Portrait of a Lady Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle 2010 Eau de Parfum

Fantastic fresh rose opening—dewy, green, and spicy—that becomes increasingly woody, ambery, musky, and smoky over time. Perfectly unisex on paper, yet different skin will emphasize various facets (mine amps up the spice and incense, where my wife’s focuses on the rose and fruit). Pure and clean, with none of the overly jammy, saccharine, or bitter notes common to many rose fragrances. A balanced, but drastically sweeping shift from light and fresh (rose and spice) to dark and sultry (resins and wood). I haven’t truly smelled anything quite like this, but recall very loose similarities with Déclaration D’Un Soir—just less sweet and with more natural rose and development. Wife and I are splitting a bottle. A deftly composed and dynamic rose and incense masterpiece. Must try!