Velluto Vanilla

Vanilla and cardamom is certainly one of my favorite duo of all times! I was hoping Velluto Vanilla could replace the discontinued Bottega Verde's Vaniglia e Cardamomo. This is definitely not a dupe. Vaniglia e Cardamomo contains vetiver and an overall freshness that accompany so well cardamom, bestowing a layer of aromatic complexity. Velluto Vanilla is an excellent juice on its own merits nonetheless. The crème anglaise opening slightly reminds me Vaniglia e Cardamomo's gourmand Vanilla. But the main player here is ultra sticky caramel. The stickiest of them all. You could almost stretch it, like a taffy! Cardamom is mostly noticeable on drydown. The longevity is meh, it will never survive a wash but the quality overall is excellent, considering the modest price - about 9€ for the 35ml bottle. Side note FAO vanilla and cardamom fans: Dr. Taffi created his fragrances with aromatherapy purpose in mind. Ok, nothing new under the sun! I couldn't help relate them to Cinq Mondes, a spa brand that shares the same approach. Like many others, I know. Interestingly, Rituel de Bengalore, also a vanilla-cardamom centered frag (haven't tried it yet) is part of their permanent collection. Both brands tout the supposed soothing and euphoric virtues of that combination. It seems to work on me because I love wearing Velluto Vanilla before bed. My ultimate vanilla and cardamom dream: Atelier des Ors' Lune Féline. Check out my review ;))) EDIT August 2019: now that my bottle "matured", it smells like white chocolate, still with that sticky caramel backdrop yet lighter. Delightful paired with Coco Extreme from Comptoir Sud Pacifique, it creates that Rafaello confectionery effect.

In view of Christmas I wanted to buy a good vanilla to wear alone or maybe to combine it with some other my gourmande perfume, so I decided to choose this vanilla that remains very sweet, caramel, really very pleasant. I also find it quite persistent, especially on sweaters and scarves! I definitely recommend buying it because of the quality that has a great price!

This one is such a smooth vanilla with the tiniest hint of cardamon but the musk lingers. Don't worry. It's a nice musk and not too overpowering. Simple but some days are made to be simplified.