Tom Ford Metallique

Mostly sweet and creamy, like vanilla pod or custard. Underneath that, fizzy and clean, the effervescent quality that makes classic perfumes smell like perfume.

It opens on aldehydes, pink pepper and bergamot, moves through heliotrope, hawthorn and lily-of-the-valley, and settles on vanilla, ambrette (musk mallow) and peru balsam.

• aldehydes: the fizzy, soapy sparkle that makes a classic perfume smell like perfume rather than like any one ingredient
• pink pepper: light rosy pepper that sparkles rather than burns

It lasts an average amount of time and sits close to the skin after the first hour.

Built from the note listing and the measured performance figures. We have not smelled this one.