Valkyrie

I adore this fragrance. I’m halfway through my second bottle and will be savoring it as long as I can. The opening citrus of bitter orange and lime reminds me of squeezing freshly peeled rinds, tart and a bit sharp but on the drier side. The mint and basil are delicate and tea like, a fresh herbaceous aura. The star of the show is a buttery, almost suede like vanilla— intertwined with a slightly dusty sandalwood reminiscent of the nag champa incense my mom burned in the 90s. There’s a dreamy quality to this fragrance, cheery but gentle, warm like afternoon sunshine. Valkyrie makes me think of the apothecary scene in The Craft, I think this is what the woman that owns the shop would smell like; sweet, fresh but with a slightly dusty undertone that makes you think of hidden grimoires and forbidden knowledge. 🌾✨🍋🍊🔮🌱🧁🕯️🫖

It's such a great one, my fave from Sylvaine Delacourte. It's in the same DNA family as: Tendre Madeleine Les Senteurs Gourmandes, Lira Xerjoff and Devotion Dolce&Gabbana, but way smoother, more mature and sofisticated. The basil and mint notes make it more unisex, fresher and the perfect layer it needed for this type of warm gourmand. I do feel a smooth underlayer of smoke in a earthy way, it may be the galbanum note, but it's exquisite. My initial bottle is pretty old now - 6-7 years, and it macerated into something very rounded and spicy, the green notes are more subsided now, like dry basil instead of fresh basil, with base notes leaning more in the Kenzo Jungle direction. Hope they will restock in the autumn as announced and I'll definitely grab a new fresh bottle.

I think I fall into the group SailorV mentions in her review below- I can't get enough of these citrusy-vanilla fragrances! I'm absolutely loving this! After reading the descriptions of Delacourte's vanillas, I was positive I'd like the spicy Vangelis best, but the sweet orange in Vahina and Valkyrie won me over. The mint note is what makes Valkyrie special for me and full bottle worthy; it's so fresh and compliments the orange without overshadowing it. I'm happy to have this in my collection! EDIT: After you buy your first SD fragrance (30% off if you had bought the discovery set), they make you a VIP member so that ALL future purchases are 30% off with a special code they send you! Makes a big difference in the price!)

I am a sucker for vanilla, there I said it; granted, I love Sylvaine's Vanilla collection and splurged on 3 of the fragrances shorty after I got the tester kit. This fragrance, on my skin, transformed into a very manly perfume therefore I passed it on to my boyfriend who gladly accepted it and wears it quite often. Great longevity and I will want to try it again during summer months to see if there will be a change.

This is the first sample from the Vanille collection (4 more to go). I like it a lot, possibly full bottle worthy and that’s saying something as I have close to 150 in my collection. I love mint and I love the natural vibe and overall composition. Vanilla and citrus are prominent. Good longevity and soft projection. Valkyrie is on my short list.

Very, very nice! If you like the idea of a vanilla citrus perfume but the classics are a little heavy and sweet for you, I think this is a great solution because it's not sugary or overpowering. The citrus/aromatic notes also stick around which is rare. Great blend!

My new favorite. It is a spicy vanilla, long lasting and sexy. I find it more on the feminine side. It is appropriate for any season. This was is a bit heavier so I would recommend a light sprits on 1 pulse point of your choice.

This tame, warm, drama-free fragrance should have been called something else. If we're talking about mythological women warriors who decide which heroes fallen in battle deserve to ascend to Valhalla, and serve them mead, I picture something more like Gio by Giorgio Armani with its belligerent trumpeting honey tuberose! Here I got a sandalwood drawer in which there was a single sour lemon caramel but -nomnom- it's there and it's gone. That wooden drawer used to be filled to the brim with dried vanilla pods, and there's also some dried herbs in the corners, mint and basil. And then out of nowhere a flan or custard, creamy and sweet, makes its appearance. I wouldn't compare it to L by Lolita Lempicka which to me was a spicy gourmand. Here the woody vanilla warmth reminds me (in its temperament if not in notes) Hypnotic Poison by Dior, EDT. I got the vanilla discovery set and applied this one on skin and clothes but it doesn't last too long or project too far. It is beautiful, harmonious and elegant (slightly verging on unisex), comforting and comfortable. Something you'd wear at home in the evening to relax. I'm not sure about a full bottle, but I'm itching to get a small 7.5 ml format just for that sentiment of comfort and warmth. Mmm :)

