Exotic Essence David Yurman 2011

I was trying to recall what the opening wafts of David Yurman EXOTIC ESSENCE were reminding me of, and then I realized: Dior ADDICT plus about a hundred other sandalwood-vanilla perfumes! This one is quite a bit less spicy and more fruity than most fragrances of this type, with a notable peach facet.

The musk seems to be contributing a creaminess to the drydown. There is a yellow quality to EXOTIC ESSENCE which reminds me of both Karl Lagerfield KAPSULE FLORIENTAL and Jil Sanders STYLE PASTELS SOFT YELLOW. Actually, the concept of the trio is the same for these three as well, as a matter of fact.

EXOTIC ESSENCE smells quite nice and does stand out from the crowd for its peach quality, although the sandalwood and vanilla seem dominant to my nose. I would definitely say that this perfume is more fruity than floral, but without being overly sweet. A gentle, creamy, peachy floriental.

"Fresh wood flowers! Buy fresh wood flowers!" The voice is clearly audible above the uniform and dull murmuring. The little old lady with a headscarf and simple clothing is leisurely shuffling around the marketplace, an oval wicker basket filled with various carved woods in the shape of flowers tucked under her arm. Filigree artworks tied individually or into small bundles. Long-stemmed, short, with petals precisely crafted from the wood, as if it were the destiny of the woods to be transformed into flowers. One could almost mistake them for paper cutouts, so enchantingly delicate are the ornaments. As I walk by, I notice the scent of peach. The lady has just sliced the fruit with a small knife and is bringing slice after slice to her mouth, resting on the edge of the knife. The aroma of the peach spreads with the fresh air and also envelops the scent of the woods in the basket.
David Yurman's Exotic Essence may confuse by its name, as there is nothing exotic about it. I wouldn't even call it a summer-sun-holiday scent. Nor an exotic fruit bowl to spray on.
This little potion clearly shows three notes to my nose: peach at the beginning, then tapering off but still present until the distant conclusion hours later, amber for warmth and "light heaviness" in the scent, which sounds nonsensical, but heavy is not the same as burdensome... and as the main carrier, wood wraps around and within the scent and never leaves it. I have sniffed this combination before, and it immediately came to mind, only that it appears significantly stronger in the two fragrances I know. Givenchy Play for Her Intense and Mauboussin, the iridescent pyramid bottle. Sandalwood and peach are also present in both, and no surprise, amber as well. This trio evidently appears in all three fragrances in at least almost the same, if not identical concentration, so that this familiarity arose in me right away. Even the "surrounding" in its blend is not so different in all three. I almost want to believe that one could mix them all together and nothing would go wrong, as they essentially come across as very similar. However, Mauboussin has the most punch and depth and adds a good amount of vanilla on top.
With DY, though, everything is a bit muted. That doesn't mean it doesn't last. It remains just as it was when sprayed after three-quarters of the day and hardly diminishes, so that even on the next and the day after, the molecules on fabric and paper are still going strong. It forms a rich and very dense aura, from a scent-intensive being, but never overpowering or intrusive. And wood is always the dominant note. It almost reminds me of finely perfumed cedar wood pieces that one can hang in closets. From a distance, it is simply a piece of wood, seemingly dead, bare, and unremarkable, but when you get close, you perceive the fine and exquisite scent that emanates from it, which indeed testifies to life.
For those who find winter scents with woody notes and possibly well-perceptible floral notes a bit too heavy, DYEE could be a cozy light alternative that I can even imagine for the whole year, as nothing here clashes but flows beautifully round and harmoniously. EE is my second scent from DY, and while my first, "Extrait de Parfum, Limited Ed." dressed in red, led me to compare it to a bombastically appearing genius in my comment, Exotic Essence appears to me like "an enchanting Jeannie," who folds her arms in front of her and with a brief nod makes the world just a little bit better again.