Black Vanilla Absolute

Black Vanilla Absolute by Perry Ellis is one of three releases from their Oud collection. It was released in 2015 and has been putting the frag community in a headlock ever since. U know how like good frags get broken down names...like La nuit, Lidge, DHI, TDH, Well guys make room for BVA. I really like masculine vanilla scents and after I learned about the new line of Perry Ellis fragrances and realized one was a boozy Vanilla/Amber scent, I had to blind buy it immediately and hope for the best. I mean after all I was buying a perry ellis frag and only liked One frag the ever made which was Red... Boy has my faith been rewarded. I've been wearing Black Vanilla Absolute for a couple weeks str8 and it is an amazingly beautiful scent. You know its great when a reviewer uses the words "Amazing" and "Beautiful" back to back...lmao. But seriously this is one of my favorite scents in my collection and I've only had it for a few days. I have many scents that are arguably better but there is just something about this that just blows my mind. Maybe its the fact that I just still can't believe PERRY ELLIS made this... The vanilla in this is smooooooooooooth and the amber has a resinous character to it. Im also a huge fan of resinous scents. Combined, vanilla and resinous Amber have a deep sweet character that I love and this is no exception. Normally Vanilla based scents are more feminine to my nose but this is not. This is no Eau Duelle by Diptyque ...Women can wear it if they choose but this scent, regardless of its sweetness, the booziness makes it lean more masculine to me. It makes me think of a rich man reading an old book in the library of his mansion while sipping rum on a leather Chesterfield. It has a rich and sophisticated vibe that persists throughout the entire life of the fragrance and is seductive. Women will appreciate this on a man. Speaking of the "life of the fragrance" this one is very interesting. It lasts for about 8 hours on my skin but it projects mildly. I didn't get enveloped by a scent cloud that followed me everywhere I went. I'm shocked by so many saying they get Heavy Sillage (maybe olfactory fatigue sets in on this) because to me its more moderate. People noticed me but I didn't drown them in boozy vanilla...And I'm glad of this. I'd not want this scent to be too loud even though I do enjoy loud scents but this smells waaaaaaaaay to good to be at a high school level loudness. Besides a vanilla that is toooo loud verges on the fem side of the tracks and I'm glad the perfumer of this scent held back. As with all boozy or vanilla scents this would work best in the fall or winter. But I dig this smell so much and since its not a going to suffocate, I'm eager to try this during Spring and summer nights. I received 3 unsolicited compliments while wearing it before I walked out of my apartment building. No exaggeration. The elevator stopped on two floors and both times a female neighbor walked on and asked what I was wearing. And as I was walking out the building I passed a neighbor who was walking in and she said "wow...U smell great". That was all I needed to know...Who said a scent has to smell generic to be a crowd pleaser? I won't lie though...I'm almost embarrassed to tell people I'm wearing Perry Ellis...lol...and when I do, I wonder if they feel embarrassed that they wanted to know about a Perry Ellis scent. lmao...First Dunhill Icon and Now Perry Ellis...I wonder when Liz Claiborne will be dropping a Gem. lol...I hope these amazing releases from once overlooked brands pushes the creativity of more respectable houses that have gone the generic route. Simply Put...A brilliant fragrance from a surprising source... 10/10- I'm biased because I love scents like this...But I highly recommend trying. 9/10- If I were being unbiased.... YouTube Channel- Simply Put Scents

