WHAT I SMELL:  Hand in Hand opens with this warm mentholated spiced rose, that feels like the rose petals have been tinged in a fire with incense.  The oud is smoky and strong and minute by minute the smoke grows in intensity, as if the smoke is being pushed through a pumping bellow.  Thankfully, after around the 10 minute mark, the smoke and oud start retreating behind the rose, which now is much cleaner than in the opening.  The rose, sanitized by the musk begins to become powdery and very dry.  But as it becomes dry, the incense and oud spar with the rose for domination.  Eventually, they pair up to share the stage, but the rose, combined with the musk make for this lightly candied cotton candied concoction topped with smoke.  Unfortunately, after around an hour, you’re left with a light rose musk dryer sheet.

Notes:  Bulgarian rose, oud, spicy notes and musk

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Hanging laundry in the Casbah.  It’s the smell of clean sheets washed with rose water that is met by the smell of spice and incense from the city below.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE HAND IN HAND: conflicted, smoky, over-musked

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT HAND IN HAND: I couldn’t find any other reviews.

BOTTOM LINE: To me, this is one of those perfumes that I didn’t wear, but it wore me instead.  What started off as rather interesting (yet, kind of discordant), ended up being something that was rather bland and boring.  Hand in Hand feels like two hands that clearly missed the handshake.

• Bone Rating: 2 out of possible 5 bones
• Scent: Oriental Floral
• Classification: Unisex
• Expense: $200 for 50 ml Eau de Parfum