Kruger

Kruger is the Aqualis perfume named for the Krugerrand, the South African gold coin, and it sets out to smell the way gold looks: warm, glowing and expensive. Perfumer Jean-Charles Mignon composed it at 30 percent concentration in an amber family. Wearers note gold flakes floating in the bottle. It opens with a flash of pink pepper and bergamot, then settles into a plush heart of Turkish rose oil and absolute, with saffron, patchouli and papyrus alongside. The base is where it lives: a glowing amber, bourbon vanilla, tonka bean, sandalwood and white musk. Wearers describe an oriental rose wrapped in amber, sweet and spicy, with saffron in the middle and a woody finish; a few find the patchouli heavy and a few barely notice the rose. Performance is strong. Most reports run to many hours of wear and projection that fills a space, so a couple of sprays are enough. It leads on autumn and winter and is worn most at night, for evenings, dinners and parties, with leisure a close second and the office a poor fit. It reads as unisex on the votes. At 295 pounds for 50 ml and 395 for 100 ml it is a luxury purchase, and wearers disagree on whether the sweet amber justifies it. It suits anyone who wants a bold, warm amber rose that lasts the evening.