The weather here today is cold and grey and dreary. We still have a few inches left of last week's snow, and there are light flurries swirling outside my window as I type. It is the kind of day when you reach for a comfort fragrance, and so I am wearing two vanilla scents: Vanille Tonka by Parfums de Nicolaï, and Vanille Absolu by Montale.
Vanille Tonka was released in 1997, and has notes of tangerine, lime, cinnamon, Mexican vanilla, tonka bean and frankincense. It starts with dry citrus, very heavy on the lime. The citrus notes fade into a cinnamon sugar accord; the vanilla and tonka bean intensify over the next hour, and are joined by smoky swirls of frankincense.
It is a lovely fragrance, with a lightly powdery finish and a gentle, spicy warmth. Like L'Artisan Vanilia, it is perhaps not really a fragrance for the true vanilla fanatic, being neither foody nor more than lightly sweet. For incense fans, it is a must try.
The lasting power is excellent, but after a few hours it becomes very soft and close to the skin, and the spicy kick of the top notes fades considerably. Then I start looking around for something to layer it with. Mind you, this is not a criticism: there are few enough perfumes that hold my interest for even 3 hours, and a vanilla perfume that can do so is rare indeed.
Montale Vanille Absolu has similar notes (vanilla, cinnamon, clove, woods), but the focus here is more directly on the vanilla. It is sweeter and foodier than the Vanille Tonka, and has a bit more of a bakery edge. The spices are subtle but do provide some warmth, and there is a hint of a light floral note over the woody base.
I am very fond of several of the Montale oudh fragrances, but have not had as much luck with the regular perfume line other than the Patchouli Leaves. Vanille Absolu is a perfectly nice vanilla, but strikes me as rather basic, especially when worn next to the Vanille Tonka. Then again, I am not much of a vanilla freak. Any vanilla freaks who have tried this: please chime in.
I absolutely agree about Vanille Absolu's basic-ness compared to Vanille Tonka. The latter is perhaps my favorite vanilla scent. It's comforting, deep and soulful.
M, then basic it must be.
I couldn't find the vanilla scent on Montaleparfums.com or Aedes.Was this a limited edition?
R, you have a way piquing my interest even when I know we have different tastes. I guess that's what a good writer does! I'd like to try the Vanille Tonka now. Even though I own 3 vanillas and find that is more than enough. Not being a vanilla devotee.
My favorite being La Maison Vanille Divine Des Tropiques, second is i Profumo di Firenze Vaniglia del Madagascar and third the Montale Vanille Absolute.
The DDT and the Vaniglia both lean chocolately on me with the DDT being the sweeter of the two. Tonka beans seem to go chocolate on me. Which is not a bad thing, but it's the Montale Vanille Absolute that stays more true vanilla.
Montale Vanille Absolute, to me, starts out so light and soft, like sniffing powdered sugar. Then it begins to bloom and deepen, getting slightly smoky. I love them all on a chilly morning or for comfort scents to wear to bed.
:O)
Victoria O
I knew I wasn't a vanilla fan when even Vanille Tonka struck me as too much vanilla. Oh well! Still, I might change my mind when I finally get around to smelling the Parfums de Nicolai range at the New London Pharmacy in NYC. It's been a while since I tried them, and my tastes have definitely evolved since then.
Christina: every time I turn around there's a “new” Montale scent (Shadow Aoud for instance) that is not found on either of their websites. Negotiating the slow/confusing Montale websites has been known to make my head pivot on my neck “a la” Linda Blair in the Exorcist. K
To KeviSantal-Thanks for making me laugh! I appreciate that. The perfume companies have us under their thumbs don't they?
LOL at the Exorcist comment, but Vanille Absolu was on the Montale website this morning when I went to check the notes. I think I heard it is a limited edition, but wasn't sure so didn't post that information.
V, the PdN is way less vanillic than any of your favorites. You are more likely to give it a chance if you think of it as a spicy incense with a touch of vanilla than the other way around. Still, it is a very comforting scent.
T, It struck me that way too — too much vanilla, and also, too sweet. That was almost 2 years ago. Unfortunately for my wallet, my tastes have expanded dramatically. Now I find that the vanilla is rather light, and it isn't all that sweet.
I am not a vanilla fan in the least, but your review of the Nicolai fragrance intrigued me. I don't think I've ever seen lime notes paired with vanilla before – sounds very nice. I can't tolerate anything remotely foody or gourmand on my skin, but this one sounds like it would be worth experimenting with.
Actually the whole Nicolai line sounds very interesting and has just become available where I live. I'd love to see more reviews of Nicolai fragrances in the future!
I like vanilla fragrances very much & PdN Vanille Tonka is one of my favourites because it´s truely unique due to its smokyness. I even liek to wear it in summer, it´s not a winter scent to me at all.
I tested Montale Vanille when I was in Paris but I´m not sure if it was Vanille Absolue – I didn´t like it too much anyway, there was something in it they smelled somewhat “disturbing” to me, it didn´t feel right on my skin.
