Valentino Noir Absolu Musc Essence

Mostly fizzy and clean, the effervescent quality that makes classic perfumes smell like perfume. Underneath that, the flower itself, ranging from jammy to green depending on the blend.

It opens on aldehydes and heliotrope, moves through rose and orange blossom, and settles on tonka bean and woody notes.

• aldehydes: the fizzy, soapy sparkle that makes a classic perfume smell like perfume rather than like any one ingredient
• heliotrope: powdery almond and vanilla flower, close to marzipan and baby powder

It lasts well and carries into a room.

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