The Writer

The Writer is the most contemplative of the five St Giles characters: herbal, resinous and a little austere. Michael Donovan's London house asked Bertrand Duchaufour to give each character its own scent, and this one is built to aid concentration and summon the muse. It opens with a big, bitter, green rosemary, lifted by fresh ginger, sparkling aldehydes, clary sage and a touch of rhubarb. Wearers describe the start as sharp and herbal, a little like rosemary left to dry in a jar. The heart turns to frankincense, a dry, liturgical incense with leather underneath, and the base settles into Atlas cedar, driftwood, castoreum and sandalwood. The most talked-about detail is the ink: a realistic, slightly dusty, papery note that gives the scent its name. It lasts well, often the whole day, and the projection is a moderate to strong bubble, so two sprays are plenty. It suits spring and the cooler months best, and works for leisure, evenings and work days, but summer is its weakest season. Opinion is split between those who find it original and cosy and those who find the dry-down musty, like a church on a quiet weekday. It sits closer to a woody, incense-led niche scent than to a designer fresh. Sold in 50 ml and 100 ml, it is worth a sample first, because the rosemary and the incense are the whole story.