals. Nor is it spicy and resinous like Serge Lutens' classics. This is a light and highly wearable fragrance that is versatile and would do well in many situations. However, Vaara's lightness and wearability has also compromised its longevity. Although sillage is decent, it does not seem to last longer than 4-5 hours on my skin. For an eau de parfum, this is quite disappointing. For that price tag, I am not sure I would recommend this fragrance to anyone but the most hardcore fans of Penhaligon's or Bertrand Duchaufour.

I blind bought this in Penhaligon’s recent sale in the UK. I’m a big fan of Penhaligon’s so I thought I would take a risk. After spraying it my first thought was please let this die down. I just got a great big hit of Parma Violets (for anyone not in the UK they’re a love/hate lilac coloured florally fragrant flavoured sweet or candy), I quite like them but I don’t want to smell like them! It dried down to what seemed like Lady Grey Tea (Earl Grey flavoured with bergamot) and hefty floral hint of rose. At this point I was won over. As the day wore on I’ve definitely picked up the honey and white musk notes mentioned above. Eleven hours after application it is still lingering, great performance throughout the day. It does have a feminine slant, I think if you’re confident in your own skin and what you wear on it you’ll be fine and probably appreciate this. Not close to anything I’ve ever had before, definitely not for every man and not one for every day wear but I like it.

Got a sample of this after a "fragrance profiling" (yes I am a sucker). I smell loads of quince, and it stays like that for the rest of the day, with a "walking in a perfume shop" back-up feeling. I like quinces, making quince jellly, and the wonderful perfume they have, so perhaps I notice it more than people rewieving this perfume that never encountered a quince in real life: think an apple that had a baby with a rose flower. And talking about rose, I get very little of it in here, or it just melts in the quince: quince and rose jam... Not sure I want to buy it, but it fits with the season, late summer, early autumn, fruit harvest time, so I think I will finish the sample. Short range sillage, but for me this is a big pro, as I like to keep perfume for myself and not impose it on other people.

If I could keep the quince/saffron opening going longer this would potentially be a love. It's a tangy, unique fruit vibe; mouthwatering and juicy, but not sweet. I want to hold onto that quince; I want to like the whole fragrance more than I do. I catch fleeting glimpses of what could be amazing every time I sniff my wrist; and I do have to sniff my wrist, projection is not much off the skin at all for me. But then, as I sniff, it really is just okay. The drydown is all slightly honeyed florals, an almost candied peony takes the lead. But I mostly just miss the incredible quince and saffron. The blending is, typical Penhaligon's lovely. In my experience, they really do know how to balance a fragrance. Now if they could just figure out how to make them project more and last.

Very rosy saffron in the beginning. In Sweden we buy saffron in teensy tiny envelopes, and first spritz of this is literally opening one of these envelopes up. After 10 minutes the saffron is unfortunately nowhere to be found, but the rose is still there, and there is definitely peony. And now you can smell something else, a mixture of spicy and fruity. I wouldn't necessarily call this an "oriental" fragrance (which I associate with being more heavy on the spices) - I think it's fresh, youthful and happy. It's unique but not mindblowingly so. Perfect for summer evenings. I get more Coachella vibes than I get Calcutta vibes tho'.

Vaara is a beautiful and tender rose fragrance perfect for spring and summer. It's light, cool and refreshing, but without aquatic or citrus notes. It has become a summer favorite, in particular in the heat we're having these days. Rose and the florals take the main stage from the opening, as it dries down, it gets more woody and lightly spicy. To me Vaara is a fairly unique unisex and versatile rose centered fragrance. It's interesting and unlike any other rose I've come across. Yet feels familiar and is easy to wear, even in an environment where you have to be careful with fragrances such as an office setting.

I love this so much I don't even want to wear it, I feel like it is so precious and do not want to waste a single drop. I feel special when I wear it and did I say it was a blind buy? (I am doing a lot of blind buys lately based on Fragrantica reviews so thanks guys!) I was so attracted to the notes and I think this is what makes it more special for me as I did not previously have a perfume with notes of coriander, carrot seeds and quince. I am not sure of longevity yet, it does not last more than 3-4 hours, but I like it so much that I do not mind carrying this little precious bottle in my handbag

I enjoy Vaara on days when I want to recall the scent of a container my mother used to keep on her cabinet of knickknacks. It was a small carved wooden bottle, exotic and lavishly decorated. Inside there was a vial of Rose Attar that was purchased in Bulgaria. The vial had never been opened, and for decades smelled wonderfully of roses and a faint hint of spicy wood from its lavish hiding place. Vaara smells of rose, citrusy wood, and my mother's parlour. To me this is an old fashioned scent, but in a good way.

Bought myself a 2ml deluxe tray of 12 Penhaligon's and this is my second time sampling from this house. I also have a 5ml decant of Halfeti and I like that one as well as a solid like for Vaara. There is a bitter opening note and I'm assuming that's quince. There's a lot going on in Vaara, but underlying this spicy floral is an exotic vibe, but it's light. Sillage is close to the body with no trail of scent left behind. I'm really looking forward to wearing this in the summer.