What a delicious vanilla perfume :) Sylvaine Delacourte does vanilla just the way I like it - never doughy or too heavy and sickly sweet. This one is probably the heaviest of the bunch, as far as I can remember, but it's still not overwhelming for you or for others. I love the combination of sweet vanilla with bitter orange. At times this perfume reminds me of Flinstone children's vitamins, that same powdery, grainy, spicy scent that they had - but of course, this is just one facet of the perfume. This perfume has the texture of those vitamins if you know what I mean - at some points granular, at some points smooth. It's not a typical smooth foody vanilla. The combination of notes in here conjures up phantom orange blossom for me, which is great, as orange blossom is one of my absolute favorite notes. It's so ironic that I tried this one the day that Fragrantica announced Sylvaine Delacourte's new orange blossom collection! (Who has already purchased a sample set like me?) Anyways, back to Valkyrie - this perfume makes me smile. Sometimes it's as simple as that :)

This is a nice fresh spicy, citrus vanilla but nothing extraordinary. My husband likes it better than I do. He thinks it smells like a root beer float. I'm getting a bit of play dough vanilla (a problem for me w/ many vanilla fragrances) but it isn't unpleasant. The lime and basil add a bit of zest but are kept under control. This is very unisex. Since my husband enjoys this one, I am giving him my sample. I give this a like because I recognize this is a well-made perfume, but I've smelled it before. It is creamy, slightly citrus, slightly woody, and slightly fresh spicy. Easy blind buy for vanilla lovers.

This is my favorite of the vanillas in the sample pack, although none of them are very memorable. Vanilla root beer is what it smelled like to me, at first. Maybe a hint of soapiness or flowers? It was interesting at first, but soon it just smells like nice vanilla. It's definitely inoffensive - I don't like a lot of perfumes but I can't imagine anyone not liking this one. I would never buy a full bottle because it's too boring, but I'll use up all the samples just because they're pleasant. I like perfumes that aren't too strong. A definite "meh".

I have to admit this is quite an intriguing and unusual mix of notes. It's a fresh minty, citrus vanilla backed with sandalwood. It's a lovely fresh scent. Bang on unisex. Creamy and delectable. The sandalwood becomes more evident with time. A nice scent to wear in warm weather on lazy days. I can see why this one is popular. It's the most unisex of the five and even someone who doesn't like vanilla might change their mind about vanilla. Guys get your nose on this one. The ladies will love it on you. Good longevity and below average sillage.

Since no else has mentioned it, I'm going to assume it's just me, but Valkyrie reminds me of the deep dry down, the 'chai creme brulee' stage, of Tom Ford's Noir Pour Femme. I think it's the basil and spearmint in Valkyrie playing tricks on my nose. However, Valkyrie is still softer, lighter, and more elegant. I could wear this during the day and in warm weather. Whereas NPF is not suitable for either. Valkyrie is my second favorite in Sylvaine Delacourte's Vanilla collection.

A creamy citrus with some similarities to Ani but thank god it's not as strong and cloggy as Ani is. Ani makes my husband sneeze in a car...this one is light, airy and just alright.

Well-balanced, woody orange vanilla. Not too sweet and not too powdery. Very pleasant.

Starts yummy and fresh but quickly turns to only Vanilla. It is an Ode à la vanille.

I guess this is more of a comparison than a review, but this perfume has so much in common with other perfumes that I can’t avoid it. Valkyrie is very much in the same vein as L de Lolita Lempicka, Xerjoff Lira, Les Senteurs Gourmandes Tendre Madeleine and all these other spicy delicious vanilla cinnamon citrus gourmands. There is no cinnamon listed, but I definitely smell some. Unfortunately, Valkyrie is an expensive option and not the best one, I recommend getting Tendre Madeleine instead, or Lira if you want to splurge. The opening of Valkyrie is very fizzy and citrussy, and I think the lime in this smells so distinct and harsh, kind of like a lime scented household product. Of course, this also dries down to the typical creamy and bright (and after a while just boring) vanilla that all SD vanilla scents are based on, but in this one the spices and lime can at least stand up to it. This is good among the Sylvaine Delacourte vanillas, but underwhelming among the similar fragrances I mentioned. It's not as salty as L de Lolita was, not as rounded and caramelly as Lira, not as gourmand and fun as Tendre Madeleine, so I don't know why anyone would bother with Valkyrie instead. Maybe if you really enjoy this vanilla or if you are so in love with this category of fragrance that you can't ever get enough?

