Shalimar Millésime Vanilla Planifolia

I managed to secure a bottle for myself after watching it go in and out of stock, I think that it's officially out of stock for good! I have a feeling that Guerlain will not bring this back in any sort of form or even to add this to the permanent line just by judging on the rest of the vanilla flankers of Shalimar, including their other lines like the LPRN flankers. I was lucky enough to just happen across this at my local Guerlain boutique, I had honestly not even heard of this release because Shalimar just wasn’t on my radar. Until I saw the bat sticker which caught my eye and I immediately became curious, the manager of the boutique informed me that this was a limited edition and that there was only one bottle of this left in my entire state. I won't lie...this wasn't an instant love for me as I did have my mask on and I had been trying numerous other fragrances beforehand so my nose was already fried by the time I tried this. I came back the next day however because something about it drew me back. I spayed one spritz on my wrist and one on paper, I decided to walk back to my apartment because the weather was lovely outside, whilst embarking on my journey home I kept getting wafts billowing off my wrist and with every sniff I was slowly falling in love. In that moment I knew that this was the one and it had to be mine! To my nose this is dainty in the opening with lemon zest, hand kneaded dough (much like that doughiness in Cuir Beluga), and a heap of pure vanilla pods. This is a special occasion dessert reserved for the crème de la crème, only the head-chef was permitted to make for a Duke and Duchess at their stately country manor during the 1800's so of course the ingredients would only be of the finest quality that money could buy. It's a little boozy, the most faint bit of citrus but it's not the sparking type of citrus that would be present in something meant for the summer time. It's a more dulled down and muted type of citrus like the white part of a lemon rind without the bitterness...it's absolutely divine. The vanilla in this is much like SDV and CB therefore, possessing the best of both worlds and for a fraction of the price. The quality is not only retained but amped up along with the vanilla and something else in there that makes this so much more special. This is my first from the Shalimar family and I think that I've chosen the best from the line...I will definitely be trying to get myself a backup bottle because I have never smelled anything like this and this is a bold statement but I think that I've found the perfect vanilla fragrance for me and that I can officially stop looking now as I've finally found it! I honestly don't know when I'd wear this or if I even would because I know how hard to find it will be when it's officially no longer available, every spritz hurts my heart so i'm going to treat this like somebody who's been put in whiteness protection. This will never see the light of day in fear that even the slightest ray of light, heat or moisture will degrade it which I cannot afford to happen 😭

Notes: Top: Almond, Bergamot Mid: Rose, Vanille Base: Vanille, Musk, Opoponax This is a luscious vanilla, a spicy vanilla that dries down to a tonka chocolate vanilla with those spices. A different take on Shalimar. If you want the OG Shalimar, buy it, it's a lot cheaper and more interesting to your nose, but it is challenging, whereas this is easy to wear and enjoy. This is an amped up Guerlinade, with a heavier opoponax base making it a touch more powdery. I don't think people should feel fomo, Millésime Iris and Millésime Jasmin gives a similar feel with the powderiness and a similar vanilla. The prices on eBay aren't warranted, no matter how lovely. I'm sick of scalpers, especially since Millésime Jasmin can be bought at Jomashop for $59.99 + S&H, and I'm not affiliated with them at all. And if you miss that one, News-Parfum in France has it for $79 (the Jasmin one). I only bought 2 bottles of this when I had the chance and I just finished the first. I try not to buy more than 100 ml of any fragrance bc there's just too many new, good ones, being introduced. But now with the amber/woody/oudy accords/musky bases or ambroxan, iso e super, amberwood being used in too high a concentration; I'm finding my purchases are really curtailed. I'm discovering, wearing and loving fragrances that I bought years ago. Long way of saying - I'm seriously sorry I didn't buy a 3rd bottle. To be fair, Iris and this years Jasmine give you the feel of VP at the end phases so I'm not heart broken by any means. The opoponax is heady, powdery and just a luscious base. I know that Opoponax is in the base of all Shalimar it iterations, but is really highlights the Guerlinade in this flanker, making that vanilla pop golden sparks. The tonka, and there's tonka in this, gives a chocolatey vibe at the dry down and lingers nicely with the opoponax. And before anyone starts screaming about flankers, remember Shalimar is 104 years old with only roughly 40 "flankers". A lot of those are simply rebottling of the OG and they're very open about that. Anywho, I like that Guerlain is keeping Shalimar relevant, making it appeal to a younger demographics taste. That way Shalimar the OG will continue to thrive, because once you've been hooked by the love of any of her sisters, your nose will fall in love with the Queen eventually. The cycle will start all over again and she's secure in her relevancy. I truly hope they'll re release this one, it's the best vanilla in Guerlain portfolio if you ask me. Spiritueuse Double Vanille would have gotten my vote, but the bottle with the red wax was replaced by a watered down version and then that one was stripped even further. It's more Soufflé de Spiritueuse Double Vanille now. So, may the OG reign supreme but may Shalimar Millésime Vanilla Planifolia come back around. It'll make them a lot of money and that's all they care about anyway. Right?

