914

914 is the range's woody aromatic and the one most often compared to Baccarat Rouge 540. The opening is genuinely bright, with lime and bergamot lifted by marigold, and that marigold is worth flagging because it is the note that splits opinion. Most wearers read it as a green, sunny sharpness. A minority find it medicinal. Underneath, agarwood arrives soft and rounded rather than dark or medicinal, with balsam fir adding a resinous, faintly coniferous edge and jasmine smoothing the joins. The base is amber, cedar and ambergris, which is where the burnt-sugar sweetness people recognise from BR540 comes through, though it is drier and woodier than the reference. Performance is the honest weakness. Several wearers describe the sillage collapsing within minutes to an inch off the skin, with longevity holding for a few hours if you overspray. Others report it lasting well and reading strong, so skin chemistry clearly matters more here than with the rest of the six. It suits autumn best, works through spring, and is comfortable enough for a working day. Office, casual wear, a low-key evening: this is a quiet fragrance for close company rather than a room-filler. The lane is bright citrus-oud on a soft amber base, at a price that makes the gamble reasonable.