This opens with a lovely, fresh citrus note, which has some similarity to the opening of Vangelis, though it's definitely more herbal/green than Vangelis, a lot more masculine, and soon evolves into something quite different. I sense something slightly bitter - maybe the galbanum? Also I'm picking up a subtle tobacco note, which I can't explain based on the notes listed unless that's the basil coming through. Others have mentioned that this has an "aftershave vibe," which I totally get. Also very much agree with the Carmex (lip balm with camphor) note someone referenced. A decent scent, well-blended, but not one that I'm drawn to. This will likely be handed down (along with Helicriss) to my brother. Update: Hours later, this is a tobacco/vanilla. If that's your thing, check this out.

I am wearing this for a whole day now. It is autumn and it is rainy, and I was looking for something to lift me and warm me up. Alas, Valkyrie is not that potent or attention-grabbing for my taste. It is a pleasant scent overall, no doubt, but it is not something that will leave me last memories. The start is the best part - a burst of dark and green freshness. But then it fades quickly leaving a solid but subtle vanilla-ish base. The house's description says 'gentle' which if maybe a good description. The adjectives coming to my mind are good but not special, well-built but not remarkable. With a name like this the scent should have carried a hint of agression, and a stonger edge.

Opens fresh, citrusy and a tad bit sweet like sugary citrus syrup. Then transitions into a lemon-clean scent reminiscent of a lemon-scented home cleaning product. This is brief and it soon starts to smell more like a lemon meringue pie or something edible and lemon-flavored. As it dries down it evolves again to become less edible (still sweet, but smoky now) and acquires a slight minty freshness. At the heart of its dry down Valkryie loses its lemony tartness and becomes creamy, like a sweet vanilla cream. Overall a sweet vanilla scent with a subtle smokiness.

Notes list as follows: Top Notes: Bitter Orange, Lime, Bergamot, Mint Heart Notes: Galbanum, Basil Base Notes: Sandalwood, Madagascan Vanilla Not a fan of this one. It feels like Insolence, but with orange. Same 'heaviness', trademark of Roucel's work. Shame, given that promising notes list.

Look at the notes listed here and I'll show you a happy man, anticipating a lovely creamy, fruity fragrance...but no. How to they fuck up vanilla so badly? Especially when the entire line has nods to popular Guerlain, vanilla laden formulas? I don't get it? So Valkyrie opens fantastically and I actually thought this was the equivalent of the Oranzo & Helicriss in that it's herbal, aromatic, slightly green and masculine leaning, all of which I enjoy, especially with a vanilla backdrop to combine with, it could've been interesting. However, it's very short lived and soon settles to a cloying groove of hideous, cheap, yellow custard, sweetness with maltol caramel. I'd love to actually use maltol/ethyl maltol or bisabolene effectively in a formula because trace effects probably do wonders in fragrances you don'r even detect them in. That's the key but blending though I guess? When you perceive but can't overtly smell them. In this instance there's not enough to mask the vape pen effect. I will concede that now after 6 1/2 hours the soft musk/vanilla on my clothes is a little better or my nose is fatigued and has just waved a little white flag and accepted defeat and resigned itself to the ineviatbility of smelling this way today whether I like it or not. Buy the ticket take the ride.

Guys, don't be afraid of this scent. It definitely leans traditionally masculine. I see Shalimar references, which I love and wear as well as the flankers. However, I see it more akin to Jicky, minus the fecal note, although there are certainly some animalic notes in there. Everyone's skin handles things differently - on mine it's not gourmand-like at all. It creates this hazy secure, cloud of warmth that projects well. I wasn't able to wash it off, so that's an A+ for longevity as well. ETA Notes listed on the sample box from the brand: Brazilian Lime Calabrian Bergamot Comoros Basil Mint from USA Iranian Galbanum Indian Sandalwood Vanilla from Madagascar

I have the vanilla sampler. At first spray, the lime, vanilla, and mint were ok. But then I smelled something "off" and musty. Not quite BO, but like the old staleness of unwashed skin (and it wasn't me-- I shower daily!). I realize it's probably the citrus and herbal combination, but i was turned off anyway. My several-years-old Eau So Sexy smells just fine on me today. Sorry, Valkyrie is an instant scrubber. Edit: Tried the other samples and they have either a masculine edge, a "stink," or too much cedar (or something!) that puts me off.

