This morning brought a little bundle of joy - perfume samples! - from florascotia. My first opportunity to practise being a perfumista 
Having read lots of posts about Bal à Versailles in the last thread, I've started with that one. I didn't realise it was a classic! Apparently Liz Taylor wore it while filming Anthony & Cleopatra. The image that popped into my mind on first sniff, however, has little to do with power & seduction - well, not that kind of power, anyway: I thought of a fairground!
I'm pretty sure the fragrance isn't all about diesel, engine oil and sugar?! Maybe I've associated it with a childhood fairground visit somehow ... but I keep getting that image! Anyway, I found it heavy - in a good way - to begin with; lots of rose, neroli and perhaps patchouli over leather and resin. Well, I thought of pine trees but not 'pine' scent, so I assume that's resin
After about half an hour I went off it a bit, as it seemed to be all about oranges and little else but, two hours on, I'm liking it. It's settled to quite a strong neroli mix (this might be me - I make most perfumes smell of orange), very sweet and a bit mouldy, like honeysuckle or pot pourri - on a sturdy background of something spicy and woody. It feels robust, which I like in a fragrance, and could also be worn by a man if he's masculine enough to carry it.
... I've just gone slightly weak at the knees thinking of a man with the sexual confidence to wear this slightly rotting, spicy, subtly challenging perfume!