Upon first spray on my arm this was an instant big love for me! According to the Guerlain website this is a limited edition. It is getting very hard to actually find a bottle and when I purchased mine it was the last one in the shop! As of today writing this review, the Guerlain website is out of stock. What is so special about Shalimar Millésime Vanilla Planifolia? I have been testing this fragrance on my skin for two days now and saying this is an addictive fragrance is an understatement. I am honestly hoping that Guerlain retains this version as it would be absolute blasphemy to discontinue it. For those who have always found the EDP so overwhelming with aldehydes and smoke are going to be blown away at how incredible this one smells. Whilst I am a fan of the EDP I personally need to find the right mood to wear it as it's not the easiest fragrance to wear. This however is on another completely different level. I probably need to lock it up otherwise I will be finishing this bottle in less than a year! Haven't we all smelt vanilla, leather and spice before you might say? Yes...but never like this! There is something in this fragrance that makes it so pleasurable to wear. The magic of it all is the Madagascar vanilla which is along with a slight touch of leather and spice. You really need to experience the beauty of this fragrance on your own skin to understand how truly outstanding it is. According to the Guerlain website the vanilla tincture exudes a woody, slightly leathery and spicy note, this is achieved by mancerating it in wheat alcohol from organic farming for several months. This process allows them to develop the unique richness of their aromas. Shalimar Millésime Vanilla Planifolia has excellent longevity so much that after two days I can still detect the fragrance on the chair I sprayed it near to. Please ignore the 'for women' caption. Vanilla is a unisex note. Gents do not sleep on this fragrance! I am totally blown away by how beautiful Shalimar Millésime Vanilla Planifolia is, this is easily one of the biggest surprises of 2021 and personally for me an instant true masterpiece by Guerlaina!

Kicking myself for not buying two of these. Gah, I hope they come back into stock. I know I'm going to want to wear this a lot this autumn/winter. Unmistakably Shalimar, but with a comforting chewy layer of vanilla. The review by dsantiago02 further down perfectly described how I experience this fragrance. On my skin it sweetens a little over time and definitely does not need overspraying. It has everything I enjoy in Shalimar edp, and everything I find more challenging is now pushed further back - still there, but softened. It's not a sugary baking cupboard vanilla to my nose, although it does sweeten a little as it dries down. There is certainly more to it than vanilla and powdery notes. It's not linear, I get so bored of linear. If my fragrance smells exactly the same 3 or 4 hours after spraying then I'm scrubbing it off. This has that lovely vintage quality where it shifts and dances around you. Everything about it feels like a high quality fragrance. When testing upon unboxing I spritzed onto a tissue that I left on my desk. That was 3 days ago and I'm still getting lovely wafts of it when I walk around the room. Good stuff. ETA... my 13 year old son gets very perplexed when I wear this. He notices it all around the house and says it smells like something very familiar from when he was a small child, but a little bit more flowery, Christmas-sy and with a hint of peanuts. Not sure what to make of that, but he gets a very confusing nostalgia from it that makes me chuckle. It's like watching someone try to recall a dream that keeps slipping away. ETA2...Got my back up. Phew.

