Portrait

Portrait opens with a big, syrupy jasmine - rich and almost sticky, as if nose-deep in the flower - immediately bold rather than demure. The heart fuses sweet vanilla with a resinous, smoky tobacco, creating the carnal, glamorous warmth the original is famous for, while elemi adds a faintly balsamic lift in the base. As it settles, the jasmine recedes and a delicious resinous tobacco leads. Against Amouage's Portrayal Woman, this dupe gets the unapologetically sexy jasmine-tobacco DNA right and keeps the Roaring-Twenties glamour, but the original's incredible projection and near-endless longevity are dialled back here, leaving a more intimate, skin-close wear. Longevity is moderate for the price. It remains a daring, sensual statement floral for cool-weather evenings and formal nights, delivering much of the niche original's boldness at a budget price.