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5995812TAV – :
Definitely a departure from most vanilla-dominant fragrances, Aftelier Perfumes’ Vanilla Smoke, my first try from the house, combines a very dense vanilla (boozy, cake-like) with darker elements, which, while feeling like oud and incense, are likely the result of a heavy does of saffron absolute, mixed gently with woods, coumarin, and ambergris.
It’s really a sumptuous vanilla rendered more challenging.
I analogize it slightly to Kerosene Blackmail, which isn’t simply berries, vanilla, and amber, but rather when the amber is very resinous and oud is added, it becomes a dual reality of sweet and harsh, or sweet an acerbic, that has to be enjoyed thoroughly. It’s not the instant relief of the blend that’s the reward; it’s the harmony of generally-opposing sides.
The case is the same with Vanilla Smoke, which, as its name suggests, pairs the sweetest note of them against something devoid of sweetness as imagined.
I won’t go as far to say it’s in my very favorite vanilla creations, as I still prefer the note in its slightly boozy rendition in Guerlain’s Spiritueuse Double Vanille, which many seem to hail as their favorite, but what’s done in Vanilla Smoke is surely more daring, if nothing else, than SDV.
It performs exceptionally for an EDP, feeling more like an extrait from the onset, but its pricing of $180 for 30ml gives me some pause, as, despite the exquisiteness of the juice, $6 per ml is steep for non-sampling prices, but it’s understandable that in a smaller operation with smaller batches, the margins need to be higher and the markup is less, given the likely involvement in this case of authentic ingredients (well, maybe not the ambergris) of high quality.
Bravo to Mandy for this creation, as I look forward to trying a couple of her other EDPs of which I bought samples.
8 out of 10
PlayGamer – :
‘Vanilla’ is a crossover note found in both natural and mainstream perfumery. But notes aren’t necessarily materials. ‘Vanilla’ notes in contemporary dessert-style gourmands and orientals likely have as much actual vanilla in them as the ‘vanilla snow’ flavor at my local frozen yogurt joint does.
Synthetic vanilla materials have been around since the days of early modern perfumery when aromachemicals were created to replace natural materials. Chemistry was king and the scientists of the time sought to create cheaper, easily produced versions of rare and costly botanical and animalic materials. They focused on a few particular characteristics of natural materials, slimming down rich and nuanced materials to a few easily recognized traits. Then they turned up the volume.
Coumarin, heliotropin, nitro musks and ionones did the same for tonka, mimosa, deer musk grains and violet. The goal was mimicry, but the tactic was bait-and-switch or ‘tromp la nez’. The nose becomes trained by what it is exposed to and vanillin, not vanilla, became the olfactory baseline. The unfortunate side-effect is that actual vanilla, viewed through this lens, becomes unrecognizable. Rather than seeming rich and nuanced it comes off as imprecise or murky because it isn’t the comfort-food we expected it to be.
Most gourmand perfumes offers the same self-negating experience as elevator music: easy recognition followed by reflexively tuning them out. The volume of the perfumes might be hard to ignore, but their monotony makes them easy to screen out.
Vanilla Smoke is harder to ignore and much more interesting to consider closely. It is the antithesis of the contemporary gourmand. Rather than bake the cakes and puddings we’re accustomed to, perfumer Mandy Aftel gives us a complex, sinister vanilla. A layer of smoky tea picks up on vanilla’s leathery facets and steers vanilla away from either the musky plush of the oriental (Shalimar, Youth Dew, Musc Ravageur) or the slush of the gourmand.
From the first sniff, it’s apparent that Vanilla Smoke will avoid any custard clichés. The bright topnote that highlights the leathery dryness comes from citrus, an ostensibly ‘foody’ material. Aftel’s site lists yellow mandarin and I assume the note and the material are synonymous. Guerlain Shalimar, the classic vanilla oriental, places a bright bergamot note on vanilla, but uses it to enhance the culinary appeal. Aftel’s use of culinary materials to create non-gourmand aroma profiles is a clever turn and gives Vanilla Smoke a Cheshire Cat smile.
