I’ve been a fan of Stella McCartney’s Stella since it was launched in 2003, so I’m not sure how I missed the Stella In Two fragrance duo that was released as a flanker set in 2006. (Was it really that long ago? Yes.) The peony half of Stella In Two was reformulated and relaunched as Stella Peony in late 2017, so I thought I should catch it this time around. I’ve loved peonies since I was a child and spent time examining the peony bushes in my grandparents’ backyard. Peony flowers have become something of a cliché in recent years (“basic,” as the kids say), but I’m still partial to the idea of a peony-inspired perfume.

Stella Peony was developed by perfumer Alberto Morillas and includes notes of mandarin, freesia, lotus flower, peony, geranium, amber and patchouli. (Jacques Cavallier was credited with the original In Two duo.) The card for my sample describes it as “a daring blend of peppery florals and amber gris.” To my surprise, that description is pretty accurate…

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