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radmil – :
Mostly cinnamon, and basil with some incense.
Pepper = yes
Lemon = Yes
Geranium = a bit
Carnation = aha
Orange = yes after 5 minutes
Incense, cinammon, and basil = OF COURSE
Tonka = nope
Vanilla = no even detected yet (10 minutes in)
I’m sure voting on vanilla & tonka was just because the name of the fragrance was saying so, but this fragrance almost everything BUT the vanilla and tonka.
This proves that Nicolai aren’t good with gourmand fragrances as i thought this fragrance would be a SPLASH of DELICIOUSNESS, but it turned to be bits of everything but deliciousness.
marina98 – :
For me, the basil is too over-powering; it smells on the top of everything else and ruins the entire fragrance for me. The scent is very natural and performance is excellent, but it takes at least 6 hours for it to become tolerable without the strong basil. That’s too long, so it’s a pass.
IGUR – :
Frankincense seems the most prominent note to me, alongside a lemony-cinnamon vibe. There is something faintly creamy underneath, but Vanille Tonka is a misnomer.
Although not really alike, if you delight in Byredo’s Gypsy Water you might like this too.
Note: extra points to this house for selling 30 ml bottles.
ereulov – :
I started a thread asking for recommendations regarding perfumes that smell more or less like salmiac (ammonium chloride) and/or salt liquorice a while ago, and this one was suggested to me by a fellow Finnish member who said it reminded her of Kvilla, a children’s cough medicine we have in Finland that uses salmiac as a mild expectorant. Having recently procured it through the handsome Deefit, I figured I would give my impressions of it.
This perfume certainly packs a punch. Positively fries your nose hairs if you get too close. Certainly unisex, there is nothing frilly and girly about it. In the opening, I get absolutely no sweetness, it’s all lemon, basil, pepper and incense on me. As it dries and warms up I get some vanilla and tonka peeking through, but not enough to get me hooked. Despite being so spicy, I don’t find it warm – on the contrary, it is a profoundly cold. The discrepancy is interesting.
So what about the supposed likeness to the yummy pitch black salmiac concoction that is Kvilla? I see it, but it’s not literal, and it would most likely not have come to mind had it not been suggested to me. For the lovers of salmiac (Dutch: zoute drop), there is a perfume that hits the nail on the head: Hilde Soliani Saaliiisssiimo. Straight up salmiac. You’re welcome.
begemot82 – :
J8This is a lovely, dark and spicy vanilla- my favorite kind. Not the light and fluffy variety. The citrus top note seems to my nose all effervescent lemon, bright and fleeting. The carnation is nice and spicy but not overwhelming. The tonka and vanilla are the most prominent notes, and linger all day. The whole is a great fall/winter scent. It’s not overwhelming and too heavy however. It reminds me of Ava Luxe’s Vamp, a similar feel to the base notes. It lasts pretty well on me, and has moderate sillage. It smells like a grown woman’s vanilla, mature in a pleasant way. I would definitely recommend it if you like vanillas along the lines of Double Vanille Spiriteuse for example (though I find this one more wearable and less aggressive). Cozy and luxurious in feel, like a cashmere sweater.
MPT – :
This opens with a little woodiness and an anise-like basil. Others have noted orange here, but if there is citrus, it is a little whiff of lemon, and it fades fast.
Next comes the sweetness. While this does not reach the currently popular sugar-bomb levels of sweetness, the sweetness is there never-the-less. The floral element here is softly spicy, and recognisably carnation.
Beneath it all; beginning, middle and end, are the two companions, vanilla and tonka. They travel hand-in-hand, and underpin this pleasant gourmand from start to finish.
A little spice, mild and mellow yet quite fundamental to the composition, accompanies them.
894744920 – :
I love Sacrebleu, and oh my holy blue I love this as well. I don’t always want my fragrance to punch me in the gut: this fragrance isn’t wrenching but very lovely and interesting. I didn’t read the notes before testing, so the opening notes are accurate as I could get. There is a very light citrus with a cinnamon/carnation note mixed with a licorice sarsparilla. Then I get a spiciness of cinnamon and perhaps a touch of pepper and incense. I think it’s the basil that I’m thinking of as licorice, which if you crush very fresh basil you can understand my guess at licorice and sarsparilla. In the middle I get cinnamon, spice, incense and the vanilla. At this point I went to add more, and dropped my sample on the carpet. AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!! Yup, I was trying to rub my wrists on the carpet to pick up the remaining drops of my precious juice.
Okay, I get it. I am fated to buy more of this and the Sacrebleu. I may become a Parfums de Nicloai junkie. If so, what sweet servitude! Her scents are enticing, and kind (yes, I mean it) while also being lighthearted and fulfilling in a gentle way. Other perfumistas will understand my use of such superlatives. I get this feeling from the few Guerlains I’ve tried, so apparently talent is inherited. Mon Dieu!
golchinasai – :
The thing about PdN to me is that all her perfumes smell somehow obvious: But of course this is beautiful, did nobody really think of this before?
Nobody did, and the scent is new and unique but not surprising, just pretty. Right now I’m wearing Vanille Tonka for the first time, and I like it very much but I don’t love it. Why? Maybe because it doesn’t ask anything of me. It changes nicely on my skin, all different phases of the perfume are beautiful but it never shakes me to the core.