I'm new to modern cologne but my collection is expanding quickly. I started with Axe Gold Oud and dark vanilla deodorant and really liked it so I figured I'd try to find a cologne that sort of smelled like it. I cook a lot and really love the smell of vanilla. This was my first cologne since wearing Drakkar Noir in college around the turn of the century. So this is a review from a relative newby. I absolutely love this scent! It is most definitely vanilla but not an overwhelmingly sweet, feminine, sugary vanilla. It really smells like high quality real (versus cheap synthetic) cooking vanilla. Quality cooking vanilla has an almost alcohol smell to it along with the obvious vanilla. This smells the same! It has a boozy quality to it that is far from being a cupcake vanilla (like cheap, synthetic cooking vanilla smells like). Being new to modern cologne, I can't comment on what oud smells like because I just don't know and have nothing to compare it to. Thus, to me it's a vanilla cologne. It does dry down to a kind of powdered scent. I n any case, I love it. So, as someone that is, again, new to cologne, could anyone suggest something else similar to this? I'd just like some variety. This will be heavy in my rotation because who doesn't like vanilla? Thanks in advance to anyone with suggestions and I will look back on this post from time to time. UPDATE: I now own quite a few bottles of fragrances and the majority of them have vanilla as the most prominent note or at least listed as a note. This is because, frankly, I love vanilla. Anyways, this is by far, hands down, my favorite vanilla fragrance and my favorite fragrance period. That boozy vanilla really impressed the girl working at the fragrance counter at my local Peebles (also called Stage or Coach elsewhere; "local" being over an hour away). She sells fragrances, obviously, and said she had never smelled Dark Vanilla Absolute before but that it was the best men's vanilla she has ever smelled on a man. Could it be just me? Absolutely, I'm awesome. Haha! J/K. I'm not that arrogant, it was the BAV. This was my first non Playboy cologne I bought when I started wearing fragrances again after 10 years or so and I really had no idea what a masterpiece my novice rear end had stumbled upon. I bought more bottles in search of something better than this if it existed but haven't found anything that is better at doing vanilla. This is it, the best, and my search has ended. I'll keep purchasing other fragrances because I like all the uniqueness and creativity designers put into their scent but because of Black Vanilla Absolute I don't need to hunt down any more vanilla. To me, it really is just that wonderful. And price! I would honestly pay much more. I'm sure at this point many of you reading this are thinking that it can't be THAT good but I think this is just a fragrance wearer's reaction when you find your signature scent. You know, the ONE. It just fits you. I, personally, am just that overwhelmingly pleased. Eros and Le Male are also both very good and more unique as they are more than just vanilla (citrus vanilla and mint vanilla) but Dark Vanilla Absolute does simply vanilla the best. Just my opinion. I really love this stuff and, as silly as it sounds, I have small regrets on days when I put something else on and wish I had reached for this one. One last note: gourmand and sweet scents tone down significantly on me. No idea why but it's worth mentioning that this could very well be too sweet on other guys. My chemistry works extremely well with this but every scent smells differently from person to person. As I've found out through some horrendous errors (like any lemon dominant fragrance...a big no on me!), try it first!

Black Vanilla Absolute is a great name for this fragrance as it features a dark, booze-laden vanilla extract accord over a smooth, amber-oud base. When it opens there is a distinct and sweet bubblegum note that more or less dominates. It's different than the bubblegum from scents like Invictus and One Million however. I almost want to say that it's sweeter, and definitely airier with a kind of higher frequency. I've never smelled "white tobacco" before, but it's described as a sweet smelling floral similar to jasmine, and over the rum and vanilla it's probably what creates this effect. It smells like a powdery piece of original flavor pink gum and lasts intensely for about 10 minutes before dissipating. It's an interesting start, and somehow manages to avoid smelling synthetic. Understandably, this reminds people of Spiritueuse Double Vanille, and it's certainly the booziest vanilla I've smelled since. If you're averse to rum, you definitely won't like this. There's a prominent rum note--a good one--but it's pretty strong, and hangs around for a while. So if you like rum...you're in luck! It also features a deep style of amber, which actually sits below the vanilla and creates a round, encompassing base working in tandem with the oud. Overall, everything is pretty well-balanced and harmonious. This is a very smooth and well-composed fragrance with average projection and good longevity. The only caveat with stuff like this is that you really need to make sure you like the notes as they are quite distinct--vanilla, rum, amber, oud, and white tobacco--all are very much present in Black Vanilla Absolute. This isn't one of those fragrances where you look at the note pyramid and scoff. Everything that's listed is there. Personally, I think this is an excellent offering from Perry Ellis and possibly the best designer release of 2015. It feels more luxurious than its price would suggest and is more interesting than 90% of the stuff at Macy's. At the same time, it's comfortable and easy to wear. Black Vanilla performs well and is 100% unisex. Guys will enjoy this because there's no frou-frou florals or makeup notes floating around and women may like to wear it because it offers a deeper, darker vanilla alternative. PERRY F***KIN ELLIS! Who'd have thunk it? Thumbs up.

