Tiane

To understand some of the comments about this fragrance, it should be added that the fragrance pyramid was originally stated differently.

On the packaging of the fragrance, it says (Fragrance Pyramid 1):

Top note: Yuzu, Mandarin, Algae
Heart note: Lotus, Cinnamon, Clove
Base note: Noble Woods, Cherry Pit, Royal Jelly

But various retail points and fragrance portals online indicate the following (Fragrance Pyramid 2):

Top note: Yuzu, Chinese Mandarin, Plum
Heart note: Juniper, Ambroxan, Birch, Sake, Cherry Pits
Base note: Beeswax, Musk, Amber, Vanilla

Why is that?
Anyone who frequently encounters such differing perfume descriptions, someone who might be actively involved in Parfumo Research, might know. Unfortunately, I do not... and I am simply astonished that despite such clear evidence (black on white on the packaging!) another fragrance pyramid stubbornly persists on the internet.

I find it even more fascinating that the fragrance can be recognized in both fragrance pyramids.
Experiment:
Spray Person A with the fragrance and present Fragrance Pyramid 1.
Spray Person B with the fragrance and present Fragrance Pyramid 2.

Result - which fragrance components were perceived?
- Person A recognizes a selection of the components from Fragrance Pyramid 1, but not the fragrance components that only appear in Fragrance Pyramid 2, apart from the cinnamon.
- Person B recognizes a selection of the components from Fragrance Pyramid 2.

In short: Selective perception.
Or also: the fragrance description becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Not that this is something new. But this fragrance demonstrates it so impressively.
And it makes me question everything first. How much of a fragrance is objectively there and what is interpreted, shaped by our expectations?
No worries, no existential crisis :-) The whole thing resolves itself in that fragrances are anyway a subjective matter and thus all fragrance pyramids and comments in the world cannot prepare us for what it triggers in us.

What I perceive in this fragrance, by the way:
Cinnamon, unsweetened cherries, and "something bee-like" (Royal Jelly / Beeswax)
Something indefinably fruity, also unsweetened, only very slightly perceptible.
I do not directly perceive the woods, but one can already notice a difference from the typical musk amber base, which I find very pleasant and different.
Little strong change in the fragrance over time.
In my case, relatively little projection and longevity.

And I learn to appreciate this fragrance much too late.
I test it one last time before it moves on to JC77. I had only tested it before and did not particularly like it, which I now cannot understand at all. The combination of cinnamon, Royal Jelly with unsweetened cherry note is simply noble and very fine. I can imagine it perfectly for the pre-Christmas season.
A quiet gourmand that one cannot get enough of quickly, as it does not overwhelm with sweetness.

Perhaps one simply needs to engage more deeply with a fragrance, to delve into it, in order to appreciate it. Especially with quiet fragrances.
Just as one must learn to appreciate music (I have experienced that I did not like music at all, and then eventually found everything absolutely brilliant upon repeated listening).

P.S.:
I am probably somewhat of a scientific type. I like to be rational, tend to overthink, am critical, and sometimes look for answers at a depth where others shake their heads (which does not contradict a love for fragrances; I also love everything that appeals to the senses). Therefore, I am not the one who weaves stories around a fragrance in comments, working strongly with associations and metaphors. And I always have the impression that I have to apologize for this in every comment, as at least for my feeling, most readers prefer rather flowery comments.
This time, however, I do not feel the need to justify myself. Perhaps a different perspective on fragrances can indeed be refreshing. ;-)

Opinions on this fragrance are, as often, divided.
Some find it extremely sweet, others moderately sweet and rather powdery.
It is often categorized as a summer scent (just because of the name??) - some see it more as a cozy and feel-good fragrance for the cold season.
For many, the violet note dominates, while some do not mention the violet at all and only smell lemon meringue.

What is important:
Although there seem to be many citrus notes in here - this is not a beach and summer scent like Bronze Goddess - as I had expected. The name "Bronze" is not meant to evoke associations with tanned summer skin, but rather refers to a more exclusive Ellen Tracy clothing collection, where the garments carry small bronze-colored tags.

According to Jeffrey Dame, who is said to have been involved in the development of the fragrance, there are higher-quality ingredients (oils?) included, which justify that this Ellen Tracy fragrance is a bit more expensive than other Ellen Tracy scents (which are all still very affordable).
I can well imagine that it is essentially a high-quality fragrance.
I also think the scent is underestimated and misunderstood.

Personally, I find it powdery after the initial citrus explosion (somehow artificial lemonade), not very sweet, and very violet-heavy. In contrast to some other opinions, I do not find the violets short-lived. I actually only really like the scent in the base, when the violets are hardly perceptible anymore.
I would only recommend the fragrance to violet lovers as a great, extraordinary violet scent for any season.
In conclusion, a citrus - violet scent with a vanilla - cozy base.

I was a little disappointed with the scent.
Yes, I expected sweet condensed milk and did not find it again, but that is not so important.
I don’t smell any tea (why the name Tea Fragrance Blends?), but I do find all the fragrance notes listed in the fragrance pyramid, except for the bergamot - and that is also the problem.
Maybe you also have "no-go" fragrance notes? I wasn't aware of it until now, but I seem to not be a fan of anise ^_^
I can clearly smell the anise. No, it’s not selective perception - I didn’t know the fragrance pyramid while testing, but I immediately had the feeling that something was off regarding the anise, and the fragrance pyramid only confirmed that suspicion. The whole scent, in my opinion, takes on a completely different twist because of this.
But even without the anise twist, the scent would not convince me much.
The longevity is quite poor, and after just a few minutes, I only smell musk vanilla sugar porridge, which you can also get much cheaper. It personally reminds me of Vanilla & Anise, even though this one is not by Christine Nagel.