Opens with a very limey citrus top note. I can't say I've ever smelled so much citrus in a vanilla-based fragrance. Definitely unisex. The middle and base notes on me smell almost antiseptic, with a touch of rootbeer. The drydown that clings to my skin becomes camphor or carmex lip balm. Nothing but Carmex after a few hours. Not a fan. This is the first I've tried in my Sylvanie Delacourte double sampler though, so I will keep sniffing!

Started out a lovely vanilla orange creamsicle but then quickly turned to a sharp aftershave scent. Reminded me of something my grandpa wore. Okay for a man, but I had to scrub this off my skin.

This to me smells like some type of pain relieving cream. Worst one out of the vanilla line for me.

A Shalimar granddaughter for sure. Slightly gourmand and more citrusy.It's an all right scent.

This smells like something is burning. My boyfriend agrees. Smells FUNKY. Burning skincare.

Something about the lime with the vanilla was off-putting to my nose

L de Lolita in a nutshell but softer and less lasting.

I smell a blend of vanillla, tonka, benjoin, orange and some animalic notes. The opening is bitter with distinctive vanilla and citrus notes then the animalic notes settle and become dominant. I love vanilla but this blend is not for me, to be honest I truly dislike the drydown with the citrus and animalic notes. It's cloying and I expected something fresher and lighter from the notes.

This smells so OLD, musty, powdery and grandma. It's an extremely heavy and perfumey antiquated scent. The notes listed are very natural but this perfume does not smell natural or fresh at all. Not for me or anyone under 70 years old.

My first review on Fragrantica! I'll keep it short, the less chance to overthink my impressions. On first sniff, Valkyrie is spicy citrus. Fresh! Not the overly bright, artificial citrus of cheaper products but more natural and spicy, as real citrus smells. I have noticed so many of the Delacourte samples in her Vanilla and Musk tester kit open with great strength, to then quickly settle down to business of the heart scent-within easily 10 minutes. So early impression does not at all decide the game here. Next, if I'm right to say so, I smell the barbershop powder of what is called Fougere. This smells to my nose masculine for sure! There is the powder like baby powder, mixed with lime and sandalwood. Mostly sandalwood. Everything supported by vanilla. But this is soft vanilla musk. You know what? I remember now my handsome and tall fourth grade teacher smelled like this! Like he had just shaved and put this on immediately afterwards. This is aromatic fougere of barbershop citrus, then musky vanilla, splashed on after a warm, wet towel made the skin drink it in. Skin scent in one hour or less if applied lightly. Something like this must be a close-to-the-skin scent so you have to lean in and feel the warmth of flesh when you breathe it in. Ahhh! Take-away thought: This would be very sexy to smell on a man! Masculine but SO intimate. ....I did not keep it short. I apologize. Such is the power of good juice!

In short: nice, but boring. Usually I like to write long, detailed reviews with overly flowery language, but this fragrance really hasn't inspired me in any way. Ditto with the rest of the Sylvaine Delacourte line. I get a little bit of herbaceousness in the opening that quickly dissipates as the fragrance settles into the dominant scent of Eau de Autumn Vanilla Candle from Cracker Barrel. That's pretty much all I get out of this fragrance. Do I dislike the smell? Well, no, since I quite like the smell of those vanilla candles. But would I ever consider buying a full bottle of this? Negative. Performance is quite soft, but better than expected, with around 6 hours of longevity and 2ish hours of light projection. I really don't know what else to write about this fragrance. I think there are far, far, FAR superior niche vanillas out there: Imaginary Authors Memoirs of a Trespasser, Mona di Orio Vanille, Indult Tihota, Guerlain's own Spiriteuse Double Vanille, Xerjoff Ivory Route and Lira, and many, many more. Your mileage may vary, of course, but I'd advise you not to waste your time (and money) on these Sylvaine Delacourte vanillas. 4/10

