Reviews of Vanilia (1978)
by L'Artisan Parfumeur

I really expected to love this scent, but I don't. I like it, but I don't love it. Sometimes I detect something in the drydown that "puts me off". It is the same odor that I find in the bath products of Myrrhe Ardente by Annick Goutal. Is it the musk? Is it the tonka? I love the smell of tonka which I grind and use in potpourri, so I doubt that the occasional bad smell is tonka. For such an oily type of perfume, the staying power is only moderate at best. I'm still searching for the perfect pure vanilla. Until I find it, it's back to Vanille Tonka by Parfums de Nicolai. I can't say enough good things about the creations of Patricia Nicolai. PS Now that I have tried this on hot summer days, I need to edit my review. While this scent may never be a part of my permanent rotation, I find it quite compelling. The rich, thick vanilla smoke is a great "change of pace" fragrance" for summertime.

...and then, there is body chemistry.

I bought this impulsively, sight unsniffed, in an atypical bout of self doubt very late one night, having read Luca's review. "Shalimar met Andy Warhol"...how can you resist THAT??!!

But on me this is the subtlest of vanillas with an almost smoky undertone that reminds me of LMdeV's Vanille Sauvage de Madagascar. I came late to vanillas and have gone through a bunch and this is the one I wear in public. LUV it.

There is a smokey, spicy edge to this vanilla that prevents it from becoming cloying and on my skin lasts for ages. Spray this on one hand and Givenchy's Pi on the other -- you will detect the difference in class and skill involved. I disagree regarding when to wear -- I think it suits the summer perfectly. Not an everyday scent imo, but lovely to wear occasionally. The L'Artisan 50ml bottles all have pretty nasty clear plastic tops now though -- must be feeling the pinch.

Vanilla Intense. And very nice, totally gorgeous vanilla this is. I just love it.

It starts off, for me, as an 'imitation vanilla' right out of the spice drawer. Not a wonderful "Williams-Sonoma' type of deluxe vanilla, but rather a generic 'super market' imitation one, in my opinion. I feel that this scent longs to be a vanilla sugar cookie embodiment, but it falls short in many ways; seems someone took the cookies out of the oven too soon, hence the lack of yummy food-like character.
There seems to be a vision here, but it falls far short of the intended goal.

The vanilla note in this bottle is non gourmand typed, also smells old. Reminds me of the Susanne Lang's fragrances, that three key elements have become one. It's mono scented. Nothing exciting, rather boring. It smells old on my skin.

I'm not sure why, but I have a thing for vanilla fragrances. It's odd because otherwise I shy away from sweet scents, especially anything both fruity and sweet. Having sampled many vanilla fragrances, I can honestly say this is one of my favorite, and it is the best representation of one end of the vanilla spectrum. Specifically, this is a minimalist, light vanilla, as opposed to thick, rich amber heavy vanillas such as SL Un Bois Vanille or floral vanillas like Dior Addict.

I assume it's the addition of ethylmaltol that makes Vanilia unique (Turin, p.347). The effect to my nose is to create a soapy undertone to the vanilla note, which is already delicate to begin with. The overall result is a vanilla that is lightly sweetened without being overbearing or cloying in the slightest. There isn't much development - after all this is a vanilla fragrance - but I did notice that the soapiness eventually mellows, making the entire composition a little cotton-candyish.

Definitely bottle-worthy, Vanilia would be a great for the office or anywhere else that you want to enjoy vanilla without projecting yourself like a dunkin donuts. Although definitely wearable by a man, this would be a sexy vanilla on a woman.

After a sharp burst of alcohol, Vanilia settles into an uncomplicated creamy vanilla accord atop a foundation of quiet woods. That it’s neither over sweetened nor burdened by heavy amber makes Vanilia an attractive alternative to the more common vanilla oriental scents. That its vanilla is soft and natural smelling also spares it from the cheap crudeness that plagues most vanilla perfumes. On the down side, Vanilia doesn’t offer much by way of depth or development. I imagine it would be useful on those occasions where you just want to smell like vanilla, but I don’t have too many of those.

This one came as a complete surprise to me. I'm not a vanilla fan, as i don't want to smell like muffins. But it doesn't. On my tricky body chemistry, it is more floral than expected and gentle. Not foody at all. It seems to have a bit of amber and spice in it, although I get no smokiness at all.

To me, this fragrance smells a little bit too much like achohol. but it smells wonderful when layered with the figuier. it creates a wonderful combination.

I can appreciate ubuandibeme's feeling that this fragrance is "unfinished." There are times when I find it thin and undone in a disconcerting way. However, at other times, that is just what I adore about this very unusual vanilla.

I initially wanted to try this because of it's alleged smokiness, but I get none of that at all - instead, what I get is a barely sweet vanilla which evokes water. Tepid, flowing water, gliding over rocks in a shallow brook. Water and the color blue of a glowing twilight sky. There is certainly a feeling of something missing - it evokes air, water, emptiness in a way.

The wateriness, which I think may come from orris root and possibly tonka, at times bothers me and at other times bewitches me. I don't feel it suits me at all as a personal fragrance, but it's a beautiful scent to have a sample of. It perfectly evokes a particular romantic and somber mood I slip into on rare occasions, one which makes me feel like a ghost. Vanilia is a fragrance for waking dreams and wandering in the haunting dusk.

Sorry ~ I'm trying to love this Vanilia but it's not working. It seems "un-finished" to me...like it's missing a key element. Suprising too is the speed at which this scent escapes my body. The nicest comment I can make is that it is NOT sweet or foody. This one's going on my swap list...

On my skin I get a soft, slightly powdery vanilla fragrance with a hint of a sharp, almost metallic note running through it. Although it is not really foody, it is really delicious. I can understand why this is described as a smoky fragrance, but to me it's more like vapor. It's subtle and never becomes cloying like some other vanilla fragrances get on my skin. The lasting power is not great though.

A beautiful, non-foody vanilla. Slightly floral with a touch of jasmine, and very long-lasting. This is yet another of my favorites from L'Artisan.

It was a lot different from what I was expecting. I find vanilla to be more of a secondary note while floral notes take front stage. It's not a vanilla bomb, but it could still get cloying if overdone. My gf described it as smelling like banana 'Now-And-Later' candy. She wasn't too far fetched either because it does smell a bit like banana-flavored candy during the first fifteeen minutes. This is a different take on vanilla and I find it very unique. One of the longer lasting L'artisans as well.

I agree that Vanilia is the most refined and complex vanilla. It’s really a treat to wear. While most vanilla is sweet and cloying, Vanilia is smoky, rich, and complex. It’s a great fragrance for winter.

Nice one. Not too sweet, very balanced. According to Paul G at the boards it layers very well with Tea for Two from the same house. Am et to try this combo, but it sure sounds like a good one.

I´m not a great vanilla fan, but this is the classiest and most sophisticated of them all.

... My girl friends says, so la ,la,la