Xerjoff Layla

Mostly sweet and creamy, like vanilla pod or custard. Underneath that, soft and dusty, somewhere between face powder and clean laundry.

It opens on nutmeg and cloves, moves through ylang-ylang, singapore patchouli and atlas cedar, and settles on madagascar vanilla, musk and amber.

• nutmeg: warm dusty spice, dry rather than sweet
• clove: hot, numbing spice with a medicinal edge, like a dentist's surgery in the best case

It lasts well 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.