Perry Ellis Oud Black Vanilla Absolute Review: This scent opens up with a very nice rum note. This note is sweet and maintains the perfect level of booziness. It certainly does not come off as sharp or abrasive. I was worried that this note would just be present in the first few minutes and then disappear for the rest of the fragrance. I was pleasantly surprised. The rum note does take a backseat to the vanilla after the opening, but it doesn't go away completely. Instead, it mixes in with the vanilla to make a wonderful boozy scent. The amber in the dry down holds this fragrance together beautifully. Even though this fragrance has Oud in it's title, it certainly isn't one of the key players in this fragrance. It's only ever in the background of the boozy vanilla smell. The only problem I have with this smell is that, very rarely, it can come off as just a little too sweet. I would check this one out if you like vanilla or boozy fragrances. This would be a perfect choice for the colder months. That being said, I have worn this in the hotter weather and it worked perfectly fine. I also think this is a great unisex fragrance. While I do love wearing this one, I would certainly be happy if I went on a date with a woman who was wearing this. The biggest problem with this fragrance is it's availability and prices online. For some unknown reason, Perry Ellis has only put a limited amount of these bottles out on the market. I luckily paid only $40 for my bottle. Do I think the smell and quality of this fragrance is worth $100? I do. That being said, I think one of the biggest benefits of Perry Ellis is that you're spending less money for a quality smell. People selling bottles of this for $200 seems like such a cheat. Here's to hoping Perry Ellis listens to the consumer and produces more of this gem. Best Age Group- 20+ Best Season(s)- Fall/Winter Occasions- Dates, Casual, Formal, Work Projection/Sillage- Moderate Longevity- 11 Hours Smell- 9/10 Overall- 9/10 YouTube Channel: theaveragecologneguy

Excellent! Perry Ellis makes a few really nice fragrances that are just as good, if not better, than the original designer's they copy. And I enjoy having them around because they are inexpensive and a great value. However, they make a bunch of...well, let's just say lackluster fragrances. So it's hard to image Perry Ellis making something original and of niche-like quality. I took at a chance and a did a blind-buy of a bottle of Oud Black Vanilla Absolute after reading the positive comments and reviewing the notes pyramid. It was reasonably priced so I could give it a relative if I didn't like it. Let me just say that I will be keeping this one. The opening was nice and I remember thinking to myself that it was a pretty good scent, but nothing that was noteworthy or grabbed my attention. But as the fragrance started to develop, I was loving it a 20-minutes later and for the next 8+ hours it remained on my skin. I found Oud Black Vanilla Absolute to be a terrific boozy-vanilla fragrance with a niche-like quality and excellent performance...8+ hours on my skin and above average projection. Moreover, the bottle was solid and well presented. Definitely one of the best releases ever from Perry Ellis. I wore this fragrance out this evening and received several compliments. The only drawback is that it's not a unique scent since it smells similar to SDV, Cologne of the Missions and a couple of my Middle Easter oriental-vanilla fragrances. However, it is a bargain at $50 per 100ml. Moreover, I don't feel it's redundant having this one in my collection because it does have it's own unique character and charm. Someone mentioned that it reminded them of SDV mixed with a just a touch of M7. At least that's the feeling it evoked when I wore it. Finally, I have to say that I will no longer be recommended Cologne of the Missions to anyone looking for a less-expensive alternative to SDV...I will now refer them to take a close look at Perry Ellis Oud Black Vanilla Absolute. A really great fragrance.

A bit underwhleming given all the positive reviews; this was always going to be a, excuse the term, ''B-tec'' Spiritueses DV for me. I know that'll cause disagreement and even upset a few but I just cannot get past the trap of the annoying 'limey bergamot' vibe I get at the opening of the Perry Ellis. It almost lends a screechy theme to the 1st hour of wearing, killing the deal for me. During this hour, it's sadly thin on the vanilla and 'airy', sort of annoyingly diluted but 'there' sort of feeling. Not close to the delicious and intoxicating wham of Greatness on the 1st spray of SDV. Does not pick up that wonderful hint of 'sugar-water' that co-exists incredibly with the faint and addictive boozy/rum accord and of course the vanilla at the start either. After an hour, things all start to pick up, and fast however. Wisps of tobacco, thicker, syrupy vanilla and even incense start to rise up and dominate in a big cloud. Per say, I might being a bit harsh; it was never going or meant to be as good (as complete) as The Masterpiece that is SDV simply down to the bargain-bin price point. Literally can buy 60ml bottle of this for under $50. Compared to SDV's $200 for 75ml. Make of that what you will,, could be someone's dream come true. Doesn't have the slightest hint of pungent oud/woodyness that Bois d'Or has, nor the annoying nondescript powder or honey sweetness or just generic ambery-orange haze that plagues this genre. Also avoids the dreaded 'Play-doh' note that can lead to a cloying experience. So these are very welcome plusses in favor for it depending on tastes. Ah,, it's trying, so I'll be generous. My rating: 6/10 PS: If you want a properly upscale but 'cut price' Vanilla: try Beredoues' Oud Wa Vanilla.Possibly the most underrated Vanilla on the market, Niche proper and those missing the oud hit, you will surely get it there compared to non-existant in this Perry Ellis. But it's still faint enough for me, and that is pretty faint. Give Oud Wa Vanilla a try =)

