Rose Water & Vanilla

I definitely have a soft spot for Loukhoum inspired fragrances and so I was quite interested in Jo Malone's take on this classic perfume inspiration. I consider Keiko Mecheri's Loukhoum Parfum du Soir to be my favorite iteration of this Middle Eastern confection. Jo Malone's take on it was quite different, but lovely and intoxicating in its own way. I am used to Loukhoum fragrances to being a honey/almond/rose affair with a generous dose of powder. And on me, this combination is dynamite. But how would the normally restrained house of Jo Malone translate this? It seems they decided to go in a different direction, by choosing a creamy, custard like vanilla and putting that at the heart of this fragrance. The rose is a sheer, slightly green rose that is needed to balance out the sweetness of the vanilla. This makes Rose Water and Vanilla more of a rose water ice cream or custard than true Loukhoum. Which is actually fine with me as I find it different enough to have in my collection alongside Keiko Mecheri's masterpiece. The Jo Malone is more sheer, less dense, and highly wearable. The longevity is quite good, at least 6 hours on my skin. The sillage is moderate. The greenness of the rose keeps the vanilla from being too cloying even in very hot weather. I find this to be strangely addicting and have squirreled away a few back up bottles because it is discontinued. And I don't believe I have smelled anything like it. A truly unique offering from Jo Malone and one I will be wearing for years to come.

This is for those who want to know how it compares to the older perfume. I was happy to see that Jo Malone rereleased the perfume, but its not the same exactly. The scent is the same, but its not as powerful, and not as potent when compared between the two. Its still a beautiful scent, and it does last long, but its not as loud as the original release. The scent lasts all day, but it becomes a skin scent. The original projects so much for so long - this one projects for the first 20 minutes and then mellows down to a skin scent. Its so light, that I use it after a shower for the gym. Its inoffensive, and light, but lasts a long time. Doesnt project louder after an intense cardio session like some scents, if you were wondering. The scent is my favorite rose blend; the rose isnt sharp like Red Roses - this is Rose syrup, a gourmand for adults, a sweet scent thats not headache inducing. If you have ever prepared turkish delight, this smells exactly like it. Its a nice and clean scent, with just enough sweetness. The original is very sweet and very loud compared to this new 2022 release. Its like comparing an americano with a ristretto. Both are coffee, but one is concentrated and the other watered. Still, a very lovely scent that I got multiples of, because there is nothing out there like it. I only wish the perfume was offered in 100 ml.

This is •Y•U•M•M•Y• (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵) 🍋🌿🌹🍦 I hurried up and got myself a bottle from Nordstrom (bought it blindly) and I couldn’t be more pleased!!! The new label is purple-pink-ish and it is offered only in a 50 ml bottle...At $110 USD, it’s expensive but worth it to me... I unfortunately never had the pleasure to smell the one from 2010 so I couldn’t compare the two but this is sooooooooo pretty!!! Candied Rose and citrus-y (Néroli & Petit Grain) notes with a slight sweetness make this fragrance an absolute delight to smell and enjoy!!! I’d say it is more of a springtime fragrance but hey, who’s complaining? Not I!! I will wear it on its own or layered with Kayali Vanilla 28 cream (which, by the way, I HIGHLY recommend) and I am definitely going to smell like a springtime fairy 🧚 Love love love it!!!! I may very well grab another bottle as a backup as this is a limited edition!!

I was starting to see hype on this perfume from YT influencers, and decided to check it out. When I sprayed it on the sampling strip, I just got a lot of rose water which is a bit sharp on my nose. However, as I let it develop for a few minutes, I was starting to appreciate it more and liking it. I had my bf sniff this and Rose Blush and he really loved the subtle and sweet fragrance of this perfume compared to how sharp Rose Blush is. Anyway, after testing it on the strip, I sprayed it on my arm to see how it settles into my skin. After a few hours of having it on my skin, I could still smell it. Like with most Jo Malone perfumes, they don't really project but this one stayed on my skin throughout the day. I couldn't stop smelling it on either my skin or the strip that I decided to purchase it. No regrets honestly. I like how light, feminine, and slightly sweet it is.

