India

India is a natural Parfum built around one picture: a white marble temple, sweet resin smoke and garlands of Indian flowers. The brand makes it with several frankincense oils and several Indian jasmines, and gives a share of every sale to a charity that funds health and education projects in central India. It opens with bergamot, lifted by the dry heat of cardamom and coriander, and the citrus fades within the first half hour. The heart is lush and creamy: Indian jasmine leads, with orange blossom, tuberose, ylang-ylang and a rose that stays in the background. Underneath, frankincense carries the whole scent, warmed by sandalwood and amber and brightened by the musky, floral touch of ambrette seed. Wearers hear it above all as a beautiful, soft frankincense with spice heat, not a church-incense smell. At Parfum strength it lasts for many hours and sits at a moderate distance: it does not shout, but people nearby will notice it. It belongs to autumn and winter and to evenings, although it also works on a cool day out, and a little goes a long way. The mood is opulent rather than sweet, slightly bitter and spicy, with the flowers fully open. It suits people who like a resinous floral with some weight, and who want a perfume that reads as distinguished rather than loud.