.
Val the Cookie Queen
.
Summer Greetings APJ
“I Am A Snotty Perfumista Blog Post”
You would think that I would have enough of vanilla at work and actually I do. I buy 18 litres every couple of years. It breaks the bank but I need it. I have heard that some people dab vanilla extract onto their skin. I do not. Also never had any desire for a straight up vanilla perfume.
Vanessa from Bonkers About Perfume gave me a large decant of Annick Goutal`s Songes EdT recently. Having somehow by passed Annick Goutal in my perfume passion I was totally smitten by it. Then as most perfumistas do jumped online to read all about it. I saw that there was also a EdP of Songes and next trip to Linz had me dropping in for a spritz. Except they didn´t have it. I instead grabbed the tester of Vanille Exquise EdT and gave myself a good soaking. I went back to the shop another two times to repeat the process.
Readers, I bought a bottle.
Vanille Exquise by Annick Goutal 2004
Vanille Exquise by Isabelle Doyen and Camille Goutal
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Angelica, almond, vanilla, musk, sandalwood, guaiac wood.
The best thing is that it’s an EdT that I can soak myself with. Unlike many who have problems with their frags lasting more than a couple of hours, my skin is nuclear. I think this is the first perfume I can really spray to death. It still lasts hours but I can wear a ton with no fear of asphyxiation.
Although it wears fairly close to the skin it leaves a delightful trail. Semi-sweet, warm, soft and enhances my cookie smelling natural self. Hahahahahahaha. It´s aromatic, comforting, but it´s elegant too. It´s not a cake vanilla, nor a childlike vanilla. Absolutely gorgeous in the hot weather. There does seem to be slight pepperiness to it. The whole perfume is light yet persistent. It just smells so damn good. I reckon it´s worth a try even if you think you don´t like vanilla. But what do I know?
I totally shocked myself buying this. Ridiculous huh? It feels like the odd one out in my collection. Which is really just absolutely head up-my-back-side snotty perfumista behaviour and I am ashamed. Anyone else out there find themselves loving something they they think they shouldn´t?
Further reading: Now Smell This and I Smell Therefore I Am
David Jones Australia has $158/100ml EdT (FREE Australian Delivery)
Surrender To Chance have samples starting from $3/ml
Little fluffy cloud bussis
CQ
Australian Perfume Junkies 
I am not a fan of vanilla. I own this one. It is one of the best. A nice, dry cooking pure vanilla. Not gourmandy. You have great taste.
LikeLike
Hi Gina. Yeah that is it actually, a vanilla for those who are not vanilla fans. Lovely stuff.
And although I am absolutely not a person who layers, I did try out some Shalimar parfum with this and it is sublime. 😉 xxxxx
LikeLike
Must hunt this one down, I do like vanilla especially when it has been tweaked. If you smell like cookies all the time I would stalk you.
LikeLike
Morning Jackie b! I do my best not to smell of cookies all the time. Try this vanilla if you come across it, you might just be surprised. 🙂 xxxx
LikeLike
Hi there Val,
I love the Annick Goutal line. There are a few around here. Even after multiple owners and changes galore the frags still smell good. That’s quite an achievement.
Glad you are meeting them and falling in love, as I have done with many of them. YUMMY!
Portia xx
LikeLike
I´m working on the line Portia. It somehow never appealed, which of course is pretty dumb. Still, each in their own time. Not enough time in a lifetime to try everything. Bussis. xxxxxx
LikeLike
Sounds fabulous. I must give it a try. The last time was something like 8 years ago which doesn’t count. Have you found your vanilla then? I’m still looking for mine. Maybe this is it.
No need to feel ashamed. We have to narrow the field somehow.
LikeLike
I only said I was ashamed because I thought it sounded like I was making an effort, Hahahahahahah And you now what yeah, this vanilla is great and I have been wearing it a lot. Love the fact that I can spray it like mad. And yes, we do have our ways of narrowing the field!! Bussis. xxxxxx
LikeLike
When you buy a bottle I always pay attention! I had to grin seeing the girly AG bottle paraded in front of the sex pistols, balances things out I suppose? Annick Goutal is my most beloved perfume house, I have at least 17 Goutals, Heure Exquise is my favourite, followed by Songes which I have in EdT and EdP. I haven’t smelled Vanille Exquise for some mysterious reason, but I will.
