A vanilla for the vanilla-averse!

I own some vanillas, but only very particularly distinct ones. I dislike the idea of smelling of cake or artificial vanilla flavoured foods. And whilst I have enthusiastically burned through the rest of this discovery set, I seemed to have favoured the rest in the hot weather.

Today, I decided to give this a full day wear... And I'm so glad I did! This celebration of Madagascan vanilla doesn't punch you in the throat or announce itself from three streets over. It gently emerges with this almost ethereal warmth from the ambery accord, with clove and caramel adding a gentle spice, whilst the cedar and guaiac in the base contrasts to add depth and texture.

I don't think I have any - or have even tried any - vanillas with this type warm woody, spiced amber facet and I must say, it's the combo I didn't know I needed!

It would be easy for the composition to go too hard in any one of these directions (too spiced, too woody, too much caramel) and drown out the beauty of the vanilla bourbon and planifolia but Frank Voekl has really kept a perfect harmony here.

It's a gentle scent that softly floats off the skin (rather than pulsates, as so many vanillas do) giving off a warm, comforting, lightly-spiced aura.

Not one for the "beast mode" crowd but it has about a metre or two projection for around 4hrs, I'd say.