Decembrie 89 - Freedom elixir

For what it's worth, this is the fragrance that made me finally decide to register on Fragrantica. I will admit, I ordered a sample of this, tested it on paper, and immediately disregarded it as overhyped. The opening, for me, was too strong and unconnected. Sadly, that's really all a paper test can tell you. After a long night I got hope and decided to test this on skin for the first time. At first opening, I was met with the same semi-disjointed notes that I expected from the paper test, but I wanted to be certain. I decided this fragrance was probably not for me. And then about 5 minutes passed. The fragrance started to dry down, and that's when the story started. The smell of pastry dough and butter in the over down the hall as I wake up on christmas morning. The smell of the fruits in the pie starting to become aromatic. The vague sweetness and vanilla tying this beautiful combination together. I kept checking the notes, not that I needed to get close, a half spray on the back of my hand was plenty to allow my nose to experience this artwork in all of its glory. That said, I kept putting the back of my hand where I skin tested the fragrance up to my face, as if I was deeply invested in a book. It kept changing. For a brief moment my mind conjured images of sitting around a christmas tree, the gourmand notes fading for a few moments, followed by the gourmand notes coming back, as if my mother had just walked out of the kitchen with a freshly baked pie for us to cut into. To call this fragrance a masterpiece would be an understatement. This is the single most incredible work of art I have ever smelled. That said, if you're reading this and thinking about buying it, don't. I want it all for myself.

Having a sample now. Was waiting for long. It's... December, before the New Year's Eve (post-Soviet guys will understand what I write below). It's going home when it's -10°€ outside, in the suburbs in the evening. Street light, snow flakes sparkling, and you going faster, wearing a cozy wool scarf. When you come home, you feel a smell of a holiday. Your dad brought a fir tree and you need to decorate it with old Soviet decorations. And your dad still has ice on his moustache. :) Then you move to a living room and see on an old wooden table you grandma had a nutty pie with vanilla cream. All is shining, and it's time to prepare for the New Year's Eve. It's such an intense, cozy, sweet and nutty fragrance. The most intensive that I've ever heard. Real niche. You want to dive deep in it like in a blanket. It's a masterpiece. But unfortunately... It doesn't pass me... It chokes me immediately, and around maybe 2 meters radius I feel its intoxicating aura. And an extreme headache immediately. But... It gave me some memories I wanted to experience, but unfortunately I didn't have them. But yes, they give you this vibe and you feel it like you had it or even experiencing now. I even don't know: I'm happy that it doesn't pass me because it's expensive, or I'm sad, that such a unique scent can't surround me... Controversial feelings and thoughts. Scent: masterpiece/10 Sillage: around the world/10. Extremely strong. But such a wonderful piece to have in a collection. Price: very expensive/10 Taste: for sure not for everyone's taste. But such a warm and amazing part of my collection.

In my second taste of Adi Ale Van, I was able to try Decembrie 89. And WOW. This is a beautiful gourmand scent that oozes comfort and coziness. To me, it smells like a day at home as a child after a snowstorm just blew through. This gave me intense nostalgia. It’s amazingly comforting. The hazelnut note is this beautifully sweet note that reminds me of a hazelnut coffee (without smelling like coffee), the vanilla is unlike any vanilla I’ve ever smelled. Incredibly unique and comforting. And the rum note... I’m not usually a fan of boozy scents, but this rum note is incredible. This fragrance is a testament to how high quality ingredients can make a fragrance truly great. This is my favorite gourmand scent of all time, and I’ve smelled some truly beautiful ones. Another beautiful piece of art. One of a kind.

If this weren’t an ultra-niche perfume you need to track down to test in store, it would be one of the most popular gourmands out there. The personal backstory, handmade box, waxed card, leather wrap, satisfying drawstring, and hand-carved/painted flacon make for a wonderful experience as well. On application, it’s the most realistic orange chocolate fragrance I’ve ever smelt. Over time, that realistic composition develops boozy, nutty, and vanillic notes. 5/5 Composition: long-lasting, strong sillage, no harsh notes, smells great on fabric and skin. 5/5 Personal Preference: I paid more for Dior’s Vanilla Diorama, but this smells far higher quality and actually commits to the concept of being a wearable dessert from start to finish.

Wow, this stuff is insane. To me, it smells like a vanilla rum cake that you’d find in the Caribbean. If you know you know, it’s such a gourmand-y smell and I love love love it. The opening hits you with this blast of like a cakey feeling with citrus that quickly dies down into a vanilla rum cake. Amazing 10/10. In terms of projection and sillage... it’s crazy. I sprayed this stuff in my room, one spray, and it filled the hallway and into different rooms. Not even joking when I say this, it legit filled my whole living room.