Imperial

Imperial makes its intentions plain within seconds. Cinnamon and apple arrive together over a thin slice of bergamot, a combination that lands somewhere between mulled fruit and a spiced bakery counter. The bergamot does not last, and it is not really meant to; it is there to stop the opening turning syrupy before the heart arrives. That heart is the interesting stretch. Lily of the valley brings an unexpected floral lift, praline supplies the nutty sweetness the name promises, and dates give the whole thing a dried-fruit density that keeps it from reading as simple dessert. It is a distinctly Middle Eastern move in an otherwise British-styled range. The base is vanilla, myrrh and amberwood, and it is where Imperial does its best work: the myrrh adds a resinous, slightly bitter edge that stops the vanilla from flattening out. Longevity is strong, comfortably a full day, and projection is generous in the first two hours before it settles into a close warm hum. Wear it in the cold. Applied on a mild day it turns cloying quickly, but in autumn and winter air the spice and resin structure holds together properly. It is an evening and weekend fragrance rather than a boardroom one, and it will read as festive to most noses. For the money it is a generous, uncomplicated pleasure.