I have been a JM fan for several years. I've built quite a collection; it would be easier to name what I DON'T have, instead of what I do. JM's Rosewater and Vanilla is one of my favorites within the JM line or by other makers. RWV is VERY versatile. I tend to wear her alone and she gets a lot of exposure in the winter, especially around the holidays. But I'll wear her any time of the year, any time of day. She's not my pick for super casual, sloppy days, but for just about any other occasion, including bed time, I think she wears well. She stands out in a crowd, but not be being loud, by being different, beautiful and confident. She brings sweetness and a tad bit of something spicy. She's beautiful from application through her dry down and long after that, on clothing. She goes from bold to a whisper, but her whisper is clear and strong, definitely understood.

Oh this is sweet, sugary neroli. I don't really get any rose or petitgrain, what so ever, but just marshmallowy neroli, which I can't complain about. I know marshmallows aren't listed in the notes, but I'm guessing the vanilla note and sugar in the Loukhoum note have meshed to remind me of sweet pillowy marshmallows. This stays fairly linear, but the longevity seems to be good - most JM fade within a few hours on me and this is still going pretty strong after 5 hours. It's not a powerhouse perfume with huge sillage, but it is lovely. Having tried predominately straight florals from JM, I'm very pleasantly surprised with this vanilla. This is an easy to wear, sweet, sugary scent which can be worn quite casually as it's very approachable. It does remind me of both the dry downs of Oriana and LDBS, however, I'd say it's much closer to Oriana as opposed to LDBS.

Sweet almonds and vanilla praline rose! Quite gourmand and edible , many comparison to the Turkish sweet treat and vanilla ice cream in a waffle cone. All of it is very accurate and ROSE WATER VaNilLA is certainly a creamy rosy vanilla perfume , very feminine and very different compared to your regular JoMalone. Having said that the whole intense line is different and quite lovely, owning three of them and right now my favourite scents of my wardrobe . Natural, unique and simple with a twist, perfect for day and night , Jo Malone did it again. Great fragrance !!! This one is comparable to Montale , chocolate greedy and other Montales , sweet oriental dreams and some of their other vanilla based scents. I prefer this Jo Malone but the Montales are indeed somewhat similar. One disappointing thing about this fragrance; it has been discontinued.

I love this (2022 version)! I think those looking for a rose dominant scent have to take into account that rose is not technically a note here - it is rose water flavored loukhoum. That, in a sense, waters down the rose note two times over. With that being said, this starts off with sharp green petitgrain and neroli that then settles into a delectable powdery sweetness. It reminds me in many ways of Memo Sintra (Sintra having much more depth and complexity with the creamy/spicy elements mixed in). I think if you are fan of Sintra more so than LDBS, this is worth a sniff. It sits close to the skin but I am still getting whiffs of it 2 hours after application. A warm weather scent for me.

At first sniff I wasn't sure. I thought it was too sweet, too young, too sickly for me. I am late thirties. But then I left it for two days. Sprayed just once on my left wrist. And now I am strangely addicted to it. It's a gourmand for sure. It's creamy and sweet, but not in a cheap, mass market way. It smells like the Turkish delight I used to buy my father in Harrods' Food Hall. It is delicious. Don't get me wrong, it is seriously sweet. I would normally shun an overly sweet perfume but this is different somehow. Sweet but with depth. I get patchouli and tuberose in the dry down. I won't wear this every day, but it will make a nice change from time to time.

This review is based off of the new, 2022/2023 with the purple label. I thought based on the rave fragrantica reviews and the fact that I enjoy every rose based scent I’ve tried from JM this would be a love (sweet, rose, yes 🙌🏻) but alas it is not. I do not detect any rose whatsoever. It is very green when first sprayed, but no rose to me. Then it turns sweet-very much like a candy conversation heart. UPDATE: I now love this perfume. How does this happen? I tested it a few days and fell head over heels. It’s such an easy scent to grab. It last quite a while too, but still wish it had better sillage. Now thinking I need a back up bottle.

