Boss Bottled Intense opens with a crisp and juicy apple note with slight hints of sharp orange blossom and vetiver before notes of cinnamon and clove begin to creep in and add a warm spiciness to the scent. It then dries down to the classic and instantly recognisable Boss Bottled scent profile with green apple, cinnamon and sandalwood. However in this intense version the warm spices are stronger with an added sweetness of vanilla. Boss Bottled Intense is very simplistic and easy to like, however nothing ground breaking or impressive. You could argue that this is like a cheap version of Parfums de Marly Layton, however with this being discontinued it’s unlikely to be found at a reasonable price. A real shame as this for me was the only fragrance from Hugo Boss worth buying.

Back to Black - an intensely sweet and alluring gourmand. It opens with powerful notes of honey, cherry, vanilla and raspberry; it’s sweet and fruity with some dry touches in the background. The heart consists of a thickening of the cherry and honey combination with the addition of a slightly powdery almond and tonka bean which adds to the deliciousness of this scent. It then dries down to a sweet, syrupy honey with a dry, smokey tobacco to give it some power. The cherry begins to dissipate while the vanilla becomes stronger all while warm spices begin to creep in from the sides. The performance is great - it lasts all day and projects well, gathering great reactions from others. Back to Black is one of the greatest gourmands on the market, it’s sweet and delicious with lots going on however it never gets overbearing. This fragrance reminds me so much of Christmas and it’s perfect for nights out in the winter.

Hera starts off very soft and rounded with bright sparkly florals of the highest quality. Narcissus, jasmine, orris and heliotrope combine to form the most beautiful composition. Not longer after the initial spray, ambrette and musk begin to shine which gives the fragrance a slight bitter earthiness. This then dries down to the most stunning blend of powdery florals and buttery orris, it’s intensely feminine and yet somehow feels unisex if you’re a fan of this style of fragrance. The staying power of this scent is fantastic and the quality is incredible. Hera is a modern masterpiece - it leans heavily to a direction similar to Chanel No 5 and Jean Desprez Bal a Versailles, however this scent is much more floral and less animalic. One of the best iterations of this classic scent profile, but unfortunately very expensive.

Hera was originally supposed to be a bespoke creation for Liz Moore’s daughter to wear on her wedding day, but was later generously shared with the world. To me, this scent is the holy grail of orris root - it’s simply one of the best interpretations of this beautiful material I’ve ever smelled. Upon initial spray, the soapy indolic nature of pure white narcissus and jasmine sparkle in the air before leading you down a path of thick, powdery florals warming the air around you. As it begins to settle, the dense and buttery nature of the orris takes over and becomes gorgeously serene. Ambrette provides an ever so gentle bite of musky bitterness, overall leaving you with a scent that feels so pure and innocent, yet with all the glory and allure of vintage florals of bygone days. Hera is a modern masterpiece, there’s no doubt about it in my mind. There’s a good reason this is priced higher than the rest of the Papillon line, the quality is phenomenal. If you’re a lover of orris, or classical floral perfumes this is a must try.

B683 starts off with a warming combination of saffron, nutmeg and black pepper before developing a metallic, mineral violet leaf note which begins to take the lead. The musk, labdanum and sandalwood give this fragrance a robust and creamy backbone which blends perfectly with the other notes. Once B683 has had some time to settle, you’re left with the most beautiful combination of sweet saffron, metallic violet leaf and spicy nutmeg - creating one of the smoothest compositions I’ve ever come across. The dry down has similarities to Ganymede due to the mineral-style violet leaf and leathery base notes, however this is sweeter and spicier and much better suited to evening wear. This fragrance is an absolute masterpiece and a must-have for colder weather. It’s perfectly executed and the materials are of a fantastically high quality. It’s very easy to like while still being very unique and different, all with fantastic performance as Marc Antoine Barrois always delivers.

