A fragrance that seems expressly designed for the hottest of summer days, this opens with white citrus florals, with jasmine particularly noticeable, then progresses to a slightly leathery- black tea combo, the florals darker and more subdued, mixed with a hint of pine, before ending on an earthy patchouli note. It's very light, almost effortless, and it blossoms in the heat.

The blurb for this perfume talks about Villa Nellcote's past, when it was occupied by the gestapo, but also how it became a hippy haven ( the Rolling Stones recorded Exile on Main Street there), which suggests there should be an uneasy balance of light and dark in the fragrance. I don't get that at all: instead it reminds me of lying on a lawn, on the sort of day when the sky is intensely blue and the sun high and unfettered above, eyes closed, catching the small of the garden around me, and the dry, baked earth beneath the grass.

I like this a lot, and don't at all regret blind buying a full bottle (it was on offer), but there's an apparent mismatch between the intent and the actual fragrance. And I can't help but think that the intent might have resulted in something a little more challenging and ultimately interesting that what's been presented here, lovely though it may be.