LikeLike
Heure Exquise is my favorite in the line as well! And I also somehow missed Vanille Exquise. Interesting.
LikeLike
Hi Hamamelis! Yes, it was absolutely to balance things out. A not so subliminal message. 🙂 I will try the Heure Exquise, today maybe as I will be in Linz this afternoon. Thanks a lot for the tip, seconded by Undina! Perfect. Love, Val xxxxxx
LikeLike
I am not a huge fan of wearing vanilla scents on myself. On others, I find them so compelling, but they usually feel comforting for a day, boring the next. However, I have fallen for Vanille Mona di Orio, which some may not consider a true vanilla. I like it’s smokey wood vanilla aspects. I totally get what you say about the perfume snobery and what we should/shouldn’t like. This holds true for vanilla, but sometimes I feel like I’m too into incense or amber. I like straight up incense scents, many more of them and am less choosy. I have absolute favorites that are truly great, but I just love it the way gourmand lovers want their vanilla or their cookies, or whatnot. Even on a hot day I may pick an incense. I looked up this vanilla after reading your review and following the links and now see a decant in my future…
LikeLike
I have the Mona di Orio Vanille but t doesn´t count as a vanilla to me. This Goutal is definitelyy vanilla, but I don´t feel it alls into the boring category. Plus it came to me, as opposed to be hunted down! Let meh now if you get a hold of some! Hugs. xxxxxx
LikeLike
Darn, now I have to try it too. I like AG and still turn to Eau d’Hadrien to get me through Texas summers (it will hit 100 today…)
Perfume I should not like but do: Lumiere Noire by MFK. If I read the list of notes, I’d never try it, but it’s beautiful and works wonders on my skin. A teeny bit from a decant leaked in my handbag, and it smells great now too (though people wonder why I’m huffing my handbag).
LikeLike
Hi Maggiecat! Is the Lumiere Noire a rose scent? I haven´t tried it. Not an MFK fan – there again …… This Vanille works beaitufll in high temperatures, we´ve had it at 35° this summer. Eau d’Hadrien will go onto my list. I need to slowly work my way through the Goutals, starting with the ones that are recommended. That should keep me busy for quite a while. And the are easily available here so it is a realistic goal. Stay cool! Val xxxxx
LikeLike
Hi Val! AG has some beautiful
perfumes. I have used several and am
about to finish Musc Nomade. You made an excellent choice with Vanille Exquise. Sandra xoxo
LikeLike
Musc Nomade, is that a discontinued one? I had a decant of a Goutal Myrrhe from Vanessa, and used it all. I totally forgot about that. was lovely. Hmmmm. Lots of homework to do. Miss you. haven´t been to Vienna since I was there visiting you! Ahhhhhhh You were the guy that held it all together. Hugs. xxxxx
LikeLike
Howdy Val,
I admit to passing by the Goutal line as well. I’m not sure why. But I shall rectify this.
As for vanilla, I believe the scent of it belongs with food. However, I tried Evocative Perfumes Vanille Tonique and had a moment much like yourself. I bought a bottle. I still need to be in the mood to even pick up the bottle, but when I do…lovely!
I vowed to not like Mon Guerlain. For many reasons that I won’t bore you with. Yeah. I own it, the shower gel AND had a candle. I bathe in the damn stuff.
I also HATED Coco Mademoiselle about 3 mths ago. Sweet grapefruit rubbish. Yup. You guessed it. I caved in. I bought a soap out of curiosity and craved the scent every bloody night. When the soap became a pathetic slither, I got my first bottle. I feel like a fraud.
Never say never, right?
LikeLike
Kate! Cool. Great to see you. 🙂 I tried Mon Guerlain on my skin in a mad moment! hahahaha, And although I do not want it I liked it so much more than I thought I would. My daughter has a bottle in case …… I better try the Coco Mademoiselle. Maybe. 😉
Evocative Perfumes? never heard of it. Hmmmm.. Never say never, so true. Lots of love, Val xxxxxxxx
LikeLike
For a long while I thought that I didn’t like vanilla – probably that’s why I skipped trying VE while it was available; and now none of the stores around carries the line any longer. But I’ll get to try it one way or the other.
Congratulations on your new bottle!
LikeLike
Hi Favourite Undina! I didn´t like vanilla for years, I still don´t. Hahahahahahaahahahahah. But I am ploughing my way through this. It is my summer treat. Bussis. xxxxxx
LikeLike