Sophistique (2009)
by Mark

This lovely scent, still available from the Avon/Mark website last time I looked but sadly missing from both catalogs now, is an example of a frag that truly lives up to its blurb, which speaks of it as being like snuggling into a cashmere shawl, elegant but utterly comfortable. The neroli and amber notes take the lead, but the surprising though muted, almost popcorn-like scent of basmati rice gives mellow depth, and the mandarin, though it does pretty much disappear in the long lovely drydown, adds sparkle to some hints of ginger early on. (Not gingerwood, whatever that is--what's here is bright and floral like fresh ginger and mellow like good-quality dried.) All in all, a very classy and utterly wearable scent which is also not expensive. Why on Mama Earth are they dropping it?? Letter time, fellow fans. By the way, a man could wear this, I think.