Onde Extase (2008)
by Giorgio Armani

While I usually don't designate a scent to be "summer" or "winter", I've decided that Armani's Extase works best on me in cooler weather. I acquired this one in a warmer time of year and while I liked it enough to buy it after I spritzed it on at the perfume counter and walked around the store for about a half an hour, I found that once I got it home I only reached for it a couple of times throughout the summer months. Fast forward to early November: There's nothing about it that's particularly profound or challenging, but I'm loving it. Said to have been inspired by Japan and the seductive skills of the Geisha, it's classified as an oriental that features florals like mimosa, jasmine and rose. However, what I get at the opening is more of a slightly dry peppery incense note that's joined a few minutes later by a creamy lemon custard note. As it dries down it turns to soft musky woods with very subtle florals weaving in and out. The sillage is perfect, and although it's being sold in the women's scent department, I think a man could pull this off.