Red Number

Red Number opens on a sharp rose dusted with caraway and cumin, the same slightly bitter, spicy entry that makes Rose 31 read as a 'dirty rose' rather than a pretty one. Within minutes it dries into the heart: a more grounded rose over cedar and a touch of vetiver, woody and dry. The base brings soft oud, guaiac wood, labdanum and a thread of incense-like olibanum wrapped in clean musk. Against the original it is flatter and quieter - the oud is a suggestion rather than a smoky depth, and the cumin grime is sanded down, so the whole thing leans cleaner and more wearable. Longevity is moderate and projection modest, settling into a skin-close woody rose within an hour. It captures the unisex, edgy-elegant spirit of Rose 31 at budget price, trading the original's complexity and tenacity for an easier, softer rendition. A genuine year-round rose, strongest in cooler months and equally at home in the office or on an evening out.