This is beautiful ... On me it's a very creamy Turkish delight, not overly sweet, with superb longevity ( over 12 hours) and moderate sillage. It's a very comforting perfume, which I prefer on cooler days. The beginning is rose water, but the intensity increases as time goes.The dry down retains the Turkish delight but becomes way more powdery. Its a gourmand thats not that sweet and in that respect its unique. i don't like to mix it with anything else, it's perfect as is. I can imagine though its one of those you either love or hate, so refrain from blind buying it. What a shame they discontinued this!

Love this! I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one but once I set aside any preconceived notions I really began to enjoy this for what it is. It is a yummy Turkish delight type scent, a soft and chewy candied dessert. It reminds me a lot of Funfair Evening by MMM and Love Don’t Be Shy Extreme because of the hint of candied rose. I layered it today with Ligne St. Barth A La Vanille scented lotion and it is off the charts yummy. The neroli and petigrain notes are prominent and sharp at first but this goes away fast and you’re left with this beautiful not-too-sweet dessert. I bought two bottles!

This is gorgeous. It reminds me of Kilian LDBS, but not as marshmallowy sweet. Lasted quite awhile too for an EDT. I am so glad I was able to get a bottle of this, as it is limited edition and was selling out everywhere. I purchased from Nieman Marcus and it came wrapped beautifully in the box. I see that it just a cologne, and not a cologne intense like the 2010 version. I hope to get my hands on that someday. But I highly recommend this version. Sad it is a limited edition.

2022 Release Version. This is similar imo to Oriana. It’s a powdered sugar Neroli scent. I barely detect a rose note in this. In comparison to LDBS, Rose Water is not as dense and not syrupy sweet. In comparison to Guerlain La Marie, Rose Water has more vanilla and is less floral but they are almost similar when it comes to the sweetness level. I’m a Neroli fan more than a rose fan, so I am super happy with this.

I smell incense and dry vanilla with a hint of rose and initial blush of orange blossom. Warm, airy, gentle and sexy. A big love for me. I did not like Love don't be shy from Killian which is toothachingly sweet, and do not see much parallel between this frag and Love by Killian, thankfully :) Also, for a Jo Malone cologne, this fragrance lastly easily 6-12 hour on me. Solid 8/10.

It’s very close to love don’t be shy , my husband thought I was wearing love , which is his favourite perfume. I have the old bottle ( black cologne Intense bottle ) but the new one is the same scent . I want the new beautiful bottle as my old one has slighly gone off. Love this soft rose vanilla scent. It’s just like Loukhoum treats , hence like Love don’t be shy version.

Very successful blind buy. Opening is very sharp, reminds me of 4711 cologne, but once it dries down, it is very much Love don’t be shy Extreme-ish. It’s maybe a bit sweeter? Get more powdered sugar/Turkish delight than the rose incense smell I pick up from LBDS extreme. I don’t think it’s a safe blind buy, but if you like the notes, you’re going to love it.

This is so beautiful and delicious. This is my first Jo Malone perfume and I'm very happy with it. I blind bought it as I've tried real rose Turkish delight and this is just like it. I am going to get a backup bottle as it's just so loveable. This is Rosewater powder sugar Cotton Candy done in a beautifully grown up way. Gourmand lovers.. This is for you!

The lasting power just blew me away! 10 ours! This is a beautiful jewel, don't understand why it is discontinued! At fist this perfume opens a bit fresh rose-like,an half our later i smell a beautiful mix of caramel, vanille and rose with i little hint of spicy musk. This is a very comforting scent wich i love like an hidden candy-love!

Another heartbreaker by Jo Malone. Why do you have to be so deliciously sweet and unforgettable. Like a candy I had when I was a child or the strong rose and sugar smell of the herbs in the grand bazaar, in Istanbul.

This smells like laughter. Immature school girl giddy laughter. And I love it. Tasty pastel candies that melt in your mouth. Bought the last bottle on the spot at Nordstom today. That is all.

There's a spiciness to this that I really really like. Its not even spicy. Its a sort of underlying fizz thats really good. Turkish delight though. With an interesting base. Lasts a while.

