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I was on the fence whether I liked this perfume or not. Times change, so it is time to re-evaluate my earlier opinion (which primarily consisted of not quite having one ;)) and now, what can I say?  I am in love.

So what has changed? The perfume surely hasn’t.

I think it was my expectations that took some time to adapt to reality.

I was expecting something very different, when I thought of Vanille Exquise, before I first smelled it. It sounds gourmand-y, doesn’t it? I mean, vanilla? Exquisite? What is one to think? I expected a warm almondy vanilla, something cozy and sweet, a delight for the cold season.

I got a highly interesting fragrance that happens also to feature some vanilla, but decidedly not of the foody variety.

Once I realized Vanille Exquise was not what I thought it would be, and got over the (quite unnecessary) dissapointment, I was able to appreciate Vanille Exquise for what it is.

In this wonderful perfume the smoky, incensy and dry character of benzoin, along with gaiac wood dominate throughout, lending the fragrance its interesting facets and staying power. Bitter angelica is counterpointed with sweet vanilla, and both dance around each other never quite touching, weaving in and out, creating a memorable scent.

The sharpish note of Vanille Exquise is what makes it so different, what makes it stand out and differentiates it from the sea of plainer vanilla fragrances out there. I am glad I did not give up on this. I like to flatter myself by thinking that my taste has evolved, and with that my horizon has broadened. Now, more and more, I can appreciate scents that are not immediate crowd pleasers.

Ready for a broader horizon?

The lasting power of Vanille Exquise is very good, it also has quite some sillage, even though it is an Eau de Toilette (available in 50 and 100ml). It was created in 2004 by Isabelle Doyen and features notes of vanilla, angelica, almond, benzoin, gaiac wood and white musk. After using up sample after sample, I got the big bottle now, and I’m glad I did.

It is that good.

How about you? Are there any fragrances you changed your mind about? I would love to hear from you in the comments!

Picture sources: luckyscent.com, seibco.com some rights reserved, thank you!