Incense Veil

This one trades loud projection for atmosphere. It opens with bergamot and pink pepper, but the birch note gives the brightness a faint smoky, tarry edge from the first minute. That hint of smoke is the thread that runs through the whole scent. The heart is the soft part. A cashmere-like vanilla, a creamy white cacao note and tonka bean blend into a velvety, milky sweetness that feels like a warm blanket. It is gourmand in texture but never sticky. Then the base closes in. Incense and amber leave a slow, resinous trail with something almost meditative about it, like the air in a stone chapel after a service. The smoke stays gentle and never turns acrid. As a 30 percent extrait it clings well, and a few sprays last from evening into the next morning. It is at home in autumn and winter, on dates and at dinner, and it suits any gender. Bottom line: cosy, smoky and creamy, with a calm and slightly secretive character.