I just got the new re-release... OMG it is so beautiful! It smells just how I remembered it... I hope that they keep this around for a long time!

This is one of my ultimate favourites! Always get loads of compliments, mainly from men saying I smell like white chocolate!?!?

Beautiful easy to wear perfume. Powdered sugar and candy loukoum with a hint of rosewater. I do not pick up any patch in here.

Love it! Happy this works with my skin chemistry; can't stop sniffing my wrist!!! Beautiful from beginning to dry down...

One of the best scents from jo malone!! So sad it is discontinued!!:-(

I'm happy to have this in my collection. It's a sweet candied rose, very creamy and decadent for a Jo Malone. The floral note isn't very emphasized here even though it is detectable for the entire duration. I don't get anything close to resembling neroli or the other listed note here. I'm really shocked as to why rose isn't a listed note, because I do get it's unmistakable presence in this perfume, although it is demure. Nothing citrusy about this. I do get the Vanilla note but it's more like a praline or something more caramelized and sweet than natural vanilla extract that we commonly smell as a base note. This praline note is there from the first moment of application, and it gets stronger over time. Speaking of time, I was really shocked at how well this fragrance lasts on my skin. The reputation that commonly surrounds JM fragrances is that they have really poor longevity, but for a lot of releases I've found that this is not true. Maybe for the more floral soliflore EDCs, but this fragrance, even for a cologne "intense" (whatever that means), I can get this thing to last on me 10-12 hours easily. Sillage isn't powerhouse and fill a room, but it does pack quite a punch for the first several hours. Then after around the 8 hour mark it does die down considerably into a slightly above skin scent level. I can't wear this fragrance all the time, but when I'm in certain moods for something sweet and confectionary, but also having a floral edge to make it not so sickening this is a great one. If you miss this fragrance now that it's nearly completely gone I suggest checking out Lancome Parfait de Roses for that same creamy candied rose vibe, but who knows that one may be discontinued at this point as well. If you see a bottle of this don't hesitate to jump on it, but if not there are many other beautiful gourmand rose fragrances to be had in the current market. This was probably just one of the best.

Got mine today. First Spray, reminded me of the Eau Roma Water/ rose water spray from Lush. a very airy of rose. Once its dried down I could smell the combination of Vanilla and Neroli. With the help of Neroli, it gives me Macaron/ A light Turkish Delight Marshmallow vibe. I love how the rose is soft enough give you a tease. I love the whole collection,, such a good balance. Red Rose - full on Rose; Rose Blush - Rose and fruity; and I particularly love this one, Rose water and Vanilla, I would say this is powdery. Those 2 I would say they are mainstream, I mean quite often there are other brands mixing rose with other fruits (such as Miss Dior, Armani Diamonds) and to me this one, Rose water and Vanilla stands out. The only thing I feel pity is the packaging, it only comes in 50ml this time and its too small. Quite likely I will have to stock up before they are sold out and that would be quite pricy. We all know its cheaper to get the biggest one. Who knows maybe this is the strategy? As I realized, they raised the pricy dramatically already ever since i bought my first bottle. 2 years ago, it was 102 pounds / 100ml, the intense ones were 133 pounds/ 100 ml. After the Unnecessary repackaging, the intense ones are now 150 a pop and the regular ones are 110 each. Speaking of the packaging, i DO NOT like the purple label they use on Rose water and Vanilla, theres nothing relates to purple in this bottle. The flowers are not purple, it does not smell purple. (In fact the color of the label reminds me of lavender which they could use for those lavender scents). I would rather they use something like creme burlee or cream as the color of the label with rose red fond to give it a classic look(since its a return scent). After all, i still hope it comes in 100ml because i really love the scent.