I’m a SL fan, mostly because the scents from that house make me laugh, they shock me and surprise me and never fade to the background. Even the most polite SL seems like a drunk anarchist next to Vanille Tonka and the other PdN-scents I have. And I guess I prefer the anarchist.
zolberg – :
Vanille Tonka is a near-perfect creation by Parfums de Nicolai. This niche company is run by Patricia Nicolai, granddaughter of Pierre Guerlain. As common among niche perfumeries, they focus on distinctive scents that pay little attention to pop trends or marketable bottles (I have the smaller size, which comes in a plain square bottle like the ones you can buy retail on-line for a dime a dozen). This offering is close to a sweet gourmand, especially in the tonka-vanilla base for which it is named. The top starts with a delicious creamy-sweet orange peel note, underpinned by pepper and the ever-present tonka-vanilla. As the citrus top note fades, the scent becomes subtly spicy, more with carnation than with cinnamon. Finally the delectable base remains and goes on forever. I suppose it is mostly a touch of incense that makes the base great – it certainly isn’t just vanilla and tonka, though they dominate. A thing of beauty.
edt880speagoessenda – :
This smells amazing on my skin. This is a sultry, smoky vanilla that drys down into something bordering on gourmande. But keep in mind, this is a very oldschool perfume. If you’re looking for something like Hypnotic Poison – you won’t find it in this. I am a vanilla lover and this is definitely a vanilla scent I have not encountered before. Some people may not like that it is not the typical sweet vanilla but that is what makes it special. The opening notes, on my skin, gave the impression of a strong black liquorice/cinnamon mixture which was fleeting but at first ever present. It moved into a spicy and sweet vanilla tempered by the citrus and pepper oil. Again, it is a heavy kind of vanilla…not a sweet, coquetish vanilla. This is a vanilla that exudes maturity. Sillage is moderate but I feel as though I need a few sprays which is upsetting for the price…quite dissapointing in that regard. It can be comforting but also a little bit sensual like a weekend lover you’ve made a habit out of. There is something ever so slightly unisex about this vanilla…indeed, as if your boyfriend’s basil, lemon cologne mixed with your vanilla, cinnamon perfume. In the finale of the drydown it’s all vanilla but this is after 6 hours or so. Today I went to a department store to toy around with the celebrity and pop fragrances. After having done that for a while, I have to say I was sickened by the all of the sweetness. I came home and washed off the obnoxious frags and put on Vanille Tonka and was heartened that it was sweet in an understated, mature way. It made me feel much better after my sweet perfume overload.
Edit: As much as this one can be rather nice, I am considering giving it to my mother. I think this is a scent that she would like. Initially I was enamored and still find it lovely. For me, I’m finding it has too much citrus and pepper…I like my warm spicy scents to have a sweet side. There isn’t enough breadth to this…I want something richer with more development. This seems one dimensional.
I did end up giving this to my mum for Christmas and she loves it. It better suits her skin and reminds her of a perfume she used to be mad about some years ago. I’m happy.
waq313Bessinepome – :
Another fascinating creation from Parfums de Nicolaii. Ever-mutating, just like Vanilla Intense. Vanille Tonka smells like a soft orange at first. The vanilla becomes stronger over time. It’s a very true vanilla, not overly creamy nor too sweet. After wearing it for a few hours, I was excited to smell some masculine qualities like pepper, green basil, and a spicy carnation. But they never overwhelmed the vanilla, so this is definitely a vanilla perfume. It’s really easy to wear for men and women–really, really lovely!
kalinin-1995 – :
This is a true gourmand, in the sense, that it smells like actual food. I’m always baffled, that people use the term “gourmand” only for scents, that are sweet and candy like. Do they only eat Mars bars?
Anyways, Vanille Tonka smells like home made creme bruleé. You now, the variation with orange peel and a slight hint of spice. I wouldn’t like to smell like it, that’s why it’s not for me, but it is nonetheless a very well crafted and very satisfactory perfume.
smok – :
This is very different to what i imagined it to be 🙂
it is so light hearted and sweat. like a cheewy fudgefor kids. it reminds me off candy and sodapops
the vanilla and tonka is to sweat in this . all i can smell is vanilla lemon , tonka and Mint . i am shure it is Basil as listed , but to me its very minty. very strange , on my skin there isent any floral notes at all. just sweats.
this is on my skin almost like a childs fragranse 🙂 wow , so strange the power off skin cemestry;) he he
Artskyone – :
I love this, it starts out very lemony before the basil moves in and gives it a lovely licorice/aniseed smell. The next stage is the best part, nose-tickling pepper, orange blossom and spicy carnation (I didn’t know I liked carnation until discovering PdN fragrances).
The vanilla is in there but it is more in the background becoming more apparent as the fragrance wears on, but it is not a sweet overpowering vanilla, more of a lovely warm base for the rest of the fragrance to linger on.
qku262intitytek – :
How woud hell smell a like? And not a torturing, sad and so on negative site, but flame throwing hot place with naked people having shamelessy fun? I woud say Vanille-Tonka.
My holy grail, my absolute favourite, best of the best…You get the point. I love Parfum de Nicolai Sacrebleu, and thought this is it, perfume coudn’t get any better and then I did find Vanille-Tonka. I don’t even like vanilla and that’s why I almost did pass testing V-T, cause I’m not intrested of most of the sickening sweet vanilla perfumes.
And there isn’t any of sugary, cupcakes style sweetnes here for sure.
V-T is like a high charce turboversion of Sacrebleu, more intense, much more hotter,much, much, more spice. Lot’s of nose burning pepper, dark brown cinnamon (V-T is also my favourite cinnamon scent) and incense. I do not get any sweet vanilla, only some sort of soft base under this spicy beast. V-T feels like a living thing when you put it on, it breaths and roars.
And because all of this, it only suits night, darkness and time when you are feeling dangerous. Enjoy.