Queen Bitch

Queen Bitch is named after a David Bowie song, and it carries some of that swagger. The opening is lavender, bergamot and grapefruit, a bright and slightly herbal lift that the maker calls refreshing. Grapefruit is the part wearers notice first, and one reviewer finds it turns quite sweet from there. Underneath sits the real subject: leather, oud and amber on a bed of deep woods. Driftwood, oakmoss and a synthetic ambergris form the middle, and the base adds black musk, cedarwood and vetiver. Wearers describe it as a leather scent, and one tags it as super strong. Others find it earthy and woody rather than sharp, and a few say the oud and cedar stay more of a promise than a presence. Strength is where reports differ most. The maker and several buyers call it strong and long lasting, yet one buyer found the dry-down subtle and hard to notice after two or three hours. Reactions run from stunning to medicinal, powdery or like air freshener on some skins, so a 3 ml sample is a sensible first step. It was made for a charity cabaret fundraiser and sold as unisex. It suits evenings and cooler weather, and it will not be everybody's idea of an easy daily scent. Think of it as a small, dark, leather-and-amber statement from a handmade indie house rather than a polite office perfume.