Penhaligon's Vaara conjures the image of blooming taif roses nestled on a shimmery moonstone-coloured silk cushion while being bathed in the comforting orange glow of the sun. The mild spiciness of the Indian air can be smelt in the background. A lovely orangey-pink scent. The dry down, however, is less magical, with the blurry trace of roses and the prominence of powdery and balmy notes. Here, the colour morphs into something pinkish purple. Sillage is good.

This smells so lovely! It is an elixir that envelops you in the juicy wonderfulness of a dewy morning in far away India. I have never quite smelled something like this. The opening is an immediate burst of zesty fresh green. After about an hour, I get the rose and magnolia, while the green takes a break. Later, it dries down and settles into a rosy sandalwood with saffron and rose water. Deliciousness for all!

Vaara is a transparent spiced rose water and magnolia paired with bright, sparkling quince/pear over a soapy, creamy, powdery sandalwood base. The light touch of carrot seed lends a spicy, and slightly earthy, fleshy quality. This is expensive luxurious soap and rich, creamy, moisturizing bath lotion with an exotic spice market vibe. Very lovely.

Super fresh and full of sweet floral notes. I tried this in my search for a perfume with a good freesia note and it was one of the nicest I found. Dior For ever and ever was more intense, but this is a good alternative if that is too strong for you. I kept smelling my arm once I had this on. Very classy and natural smelling.

Vaara was inspired by the Royal House of Marwar-Jodphur in Rajasthan and offers a unique glimpse into the aromatic world of a Maharaja. Ingredients: alcohol denat., aqua (water), parfum (fragrance), geraniol, citronellol, linalool, benzyl cinnamate, benzyl benzoate, isoeugenol limonene, euhenol, benzyl alcohol, citral.

Profumo molto interessante. Discreto, intrigante e piacevole. è un fiorito leggero, arricchito da rosa, zafferano e un pizzico di spezie calde. è un profumo fresco ma al contempo rassicurante e sognante, che rientra nella mia "comfort zone" per la sua versatilità, in quanto adatto a qualsiasi occasione.

"Vaara" means "danger" in Finnish, but this perfume is like a declawed kitten. Quince, huh? In that case I like quince. This is a bit sweet, a bit fresh, a bit aquatically splashy, lightly floral and ever-so-slightly fruity. Very pleasing without being annoyingly inoffensive.

notes from Penhaligon's website: head notes: Quince, Rosewater, Carrot Seed, Coriander Seed, Saffron heart notes: Moroccan Rose Absolute, Bulgarian Rose Oil, Freesia, Indian Magnolia, Peony, Iris base notes: Honey, White Musk, Cedarwood, Sandalwood, Benzoin Resin, Tonka Bean

Cheerful rose scent. It is a gorgeous and juicy scent without being pretentious. It's a sweet scent, but not sticky, and I like to use it in the summer. There is no data available on Fragrantica, but I felt that the middle note was similar to "Sometimes Journey Intoxicate".

Beautiful juicy floral with just enough spice and wood to add depth and complexity. Dries down to a perfectly creamy feminine clean floral without being soapy or having cloying heavy floral notes, really superbly blended, versatile with excellent silage and longevity

Ohh, Vaara Vaara. This relationship started out so well but went downhill fast, even though I wanted to love it so much. To be honest I loved it when I got it. But it was years ago and I'm really struggling to finish the (small) bottle. Not that its a bad perfume, but it is loud, heavy and strong and there is nowhere I can wear it to. It is way too much for work, it is not sexy enough for a date, it is too much for a work dinner. I have opera tickets with my friend in November. Maybe I will wear it for that. Definitely. It will be good there. It is also a soap - y scent which is very spicy. For brave souls only. On my skin its everywhere, you know when someone gets into the lift and his or her perfume just fills it. It is THAT kind, but for me its not something I want to smell that strongly. I think if you are considering it, a sample first is a good idea.. For me it is too much.

I'll be completely honest, I was a bit let down by this. Reading the reviews I expected this to be super unique and amazing. I really enjoy it, but it is a bit overhyped. I absolutely love the opening, the quince and saffron are so gorgeous there. Sadly the opening doesn't really last and it turns into a nice rosewater scent. I wish it had more spice, I wish the quince was more present, I wish there was more to it in the dry down. Also this lasts only 4 hrs on my skin. On my clothes I get around 6 hrs though.

I get nothing but watery spiciness in this one. I don't pick up any rose or fruity notes. I get a slight spicy powderiness in the drydown and it lasts about an hour inuntil the drydown comes then there is only a hint of spiciness if I put my nose to my wrist. I don't think the perfume is worth the money, but the bottles are divine. I have a set of 10 1.5ml samples that I shall wear every morning and and write my thoughts down on them at the end of the day.

This is a ladylike Agent Provocateur. Saffron and rose with a dusty potpourri quality. Oddly compelling, and quite possibly repelling to some, given the fairly prominent culinary notes. Not a safe blind buy.

The initial spicy blast is quickly overthrown by a creamy sweetness. I can definitely feel the florals, but not any one in particular. Unfortunately, this was very short-lived on my skin.