Before you start complaining I did warn you a while back that there would be a raft of fragrance reviews on here in the run up to Christmas. But think of it as a service – I’m simply weeding out the goodies from the stinkers for you so that Father Christmas doesn’t fill your stocking with fragrant faux pas.

Up for review today is Dqsuared Potion, which after a stint of excusivity at Harvey Nichols is now available nationwide (you can buy it online from escentual.com). Now, I must say, along with Roja Dove’s Scandal Pour Homme and Mark Birley’s Charles Street, this is one of my favoutire fragrances this year. And by now you will have sussed that I can be a bit difficult to please.

Part of the reason I love Potion, I suspect, is that it reminds a lot (and I mean a lot) of one of my all-time favourite fragrances, Tom Ford’s exquisite Oud Wood. Bizarrely, it appears they don’t share any significant notes except for amber but trust me they are similar – both being woodsy, earthy and aromatic.

The difference, of course, is in the price. A 50ml eau de parfum spray of Potion is just £43.50 compared to £120 for Mr Ford’s fragrance.  As much as anything, it’s delightfully autumnal scent so if you fancy treating yourself before the man with the white beard arrives, give it a go!

Oh, and how nice to see a rogue boob appear in a men’s fragrance ad. It’s been too long.