Opus XI with a dash of Encre Noir, awesome!

Wear this several times, then several times more before deciding whether you like it. Most likely you'll start with a gasp and a grimace but end up with a lifelong love story.

Old non-magnetic cap is a magical spice explosion that dries down wonderfully to a creamy sandlewood heavy base, newer version is still good, but nowhere near as magical. As this one didn't survive long enough to get the flat boxes, you have to be careful which one you buy (especially with the prices now). I have 100ml of newer version, which, OK fine I'll wear it, no problem, and 25ml of the precious, wondrous original vintage with clip cap. I'll be heartbroken when that's gone.

Yep, this perfume didn't come to fuck around. It's an assault in the opening, and as others have said it smells like a peaty Islay scotch, but this quickly calms down and makes way for a very dry, dark, serious oud with woody, incensey vibes rather than barnyard funk. Having read the other reviews here I was expecting too much vanilla, but I can't say it's giving me that. On card I smell the vanilla more and it reminds me of Fall Into Stars, but on skin it's totally different. It's very complex, every sniff gives me something different, and the oud is strong and real. Indeed, I find myself thinking 6 sniffs out of 10 that it smells like pure oud oil, but then I get a waft of booze and/or vanilla and some swirling amber (albeit still bone dry). It's a love, but it definitely won't be a perfume for nonchalant daily spritzing. Update: I'm way into the drydown now and it's very addictive. I can understand the negative comments and see why people wouldn't like this, expecially if they're into the frilly, sparkly ouds from this brand, which I also love, but this scratches some sort of specific itch for me, that desire for the darkest, most oudiest oud, well this is it. If you get fed up with being told, "yeah this is oud, but don't worry because it's really accessible and blah blah blah" THIS is the oud for you. This is an oud which will burn the hairs out of your nostrils and smoulder away in your thoughts after you have worn it, but without being brash, offensive or synthetic. It's a class act, but one with a bold presence. It's not leathery but I can imagine it will appeal to those who love really strong, noble, leathery scents.

Almost violetty with the combination of cardamom, rose, orris, ylang and sandlewood with a sort of dusty quality. The sandalwood is buttery and undulating, a real marvel. Unmistakable Chong-era Amouage class and gall.

Skanky pollen. Unique and lovely photorealistic fuzzy floral meadow with a whiff of salt and lots of yellow hazy pollen.

Not too keen on the opening, which smells divine, but like a divine orange oil, not like a perfume. But then it dries down to a sumptuous orangery, jasminey, creamy amber. Lovely! 0 fig, 0 tea BTW.

On paper (figuratively) this is everything I usually hate in a perfume. Fruit, tiare, jarring notes, chocolate with fruit. The initial spray in store onto card gave me a HEEELL no reaction, but then it insinuated itself into my every thought for days on end. I got hold of a sample and wore it to go for a long walk in a huge park during summer, and it was incredíble. I used the sample up over the next couple of days. Now I have a full bottle, and after a couple of months I was hesitant, fearing I might hate it, but no, it's amazing. As everyone says, it's on the line between ripe and putrid, but that's exactly why it works. It's what saves it from being a teenage, frivolous cheapie. It's unlike anything else, and alongside M/Mink is the only thing worth bothering with from Byredo.

Bland and weak. This brand is a joke. They have a couple of interesting scents (Cuir and Musc) but even they are offensively overpriced. Santal Basmati is boring. For this money you can get a masterpiece that will move you every time you smell it. This is anodyne blah for people with money, no knowledge of what they're buying, and a desire to splurge.