Perfume Calligraphy by Aramis, 2012

This is powerful and challenging. I am drawn to it, I like the dry down yet my wife finds it repulsive. Her dislike has limited the times I wear it. I sometimes try to sneak it past her, not easy because it is so distinctive. She asks "are you wearing Calligraphy?", I reply "You noticed, what do you think of it today?" she says "it still stinks." (she doesn't mean in a nice way) It is strong, distinctive and it clearly divides opinions in my household. She likes Tom Ford's Cafe Rose and Oud Wood, but not Calligraphy. To me it is rose coupled with oud, but perhaps because of the formula's strength this could seem violent and harsh when initially applied. As time moves on it sort of calms down, it provides wafts of rose with a deep underpinning. It's nice and I still like it, but not because of any particular subtlety. Part of me expects Mrs Phippsy to turn around one day and say "you really do smell nice today! Which one is it?". If that day comes I might lie and tell her it's a tester By Kilian so she can confirm her appreciation without admitting a change of heart. Thumbs up from me, thumbs down by her : - it has to be neutral......for now.