Having fallen in love with Shalimar Millésime Tonka, I rooted out my sample of Vanilla Planifora, the previous Shalimar Millésime limited edition. I love and have a deep appreciation for Shalimar, and find that the modern flankers are excellent variations on a classic. SMVP is no exception. A soft, muted version of Shalimar with the powdery vanilla note placed centre-stage, it is a warm, cosy and fairly intimate scent. The Shalimar DNA is there (the notes list is clearly incomplete here), but perhaps less obviously than in Millésime Tonka. SMVP opens with dry, powdery vanilla that dominates this scent throughout despite its subtlety. There is some bergamot in the opening, characteristic of the Shalimar DNA and adding brightness. A hint of almond rounds it out, complementing the vanilla with a hazy edge, making for a slightly gourmand quality. Some powdery rose emerges, but, unusually for a Shalimar flanker, there are very few florals. The vanilla develops, remaining dominant, with a hint of sweet amber emerging as it begins to dry down. It becomes musky as it fades. Sillage and longevity are moderate. Like in Cuir Beluga, the vanilla that dominates SMVP is papery and dry. It is a sweeter and simpler scent than Millésime Tonka and the Guerlinade accord, while present, is much less obvious. Softer, brighter and sweeter than the original, the leathery animalic base is absent and it is less challenging for a modern audience as a result. A beautiful riff on a classic, this is vanilla done right. 4.5/5.

The latest iteration of the cult-classic Shalimar fragrance, the Shalimar Millésime Vanilla Planifolia eau de parfum from Guerlain has arrived. Thought up by Thierry Wasser, the scent pays homage to the key note in Shalimar’s legendary trail: vanilla. Accompanied by bergamot, almond and rose accords, it’s presented in the iconic flacon created by Raymond Guerlain in 1925 and finished with Art Deco-inspired geometric lines and a leather tie at the neck.” Top notes: Bergamot, Almond Heart notes: Rose Absolute, Ethyl Vanilline, Vanilla Tincture Base notes: Vanilla Extract, Opopanine, Musks The keystone of Shalimar's revolutionary trail, vanilla today inspires an extraordinary Vintage edition. A loving tribute to Guerlain to one of the most emblematic and luxurious essences in its palette. Overdosed in the composition, the Maison de vanilla de Madagascar tincture reveals all its facets and exalts the trail of the iconic oriental of the House. Between tribute and innovation, Shalimar Millésime Vanilla Planifolia uses the graphic codes of the bottle on a pedestal created in 1925 by Raymond Guerlain. The famous “bat” label stands alongside typography with geometric lines tinged with Art Deco. A leather tie wraps around the collar: an evocation of the olfactory notes of Planifolia vanilla tincture that marks this unique composition.

This is beautiful. Read on for detail... Despite owning bottles and bottles of Guerlain, I had never ordered from their website before and the service was great with free next day delivery and my choice of 3 samples. I asked for 3 of the art et matière range but preferred my bottle of Millésime over all three! I did a side-by-side with my Shalimar EDP. Millésime Vanilla has none of the petrol opening/herbes de provence growl in the start. Rather, it is softer and boozier. It is much more of a vanilla scent but it has many of the lovely banana-y, fruity, rum-like notes of real vanilla, rather than just amping up sweetness. In the mid-phase, it starts to smell more like Shalimar as we know it before returning to its vanilla focus in the drydown which reminds me of the fluffy, powdery vanilla drydown of Chanel No 5 L'eau. If you have never 'got' Shalimar, you can safely try this as it is quite different but I think that Shalimar fans will appreciate this too. Millésime Vanilla is a successful exercise in overdosing the vanilla, not one of dumbing down. The longevity was great - all day and into the evening. Sillage was lovely too - a cloud of mysterious grown-up vanilla with a smear of Shalimar ferocity in the background. I would love it if Guerlain made this a staple of the line!

MAGNIFICENT BLEND! #firstimpressions Because only Guerlain can do Shalimar justice, and teach Chanel and Dior how it's done! Maybe I am late to meet and love Shalimar, and I did not get to experience her in the Ode a la Vanille iterations, hence why I cannot compare this to the latter. However, this is doing right by Shalimar! This sits right in the middle of Chanel's Le Lion and Dior's Vanilla Diorama. Not even tilted, just right down the middle. As stated in previous reviews, it is unmistakably Shalimar with an amped up gorgeous vanilla that is dense but never cloying (no one does vanilla like Guerlain). This is what a real modern Shalimar would have smelled like. Some descriptors: slight citrus opening that quickly shifts gears into a sultry, smokey and resinous vanilla, with chocolatey nuances (yet not syrupy, just buttery), with the famous Shalimar-leather undertone that gives her the hardcore badass character she is. Never sickly sweet, hence why I don't think of this as a gourmand. But definitely a magnificent representation of what an Amber Vanilla Floral fragrance should be. #chefskiss Edit: longevity and projection are extraordinary!! Do NOT overspray, this is strong and packs a punch.

