I love(d) this and got it at the moment of its release, however, and please do give me some credence, this has a tendency to smell of chips in newspaper. It's beautiful. It's not "masculine" to my nose, though others seem able to sense a strong masculinity in it - according to the reviews posted...

The combination of rose and musk often results in a velvety, languorous effect, even if the rose is rendered as a sheer, crisp note. This is certainly the case with Narciso Rodriguez Essence , a fragrance that takes the classical aldehydic floral idea of Chanel No 5 and Lanvin Arpège and presents it...

Rarely do "simple" fragrances (scents with few ingredients or little development) hold my attention or gain my affection. I prefer perfumes that change their expression several times a day - perfumes that make a journey.