Gallic Secret

Gallic Secret opens green and fruity, violet leaf and juicy litchi over bergamot, mirroring the bright, slightly tart start of Ex Nihilo's French Affair. The heart is where it earns its name: a lush rose oil entwined with dry atlas cedar and a whisper of angelica, sensual and a little smouldering. The drydown leans into the chypre backbone of oakmoss, vetiver and earthy patchouli. Where the original stands shoulder to shoulder with the great patchouli chypres - mossy, green and very sophisticated with 7-to-8-hour longevity - this dupe keeps the rose-patchouli silhouette but renders the moss cleaner and the whole thing a touch more linear. Longevity is good for a budget scent though trimmed against the original's all-day grip. A sensual, sophisticated rose chypre for autumn, spring and cooler evenings.