Forbidden Furlough review by Margaret Houlihan

The demands of service require an officer to maintain an immaculate appearance, and that includes her personal effects. This unit is far too often subjected to the crude scents of smoke, sulfur, and substandard field hygiene. Therefore, a proper fragrance is a necessity, not a luxury.

I have tested "Forbidden Furlough," and I must say, it possesses a complexity—a certain discipline—that I find entirely appropriate for a professional woman. It opens with a crisp, clean note, suggesting the starch of a newly pressed uniform, before developing into something warmer and more distinguished. It speaks not of frivolous civilian pursuits, but of a high-class assignation, perhaps a well-deserved weekend leave with a Brigadier General.

Crucially, "Forbidden Furlough" avoids the grievous errors of its competition. Take, for example, the widely available "Moon Over Fort Dix." That particular concoction is entirely too sweet—cloyingly so. It's the sort of loud, syrupy scent one expects to find clinging to the cheap wool of an enlisted man’s dress jacket, reeking of undisciplined youth and bad judgment. It lacks dignity.

"Forbidden Furlough," on the other hand, is subtle but insistent. It is a scent that must be sought out, not one that announces itself from three tents away. It is sophisticated, enduring, and, most importantly, it maintains a proper distance. This is the scent of a lady officer who knows her worth and holds the line.

Verdict: Recommended for Officers of Rank.