Batch; 16267MEBZ (not found on CheckFresh.com OR CheckCosmetic.net) I just received this in the mail and applied for the first time. I know it's more valuable to review it after trying it for a while, but I'm too excited and have to write something. I can always come back and add to it. Opening; This is very light and extremely unoffensive. I have to hold my sprayed skin fairly close to my nose to take it all in. Baking vanilla extract all the way, just like I've heard, not the usual vanilla note in frags. It has that quality vanilla smell you get from Madagascar Bourban Vanilla extract with an alcohol base. During the opening, when held very close to my nose, it smells so much like the drydown of John Varvatos original but lighter. The two share absolutely no LISTED notes in common. The only similarity is JV has woody notes and this claims oud, so I suspect they used similar ingredients to achieve those, but that JV was more honest in how they listed the note. I must admit I haven't smelled real oud yet that I'm aware of. JV original is my first frag buy on this new adventure of mine. I went to every department store and smelled all they had multiple times and JV original was my clear winner. This is the only frag that I've smelled similar to it in any way. Drydown; The vanilla extract turns into a chalky vanilla that distinctly reminds me of the vanilla flavored sugar dipsticks they sell in Fun Dip, which I haven't had in decades. The memories fragrance can evoke never ceases to surprise me. The skin scent is still reminiscent of JV, but even lighter. Longevity; After only an hour of wearing this, it doesn't seem it will last very long. I don't think this frag is strong enough to cause olfactory fatigue and I look forward to reapplying it or another frag when it fades. I highly recommend this fragrance for the money. I think it's a very safe blind buy.

I'm not really inclined to a full review as I just got a 1ml decant off eBay . I did however just spray it all over my hand wrist and shirt. Wow. This stuff smells great. Such a sweet, but not cloying sweet. It's defiantly just a very pleasing scent to the nose. I'm really impressed that this designer house has come up with this scent, I mean I like the way this smells over a lot of my niche fragrances I've dropped lots of cash on in the same category. It's been running strong for a few hours. If you're wondering if your going to smell an oud note like the one in oud alif, no. Like tom ford oud wood, no. Like the one in scent story 24 gold, mmmmmm gettin close, but it's one I've never really smelt before. I get more of a sandlewood, sweet tobacco with a divine vinialla note going on here, but instead of discerning the notes and thinking about all that, I just want to enjoy the intoxicatingly good aroma while it lasts. My only problem with this fragrance right now is how HARD it is to find. I'm NOT paying $100 for a cheap designer either so if someone wants to help one fragrance connisour to another, can you please PM me if you have a bottle to sell? I'm not picky as long as it has the cap. Thanks!! Edit update 12/7/2015 Thanks to the more than helpful and nice fragrance community, I was just informed that beautyspin.com just restocked this fragrance. If I were you, I'd jump on it. I got a couple. If you use code SANTA10 you will get 10% off your order all December. This is going to be one of them fragrances that people will pay ridiculous amounts for here in the next couple years when it s gone. That or I hope it drives down Guerlain SDV prices...

