Winter arrived late this year, but for the past week or so it has been making up for lost time. It is bitter cold, and outside my window, last night’s snowfall is being swirled around by a vicious wind. It is the sort of day when nothing but an oriental will do: hence today’s scent, Donna Karan Black Cashmere. Black Cashmere launched in 2002, and was Donna Karan’s sixth fragrance release for women. It was created by perfumer Rodrigo Flores-Roux (who also worked on the recent Donna Karan Gold), and the notes include saffron, masala spices, white pepper, clove, nutmeg, pimento berries, broom flower, patchouli, rose, incense, wengue wood, bois de miel, labdanum.

The first blast of Black Cashmere is a little rough: lots of raw, cedar-y wood, lots of pepper, a rush of warm spices…

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