Anyone who knows me will tell you that I’m pretty obsessed with perfume. Really obsessed. I used to spend hours a day on several independent sites, trading in 1ml samples of niche fragrances or sometimes paying exorbitant amounts of money for the tiniest vials of limited edition scents when I had nothing that the owner wanted. It’s a deep, dark world, the perfume underground. See? Told you I was obsessed.

Speaking of niche fragrances, I’ll admit that it wasn’t until a few weeks ago that I’d heard of the luxury independent line Juliette Has A Gun. Created by Romano Ricci in 2006, the brand draws on the classic Shakespearian character of Juliette, with the “gun” being a metaphor for the ultimate weapon of seduction: fragrance.

The latest release in the range, Vengeance Extreme, is a complicated little gem. Looking at the bottle, I initially thought I was going to smell something vampiric, straight out of True Blood or something, which is not exactly my vibe. Adding to my apprehension was the note description: patchouli, Bulgarian rose and vanilla. I figured I’d either end up smelling like I belonged at Woodstock or a bakery. Luckily, I was proven wrong.

There is something incredibly sexy about the scent, undoubtedly. After putting it on, I find myself sniffing at my wrists or my shirt repeatedly for hours, unable to get enough of it. It’s a heady fragrance, spicy and complicated and really, REALLY good. Perfect for the cooler weather coming up, too.

It also has another one of my favourite qualities in a perfume – it lasts for hours! I’m one of those people who always feel like my scent is gone in about 30 minutes, even though everyone around me can still smell it. So what! I want to smell it! Me, me, me!

Uh, anyway.

Vengeance extreme is slightly pricy, but if you like good, quality perfume (I once wanted to attend a $25,000 perfumery course in Paris, so I’m getting off cheap here!) it’s totally worth it, especially considering how long it lasts.

You can grab it at your local boutique (see website for locations) or even order online at the Juliette Has A Gun website. Happy shopping!