Velvet Dance

Velvet Dance opens on a bright, playful tumble of raspberry, apple and violet, lifted by orange blossom - the same vivid fruity-floral entrance that gives Ramon Monegal Flamenco its dancing energy. The heart turns rosier and more refined: a jammy rose woven with jasmine and a soft, powdery iris keeps it romantic without tipping heavy. The base brings the woody twist - cedar, cypress, an unusual pine-tree freshness and a warm amber that grounds the fruit. Against the original, this Perfume Parlour take captures the raspberry-rose-pine signature but dials back the famously huge, sometimes screechy projection of the Monegal, rendering the dense, intoxicating wine-like quality lighter and a touch more synthetic. Longevity is moderate and projection moderate rather than enormous. A bold, romantic fruity-floral for cooler-weather date nights and dressed-up evenings that captures Flamenco's spirit at a budget price.