I was able to test this exclusive Guerlain on my skin a few days ago at Harrods. Sniffing it occasionally on my wrist while I admittedly wandered distractedly through Harrods may not be enough to write a great comment and provide a good assessment of the scent. However, since it is so difficult to get hold of this fragrance, I wanted to share how I perceive Royal Extract.
Royal Extract is a very beautiful summer scent. I can smell peach and vanilla, both not synthetic and very soft - the fragrance is by no means very sweet or creamy. I perceive the scent in a strangely fresh and slightly bitter way (the saleswoman said that could be the tuberose, maybe also the balsamic notes?). Rose, jasmine, or iris are not so dominant that I could pinpoint them immediately. The strongest impression I have is of vanilla with a slightly distinguishable floral-peach blend and a pleasant, smoothed bitterness. You can certainly tell that there is not just a lot of marketing going on, but that this is indeed an elaborate perfume with quality ingredients. However, this probably applies to many Guerlains and is not a unique selling point.
Otherwise, the sillage is not very strong.
The longevity should be significantly better for the proud price.
There are fragrances where I still really enjoy the last remnants on my skin, even if those last traces no longer hint at what fragrance it was. Royal Extract drifts away quite a bit from the main scent impression over time, but I like the base less; it feels very bitter to me.

I can well imagine wearing the scent in summer, but I have to say that it wouldn't be worth the money for a decant either. We're talking about the equivalent of €350, which says "I am truly royal." But I don't find it that royal after all.
P.S.:
In the jungle of the Harrods sale, "Spiritueuse Double Vanille" accompanied me on my other wrist, and I must say that it totally convinced me.

Réminiscence was not a term I was familiar with until now. More or less by chance, I came across a sample of 'MI FA'.
I find the scent absolutely enchanting, and from the very beginning, it felt incredibly familiar. What did it remind me of? Lann-ael? Maybe a little, but definitely no cereals here. Mandorlo Di Sicilia? Yes, a bit - but there was something else... Then it hit me: 'Love' by Kilian. That one is already on my wish list, but I couldn't bring myself to buy it because it's just too expensive for me. So I was even more delighted to think that with 'MI FA', I would now own an even more beautiful version of 'Love'. What a wonderful surprise! (Thanks Chrissy for that)

Regarding the similarity of the two fragrances:

Common notes according to the fragrance pyramids: Neroli, Jasmine, Musk, Vanilla. Both are powdery. Gourmand fragrances? 'MI FA' is clearly a gourmand fragrance (from the 'Les Notes Gourmandes' line), but I would also classify 'Love', even though it’s not obvious, as a gourmand. From the comments, it can already be inferred that for many, sweet powderiness and vanilla dominate in 'Love'. More clearly: According to Kilian, it is a "marshmallow inspiration." And 'MI FA' is now only sold under the name 'Gimauve' - Marshmallow. So a bit of similarity might not be far-fetched ;-)

Don't get me wrong, I definitely do not want to say that 'MI FA' is just a cheaper version of 'Love'. The two fragrances ultimately have their own distinct personalities.

In 'MI FA', I consistently smell a blend of vanilla, jasmine, and neroli. In contrast to 'Love', there is also a super delicious, naturally occurring almond (like in Mandorlo). Unfortunately, I don't know what pure neroli smells like, but I still suspect that the neroli note is significant for the character of the perfume.

In the opening, the vanilla-almond-jasmine core is overlaid with light spices and fresh notes, which is very pleasant and makes the scent more complex.
However, I only smell this top note very close to the skin and only for a relatively short time.
After that, the wonderful feel-good blend follows, which, in my opinion, develops very little (which does not bother me at all).

'MI FA' has what I consider an unusual sillage. I feel as if I am naturally enveloped in a fluffy cloud of scent and rarely remember that I am wearing a perfume. It's more like I occasionally ask myself, 'What smells so good?' only to be reminded of my pleasant companion.
When I then smell my wrist, I can't determine that the scent is more intense there. The smell is actually quite diffuse.

I can't quite understand why both 'Love' and 'MI FA' are said to smell like marshmallow. Because I would never associate the scents with marshmallow. But that could also be due to my lack of marshmallow expertise ^_^
(Whoever knows a type of marshmallow that Jacques Flori and Zoe Coste or even Calice Becker might have thought of when creating their "Marshmallow Fragrances," please let me know! If they taste as good as they smell...)

It is particularly noteworthy that 'MI FA' is not as loud as 'Love', comes across as more natural, and feels more sensual and close to the body.
Personally, I have never found 'Love' to be too strong or overwhelming. However, I can imagine that some noses might find it overwhelming or get a headache from it.
I can also understand a slightly synthetic note, although for me, it is hardly noticeable. I would argue that this issue does not exist with 'MI FA'.

C'est ça. We will be good friends. Hooked. More of this!

PS:
For those who, like me, immediately think a fragrance is off just because there’s a bit of patchouli in it (I once accused a saleswoman of this when I bought Rumeur by Lanvin from her and tested it for the first time), let me clarify: I don't smell any patchouli here.