I truly feel for the people desperately looking for Millésime now that it’s sold out everywhere :( I was one of them and by sheer luck managed to locate the last bottle in my country and I cannot describe how grateful I feel to own this TREASURE. I have always admired Shalimar but didn’t feel like it suited me. Like many other people, the leather and smoke were a bit too much for me and I just didn’t think it would work in a contemporary context (I am a 30 year old woman). I got “initiated” into the world of Shalimar by wearing Shalimar Parfum Initial (now renamed L’Initial) and it remains my favorite perfume. However it really worked as the gateway drug to the original Shalimar as well as many other complex perfumes from the past. Millésime somehow fits into a contemporary context more easily. The vanilla is, needless to say, the star of the show and absolutely scrumptious. It is so comforting and I just wanna take a bite out of myself every time I wear it. This is one that I wear more for myself than for others. It is so special to me that this edition has the bat Shalimar label, just as the original from 1925 did. I wish I had backup bottles, such a jewel.

THANK YOU to those who posted about Guerlain not sending out emails about being in stock. I had been on the "waiting" list for months, and thanks to the amazing people on Fragrantica I logged into the Guerlain website early in the morning, and I snagged a bottle and it arrived!! I have always liked Shalimar, but never loved it. The smoke, incense and vanilla in Shalimar are very unisex, but there is an odd note in Shalimar that gives me a halitosis note :( This limited edition amps up the vanilla and makes Shalimar more rounded, smoother and silkier...and removes what I do not like about original Shalimar. For those expecting a whole new scent, this is still 100% Shalimar and I believe the new to fragrance crowd will have a hard time telling the difference between this and regular Shalimar, but for those of us who know Shalimar, the difference is subtle, but amazing. The dry down, to my nose, smells almost identical to Creed Sublime Vanille. This is for sure not a bad thing, but I have a huge bottle of Sublime Vanille already.

I ordered this as soon as I saw it was back in stock. I had been on the waiting list also to receive an email but never did. I just happened to be on Gurelain's US website and there it was. It arrived today. Initial Spray - an exquisite gourmand vanilla parfum. It smells as if I had just cut open a vanilla pod. The floral notes are faint to my nose. This one is all about the vanilla. The heart is a softer leathery vanilla with a hint of powder and possibly the lightest touch of caramel. The dry down - soft vanilla spice and all things nice. Although this is a gourmand vanilla it is not overly sweet. In fact there is a dryness to it that reminds of the feel of paper if that makes sense. It has become one of my favorite bedtime perfumes. I spray it on about an hour or two before I go to bed so that I can enjoy it longer. This will be a great perfume for layering also. I had been on the hunt for a favorite vanilla perfume. I need look no further. If you find it, buy two because you're going to wish you had.

This is unmistakenly Shalimar, with the vanilla dialed up to 11. Very similar to original Ode, which is delightful so I'm not upset by that. The note matrix here is wrong, of course. It is so much more than just vanilla. This is strong, great projection and longevity. If you are a hardcore Shali lover then you will need this in your collection (as with all of the flankers lol). If you are a casual Shali lover then you can probably pass on this one, as it's very similar to many other Shalimars in the line (EDP, 80th anniversary EDP). If you missed out on Ode and want that extra big dose of vanilla, then go for it. It's non-foody, and the ever present citruses give it a slight background tartness that I'm loving. Affordable, and well worth adding to my collection. Loooove. ♥

I just got my Shalimar Millesime Vanilla Planifolia. I was not able to get it from the Guerlain website, I had to get it from Ebay and it was very much overpriced. I think it is worth every cent and that makes me feel very worried... Imagine that you reduce the bergamot, opoponax, patchouli, cedar, civet and the leather in your regular Shalimar. These notes that make Shalimar a little bit too stern, a little bit aggressive? they have diminished these notes to the minimum while amplifying the benzoin and the vanilla 100%. I mean real beautiful vanilla not just Tonka! The leather now seems more like suede, the benzoin is golden and glorious, and I am in Vanilla heaven. It has some powderiness that reminds me of L'instant. What can I say? I want another bottle...

