A Complete Ranking of Le Labo's City Exclusives

And there we have it - Le Labo's City Exclusives sampling is complete!

Some I tried only once, most twice, and the ones I was on the fence about multiple times - always testing on skin, and paying close attention to their development throughout the day.

In order of favourite to least favourite, with a brief one-liner for each, let's begin:

Gaiac: 9.25 Sheer, crystalline incense & clean, transparent wood.

Cedrat: 8.5 Tart, elegant citrus & suave, sexy musk.

Baie Rose: 8.25 Juicy, earthy roses turning soapy & softly ambered.

Tabac: 8 A dark, sexy humidor of rich woods & spicy tobacco.

Cuir 28: 7.75 Woody vetiver & smoky vanilla with a polished, leathery texture.

Myrrhe: 7.5 Floral, ambery resins melting into an earthy, powdery chypre.

Shiu: 7.25 Ancient temple woods, waxy resins & lilac florals.

Citron: 7 Bright citrus, warm jasmine & ambered orange candy.

Poivre: 6.75 Sweet, medicinal pepper & sticky patchouli ink.

Coriandre: 6.5 Herbaceous, citrusy stems blended into a green, figgy lotion.

Tubereuse: 6.25 Lime-green brightness, pale orange musk & creamy vanillic florals.

Benjoin: 6 Fizzy cola resins cushioned with soft, musky suede.

Osmanthus: 5.75 Dusty woods, fuzzy incense & sticky suede.

Vanille: 5.5 Airy vanilla dusted with marshmellow powder.

Bigarade: 5.25 Bitter orange peel, sharp neroli & warm, soapy musk.

Mousse de Chene: 4.5 Limey herbs, earthy moss & piney cleaning products.

Aldehyde: 4 Sparkly, vanillic laundry musks with a sharp, industrial soap.

Musc: 3.5 Bright white musk laced with retro animalic skank.

Limette: 3 Sharp citrus, dry jasmine & vintage-feminine musk.

Conclusion: Le Labo has continued to prove itself as a house I like, but don't love. I've had a similar experience with their main collection: I enjoy many of them - The Noir 29, Vetiver 46, Another 13, Eucalyptus 20, even Santal 33 - but for one reason or another, I've never wanted more after finishing a small decant. The City Exclusives have largely followed the same pattern. Gaiac 10, however, is something special.

I adore "molecular" incense fragrances - the ones that feel crisp, clean and crystalline - and Gaiac is perhaps the best I've tried. Comme des Garçons Kyoto came close, but its honeyed greenery interfered with the purity; Filippo Sorcinelli LAVS is a favourite of mine, and right up there with Gaiac, but the ecclesiastical austerity requires a rather specific mood; Portrait of a Lady showcases exactly the kind of incense I most adore, but the opulent, rose-heavy, patchouli-laden journey to get there demands an occasion.

Gaiac hits that magical trifecta of versatility, suitability and enjoyability - it's exceptionally easy to wear, feels completely like me when I do, and I simply adore how it smells. It takes a rare fragrance to manage all three.

I won't be splurging on a full bottle (yet!), but a decant is on the way.