Essence Of The Opera

Sexy chocolatey nocturnal iris over a Guerlainish mix of benzoins, plus cedar, moss, and a smidge of leather. Somewhere on the opulence scale between floriental and chypre. A good choice for fall and winter evenings if you want to smell complicated and slightly dangerous. Months later, February 2025, it's even deeper and darker. I get the coffee big time, but it's not as gourmandish as it is in, say, Montale Intense Cafe. I understand why this isn't voted higher--the mossy, chypresque notes aren't trendy at the moment--but I love this. It's probably going to appeal to you if you like Chanel Le Lion or Guerlain Shalimar.

I love this one to bits. It’s dark and opulent, and for me, conjures up *such* film noir femme fatale vibes. The star note is a deep, powdery iris. I honestly can’t pick up on any other individual note, but I’ll attribute that to my being perfume illiterate. This fragrance has depth. I’d advise to use caution while applying, as it’s rather potent stuff!