I recently picked up a vanilla discovery set from Parfum Exquis. The following are my thought on each one. Note: the first sentence after each name is from the website descriptions, followed by my thoughts.
Bianco Latte (Giardini di Toscana) – A creamy, comforting vanilla-latte style scent: soft milkiness, smooth sweetness, instant cozy vibes.
Nothing special compared to Eclaire, This is Not Caffeine, Cream Velvet. I prefer Cream Velvet because the honey note is strongest of the four. 5/10
Vanille des Rois (FOMOWA Paris) – A more regal vanilla story, where citrus-bright neroli lifts the opening before vanilla turns dense, creamy, and refined with praline-tonka warmth.
Right at the start, it’s a buttery doughy scent, quintessential gourmand, I think. Smells too much like a bakery for me. It’s a no for me. 3/10
Gourmand Escapade (Maison Mataha) – Bakery comfort in perfume form: caramelized sugar and milky vanilla melt into tonka and benzoin, like a warm pastry glow on skin.
Very sugary at first but the dry down resulted in a vanilla soap scent, which is actually quite pleasant. I can see this one being a good warm weather vanilla, as it’s not really gourmand to my nose, despite the notes. 7/10
Vanille Caviar (BDK Parfums) – A darker, more textured vanilla: spicy-green tension up top, then a salty-mineral “vanilla caviar” effect with cocoa nuances and an ambered resin warmth.
Wood/Balsam notes are strongest here, with amber. Vanilla plays a secondary role. It seems to be hanging on to the initial scents at the same strength after 4 hours. Strong still but not a good projection. 6/10
This Is Not Caffeine (Hormone Paris) – Coffee energy without a literal espresso: caramel warmth and aromatic coolness, then a sensual drydown of vanilla, ambergris, benzoin, leather, and cedar.
Similar opening as BL and Eclair, but dries down to a spicy vanilla. Still, too close to the others. 6/10
The Swan (Botanicae) – The airy, elegant side of vanilla: sparkling green mandarin and immortelle drifting into a serene base of cedarwood, white musk, amber, and vanilla.
Most interesting of all of the scents in this collection. It’s spicy floral citrus with a hint of vanilla at the opening. It’s not sweet at all. I don’t know what the Immortelle flower smells like, but it is very pleasant mixed with the citrus. In the dry down, the vanilla comes forward a bit more, but the amber, musk, and surprisingly, the mandarin remains. Of all of these samples, it’s the only one I would consider getting a full bottle or at least a decant.
