Les Nombres d'Or Vanille by Mona di Orio

Brazilian orange, Indonesian cloves, Petitgrain, Rum extract, Bourbon vetiver, Ylang Ylang, Indian sandalwood, Gaiacwood, Vanilla absolute, Amber and Tonka bean.

Mona di Orio's Vanille is not just another vanilla fragrance. You might think that, by name alone, this could be a one trick pony or very linear. On the contrary, Vanille is complex and multi-faceted.

I enjoy the vanilla note as much as most people, but only in certain implementations. If it results in that waxy, vanilla candle aroma, I end up shunning that fragrance. I annoy myself due to the fact that this particular note, in certain variations, arouses such a sensitivity. Since I'm stuck with my olfactory, I move on and when I find one that works, I'll extol its virtues.

Enter Mona di Orio's Vanille. This is a spicy, woody vanilla and falls smack in the middle of the gender category. It would smell appropriate and extremely good on anyone.

Vanille has the ability to exude largess, yet the accords are tuned to evoke not only presence, but balance. The vanilla is out front, but never enough as to smother the accompanying notes. There's a terrific sense of balance here and showcases Mona's prowess as a nose.

The opening is a short lived citrus, followed by a rising vanilla paired with petitgrain and clove. Thi is a well done clove note and it works wonders with the gaiacwood.

I'm developing an affinity for gaiac as of late and find it a fabulous note. It's multi-dimensional and possesses an interesting aroma. The resiny aspect of Vanille is a well played card and trumps whatever booziness I was expecting.

Vanille dries down to a woody vanilla with resins and hints of spice. The sillage is deceivingly expansive and longevity is about 5 hours plus on me very easily. What can I say then except this is yet another bombastic creation from Mona di Orio and leaves me melancholy that she is gone. Big thumbs up from Aromi for the big, bad Vanille.