Gourmand lovers – check this one out! I was nosing around my local Jo Malone counter the other day testing the recently-discontinued Black Vetyver Café (based on a dear fellow Fragrantican’s recommendation) and the savvy saleswoman asked me enough questions to determine I love gourmands. She steered me toward Rose Water & Vanilla and I backed away as if from a nest of wasps exclaiming, “Oh no no no. I despise florals. Especially rose and orange blossom!” Gentle and persistent, she convinced me to give the bottle a cautious ‘sniff.’ Sweet! Like the smell inside a homemade candy store! I tested and sprayed and wow – this is delicious, sweet stuff! Where Kilian’s Sweet Redemption and Love by Kilian are death by sweet florals, this has just the right mix of vanilla, rose [gasp!] and orange blossoms [double gasp!] to create something gourmandishly wonderful! A sort of Turkish delight powederd sugar confection - similar to a loukoum. It IS sweet, but I didn’t find myself choking (like on the aforementioned Kilians). The sillage was moderate and I could still smell it on my skin over 7 hours later. It is an artfully blended candied fruity “floral” (not a fruitchuli, not a linear fruity body mist) that is more akin to Pink Sugar than Serge Lutens Sa Majeste la Rose. It’s no wonder all my floral loving friends are disappointed in this one. Their loss is my gain!

This was my amusing train of thought on blind testing: "Instant youthful memory here: burnt sugar, something... something... candy, yes. Not very tasty. It's like bad burnt sugar for confections, almost homemade. Carnival? Cotton candy...ROCK CANDY. Some type of rock candy, wow they made that into a scent??" After wearing it more than once or twice though my nose was easily able to distinguish that there were creamy, orange blossom-eque florals here with a gently powdered edge similar to being dusted with frangipani, plus vanilla of course. Still not getting any rose but delightful nonetheless. At first I didn't care for it but wouldn't you know it, now I find myself craving it? Must be childhood nostalgia! Also helps that my boyfriend thinks it smells delicious. It really is powerful on projection, especially for a Jo Malone! Unfortunately I don't get the good longevity along with that, but my skin eats most scents. Serious sweet tooth fodder, right here. My nose/mind still switches back and forth between thinking "rock candy!" and "creamy sweet orange blossom" when I wear it. And I kinda like that, it's like two scents in one for me.

I blind bought this because of the reviews, and I love all things Jo Malone Rose. On first whiff, I could smell that cupcake doll smell from the early 90s- it’s a very distinct smell. I don’t like it when first sprayed, but it dries down beautifully. It’s quite warm and vanillary and I think I’ll wear this more in winter. I don’t really get the rose, but it does smell a little like Turkish delight, my def with a powdery vanilla. It’s a difficult one to describe. I think it’s pretty. It’s sophisticated girlie. Very different to anything else JM- and very complex.

Just a bit of rose water and tons of vanilla make this a sweet, warm and very comfy fragrance. I thought it too suropy the first time I tried it, but on second try I began to really appreciate it; it seemed deep, heady and not as sugary as I first thought. It lasts very long on my skin and if you're into grown up vanilla fragrances, this is worth trying.

This is a gourmand vanilla with a touch of floral on a patch base. I don’t pick up rose specifically but that’s not a deal breaker. Like most Jo Malones this stays close even with five sprays. Like it but not a big love.

This is a review of the latest iteration, with the pink label. I blind-bought this based on good reviews and because I am a sucker for rose fragrances. Unfortunately, the rose note here is very fleeting - gone within a couple of minutes. What's left is a very sugary powdery candy note. This cologne is a dead ringer for indie brand Anne-Kristel's Anne-Kristel8, but that one is of much better quality and complexity, and as an Extrait has phenomenal lasting power, despite costing a fraction of the Jo Malone.

I was very excited to try this scent, especially after reading all the positive reviews. Someone compared it to Byredo's Sundazed, which I love, but they are nothing alike. Sundazed is a fresh & sweet citrus, whereas Rose Water & Vanilla is musty old rose. Only after an hour or so does it become bearable, when most of the rose (water) settles into more of a sweet vanilla. Still, it's not a scent I will want to wear. I sold my bottle immediately.

I had high hopes when I saw this in the store because I love both rose and vanilla and I have been craving something a bit sweet and cozy. It smelled nice from the bottle but when I sprayed it on the petitgrain note was so sharp. Too green and harsh for what is otherwise a sweet fragrance. Even now 2-3 hours later when most of the petitgrain is gone there is still enough left of it that it ruins it for me.

