Tous Eau de Toilette Gift Set

This is the Tous house scent as an eau de toilette, boxed as a gift set, and it is the most affordable way into it that we stock. The character is set by the base as much as by anything on top: iris gives a cool, faintly chalky calm, cedarwood runs dry underneath it, and white musk holds the two close to the skin for hours without ever raising its voice. Before that there is a proper bouquet, jasmine and rose doing the warm work, peony keeping it crisp and watery, gardenia adding a creamy fullness. The first minutes are the brightest part, blackcurrant tart and slightly green, bergamot sharpening it, coriander lending a dry savoury kick and violet smoothing the edges so none of it feels abrupt.

Eau de toilette strength means you can be liberal with it, and this is a scent that rewards that, two or three sprays morning and again after lunch if you want it noticed. It is a straightforward everyday fragrance rather than an occasion one, and it reads as tidy and grown up rather than sweet. It is sold as a set, so it needs nothing doing to it before it is handed over. This is the easiest of the Tous sets to buy on impulse, which makes it the one for a thank you, a teacher at the end of term or a secret Santa. This version of it dates from 2020.

Tous itself goes back to 1920 and a watchmaking apprenticeship served by Salvador Tous Blavi, whose workshop in Manresa, run with his wife Teresa Ponsa, grew into the jewellery house. Manresa is still home to the head office, the bear is still the emblem, and from 2000 the business widened into bags, watches, eyewear and scent.