At first, it opens like a sweet powder puff. I was almost disappointed as it initially smelled very similar to 100bon Nuage de Coton (which I own, for about 1/10 of the price). Wonderfully, though, this evolves, deepens, become rich and nuanced; everything you would hope for in a perfume that is limited edition fine art!
On paper, about 5 minutes in, the scent becomes cool and anise-like (think black licorice) while remaining powdery. It's the harmony of heliotrope giving way to coumarin. Coumarin is a beautiful perfume molecule found in many naturals, but here definitely gives me deep tonka and almond vibes. I tend to find heliotrope-noted perfumes to be "screechy", but this actually opens more gently and rounds out to its deeper notes instead of being too sharp on the nose. As it continues to dry down, what makes this truly unique is the real civet used, and while I can find that animalic nuance, it's done with a very delicate hand. Thank goodness! It's not that feral urine scent that straight civet gives (if you've never smelled it, order a small amount of civetone and take a whiff; it's an experience for sure); rather, it does something to bring the accords into unison so that you feel more like a rich woman wearing a fur coat against the late fall chill than a furred animal in its den baking under the sun.
On skin, things start to really coalesce. Coumarin still comes to the forefront early on, but I pick up the rosewood note (literally a floral woody note) that again brings the heliotrope more into harmony with the heart notes. Civet makes it really feel like "you"; it's deeply enmeshed with your own skin and body odors. "Death by vanity" of courtesan turned influencer Kitty Fisher? Absolutely. There's something warmer, more raw, more real when wearing it on skin. A completely modern vintage. A heavy powdering of venetian ceruse to maintain an outward appearance of beauty while bathing at best a few times a year (which was viewed as more sanitary!) and favoring dry cleaning using scented cloths is so easy to imagine as you wear this stunning piece of artwork.
I feel very lucky to have bottle 26/40 in my collection. The physical presentation itself is amazing with thick fluted glass, metal label, and a high quality pressurized nozzle.
