Please pardon me while I gush…

WHAT I SMELL:   Deep and sweet, not sugary sweet, but sweet wrapped up in warm honey that seems to bellow up from darkened chasm.  It’s intoxicating and hypnotic.  The top notes are listed as citrus, but I’m not getting that so much as the lavender seems to absorb the sharper edges of what we typically experience with lemon and lime.  Quickly the prominent jasmine takes the stage where it seduces you along with the ylang-ylang in a pool of heavy and heavenly juice.  There’s so much depth to Enslaved that it literally creates this floral force field around you.  Then add the rich and glowing labdanum and ambergris, Enslaved pulls out even deeper floral force field.  Eventually the oak moss begins to dry out the juiciness, but it never leaves you out in the desert.  Of course, everything is blended so seamlessly that picking apart the notes really is rather silly as in this case, it doesn’t really matter as I am completely intoxicated with its beauty.

From the Roja Parfums website:

“With Enslaved I loved the idea of falling in love so deeply and passionately there was no escape.  In an old family dictionary, one definition of Ensalved was described as, to become a prisoner of love.  I wanted to create a scent that enslaved both its wearer and those who smelt it on them:  a scent with no escape where you become the wearers prisoner of love”  – Roja Dove

Notes:  bergamot, lemon, lime, lavender, carnation, geranium, Jasmine de Grasse, orange blossom, rose, ylang-ylang, cedarwood, oakmoss, patchouli, ambergris, labdanum, musk, vanilla 

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:   Floral hypnosis.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE ENSLAVED:  seductive, addictive, breathtaking

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT ENSLAVED: I only found comments on Fragrantica.

BOTTOM LINE: I was lucky enough to be introduced to Enslaved at Sniffapalooza and then a wonderful perfumista sent me a sample which I am guarding like a grand jewel.  I am addicted to this perfume and can only hope that even with the hefty price tag that Santa or the Perfume Fairy will make this mine as we were meant to be together!

• Bone Rating: 5 out of 5 possible bones
• Scent:  Oriental
• Nose:  Roja Dove
• Classification:  Feminine
• Expense:  $435 for 50ml Parfum; also available in EdP