I love vanilla, booze, oud, amber and tobacco notes. It looked impossible for me not to like this fragrance. So, I blind bought it and I am glad I did it. After spraying you get a boozy sweet vanilla scent that reveal an oud background some minutes later. The vanilla persists almost all the time. As you reach the dry down the vanilla-oud scent is blended with amberish-sweet tobacco notes. The blending is very well made, and if like Oriental Gourmand fragrances, you will love this one. Nice performance with 2 hours projection, an armlenght sillage at the peak and a longevity of 8+ hours. Let us see what the maths tell us about this EDT: Scent opening: 9.0 (my judgement) Scent dry down: 9.0 (my judgement) Longevity: 8.0 (average for the existing notes) Sillage: 8.0 (same as longevity) Uniqueness: 9.0 (You may get vibes of other vanilla fragrance but this cologne is preety unique) Wearability: 8.5 (Winter, Autumn, early Spring, Night and Day) Versatility: 8.5 (yes but with some moderation to socializing, events, restaurants, and office type of situations; Ok for clubbing, night out, bar with friends, dates and "close encounters"; Not for the gymn or any situations where you may swet) Quality: 8.0 (my judgement; In my opinion this fragrance should perform better) Presentation: 9.0 (very nice bottle, classy and not tacky; good sprayer) Price: 7.0 (100 ml for $32.00 + VAT) Overall rating for this fragrance: 8.40/10.00 I do recommend it. This is the best Perry Ellis fragrance together with "360 Red for men" and "m". I want to try "Saffron Rose Absolute" now. Watch out Oud lovers out there. This is a Vanilla fragrance not an Oud fragrance.

Well, what a surprise this one turned out to be! I purchased a bottle of Perry Ellis Black Vanilla Absolute based on the fact that some have said it smells like Guerlain's Spiritueuse Double Vanille. I was very keen to try it and at the same time I was hoping that they were alike as the SDV is my signature scent. As soon as I sprayed this on my arm I could detect smoke, incense, vanilla, patchouli (although not listed), light oud and rum, rum and more rum! The Tobacco is not prominent in this fragrance, it does not overpower the other notes at all. There is a subtle sweetness to it like the sweetness you would find in cinnamon based fragrances. This is a rich, boozy, well blended beauty that is both sophisticated and perfect enough for day wear and night. This fragrance is all about the dry down, the opening felt like all of the notes were trying to combine to create a wonderful ending. I would personally wear this scent in Fall and Winter, it is a perfect one to wear for the holiday season as it is warm, comfortable and inviting. Now, the million dollar question, does it smell like SDV? Well lets just say that this could easily be SDV's flanker! Black Vanilla Absolute has more pronounced smoke to it, possibly coming from the Amber/Oud but I do see a slight resemblance in the dry down. This scent is not so powerful so in order for you to enjoy a cloud around you, you would need a heavy hand while spraying. Longevity and projection are excellent. The price is incredibly affordable, the packaging and bottle are worth much more on their own! I am surprised (and glad!) that a company could make such a good quality perfume for so cheap!

First impressions: Blown away that Perry Ellis created this...Its deep that my favorite brands have been disappointing lately. For instance Chanel misleading customers by relabeling the Eau De Toilettes in the Allure line now as Eau De Parfum when the juices haven't changed in concentration one bit. Or Dior doing the ultimate "F**k it!" and creating Sauvage... Meanwhile brands like Perry Ellis and Dunhill are creating GEMS worthy of the Chanel or Dior name as well as niche brands. Interesting times we're in when the "generic" designers are creating unique, quality fragrances that are actually interesting and the respected designers, known for their creativity and uniqueness, are now making boring, generic lower quality fragrances that all smell like a "Best Seller". The good thing of all this is while the masses continue to smell like each other, scents like this get overlooked. If u own this u will smell very good but won't smell like a million other people. Scents like this people remember you for wearing. The unfortunate things though is that because it will be overlooked this may lead to discontinuations and another amazing scent being fazed out. I truly hope that doesn't happen with this new release by Perry Ellis. Im very happy as a fragrance lover that the little guys are pushing the envelope. KUDOS PERRY ELLIS. Simply put...An EXCELLENT blind buy candidate for those of you who like a smooth vanilla and boozy scent. Full review coming soon... YouTube Channel- Simply Put Scents

Perry Ellis Black Vanilla Absolute is virtually Joop! Homme Wild meets Axe Oud and Dark Vanilla. That said, the fragrance projects and smells better. I got this in a swap and I definitely came out the winner on that one. Even if my climate doesn't allow me to wear it as often. Black Vanilla Absolute starts out with a strong boozy vanilla mix. You get rum but it isn't sweet rum like in say Joop! Homme Wild or even a spiced rum. It is just a boozy rum note matched perfectly with vanilla. The vanilla lasts and lasts. It goes into the oud heavy mid (and softens it) and into the tobacco base. There is a slight ambergris in the base too. The fragrance projects pretty good. It isn't exactly beast mode, but does heavy sillage and it does last and last. I sprayed it on as my scent of NYE at about 10 and it is still strong on me 10 hours later. It isn't like I have to try to smell it on me. Black Vanilla Absolute really is limited in use. It is a cold winter scent. You really can't wear it for fall and it should not work in spring and summer at all. I can't see it working in the office because it is a strong scent. I also wouldn't exactly wear it to kick it. That said it works really good dresses up for weddings and formal dinners, concerts, and night outs. I wouldn't say clubs since it is not a fit most clubs. Maybe a more formal bar. Perry Ellis Black Vanilla Absolute is my third favorite fragrance and I LOVE it. I wish I could wear it more, but it is what it is. I rate it a 9.2 out of 10.

