It smells like expensive pâtisserie. That's not to say it's bad, but it isn't the exciting journey most other Guerlain fragrances send me on. I don't regret the buy, but this will be a one off. The intense and extreme flankers are both streets ahead of this, with the dazzling openings and deep, rich dry-downs I've come to expect from the house. I think maybe a touch more spice or some more florals would perk this up, but then you can get that from the intense, and the extreme has doubled down on the rich fruit leather.

I find the dirty musk tone quite sensual, and the bouquet of rich floral tones goes superbly with the woods. Bizarrely it performs badly for something so pungent (in a good way) on the opening. I struggle to find anything that performs well these days, although L'IDG EDP does, as do Habit Rouge EDP and Vetiver (those are the only ones). If they're going to water everything down, they should include mini atomisers with the bottle, as this needs several reapplications during the day.

Addictive, juicy and unique. I can't put my finger on what I love so much about this. It should be harsh (my first spray in the store took me by surprise and I thought I'd hate it), but it quickly relaxes into a delicious, rich, fresh green breeze. I'm currently wearing it on a rainy autumn day and it's perfect. Any perfume that gives me several moments of joy through the day, as I catch it and remember I'm wearing it, is a win for me. I think it's quite polarising. I've had positive and negative (albeit politely negative) feedback, but the ones who questioned it prefer subtle skin scents, which this is not. The dirty civet note is perhaps where the magic lies, I'm not sure, but in any case every time I spray it I notice something different and wonderful, without it being too busy. Summer update: In hot weather this blossoms into a neroli fantasy, and I can smell all of the notes way more than in winter. It almost makes me wonder whether I ever smelled strong vetiver, or if it was in fact a combination of the many different things in the blend. In any case this remains a classic, and I'm glad I finally got to smell it thriving in the heat. Update: having tested countless other vetivers, most expensive, this is one of the only ones that doesn't turn sour after an hour.

For me, nothing beats vetiver perfume for rainy weather, and this and Encre Noir are the be all and end all for me. So many others have tried to better it, but not even Guerlain has succeeded with the new parfum version, which is a just pffff meh (yawn). This is an astonishing perfume, and even the newest formulation is an absolute masterpiece.

The Grand High Priestess of the guerlinade legacy. Gobsmackingly well put-together. Just make sure you dress and behave appropriately for someone wearing something so exquisite.

Thankfully, I'm not getting much mojito from this. Yes it's minty and has a lime twist, but the sweetness isn't there. Instead it's a crisp, floral landscape, with an early morning frost. The opening minty blast is soon tempered by the depth and warmth of the vetiver and woody base, resulting in a delicious, complex fresh scent that I suspect will work in any weather. It's currently mild autumn and I'm finding it perfect. I must say I can't detect any rum at all, but then it's been years since I've drunk alcohol so maybe I've forgotten what it smells like. I'd probably rather not smell like rum anyway. The first time I sprayed this, I was a bit taken aback, as its very different to any other perfume I've come across, but as with most Guerlain perfumes, I quickly u-turned into being fully in love with it. Bravo!

A beautiful series of moments when I find myself catching this in the air around me. It manages to have powerful (and ultra-realistic) cardamom, but in a gentle way that ends up giving me a sort of spiced orange feel, without being Christmassy. I have just discovered Guerlain, and I'm blown away again and again by the artistry of their perfumes (and the affordable prices). This is an autumn sprig of golden-brown in an ornate park in the crisp sunshine. Gorgeous! I feel gorgeous wearing it. This is what Gentleman by Givenchy is trying to do.