Sour delicate sweet vanilla. basil, lime, and sweet mint. It has that worm sweet lime with hints of mints, it's worm yet sweet with something slightly chili hot! As lady "Sylvaine" said, the Brazilian lime she used was exotic, sparkling, & very sunny as it added that sparkling sensual exotica to the blend. "Valkyrie" as she explained, she chose this name for it's charismatic persona cause it's the name of a goddess warrior. she said "imagine yourself as a hero, or an invincible character with a strong character", well... i don't see that, i see a sensual exotica of a charming persona, it could be invincible because of the mint, peppermint, and basil mix cause it added that contradiction that made it even more amusing. She even said that she added a secret element that made it very sexy, i believe it's the hint of chili pepper, and a note i know but i can't define it clearly!!! This blend is quite amusing, and sensually addictive. I believe this could be a lethal weapon that could be used to hunt the one you want.

Minty bubblegum fresh vanilla, but I do get the Shalimar reference too. First of the vanillas in this collection. These sets were an unbelievable $5 shipped at first and have gone up much more, but I will always give greater consideration to non-animal-tested fragrances since I know this is harder to do. And you can spray this on your pillow without covering it with chemicals -- even though I certainly have and love my strong chemicals too, lol. Sweet customer service. My favorite of this collection was Vahina, 2nd favorite was either Vanori or Virgile. Vangelis was too smoky for me. So glad to see these getting discussion here. SD has a definite scent profile that you could pick out in a crowd, no matter which of the 10 (so far) you were smelling. She worked for Guerlain and knows what she is doing. I would love to see some body oils to extend the depth of the scents. And I wonder what note she is going to design around next. Maybe bergamot?

I just started to test these new Vanilla fragrances, the 5 sample 1ml starter kit.. The first I tried is Valkyrie. It is very nice, reminds me of the dry down from Guerlain Shalimar, because of the Vanilla and Galbanum, or a little like a coveted and delicious smoky interior of a wooden cigar box reminiscent of Heritage, maybe it is the Sandalwood. In the begining the notes are light and zesty from Bergamot. I look forward to trying the rest of this collection. I highly recommend. I will get a full bottle. With the addition of vanilla this fragrance is very unique and tenacious, and makes them unique with the other notes. BTW, I really look for fragrances that use as much natural ingredients as possible. Both the Musk and the Vanilla collection from this House, use predominantly natural ingredients, which fits well for my nose.

Valkyrie is a no-brainer for fans of vanilla, but of the three Sylvaine delacorte sample sets, I find the least variation amongst vanilla. Therefore, I'm having a hard time creatively describing Valkyrie versus the others. They're all good. They're all likeable, unlike musk which is up for interpretation, and orange blossom which retreats so quickly the main focus is whatever is behind it, vanilla is dominant and dominant throughout all five of these. Great sillage, great lasting power, ends a little candleishly, but that's the worst thing I can say about it, and that's a criticism I can level it almost every vanilla frag out there. If you're not familiar with the Sylvaine delacourte sets, they're some of the best out there- Great, in-depth exploration of a topic at an insanely low price.

Valkyrie definitely shares some similar notes with Shalimar and unfortunately I have always struggled with those notes! I'm not sure what it is...perhaps a personal memory? Something (quite subtle) in Valkyrie reminds me of a note used in soap and aftershave from the 1970s and i dislike it. I can detect a lovely rich, slightly smoked vanilla in Shalimar and in Valkyrie, but this 'barbershop' note, faint as it is, it is unpleasant to me and prevents me from enjoying the perfume as a whole. Don't be out off by this though! Valkyrie is rich, complex and interesting, with layers of dry spiced wood, vanilla, an ambery richness and some dusty citrus. I think it is truly unisex and could be very appealing to people who don't want a simple or overly sweet vanilla.