Maybe it's because this fragrance is so new, there's differing info floating around; some places call it for men, others for women, and some say both. Not that big a deal I suppose, but just yet another hiccup when trying to find this stuff for full-bottle purchase. But as of now, it's pretty hard to find. Ever since I discovered Guerlain Spiritueuse Double Vanille, I've been on this "vanille" kick and have been searching for something affordable and as comparable to SDV as possible. Before this, I always immediately dismissed vanilla-scents as feminine, and boy have I been missing out! So now, foolishly, I blindly compare occasional vanilla-oriented scents to what I have left of my SDV; I know it's not fair but I do it anyway. Okay, sorry for rambling, on with it I suppose? Okay. This stuff, Black Vanilla Absolute; it's lovely! For me, it's a vanilla cognac served on a dry wooden coaster that emanates a woodsy smell as you sniff your drink. Light for an EdP and also for a vanilla-dominant fragrance, vanilla can often times overwhelm but it's just right here, even leaving you wanting slightly more. I'm sold. If this stuff wasn't so damn hard to find, I'd already own a full bottle. I would rate this 9/10 for me; it's not a "perfect 10" but it really fits the bill for my current vanilla phase. And for the record, it's close enough to Spiritueuse DV that I marked it "reminds me of", but it's definitely not as potent nor exactly like it.

Let me be the first to say Lighten can strike twice"and by that I mean that some years ago Perry Ellis did an exclusive fragrance for Neiman Marcus. I wonder when seeing this thinking "What on earth could this possibly smell like to get in a Neiman's store and it had a price tag to boot as well. I never got a chance to try that fragrance and felt bad for years thinking on what could've been a fantastic frag but let us fast forward to the "NOW" and speak on these three jewels. I have 2 already the Black Vanilla and the Saffron Rose and let just say these are very good. The suggested retail was 90+ but here in the states it's a bit cheaper with some sites creeping the price back up giving the word of mouth that's going on about this collection. The Black Vanilla is a cross between a Guerlains Double Vanlla and Missions Le Couvent des Minimes Vanilla. It's a softer version of the Double Vanilla and bit stronger the Missions Vanilla. It starts off almost unnoticeable for about 10min and then stays all nite. The rum makes the appearance first IMO then the Tabacco and then the Vanille, Amber and Oud(not a overpowering Oud ) brings it all together. I would suggest that you get these jewels while the price is still reasonable because where I paid 40+ for one the price has already shot to 60+....

This one to me is much more like SDV from guerlain than it is eau de missions. Eau De missions to me never really captured the boozy dark vibe of SDV. Perry ellis has. And it hurts to say that. I have not been impressed with anything from perry ellis in decades. Everything would be lacking from the presentation to the performance to the quality of the smell in general. My only gripe with this one is the initial blast has a faint alcohol smell and then a slightly synthetic oud that resembles the garbage that nu parfums use. That note is fleeting though and it becomes much closer to the guerlain it seems to give a nod to. Longevity on me is amazing. Both sillage and projection are moderate on me but I am fine with that. For me its not the type of scent I want screaming from the rooftops anyways. And that was always my issue with SDV. I love it but I know others may not. And I am not the type who wants to choke others out and force my smell on them. I would say this is the best release from perry ellis period. Some will say, "that aint saying much" and it isn't. But I really do feel if this said Armani, chanel or Dior people would take it seriously. Oh and I forgot to mention. The bottle and box rival anything in the designer game. The quality is above and beyond anything I expected.

