Amaryllis Floris for women

I can see why FLORIS lists this among their Private Collection. It is simply amazing! I gasped in dismay when I got my sample, and the card was EMPTY...the only thing "loose" in the package was a vial marked PRIVATE COLLECTION. After reading this page and talking with the sender, I realised Amaryllis IS a private collection scent, and that I MUST get more soon, as this will go quickly, as the Summer turns to Fall...

Notes from the FLORIS London sample card:

TOP: bergamot, clove and cooling marine tones
HEART: "Naked Lady" lilies, frankincense, tuberose, myrrh and ylang ylang
BASE: carmel, heliotrope, musk, patchouli, tonka bean and vanilla

The opening here is mostly cloves (warm and smoothly spicy) and sheer bergamot, and the "marine" tones mentioned, in the description, are just that: more of a cooling watery wind than any "calone" or overly aquatic note. This scent is "built" around Naked Lady lilies; but to me they smell like "blood lilies": those deep red, almost metallic looking lilies with dark spicy golden pollen. The inclusion of heady tuberose and warm tropical ylang makes this one all the more "exotic" and sensual. Frankincense and myrrh give it a resinous, very oriental, feeling; like some marvelous oil or attar you would find in some colorful stall in a crowded Turkish bazaar. There is a slight similarity here to another British perfume, Penhaligons Lily & Spice, but only in that they are similar in construction (having liles at their core and spices in them). Where L&S is a warmer lily scent with a very camphorous warmth; AMARYLLIS is more complex and intriguing. Here, in the dry down, are found delicious accents like vanilla, caramel, tonka beans and heliotrope (with its vanillic powdery sweetness) resulting in something "floriental", yet mouth watering, and almost edible. The origin of the Greek name is from the word meaning "sparkling", and this does...not unlike a bright star in the desert sky, calling out to you with its magic and majesty. Here is a perfect perfume for cooler fall days that are still sunny and bright, and something that will work really well for evening affairs, and will also let everyone around you know that you are not run-of-the-mill and like things darker, spicier and arcane.

Sillage: very good
Longevity: excellent
Overall: 4.75/5

I am usually a fan of very rich oriental floral scents with lots of earthy accents and the more incense and exotic sweetness, the better. Here, I have found a loveliest combination of floral, oriental, spicy and gourmand. Amaryllis, a very particular variety of lilies (also called "belladonna lilies" and "naked ladies") that do not tolerate frost well, and require a certain period between blooming, finishing and (the bulbs) remaining dormant; so they do not do well in tropical climes. They can bloom indoors, and many (depending on rainfall) actually bloom in the Autumn, then afterwards lie dormant in the ground until late the following summer. How appropriate that this scent will just "shine" or "sparkle" in cooler fall days (or late summer evenings) as well.