After the shimmer of the topnotes, Vanilla Smoke hovers at skin level, the ideal altitude for its tarry leather to play out. If it were more expansive, or had a longer trail the balance might be lost. The basenote nature of vanilla gives Vanilla Smoke better endurance than might be expected in an all-natural perfume. The spiced resinousness and subtle sweetness of vanilla play out in an evolving shape over the course of the day.
A natural vanilla perfume that smells like rubber, smoke and darkness throws into question the simplistic, sweet desserts we’ve been fed. Aftel doesn’t simply reframe vanilla or dress it out differently. She creates the opportunity for the wearer to rediscover vanilla.
(from scenthurdle.com)
zilvis70 – :
One of the best smoky vanillas I’ve sampled. The woody notes are very intensive at first, and it’s almost a leather quality perfume. After it begins to dry down, it becomes a gourmand type of perfume, sweet from the tonka and fruity from the orange. This would be perfect for a fall day with the combination of vanilla, smoke, and fruit. I find that the vanilla sort of dies out in the drydown, though, so if you’re looking for a very solid vanilla all through the wear, I don’t think this is it. I just like the way it changes.
Also, as it’s a natural, it’s doesn’t have very much projection and is more of a skin scent, so that’s another thing to consider.
Gpkxsdertui – :
I love this perfume more and more. It is not only smoky vanilla, it has such a beautiful chypre-like aftertaste that you could sense next day. A woody spicy gourmand vanilla, a dark one, but also very warm… I instantly recall a wooden house, and a fireplace, a warm blanket and a glass of mulled wine or cognac. This is what I imagine if it is dark outside. On a sunny morning, it is a cozy and bright sunshine fragrance, a peaceful and enjoyable time spent walking somewhere with a good friend.
Miss_Tinnka – :
Vanilla Smoke is more smoke than vanilla on my skin. It is not heavy smoke, nor is it the usual “liquid smoke”/barbeque note that is in other perfumes. It is an uplifting smoke that brings to mind delicate tendrils. I wish that this had more vanilla on my skin because this fragrance eventually becomes slightly bitter–I’m thinking maybe the smoked tea notes combined with the saffron could be the culprit for making this one medicinal on me. Any time I wear a fragrance with saffron in it, my skin amps it above everything else. Glad to see this works for others though. It is clearly a well-composed perfume of high quality that just isn’t as awesome with my skin chemistry as it is with others’.
titels777 – :
Mandy Aftel is absolutely my most favorite perfumer. I have been hoping her next release would be more gourmand, less floral– and here it is! This perfume is most true to its description in the perfume rather than the EDP format. I compared both formats and discovered, on my skin, that the perfume has an incomparable lushness vs the EDP. While both are lovely, the perfume has instant smoky tea depth. The vanilla is more dark and syrupy, and the mandarin hints more softly in the background. The boozy scotch/bourbon smokiness is tempered within minutes. I can not wait to buy a full bottle! I think those wanting a slightly more orange fruit-forward, less smoky form would prefer the EDP. For me… The perfume is exactly what I have been looking for. Exotic black tea without the headache I have experienced from chemical-based perfumes. (I.e. Kilian’s tea scents…) the vanilla is absolutely incredible and stands out full in the front, no apologies, no cotton candy cheapness. Beautiful, yet again! I layered this with Aftelier’s Amber and really loved the interplay of double ambergris. This is a natural perfume so expect a more subtle silage.
Mitya Mitya – :
I really like this perfume. At first sniff, it was too strong and even annoying, but now I have this small bottle in my car and use it as my fall scent together with my husband.
To my nose this is a very dark and dense vanilla with some caramelized and oaky-cognac nuances. It is smoky of course, but I mainly get those cognac nuances. And a beautiful vanilla like a treat after ~30min ;o)