But since I have a sample, I´ll revisit it.
I adore Vanilla Tonka, but I am an incense fanatic, and, as a friend of mine has commented, this might be more properly named “Vanillincense,” or (my favorite) “Frankinilla.” I have also had good luck with some of the Montale oudh line, esp. Oud Rose Petals and (on my husband as well or even more than myself) Oud Cuir d'Arabie, but I haven't tried much in their regular line. I am interested in Chypre Fruite, but the vanilla sounds a bit too pure for my taste. Thanks for the excellent, informative reivew.
See lilybp's comment below: she is right, this might more properly be called Frankinilla. It is perhaps more important that you like incense, in other words, than vanilla, and despite the cinnamon, it has absolutely no bakery or cinnamon bun vibe to me at all.
It is a great line, and I wish it were more widely available in the US.
S, Glad we have another favorite in common, although in our hot, very humid summers, I doubt I could tolerate VT. Perhaps in the spring it would be ok.
Did you try anything absolutely fabulous at Montale? I hear good things about Hoggar Mota (sp?) but haven't tried it yet.
J, Good point. Like Annick Goutal Vanille Exquise, it seems like the name is bound to cause disappointment and perhaps not attract the right customer.
Rose Petals is my favorite of the Montales so far. I gave Chypre Fruite only 1 quick try, and thought it was too sweet for me, but must give it a second chance soon.
The only Montale scent I really like is Powder Flowers – but I could imagine that you won´t like it too much since – as the name says
– it´s really powdery, like a subdued version of LV Teint de Neige.
I also heard about Attar (?) Hoggar Mota – or something like that. The name makes me really curious, it seems to be worth trying just because of that ;D
All other Montale fragrances I ´ve tested so far aren´t bad but I didn´t found them worth buying.
I don´t know their Oud series very well – I always thought those would be too medical smelling?
S, you are exactly right — Powder Flowers almost killed me
The oudhs are very medicinal in the top notes. Once that calms, they are a very deep, very rich wood. Once you get used to the smell, it is rather addictive, and I do highly recommend the Roses Petals.
I have many Montale samples, but Rose Petals isn´t among them. But I´ll try it whenever it comes my way!
Just tried Montales Vanille Absolu. I've been looking for something to replace my discontinued favorite “les Iles de Vanille” by Perlier. While this isn't as sweet/gourmand as my old favorite, or even close to as sweet/gourmand as Serendipitous(my second favorite), it is still a very nice, appealing, comfortable fragrance. It lasts a long time and is very “true”. The dry down never changes to something else. It stays wonderful vanilla, the entire time. True vanilla freaks MUST at least give this one a fair try. I think it is now my new favorite!
Glad you found a new favorite since Perlier discontinued your old one
Angel food cake!
(Just received a few samples of various vanillas.)
Lovely, perhaps, if it's a just-sliced sticky wedge of confection on your plate…
Which one, the Montale? If so, yes, but not so cake-ish as the i Profumi di Firenze Vaniglia, perhaps
Oops! Yes, the Montale. I haven't thought of angel food cake in years, but could all but taste it the moment I applied this scent to my skin. Amazing, but not for me!
Thought you must mean the Montale, the PdN is not angel food cake at all
R, Vanille Tonka seems right up my alley. I love Vanilla but hate that foodiness that it normally comes with (esp after people said I smelt of chocolate when I was wearing Vanille Noire du Mexique) and love smoke and incense. I must try this. Perhaps it'll be another addition to my vanilla collection.
Hope you will like it! I think March at Perfume Posse once said she'd rather stick a fork in her hand than smell it again, so not everybody does, LOL…
Late again to a post… but I do figure that at least a few other people will do searches for scents they're interested in and read them all the way to the bottom, the way I do.
Just tried VT today and am swoooooooning. I knew I like citrus, carnation, spice, and incense, and that this scent was less vanilla-focused than some others with “vanilla” in the name, which is fine in my world. Oh, heavens, the listed notes were a good guide, because this one is ME. I see a hefty decant in my future… (In MAY. I said I wouldn't buy anything else until MAY. Um, except the thing I started bidding on at ebay three days ago, which is under $20.)
Glad you love it, & sorry you'll have to wait until May to get it!
You can smack me now; I spent $ on it already and didn't wait until May. I worked out a split over on scentsplits (bowing down in admiration to you and eating all my complaints about MUA) and got the last spot. (This may mean, of course, that I can't buy anything in May now…)
I love how this thing reminds me of drinking a Captain Morgan's Rum and Coke, with a twist of lime and a tiny splash of vanilla flavoring, while holding big bunches of garden carnations that smell like carnations should.
Oh good for you (along with slaps, if you need them)…
I’m late to the party, but I have a sample of Montale Vanilla Absolu. I like vanilla scents (but not only), the lasting power is excellent (on my skin), but as you already described it is a basic. I find it too foody, I wouldn’t go out with it. I prefer L’Artisan Havanna Vanille. Vannilla Tonka is on my must try list.
Do try the PdN, it’s more unusual.