Its dark, chunky bottle could hold an expensive men’s fragrance; it has a gentle citrus drift that cuts through sweetness, and a light amber note for balance; it’s a lovely summery scent that doesn’t layer a persona over your own, just makes you pleasant to be around.

It’s modern, fresh and natural; it gives rose enthusiasts enough to think about, but won’t alienate less floral types.

I didn’t much want to like it; what’s Stella to me, I say, with the world-weary shrug of one who’s nearer in age to her father.

— Author Hilary Mantel on Stella Rose Absolute, in At first sniff: An evocative take on the power of perfume by the late Wolf Hall author HILARY MANTEL, which first appeared in Vogue in 2009, reprinted at the Daily Mail.