Jo Malome Rose water&Vanilla is mostly a vanilla scent with a hint of rose in the opening. The rose note vanishes so quickly that you have to check again the bottle and see if the perfume that you tested is called ''Rosewater&vanilla'' or just ''Vanilla''!Sickly sweet and sticky like a candy floss!!Smells like pastry!Lasting power is average.If you crave for a VERY sweet tooth you may try this!

I'm not impressed with this fragrance. There are almost not roses and the vanilla note is far from the best. I prefer more deep roses fragrances, so I prefer Velvet Rose & Oud to it much more, besides it's really more interesting. As a rose lover I'm disappointed.

Intense it is! Starts indeed as mothballs mixed with artificial vanilla and dries down as super powdery vanilla. I don't smell any rose whatsoever. Lasts all day.

I've tried yesterday at the airport - but it's not my cup of tea like all rose fragrances paired with vanilla either. Too sweet, too synthetic, too much.

Burnt leaves and artificial vanilla. I think Malone has never tried loukoum or other Turkish delights in her life. This is how hookah lounges smell in the middle-eastern town. Too smoky, too heavy, migraine inducing and cloying indeed. Some of my friends tried to wear this fragrance too and we all agreed it smelled like a home diffuser, not a perfume...

I never expected that a straight-laced label like Jo Malone would release such a heavily conceptual fragrance. It really is a work of art, albeit a challenging one. Cologne Intense Rose Water & Vanilla does posses a distinct almost incense-like powdery green rose water note. However, this rose is then paired with a planet-sized jawbreaker of ambiguous sugar-shock sweetness. Smelling this made my face numb. It's just ridiculous. Intense!? You're not kidding. A more apt name would have been, "Rose Water & Five Tons of Easter Candy". It's like sticking your head into an Easter basket, and smelling all the pastel chocolate and jelly beans at the same time. The vanilla in the name does not do this juice justice. In fact the "vanilla" here does not hold any resemblance to an actual vanilla that I can detect. It just smells like a truck load of assorted candy, or rose-tinged spun sugar. The longevity and projection are exceptional. RW&V is so sweet, it is actually grotesque. That said, I kind of like it. Not to wear in public, near my vanilla-hating boyfriend, or when I am feeling emotionally stable. But every once in a while, I do like to test my sweetness threshold, and nothing is a better challenge than Jo Malone's Rose Water & Vanilla. Except maybe Cadbury Cream Eggs and Marshmallow Peeps, but those are seasonal and they make a big mess. Use with extreme caution.

Today 13 Dec. 2013 I was at the Jo Malone counter in Nordstrom's, and the rep told me that Rose Water and Vanilla is going to be discontinued. I ordered a bottle right then (I haven't tried it yet, it has been difficult to get a sample), and from what I know it is still available on the website. I've had pretty good luck with the JM fragrances that I like, so I'm not too worried whether it will be compatible with me or not. I want one before this fragrance disappears. I mention this so that for those of you who love this fragrance, you can take action. Edit: I've worn this a few times since my bottle arrived, and I like it but at the same time it scares me a little. This is super sweet, but my poor old brain can't distinguish "sugar" sweet over "vanilla syrup" sweet, with this fragrance. The rose weaves in and out of the sweetness, and I like how those two players talk to each other, in a back and forth conversation. I'm still glad I bought it. If I were about twenty years younger I'd flip over this. It is pleasant enough, but wow is it sweet! On days where my fragrance "sweet tooth" area of my limbic system is screaming at me, I spray this on (very nice longevity, btw)...and no more than two sprays, mind you...and it satisfies my "sweet" cravings. I've heard of Turkish delight but have never tasted some. Now I'm curious.