The contrasting notes of Valkyrie are blended to perfection. The opening is sweet but not sticky sweet, just a beautiful bright smooth citrus that’s invigorating and elicits happy feelings. The piquant cooling green freshness of the mint and basil dances above a magnificent, enveloping smoked vanilla, which provides a creamy depth and a touch of gourmand spice, yet somehow it remains transparent and never becomes heavy or loud. The texture of the vanilla is reminiscent of Shalimar; they do not smell the same, but texturally there is a similarity in how the vanilla was interpreted. The contrasts in Valkyrie are absolutely stunning, and I can’t get enough. One of my favorites. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This fragrance goes through some pretty distinct evolutions on my skin. When first spritzed on, it's like a delicious, refreshing, saccharine burst of orange candy, which is my favourite part! It then progresses into an orange-vanilla mixture which strangely smells slightly salty and herbal - a bit like a root beer float with some salt in it! The drydown is a pretty light vanilla, which isn't too sweet or creamy so it doesn't get too cloying. Like some others here, I'm working my way through the sample kits and I decided to start with this one, which is unlike anything I've ever smelled before. I'm really looking forward to trying the others now!

Vanilla with caramel and lime rinds, but the lime is a little bitter. The drydown gets very mellow, like a Shalimar that lost all the resins except benzoin. Soft, sweet, balsamic, citrusy. I think it is very pretty, but do I need it? not really...I would enjoy it if given as a gift, but I have so many vanillas, so many bottles of Shalimar...I don't need Valkyrie. Now, if you feel Shalimar is too much for you, but you like it in others, maybe Valkyrie is a good option for you, because it has the nicest/sweetest aspects of the grand dame...

Not sure about this one. The opening is a slightly incense-ey vanilla-orange-sandalwood combination with a delightful bitter orange note that reminds me of Christmas. But then something about the sandalwood-herbal combination in the drydown is off and really jars with the top notes. I get dried mint and oakmoss and it goes through a good hour or so of a dry, dusty, herbal aroma that reminds me of the pouches of dried herbs you can get to scent drawers with. Not really my cup of tea! A shame as the opening is quite special.

To me this smells very food-like, but savory rather than like a dessert. This would make the most mouthwatering marinade for chicken, or maybe even something served over rice. I really enjoy the smell of this but I’d rather smell this in the kitchen than on my skin. I see that others had a different experience. The sample set is still well worth the $30 for all 15 vials. Edit: I found the drydown to be less “foodie” and more wearable. In either case, this is unique and not like other citrus vanillas I’ve tried

Valkyrie opens as a smokey roasted vanilla, like a creme brûlée baking in the oven, or perhaps a lit vanilla candle since it isn’t particularly sweet (and that’s a good thing). The opening is so delicious and unique, if only it lasted! The orange, which was not present at first, comes out to mingle with the smoke in the middle, then a subtle vanilla at the dry down. In short- gourmand dream at the start, but falls flat after.

وانیلی که کمی به سوختگی بزنه با فضای نعنایی و ترش گیاهی ترکیب شده. خیلی یونیکه و جذاب. اگه قدرت وانیلش کمتر بود جذابترم میشد. مردانگیش از زنانگیش بیشتره ولی برا خانوما هم قابل استفادس. گول نخورین اصلن شبیه این عطرایی که مشابهش عنوان شده نیست. ----------- Scent & Quality: 9/10 Longevity: 7/10 Sillage: 7/10 Creativity & Uniqueness: 8/10 Affordability: 5/10 ----------- Overall: 7.2/10

I love vanilla scents, but none of the Sylvaine Delacourte vanillas were for me. With this one, I would have loved to have more of every note but the vanilla, but it goes on citrus, fading almost immediately to a cakey powdery vanilla. Not sure how this softpedal powder is a Valkyrie. Too sticky foody gourmand vanilla and way too powdery for me. Not loved. Not even liked.

It took me a minute or 25, but I know now it reminds me of Shalimar edc. The difference being here that the composition is much more leathery from the start whereas the edc has citrus. The leather fades off and leaves the citrus vanilla. I really like it but as I already have many versions of Shalimar it wouldn’t be something’s N.V. I’d look for.

This is nice and smells like it is slightly gourmand. Initally, and middle notes-- remind me of a creamier, more smooth rendition of Coty's ICI that I wore in high school! It's likeable... I'm not sure about memorable...I would also agree that the basenotes are similar to Shalimar. This is overall, a pretty and everyday wearable fragrance!