Musc Ravageur opens with sharp and bitter notes of lavender, tangerine and bergamot before quickly developing a spicy heart of cinnamon and clove. The combination of these spices with the tangerine makes for a classically French scent which is very reminiscent of Christmas. This then dries down to a very classic composition which doesn’t seem dated or overdone - it’s innovative and executed perfectly. Musk, vanilla and cinnamon are blended beautifully into a spicy, bitter composition with clove and tangerine adding a rindy sharpness. The performance is very appealing as the note breakdown would imply something overbearing, and yet it’s surprisingly gentle and consistent. This fragrance is a great option for the cold and festive period around Christmas, due to the sweet and warm spiciness. It’s not as musky as it would have you believe, however it is a very mature and classic scent - personally I feel it leans very masculine and it definitely won’t be to everyone’s taste. However, this is a modern masterpiece and a true artful expression of French perfumery.

Being a Parfum Cologne, this iteration of Enigma opens very bright and fresh with bergamot and jasmine among other florals. However this quickly settles and darker notes begin to creep forward, namely a dry tobacco, cognac and vanilla blended perfectly with benzoin of the highest quality to give the fragrance it’s signature ‘fizz’ Once this hits the dry down it is something truly magical - with the cognac, tobacco, vanilla and benzoin taking the lead creating the most beautiful warm spicy scent trail; these notes then float on a soft bed of sandalwood, ginger and ambergris. In terms of quality of ingredients and scent profile this shares a lot of similarities with the Parfum, however I find the Parfum Cologne to be brighter, more youthful and versatile - and obviously a lot more affordable. The performance is pretty good considering it’s bright and sparkly profile, and projects pretty well too. The quality here is incredible and the scent itself is a masterpiece - incredibly unique and a true modern classic.

Angels’ Share opens with a burst of this fantastic realistic cognac note - it’s sweet, boozy and has a hint of that alcoholic burn in the background. As this settles you’re greeted with a dry, spicy cinnamon as well as a gorgeous vanilla and praline accord which gives the fragrance its gourmand qualities. After some time the fragrance develops a deeper scent profile as the sandalwood introduces a creamy woodiness and the oak adds a dry nuttiness . The cognac remains the main note throughout the life of the scent, while the sweetness of the tonka, vanilla and praline join the cinnamon in a perfect marriage of what might be one of the cosiest fragrances out there. Angels’ Share is fantastic - it smells incredibly festive and is the perfect choice for a Christmas party or other similar occasion. The performance is great and the reactions this gets from those around you is unparalleled. This is truly one of the best gourmand boozy fragrances out there.

Magnificent Gold opens with a bright sweetness coming from the saffron and vanilla, with pink pepper giving it a sharp kick. It quickly develops a heart of creamy sandalwood and a deliciously thick, gourmand vanilla note. In the dry down you’re gently greeted with an overload of sweet vanilla and sandalwood, with a musky undertone of white oud giving the fragrance this overall bitterness and maturity. As others have said it has a very ‘fluffy’ scent profile which is very soft around the edges, and in terms of performance this projects massively and lasts all day with ease. Magnificent Gold is massively underrated - a must have for any vanilla fanatic. I can imagine it can come off as too sickly sweet to some, and yet weirdly it’s one of my most complimented fragrances. It’s a shame to see it being discontinued as it truly is a hidden gem, perfect for a warm and cosy winters day.

Spicebomb Extreme opens with a sweet sharpness coming from the vanilla, black pepper, cumin, caraway and lavender. This thick and spicy scent cloud is then deepened as the cinnamon and tobacco become more prominent in the heart. After some time this fragrance develops into a warming bubble of spicy goodness with cinnamon taking the lead. It’s sweet, sharp and sexy and is very mass appealing to those around you. The performance is good but not as nuclear as a lot of people would have you believe. Spicebomb Extreme smells like Christmas to me - everything about the notes in here are so festive and warming. It’s a fantastic choice for the colder months as it’s so cosy and powerful enough to cut through the cold air. My only criticism would be that the spices in this fragrance smell noticeably synthetic and lower in quality.