Women’s Perfume Essens W905 — a Fragrance Inspired by MFK Baccarat Rouge 540

An oriental, balmy fragrance — warm, resinous and luxuriously French

🏛️ The Legend of MFK Baccarat Rouge 540

The story of Baccarat Rouge 540 began in 2014, when the French crystal house Baccarat was celebrating its 250th anniversary. To create the anniversary fragrance, perfumer Francis Kurkdjian was invited, who by that time had already founded his own niche house Maison Francis Kurkdjian together with Marc Chaya in 2009. Initially the fragrance was released in a limited series of just 250 numbered crystal bottles at around 3000 euros each, and they instantly became a collector’s rarity.

However, the success was so great that already in 2016 Baccarat Rouge 540 went on wide sale under the Maison Francis Kurkdjian brand, conquering the world and becoming one of the most recognizable fragrances of our time.

🎨 The inspiration. Francis Kurkdjian set himself an ambitious task, «to bottle everything that Baccarat stands for, without making a heritage perfume». He was inspired by grey ambergris, a mythical perfumery ingredient that is practically impossible to source today. In addition, the number «540» in the name refers to the temperature at which crystal acquires the legendary Baccarat red color.

🌸 The fragrance pyramid. Top notes are jasmine and saffron. The heart is amberwood and grey ambergris. The base is fir resin and Virginia cedar. This unisex fragrance belongs to the oriental floral group. Saffron gives the start a metallic spark and spicy bitterness, jasmine softens it with sweet depth. In the heart a mineral, almost salty accord of grey ambergris unfolds, while the base of fir resin and cedar gives the fragrance longevity and velvety depth.

💎 The bottle. The classic Baccarat Rouge 540 bottle is made of transparent glass with a golden cap. The original crystal bottle design for the 2014 limited series was created by Georges Chevalier, Baccarat’s creative director, based on 1940s sketches and inspired by the house’s legendary diamond cut. Later, the original Maison Francis Kurkdjian bottle designer Fred Rawyler developed the version for the 2025 Édition Millésime, where the red crystal bottle with a 24-carat gold cap became a true work of art.

📊 Rating and longevity. On Fragrantica Baccarat Rouge 540 has a rating of 3.75 out of 5 with almost 30,000 votes. Longevity is rated as long-lasting (6 to 12 hours), and sillage as strong, many users note that one or two sprays are enough. 64% of votes for the unisex category confirm its versatility.

⏳ Versions and the line. In addition to the original Eau de Parfum (2016), in 2017 a more concentrated version Extrait de Parfum was released. Its pyramid is different, Moroccan bitter almond was added to the heart, and the base was reinforced with woody musk. In 2025, for the fragrance’s 10th anniversary, the collector’s edition Édition Millésime was released in a crystal bottle with the addition of natural grey ambergris, as well as an exclusive set for $28,000. In addition to the perfume, the line includes an aromatic candle, perfumed body milk and other products.

📖 Stories of the Notes

🧡 Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world, obtained from the stigmas of the crocus flower. Each flower produces only three stigmas, and one kilogram of spice requires about 150,000 flowers, hand-picked at dawn. In perfumery saffron is prized for its complex aroma, it is simultaneously spicy, leathery, floral and slightly metallic. In Baccarat Rouge 540 it is saffron that creates that very «metallic» spark and spicy bitterness for which the fragrance is either loved or hated.

🌸 Jasmine is a snow-white flower, a symbol of sensuality and femininity. In perfumery several types of jasmine are distinguished, but Baccarat Rouge 540 uses Jasmine Grandiflorum, which gives the fragrance a sweet, honeyed depth and softens the sharpness of saffron. The jasmine here is not «soapy» or «grandmotherly» but modern, transparent and airy.

🐋 Grey ambergris is a legendary perfumery ingredient that in nature forms in the digestive system of the sperm whale and has been collected on ocean shores for centuries. It is one of the most expensive and rare perfumery raw materials in the world. In Baccarat Rouge 540 grey ambergris creates a mineral, salty, almost «crystalline» accord that gives the fragrance unusual transparency and depth at the same time. In modern perfumery a synthetic analogue Ambroxan is used, but in the 2025 Édition Millésime Kurkdjian added natural grey ambergris.

🌲 Fir resin is a resinous note obtained from coniferous trees. It gives the fragrance a tart, forest freshness and at the same time a warm, balsamic depth. In the base of Baccarat Rouge 540 fir resin together with Virginia cedar creates that very lasting, enveloping trail for which the fragrance is prized.

👤 Portrait of the W905 Woman

She knows her worth but does not shout about it. Her presence is felt without words, she has inner strength and calm confidence. She loves luxury, but not the showy kind, the kind that is felt in the details, in the quality of fabrics, in the barely perceptible scent of expensive perfume.

She is independent and free. Her style is elegant minimalism, expensive materials, perfect cut. She does not follow trends but creates them. She loves art, travel and everything that makes life brighter. Next to her it is warm and calm, but at the same time one feels that she is a mystery that wants to be unraveled.

Essens W905 suits her at any time of year. In spring and autumn it sounds especially harmonious, in summer, in the evening when the heat subsides. In winter it warms and adds coziness. This is a fragrance for the one who values luxury, refinement and dual femininity, gentle and bold at the same time.

⚖️ Original and Essens W905 Side by Side

The only difference is the price and the bottle. The scent remains recognizable from the first seconds, a spicy saffron start, a mineral heart with amber and a warm resinous-woody base.

✨ Essens W905 women’s perfume is a luxurious oriental-balsamic fragrance unfolding with a mesmerizing trail. It has absorbed the magic of French niche luxury — it is an exact dupe of the legendary MFK Baccarat Rouge 540. Every drop carries the recognizable accord familiar to fans of the original. It gives a feeling of luxury and elegance while remaining an affordable alternative.

A mysterious, alluring fragrance for special occasions, romantic dates and evening outings, and for any day when you want to feel special. Try it and see for yourself.