Uneven Fine - 0376

I never tried the original and can't now since it is long discontinued. Hermes must be bonkers letting this one go. This must have the most defined perfume journey through the notes I've ever encountered. It's structured like a piece of music.... An introduction of rich, powdery YlangYlang with fizzing aldehydes and then the soloist comes in: a soprano of cool, elegant, frozen rose. After a while you notice the vanilla harmonising just enough to enrich the rose but not to add any heat. Yet. That comes in the drydown when the rose has left the stage and the basenotes cedar, amber and incense join the vanilla and form a string quartet to finish the piece, playing to the end with warmth and a rich sweetness. Even then the rose hums along from the wings. It's a stunner. It makes me feel poetic. A poet with her nose firmly attached to her wrist. It's elegant, grown up yet timeless. It worries me that it's taken a BOGO offer for me to notice it which could mean it mightn't be around for long.... I'm getting more of this while I can.