Bal à Versailles

Bulgarian rose and bitter orange blossom open with a bright, almost sharp citrus edge—bergamot and mandarin singing above the green snap of neroli and rosemary. Bal à Versailles pivots quickly into its heart, where leather and vetiver ground the floral profusion of jasmine and lily-of-the-valley, their green-skinned prettiness now roughened by smoky orris and dark patchouli. The drydown settles into warm amber and sandalwood, vanilla and benzoin softening the leather's grip, while tolu balsam and cedar create a resinous, almost tobacco-tinged finish. Civet adds a subtle animalic warmth that lingers beneath the musk and resins, leaving skin smelling of aged wood and creamy, dry amber.