Berberiades Extreme by Stephanie de Saint-Aignan

Doc Elly

This starts off with a beautifully balanced bouquet of citrus intertwined with sandalwood and a bit of spice a la Serge Lutens. The citrus is not too sharp or citrusy, maybe because it’s tempered with cumin and black tea. To me, this is first and foremost a woody scent, because the citrus makes a quick exit within the first 10 minutes, exposing the sandalwood in all its glory. I love a good sandalwood, and this one certainly gets high marks. It’s almost like the real sandalwood in vintage Samsara, the first perfume that I fell in love with at first sniff. Soon the vanilla, spices, and amber become evident, producing an oriental symphony that is one of the best that I’ve smelled in a long time. It certainly made my morning, and I continued to enjoy it all day through the final vanilla-amber drydown. It has moderate sillage and excellent longevity. This is great stuff! Within the first hour I had it on my “need a big portion” list, and am now inspired to try the other Saint-Aignan scents.