I love Habit Rouge Instinct, this is just hackery for money. There's really nothing new or interesting here at all. Same with the new Homme Idéal. I'd go as far as to say it lacks the magic of the original but aside from that it's identical, like an insipid watering down.

The soft, Joanna Lumley-esque Aunty of L'Instant Homme by Guerlain. Sumptuous, creamy, citric patchouli with mould (the same musty tone as the aforementioned Guerlain) and white chocolate (whereas the Guerlain is bitter cocoa). Update: Aldehydes! How did I never notice them before. Perhaps my perfume is aging although I'm pretty sure it smells the same as last year when I bought it. This is a very strange perfume, as it should be sweet and voluptuous, but there's a frosty sheen to it that makes it aloof and grandiose. Whereas often I perceive iris as orris, here it's the reverse, the orris having a twinge of powder I'd normally associate with the flower. I've always had a love hate relationship with Coromandel. Love the perfume, hate to wear it, or perhaps I should say I struggle to find any occasion or moment in my life where I would wear it. It feels like it should be worn by some crumbly aristocratic dame in a Hercule Poirot story (in fact, yes, specifically the Princess from Murder on the Orient Express).

I've learnt a lesson with this perfume. I went from loving it, to hating it, to loving it again, and I realised the thing I hated was what happens when it gets on clothes, namely that it becomes permanent and I can only smell the harsh fixative base. On skin, however, it's marvelous, as the same aroma-chemical reacts with my skin creating a warm, slightly green, woody aura that complements the thin rose up top. It's a shame that I have to be careful where to spray it, but I can live with that. Just don't judge it on a card strip, as it gives me the same horrible result as on clothes. One thing is for sure, this perfume doesn't smell remotely like anything found in nature, but if you're a fan of that sort of Serge Lutens floral esoterica, or you like perfumes by Julian Rasquinet based on hardcore amber fixatives, you'll probably love this. I'd advise against shoving your nose into your wrist to smell it. Try to experience it as others would, it's great.

Amazing quality and tiny price. What's not to love?! It's delicate and floral, but not sweet or simple. Honestly it doesn't smell unlike some of the extortionate rose perfumes by the likes of Tom Ford or Francis Kurkdjian.

Took a chance and blind bought it discounted.... As others have said, the opening is quite OTT lemon. In fact I find the first five minutes quite horrible, too savoury and very like Pino Silvestre, which I find repulsive, but then it becomes an exquisite green piney aura (slightly pesto-ey too), addictive and delicate somehow whilst being powerful. So glad I snapped this up while I had the chance! .... Wearing this again as we go into spring, it's breathtaking. I still find the first minute or two a bit much, but it's fleeting. This is definitely a perfume which is best experienced passively, i.e. without burying your nose in it.

I love that everyone has such strong feelings about this. After blind buying Myths Man, I bought the woman version (for me everything is unisex). I expected, and wanted, a difficult, interesting, melancholy fantasy in a bottle, something I'd not be able to stop sniffing, and I was prepared for it to be worse somehow than the Man. I got what I wanted, and am happy to say I like it more...the man version has a sort of sharp, acrid floral pungency which is gone here. I am an avid hiker, and I'm looking forward to wafting through the forest in this, literally and figuratively. It's a lot more subtle than I expected and I find it a beautiful and unique green scent. Update: I know what this reminds me of... If you enjoy the mouldy undercurrent of Coromandel, this is that, with the citrus and chocolate stripped away. It's the ghost of Coromandel wafting through the serene graveyard. Another update: I've smelled this aroma while hiking in the forest on a hot day when I had recently rained. It was so similar I almost thought someone in the group was wearing the perfume, which or course wasn't the case. Another update: Haven't touched this for months and now I've worn it to bed. This perfume is INSANE. It's so serious, so weird... When you smell a vintage chypre that's turned, this is almost like that, but not, as in it doesn't actually smell like it's off, it just has the most hardcore chypre combo I've ever smelled, eschewing anything pretty, delicate, sweet or sparkling and burrowing straight down into the dank moss and skank. To me it doesn't smell like urine, but I get why some may see it otherwise. I can't imagine ever wearing this out, and I wear some pretty crazy frags sometimes. I think my friends would probably be concerned for my sanity if I did. But I love it! Update after months of not smelling: Good golly this is a crazy perfume. It never fails to take me aback. It's like boiled spinach with the soil left in. I can't imagine ever wearing this outside but it is a truly genius, audacious scherzo of. a scent that deserves to grace the most unwearable masterpieces lists alongside Secretions Magnifiques, Sombra, etc.

I bought some cysanthemums for my living room, and in the same week I tasted wild chrysanthemum tea, and it got me wondering about cysanthemum in perfume. So I searched on here. This perfume grabbed my attention, and reading the reviews made me really want to give it a go. Of course it's extortionately expensive, and may or may not be discontinued. Long story short I blind bought a discount bottle from Ebay, and it has just arrived. Possibly the best, most astounding opening I've ever experienced from a perfume. Sharp, vetiver pickle with chocolate flakes and incense, Chinese chrysanthemum tea and rose (it's there if you seek it out). It shouldn't work... The tangy, floral shimmer dissapates and the elemi brings you into its warmth. I don't know where it's going next, but needless to say I don't regret this blind buy.... I think this will become my new all-time favourite scent. Update: I'm a couple of hours in now, and in the third stage. Beautiful! Another update: on further considation, there is a negative side to this. The notes are difficult and astoundingly persistent. After a few hours, there's an almost acrid, putrid aftereffect (the vetiver I suspect, I tends to sour on my skin), which remains after showering and is permanent on clothing. It doesn't stop me loving the perfume, but it's worth knowing about. Perhaps performace can be too good after all.

Everyone seems to find this too sweet, but isn't that what you want with a scent of this nature? I do! The sweetness gives an overall gourmand feel, a sort of honey-tobacco tiramisu... delicious. Despite the honey being very strong, it's more syrup than realistic medicinal honey, giving a sumptuous, gooey sort of glaze all around. This is strong but not loud, although I must say it creeps up on you over the first hour. I'm very glad there's no vanilla, as its been done so many times. And by the way, if you want a super sweet shouty tobacco go for TF Tobacco Vanille, which is very obnoxious (although I do like it). This is classier, richer and more unashamedly opulent. It's a love for me.