No.239 Nouveau Monde

No.239 chases the same red-carpet oriental-leather territory as Louis Vuitton Nouveau Monde, and gets a good chunk of the way there. Oud, saffron and blackcurrant open with a loud, spiced, faintly fruity burst that mirrors the original's attention-grabbing entrance. The heart brings leather and cocoa bean together with rose and a whisper of incense, giving a smoky, gourmand-leather effect that's the fragrance's strongest section - it's dark, a little sweet, and undeniably eye-catching, closely echoing the original's Oud-Caramel-Cocoa signature. Patchouli, vanilla and caramel drive the base into properly indulgent territory, with amberwood and tonka bean rounding out a warm, resinous finish. Where it falls short of the designer version is texture - the oud reads a little flatter and more synthetic here, lacking the layered complexity Louis Vuitton achieves, and the overall composition feels louder in the opening but fades faster than the original's long, smouldering trail. Still, for anyone drawn to bold, maximalist orientals for evening wear or special occasions, this delivers most of the character - confident, luxurious, a little theatrical - without the four-figure price tag.