Amandes Orientales

This is something completly different then I expected. This is as grown up as an vanilla could be I think. It starts with notes of marsipan and I first belived it was going to be too sweet, but that phase only lasted a few minutes, then the vanilla joins in, and the dusty, smoky notes. You can ́t really imagine a vanilla being that smoky... it ́s like a kind of dark roasted adult vanilla version, if such a thing could excist. This sure lingers around, it a dry, non-foody vanilla-almond. How can a vanilla-almondy perfume be non-gourmand? I don ́t know, it ́s so strange, but comfy... I love it almost as much as Red Aoud from the same company, but watch out Amandes Orientales could be kind of hard to wear. Why ́s that? Oh, it ́s so dirty. Behind the most innocent of notes as vanilla and almond, hidden in the smoky curls there are something deep, mysterious, animalic, erotic hiding. And yes, it ́s THAT kind of dirty... you know like BO, sweat, hot bodies, the bed after... and well, one of the skankiest perfumes I ever smelled and appreciate at the same time. I don ́t want to tell anybody what happens if I wear Amandes orientales at the same time as mu husband wears Black Aoud... some of you maybe can guess? ;) Loooonglasting and gorgeus, soft, musky drydown. I do recommend you to try it, but I don ́t think it is for everyone.

This is exceptional! The bourbon vanilla is enormous, by far the booziest vanilla I have ever encountered. The top notes smell rubbery, perhaps there is some oud here, even if it is not listed. There are more notes than Montale reveals (I even went to their website hoping for the secret recipe, but there was nothing). I detect tobacco and some itty-bitty amount of some kind of citrus (kumquat? Tangerine?) as well as almonds. What's uncanny is that as the perfume wears, I go about my day and then occasionally catch these whiffs of toasted almonds; yet if I put my nose to my arm I do not smell them at all. This is like a superfine version of L de Lolita. Instead of vanilla, cinnamon, and orange the notes are replaced with more exotic ones like bourbon vanilla, kumquat, tobacco, toasted slivered almonds, and oud. This is indeed an oriental almond! And I love it!

This is very weird but on me, its lily. My boyfriend feels lily too. On paper it is more almondy, but not in the obvious way. Its not like marzipan or toasted almonds. I can agree with previpud reviews it has almost something medicinal, but as I said- thats on paper. I really have mixed feelings about this. Its not what I expected at all, I like it but on paper I dont like it.

Sherapop does it again! Amandes is one of a kind. The only Montale I'd trade my soul for! I can see why it's disliked or simply adored. Stands alone like a monolith amongst other almond vanilla fragrances. It's marzipan creaminess with a crust that bristles. A small squirt in the summer, and plenty when days turn chilly and smoky. Honestly, 10/10 from me.

Sherapop has captured the essence of Amandes Orientales. I really don't care if other people around me are thrown into kdisarray by its uniqueness. Its enough that I'm curled up in a milky cocoon and the world echoing far away.