250 Black Opiem

No. 250 is built around Yves Saint Laurent's Black Opium, opening with pink pepper, pear and orange blossom for a bright, juicy entrance that echoes the original's contrast between fruit and darkness. The heart delivers jasmine and a pronounced coffee accord, the defining note of Black Opium, rendered here in a slightly more one-dimensional, straightforwardly sweet way rather than the original's smoky, almost bitter edge. The base of vanilla, cedarwood and patchouli aims for the same addictive gourmand warmth, but fades sooner and projects less than the original's famously long-lasting sillage. It captures the coffee-vanilla mood well for an evening out, without the depth or endurance that makes Black Opium a signature scent for so many.