No sooner had I finished filming my Autumn fragrance video (in which I lamented the number of new perfume launches that I couldn’t keep up with) than a package arrived on my doorstep containing yet another new launch. That I couldn’t keep up with. I threw my hands into the air and sighed in a very dramatic way and crossly decided that I wouldn’t be writing about any more perfumes for the rest of the month.

Until I received a text from my trusty assistant and beauty-news-sleuth, Rach, shouting “HAVE YOU TRIED MARC JACOBS DECADENCE? IT’S LUSH!” When Rach has an excitable shout about something I tend to listen – I’ve never met anyone with such a passion for luxurious, sexy, boudoir-y stuff. Her bedroom is literally lined with pairs of shoes and boots (I have no idea what colour the walls are underneath) and her shelves overflow with amazing handbags and tassled purses and vintage perfume bottles and feathery boa-typed things.

So I had to try Decadence, because Rach would have kept on nagging me otherwise, and also she has very good taste so I didn’t want to miss out. And I am very, very glad I did, because this is one sultry little number! Ignoring the packaging for a moment (difficult, because it’s rather outré) and focusing on the scent itself, I can safely say that this is the opposite of the girlish, sweet-as-cherry-pie Daisy. If Daisy is the irritatingly nice girl next door (Daisy Dream Forever being the exception) then Decadence is the woman who rolls her eyes at her. Black lace knickers, expensive leather jackets and a cutting sense of humour. Decadence is full and rich and also my favourite of all perfume descriptions: heady. It has a hint of dark and dirty rose (think Velvet Rose & Oud) and a load of exotic jasmine (hello Aromatics in Black) and then a warm and sexy base with amber and papyrus wood.

The packaging (told you I’d get back to it) is the most interesting I’ve seen in a while; the whole bottle has been designed to resemble a kind of glass and metal handbag, complete with chain “strap” and slinky tassel. The lid is heavy and luxe-feeling and the faux-python covering, which could so easily look tacky, has been nicely done. I love the whole thing. It’s totally OTT, but I suppose that’s what decadence is. It’s all very appropriate. Apart from my dog’s furry leg that’s photo-bombing the above picture – sorry about that, I didn’t see it until I was loading the photos into my computer!

Overall, this fragrance is what it says it is: decadent. I like it. There are no disappointments here – in fact I was pleasantly surprised.

Marc Jacobs Decadence is available now – find it at Escentual.com here, it starts at £49 for 30ml, my version with the tassel is 50ml.