Ok, I'll start by saying Im not very familiar with original Shalimar so I cant compare, I smelled it once and wasnt a fan but if you were afraid of it, fear no more. This is gorgeous vanilla that starts with some citruses, and dries down into addicting smoky vanilla with slight suede nuances. I hate leather or suede notes and I absolutely love this. If you can find a bottle don't debate just get it. I don't know if its limited edition or not, but i hope it wont disappear when Ill need a replacement bottle. It reminds me of more citrusy more vanillic and easier to wear Cuir Beluga from L'Art & La Matiere Collection. The performance on this is great, it does turn into skin scent quite quickly but it will linger around for a long time.

A warm comforting powdery vanilla fragrance. Makes me think of warm, fuzzy, hugs sitting in front of a fire on a cold night. This is Shalimar without the burnt rubber, the animalics are toned way down (almost nonexistent really), you still have some leather, and the vanilla is smooth, and cozy, not gourmand in any way— more like a rich vanilla extract. This is FINALLY the Shalimar I can wear. The other flanker I have (Shalimar Cologne) strays too far away from the original Shalimar. This Millesime Vanilla Planifolia is 100% Shalimar but updated. Great longevity but very moderate sillage. A must have. It’s limited edition and it looks like Guerlain already pulled it from the US website so snag a bottle while you can.

I finally got a bottle of this! It was not easy. I wish I had purchased 2, as soon as I bought the one it was out of stock. So, upon first spray it definitely smells like the OG, although not as powerful, then about 30 mins later it develops into a beautiful vanilla with hint of Shalimar in the background, and continues until it reminds me of SDV. I can still faintly smell it upon waking up, but had put it on last night. Today I’m going to wear it all day to see how long it wears, although it’s been way too warm still for fall ! I think this is a cooler weather scent but I’m not waiting lol. Good luck to anyone who is hunting this, you have to check the website often, not sure why there is no supply for the demand.

Weird, weird, weird. I expected a lot more from this scent. Sorry. It is nice and soft, but I expected more: more of an umpf. I was first worried I had a knock-off but no, it's the real deal. It's just a very gentle scent. But... you never know. I've been known to get used to a scent (as if my nose had to get used to it) and then suddenly I started to love, love, love a scent. I hope it will happen soon. A few hours later, now, and I can still notice it!!! Never thought I would... Update: 1 day later and I'm sitting in my car, sun shining. And what do you think: I suddenly get a whiff of vanilla. Wow! Apparently the warm(er) weather really brings it out. Going from ''ok'' to ''love''!!!

I got it as a birthday present. I was hesitating between this one and the OG Shalimar, because I like them both, but I decided to take this one because it's a limited edition. In the end it was the right choice: the animalistic leathery smell of OG Shalimar just doesn't do well on my skin at all. It's a shame, because I love it too. This one is straight up overdosed on vanilla. You can still get hints of the OG, but there isn't that leathery smell that I hate, or by the time it's here, I don't smell the perfume anymore. I mainly smell the vanilla overdose. Unfortunately, my bottle is about 2/3 empty now, and I'm a bit sad, because I really like it.

Guerlain Shalimar Millesime Vanilla Planifolia (2021) - vanilla amber - #delphinejelk combines two of my favorite Guerlains into this perfume. It’s as if she combined the base of Shalimar and #spiriteusedoublevanille at the top. Starts the perfume with bright Bergamot meets this rich & deep Vanilla. This isn’t ice cream-like Vanilla, but boozy. I sense Iris, Patchouli, Rose and Jasmine lurking in the background, but the Vanilla is the star. As the top dries down, the original Shalimar comes into play, transitioning the perfume to Smokey, Leathery and Creamy. I don’t sense much animalic Civet, but more white musks and woods at the base.

Yes, TO TILLYWAVE'S comments! yes indeed. I was wrong on this review! (I was sniffing the other one) (MT Shalimar, good, but not this) I got a sample of this, and OMG...oh I say OH MY GOSH, but OMG! Absolutely gorgeous! Stands right up to her sister or mother, or grandmother! OMG! I adore this. Now, in search of a FB. Wish me luck. The bergamot is gorgeous here and carries the vanilla, rose and almond. Okay, I can say, this is hitting me like BR540 hit me the first time. Except this is gone :( Does anybody know if they are bringing this back? They would make an absolute King's Ransom if so. Pray tell they do.