CH Gift Set

Carolina Herrera CH Gift Set opens on bergamot and grapefruit, a tart citrus pairing with far more bite than sweetness, and it gives the fragrance a clean, almost bracing start.

Bulgarian rose and sambac jasmine build the heart, the rose full and velvety, the jasmine rich and faintly tropical, and the two make a deep floral centre that carries easily. The base is patchouli and a praline note, one dark and earthy, the other sugared and nutty, with a leathery amber warmth running behind them. CH moves from sharp citrus through heavy florals into a sweet earthy close, turning plusher the longer it is worn.

Olivier Cresp and Rosendo Mateu created CH in 2007. The praline is what makes it: a rose and jasmine heart standing on patchouli would read dry and classical, and the gourmand sweetness underneath turns it powdery and warm instead. The musky, slightly leathery finish is where it ends up, a long way from the citrus it started on.

CH is long lasting with moderate sillage, so it stays with you through a long evening while keeping close rather than carrying across a room. It wears in all four seasons, suits a night out best, and holds its own for professional and casual wear. It comes as a gift set.