Spiritueuse Double Vanille Guerlain for women

When I first tried, I couldn't find any vanilla in the scent. It was powdery and woody for sure. But then after 1 hour or less, there it was! Sweet- yet not cloying or headachy vanilla which was perfectly combined with powdery theme. Cozy, warm, just like luxury penthouse and this made my day. If you are vanilla lover, you must try. If you say you can't find any vanilla - then just wait for your skin chemisty to kick in for 30 min, then you are all set.

My nose is probably fooling me, but it’s too woody for my taste. The dry down is terrible on my skin. I tried to love it…

Rich vanilla, resinous and vaguely floral. Hints of incense and ylang-ylang. Smells yummy once settled and its a complicated vanilla, reminding me of YSL Babycat and BTFP, but more resinous. Dry down is a spicy woody vanilla, my favourite kind of fragrance. A delicious , grown up gourmand i would say. Yum

Basic vanilla, although stunningly gorgeous and high quality, the depth just isn't there.
I do not pick up on the top or mid notes at all; it's literally vanilla extract with some resinous qualities to it (which would be the benzoin). It's fairly linear and does not warrant the asking price, IMO.

I can appreciate the simplicity and am by no means hating on it.. but if you're looking for a high quality and simple vanilla profile, others can be had for a fraction of the price. Guerlain's other vanilla offerings instead like Cuir Beluga, Angelique Noir.. hell, even Mon Guerlain has that signature Guerlain vanilla but has more depth to it. Granted these are different profiles but all gourmand-esque vanilla based Guerlain frags I'd reach for before this one.

Emotions:
Irritation that I didn't choose something more special- I personally don't have the time for such a basic scent profile with the other options I have in my wardrobe. I will be selling all of my 2ml samples I've accumulated.

Application:
1x Chest, 1x Back of Neck, 1x Each Wrist (Gentle tap to each side of neck while wet)

Take Shalimar's dry down, make it smokier with incense, nuttier, very tonka and benzoin-sustained, a bit boozy and dry.
Blend to perfection, here you have Spiritueuse Double Vanille.
I am absolutely in love with this perfume.
I would bathe in it, if only it weren't so ridiculously overpriced!
10/10

Is this a vanilla centric scent? Yes.
Is this one of the most beautiful vanilla scents in the world? Probably.
Now hear me out.
I don’t even really care about perfumes where vanilla is the protagonist…it’s just so…vanilla. But here? My oh my. I can’t imagine vanilla being done more beautifully.
It’s exquisite, very natural and not very sweet. It takes you on a journey, makes you want to close your eyes and inhale.
The incense note is very subtle. I mostly sense vanilla, the light pink pepper note and the benzoin. The florals are there to keep everything nice and classy.
Lovely creation that will envelop you, create a safe haven around you, like a protective silk cocoon, it will soothe you and make you smile for the whole day.

I was not expecting how woody Spiritueuse DV would be. A dry and smoky, "soldered" cedar, paired with a powdery vanilla and floral nuances. The woody note sits comfortably in the middle of the composition, you smell it from the opening to the drydown. Some say SDV smells off on their skin, my guess would be this note.

I agree with @LunaFortuna; Between SDV and Kayali V28, there is something I find more appealing about the lower price-bracket Vanilla 28; It feels more carefree and comforting. I also find the vanilla to be darker and sweeter. There are so many formal, amber-florals to choose from that SDV doesn't fully stand out as unique, but the simplicity is the appeal.

Just a heads up because people seem to like to talk about the formulations of this fragrance...

When this fragrance was originally released in the 'wax seal' bottles the formulation code was 03180M... This formulation carried on into the next version of the bottle with the normal sprayer and bulb sprayer... Bottles up until 2012 with still have this original OG formulation and that formulation code will be displayed on the bottom of box at the end of ingredients list...

HOWEVER... Sadly in 2013 the fragrance was finally reformulated and a new formulation code of 07652M appeared on the box...

So if you are looking for the ORIGINAL and OG formulation of this fragrances you need to look for a bottle from 2007-2012 with a formulation code of 03180M...

Just thought I would provide some information... ^_^

I want so badly to say this is overpriced bc it is very vanilla forward. However, this is the most boozy, intoxicating vanilla you'll ever smell. Insanely addictive. I absolutely love vanilla perfumes and I've never found anything like this. Guerlain does vanilla like no other. Couldn't recommend enough.

Listen, Guerlain is one of my favorite perfume houses of all time. I adore Guerlain's incredible, signature vanilla note. Angelique Noire, also by Guerlain, is in my top two favorite fragrances of all time. Angelique Noire is basically Guerlain's mesmerizing vanilla coupled with the complexity and greenness of angelica. Spiritueuse Double Vanille, in contrast, has more notes listed, and I thought it would be more complex than it actually was. I already have a gripe with very straightforward and basic vanilla scents as it is, despite loving vanilla, so that is where my hang up with Spiritueuse Double Vanille likely is. I adore a good straightforward vanilla... in lower price brackets. In higher price brackets, I feel as though straightforward and basic vanillas don't excite me. I like to use cheaper vanillas in the $100 range or below mainly for layering with other fragrances, to sweeten them up, because I otherwise get bored with the lack of complexity that vanillas sometimes have. Don't get me wrong, I adore vanilla so much. I typically prefer fragrances that have vanilla as a supporting character, though, and not the lead. