Vaniglia

This was my absolute favorite fragrance I smelt after spending close to 2 hours in the Via Della Scala store. I couldn’t leave without buying a full bottle.. I knew I would heavily regret it if I did. The lovely woman that was assisting me also adores this fragrance, but informed me that it’s really not popular. I guess I felt surprised to learn that, for it is incredibly beautiful. I’m not going to pretend that I know everything about the history of this perfumery, but I believe that this is one of their oldest, original formulations. To me it is timeless. The warmth that this scent exudes is intoxicating. Yes, as others here have pointed out, there is an animatic quality to it... and that is what makes it so intoxicating. There is no sugary, syrupy sweetness to be found here. Nothing artificial or cloying. Just a very full-bodied true vanilla with a hint of spice and dark liquor. So rounded and smooth. Modern-day vanillas never appeal to me because they are always so creamy, sugary and sticky. What makes this so appealing is that it is so far removed from all of that. There is no stickiness that gives me a headache. It is luxurious without being too in your face. It is very sensual. I cannot stop smelling my wrists. I cannot stop spraying it onto myself. The cloud that it surrounds me in makes me feel so good. Whilst I was walking around in the blazing hot Florence sun, emanating a lot of natural scent of my own, it melded and morphed into something even more rich. It strikes me as being totally suitable to wear in any sort of weather... icy, humid, dry, overcast... doesn’t matter. It will provide joy and comfort regardless. The longevity/projection aren’t out of this world. After a few hours of wear it leaves a wonderful skin scent, which to me is more meaningful and seductive than a beast that still projects after several hours of wear. I’m very delighted. It’s my new favorite... I think I feel at home in it.

This was a blind buy for me so it took me on a bit of a journey and it's taken me a while to collect my thoughts. I've been intrigued with the fragrance and could not find a sample anywhere. I heavily considered flying to LA to visit a store but decided it would be more cost effective to just blind buy, so I did. Upon initial sniff I was a little disappointed. I was expecting a more 'vanilla' experience and it has ZERO sweetness/gourmand qualities. I wasn't really sure what to think about it but went in for a skin test. I received 4 compliments over the next two days of wearing. Someone asked me if that was my deodorant and 3 others just said I smelled so good, and they couldn't tell if it was just me or if I was wearing something. The initial spray is a tiny bit sharp which throws you off but once it dries down it really is the most natural almost garden fresh or green vanilla. There is something so natural about the scent and it is completely unique, unlike anything I've ever worn. A few days of owning it and now my husband and I are both wearing it and making quite the dent. It is fresh, clean, while still being warm and a tiny bit spicy. Such an interesting and addictive scent. It is not your average vanilla and as a vanilla collector I am just feeling so very lucky to have this in my collection as it brings something completely unique to my nose. My husband says it reminds him of a campfire. It reminds me of summer camp in the hill country and I love that such a light scent that is unisex brings up joyful memories for us both. If you can, get your nose on this but definitely do a skin test as I was not sold until it sunk into my skin. Extra points for packaging! I genuinely cannot wait to take this little bottle on a trip!

Finally. A primarily Vanilla fragrance that I love. No, scratch that.... Adore!!! Vaniglia is my latest exploration of the House of Santa Maria Novella. These are all such natural, slightly unusual fragrances. Vaniglia is a beautiful, very slightly sweet vanilla, touched by cocoa and spices. It really (really) smells like a high quality vanilla extrait being poured into a sublime batter of extra special cookies or cakes. These cookies are the one's made at our in-house bakery... only the best spices, butter... maybe decorated with edible gold... branches of vanilla pod, perhaps? It is not gourmand, to me, more Oriental with a capital "O". Do I sense some distant resemblance to Shalimar Original? A bit, yes. That is a Good Thing.

When first applying it, this scent was seemed alcoholic, like a spicy gin cocktail with lemon in the topnotes. However, the progress of this fragrance is adoring. The middle notes and base notes start to come out and when the scent dries down, I can feel the intens vanilla with cacao in the background. The cacao gives the scent this dark incense quality that is unique in my experience. Overall, I do not find this scent too sweet. It's very darkly soft and has good longevity, surprising for a cologne. The vanilla is really beautiful, strong like an actual vanilla pod, but without the sugar. I like this fragrance more each time I put it on. It has surprising depth for a cologne.

This vanilla is a beautiful representation of the old world. It holds a special place on the shelf due to its thick and lusciousness. However, it is not a modern-day vanilla, it is aged, beautifully aged. This scent is extremely good overall, I love it. I believe that this scent favors the female more than the average, on the contrary, a male with an understanding of the primordial gracefulness that comes with the scent would be able to pull it off. Vaniglia is beautiful and very simple, it is not all over the place, I would highly recommend it for an aristocrat of the soul - worth $150.