Well, this is simply beautiful. Vanilla and rum heaven. It has a bit of a smokey kick to it that darkens it up a bit. This absolutely shines in cold weather and will definitely be lovely around Christmas. Longevity is medium and sillage is rather soft, but this is the kind of fragrance that does well as a "come closer" type of fragrance. It will get people to lean in. Very romantic kind of scent. If you like boozy vanilla with a bit of darker edge, give this one a try. Edit May 28th. 2020 We had a couple of winter days again in early spring, it was really cold and a little snow came back. Until then I hadn't noticed the tobacco in it, but during those cold days, it really came out. I was standing outside on a windy day and smelled sweet tobacco in the air around me and it took me a while to realise that it was coming from me. Up until then I mainly could smell the vanilla and rum. After it was back in full spring and summer it went back to being mostly the vanilla and rum. Both "versions" are beautiful but I've put it aside for using in the fall and winter because I think the tobacco being more prominent adds such a lovely depth to the overall experience. Very nice indeed.

Perry Ellis Oud Black Vanilla Absolute has been the recipient of a lot of hype due to its alleged similarity to Guerlain Spiritueuse Double Vanille, and I agree that the two are very similar. OBVA is a refined vanilla scent that gets to the very heart of what makes vanilla great--the bean without the caked-over, artificially-heavy vibe. It might be ever so slightly boozier than SDV, so it leans toward Tauerville Vanilla Flash in that respect. OBVA still is not as refined and strong (in terms of projection and longevity) as SDV, but it's decently close in both respects. Certainly a reasonably-priced substitute if it becomes available again at under 20% of the cost of SDV. I haven't tried Le Couvent Des Minimes - Eau Des Missions but this is generally described as a lighter SDV clone, so I'm assuming OBVA has to be similar. OBVA is a superb vanilla scent, so even though I already own SDV, I would still opt for a bottle of OBVA if still available at circa $60 for 100ml on Beautyspin. Only at a significantly higher price would this become questionable. Still, SDV is worth owning in its own right as the preeminent vanilla scent in terms of refinement and strength. 8 out of 10

My previous review, which I deleted, was for a sample I got from a fellow member. It was in one of those small plastic atomizer bottles they used to use at Sephora's. I think there was some other fragrance in there and he just reused it without cleaning it, because sampling this from an actual bottle is very different. Now I get a creamy but only slightly sweet vanilla as the star of the show. And I can see why many compare it to SDV, which I have also tried. This one is a bit drier and not as syrupy as SDV, but if you don't want to spend the money on SDV this one might be an adequate substitute. There's not much complexity here (and I didn't think SDV was complex either), but it's very pleasant. I've got many vanilla-dominant fragrances but I think I'd rank this high on that list. If you smell it up close on the skin it might not smell quite as good, so keep that in mind. Joop! Homme Wild is similar but has more notes/complexity; unfortunately, J!HW is definitely on the "chemical" side of things, which some won't mind and others will dislike.

$29.99 at Burlington. For being a Perry Ellis fragrance this one is surprisingly good. Photorealistic vanilla bean with a pleasant oud note. Not a challenging oud but a well blended, soft woody oud. I haven't smelled the guerlain fragrance it is compared to but to me it smells closest to khamrah with less spice, more vanilla and a bit smother. I actually like it better because it smells stronger and more masculine. The vanilla bean pairs extremely well with the rum note and the tobacco is a fresh light tobacco giving a touch of maturity and depth. Longevity seems good but I can't be sure because I just picked this up a couple hours ago. pick it up if you like boozy gourmand vanilla. If you can find it that is. Edit: looks like the bottles being sold at Burlington are not real or a shadow release from Falic Fashion Group LLC which seems very unlikely. At closer look the presentation is very different different from the original. Either way the juice smells absolutely fantastic, lasts long and is as described on here. Very mysterious indeed!

To me it's very much like cologne mission and spiritual Vanille with a dash of Aoud, really great alternative to those but a little more to my liking because of the sweet gentle Aoud. I should point out that when I first got this I couldn't smell the Aoud at all, it just seemed like a classy boozey vanilla but the last three times I've worn it I can definitely smell Aoud, so that can happen, give this one a few goes before reviews because I read someone say it is weak and not last long, but even since day one my bottle has been long lasting. It's not a loud scent, virtually a skin scent but long lasting like over ten hours. It's nothing like that Joop in my opinion. But I only smelled that joop once in the chemist and didn't like it. My dentist said this one smells expensive. I think it's a great perfume if you buy it for a good price. I'd not spend well over one hundred dollars for it on eBay thou and no way over two hundred on Amazon. Try to get it from fragrancex, I'm not affiliated, just shop there A+