This perfume is lovely, it changes within the first 20 minutes and then remains linear. It opens with a dewy, watery rose which is fresh and rather non-descript - I guess the name is very apt; it smells like rose water and a watered down green neroli. (My reaction was ‘meh’ and I walked on). After a few minutes the neroli starts to sweeten & thicken. A few more minutes; It continues to sweeten and I smell Turkish delight. The neroli remains present and the dry down is sweet, candied neroli with just a tease of rose. I can compare the dry down with the likes of ‘Love don’t be shy extreme’ and ‘Oriana’ - but the opening of this fragrance didn’t impress me too much so worth giving it some time to develop before making a decision. I think this will be nice is the spring - I like neroli and rose but if they’re not your jam it’s probably not going to be for you. Longevity was good and the fragrance was present for 7 hours, the projection is soft but consistent - I think this will project better in warmer weather. I did end up purchasing a bottle, it’s very pretty for those feminine moments - and not the usual scent profile I go for.

I was initially discouraged because of the extremely sharp, bitter green opening, but this fragrance quickly transitions into something soft, sweet and powdery on my skin. The mid is a combination of powdered sugar and a touch of baby powder with a hint of floral neroli. The dry down becomes sweeter and more vanillic - more powdered sugar, the baby powder disappears (thankfully), and the floral note becomes almost fruity with all that delicious sweetness. I can definitely understand the comparisons to Killian’s Love Don’t Be Shy at this stage. I also think it is quite similar to Zara x Jo Malone Rose Marshmallow Candy (one of my favorites!), or Reminiscence Guimauve (although, Guimauve is a lot stronger and more aromatic, to my nose). I am really enjoying this one, but because of the sharp opening and the powdery mid-notes, I don’t think it is a safe blind buy for everyone. Get yourself a sample first, if possible!

If you can imagine the tail-end whisper of Montale's Sweet Oriental Dream with a breath of L'Artisan's Seville A'Laube, you have a pretty spot on idea of Rose Water and Vanilla. I find the orange blossom in this is stronger than the other notes, but the powdery rose and vanilla smoothes any indolic edges. The Loukhoum aspect is very restrained, its more like inahling the scent of the box, or the tissue paper it comes in, rather than the treat itself, which is simply ethereal. While its a very soft scent, the lasting power is very reasonable, 6+ hours at least. I keep getting gentle wisps of it greeting my nose quite often throughout the day, which is a fabulous pick me up without affecting the environment around me. A very office-friendly scent and layers beautifully with Red Roses.

I bought it on my trip to Paris; I so wanted to buy a French perfume and bought an English one instead, but no regrets whatsoever. This is intoxicating indeed: I get more orange blossom than rose, it's very sweet and syrupy, but not even remotely disgusting or overwhelming (and I wore this in summer). I find it delightful, the drydown is especially nice. I did not get any turkish delight in this, and it is not like middle eastern rose fragrances, either. In fact, I have difficulty comparing it to other perfumes, I haven't tried anything very similar to this...I'm thinking of Kilian's sweet redemption, or perhaps Mancera's rose greedy, but no. Jo Malone is more aromatic and green than straightforward gourmand. I think it's a very unique vanilla scent that is at least worth a try.

I am reviewing the 2022-23 edition. I never smelled the original (more fool me). I love gourmands but have steered clear of lokhoum perfumes as I usually find the too sweet. I am a dedicated rose lover though, so I had to try this. I was immediately drawn in by the warm vanilla combined with the fresher neroli. However, I soon got the lokhoum reference- much more substantial and edible than the others in the range with a more delicate rose. Also - the sugar. However this is more of a dusting of sugar than sticky syrup. There are also heavier notes, the patchouli and vanilla making a sort of praline effect. This is not a fairy pink perfume (that is Delina for me) - it is an Indian princess in her palace, eating rose almond desert, inhaling scented breezes from her garden.

I love rose scents but the only problem is that the majority of them smell like bathroom freshener which is not exactly the angle I am going for. This is one of the exceptions. A water soft rose with a vanilla and green blend that is wearable, intense, yet doesn't blast your nostrils into the back of your head, as many perfumes do with the word "intense" in the their name. I've also tried Jo's Red Roses but for me it suffers from Curse of the Bathroom Spray. Don't be put off from trying this one if aren't a fan of Red Roses. Lasts a long time with a persistent but not obtrusive scent. My other favorite rose scent is Stella, so if you like that one too but are looking for a change this is a must try.