Armani Privé - Rouge Malachite

Sage and pink pepper deliver an initial blast that's almost culinary—green, slightly medicinal, with that characteristic pink pepper tingle that numbs the nose momentarily. The florals lurk beneath, but the aromatic herbs hold court for perhaps ten minutes before the tuberose's creamy weight begins its inevitable ascent. There's a fleeting moment where orange blossom's bitter petitgrain-like quality flashes through, sharp and photorealistic.

The tuberose-jasmine pairing takes complete control, an intoxicating swell of creamy indoles that oscillates between mentholated coolness and buttery warmth. Ylang ylang adds its characteristic banana-custard richness without tipping into cloying territory, whilst the spice accord maintains a subtle friction at the edges. This phase is unabashedly floral, dense and enveloping, with the Amber Xtreme beginning to glow from beneath like light through stained glass.

What remains is predominantly that remarkable Amber Xtreme—a skin-scent that's simultaneously warm and clean, with benzoin's vanilla-like sweetness softened by cashmere wood's musky, almost powdery quality. Ghostly traces of tuberose persist, but the florals have largely dissolved into the amber-resin base. It's intimate and quiet, the sort of scent you catch on your own wrist hours later and lean in to inhale again.