AA Indian Pure Musk Ghazelle

Launched 2009: From the opening moment a rich and dark musk envelops me. It is soft and a beautiful musk. So pure and expressive, very animalistic throughout; musky, beautiful!

After a while whiffs of a machine oil aroma appear, and later on moments of hazelnut, whilst further into the drydown I get quite a prominent component of sweet almonds.

Further into the development the barnyard notes get stronger, with underlying castoreum-like undertones but without any significant harshness; and the skanky nature inherent in all good dark musks is civilised here by the sweetish softness that is its overarching feature. Never too sweet though, and never cloying in all its intensity. It is incredibly rounded and smooth in all its animalic character.

I get strong sillage - with generous application this can become and overwhelming sillage monster - outstanding projection and a heavenly fifteen hours of longevity on my skin.

This warming evening scent for winter days - or for warm desert excursions - is incredibly balanced and blended sublimely of ingredients of the finest quality - one of the few dark musk-centred scents I know where the indubitable presence of the real natural musk is clearly evident. Without the brutal harshness that synthetic musks like to conjure up so frequently, this is a soft, friendly and inviting musk. Maybe a touch too musk-centred for some, there is no escape from all the musky goodness here.

One of the finest musks I have come across in a Iong time. 4.25/5.