No 108 Million Gold

Rabanne's Million Gold builds its addictive, sensual character from a blend of sandalwood, rose absolute and warming spice, giving it a polished, ultra-modern woody-oriental profile. No 108 takes a noticeably different, gourmand-leaning route to a similarly rich mood, opening with grapefruit and plum for a fruity, slightly tart start. Hazelnut and honey sweeten the heart with a nutty, dessert-like warmth that is more reminiscent of a gourmand fragrance than Million Gold's floral-woody signature. Cedar and patchouli anchor the base with a soft woody depth, echoing the designer's woody core in spirit if not in exact character. The result is a pleasant, easy-wearing fruity-nutty fragrance in its own right, though it reads as a loose interpretation of Million Gold's sandalwood-rose sophistication rather than a close match, and buyers expecting the designer's signature should be aware of the divergence.