Va Va Vanilla

Something about this fragrance brings to mind "Bodacious". I get hints of it, but it is not by any means a copy. This fragrance has more development. It has more notes, more density. It feels thick. Plush. It is extremely cold here where I live. Temperature is currently in the teens. This perfume is very enjoyable and feels warming like a sip of an alcoholic drink.

Update, 2/24/26 Ok, as promised, I am revisiting this a day later and now, since I think of this only as espresso and licorice, I like it more and am actually considering adding a full bottle to my collection. The vinyl odor has worn off (whatever floats to the top during shipping of my 5ml sample, I guess) and I am left more with a burnt and boozy fragrance that is ultra sophisticated. I can see wearing it for some night events any time of the year. Sarah Baker redeemed! (By the way, Sarah Baker advises against shaking or agitating her perfumes to "mix" them. It can destroy the delicate elements comprising the scent, so just let the bottle sit and mature to rid it of the noxious gases that may develop in a new bottle). 2/23/26 Let me start by saying, I am quite aware that sense of smell is idiosyncratic, so what smells like a gourmand to one person might smell anything but to another. I had high hopes for this because it has ingredients that I typically love, especially vanilla, coffee, cinnamon, rum and whiskey, but this is a fail for me on first try. The opening seems harsh and very leathery, evolving into a licorice accord that smells strangely like woven vinyl in a hot car -- not my favorite scent. I don't mind the licorice and hope the boozy qualities will overcome the acrid vinyl smell I am getting. I will try it a few more times and then come back here with more informed thoughts. For now, this is a disappointment, as I have a lot of respect for Sarah Baker's line.

Smoked vanilla supporting actor, boozy black cherry lead. There’s a real internal heat to this fragrance. It smells – for lack of a better word – hot. Fevered skin under a leopard fur coat. It’s Lost Cherry minus the almond cyanide, Cherry Punk minus the leather jacket. Runs in the same clique as Babycat. I’m not a cinnamon girl, but here it kindles beautifully with the saffron. And the cherry is truly exquisite. Petition for Sarah Baker to bring us the Cherry Trinity after finishing the Vanilla Trilogy. I wouldn’t say it’s a Yuletide scent, but it’s definitely one for the darker months. Lasts longer than your wild night out and really clings to the skin. (I’m at seven hours and still going strong). Mental Snapshot: Chocolate velour tracksuit, 4” cork wedges, and a generous hand of bronzer. You have the best table in the house (the Cheesecake Factory at the Glendale Americana). No SkinnyLicious chicken for you. You and the gals are splitting an entire Very Cherry Ghirardelli®. Compliments of the chef, of course. tl;dr: hot mama 🍰🍒

Did the universe need *another* vanilla perfume? Hmmmm....probably not. But *Va Va Vanilla* isn't just *another* vanilla perfume. Can my nose and I detect (separately) every one of the notes: Black Cherry, Cinnamon, Espresso Martini, Whiskey, Coffee, Rum, Nutty Notes, Saffron, Vanilla, Skin, Guaiac Wood, Sandalwood, Leather and Woody Notes. Definitely.... thankfully....not. Do I find the combination of notes work/blend together creating something new and different....especially for a vanilla perfume? Yes. It's *spicy* but not peppery; it's warm with a no-mint coolness. It's unique....neither masculine or feminine.... much the way a food recipe/dish isn't gender specific. It needs nothing; I can't imagine layering it with anything. (I can imagine wearing it with a cashmere turtleneck and a tweed blazer.) It's new, fresh, classic and unique ~ it's Sarah Baker's *Va Va Vanilla*.

My preordered bottle has just arrived along with my free 15ml due to the release delay, which was a very kind gesture. As a lover of cherry (and I already have way too many cherry scents!) I knew I wanted this the minute I saw the notes! Day one - On first impression I get a slight leathery black cherry with coffee and boozy undertones. The leather is quite prominent. Day two - the whisky note is stronger Day 3 - the nutty notes are most prominent but the scent is beginning to balance out more. It’s already a love, but I’ll update my review in more detail when the fragrance has properly recovered from shipping. It’s frustrating that people are able to spam pages with fake ratings and “reminds me of” links. This is nothing like any of the scents in that section currently. I’d say if you love scents like Cherry Punk or Elan Noir, you’ll enjoy this.