Etat Libre D'Orange

I've held off reviewing any fragrances from Etat Libre d'Orange because, to be honest, I've been put off by the deliberately vulgar names and strange notes. I've sampled quite a few of their fragrances but own none, which I think says something given the size of the line and relatively reasonable prices for a bottle. Fils de Dieu is one of their tamer offerings, and to me, it smells like Christmas (appropriately enough!). It is very much a pomander, really. You have a heavy dose of vanilla tempered by some resinous amber and orange, and a hint of cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger. That's all very pleasant but once again falls into the "I want my house to smell like this in December, not my skin in July" sort of category for me. It's fun to sample but if I had more, I'd only reach for it one day out of the year (yes, December 25). What is disappointing to me is that the more intriguing notes - rice, shiso, coconut - are not here to my nose. And what a different scent it would be if they were! The kind I could get into in July, I daresay. If you feel differently, expect to pay around $80 for 50 ml.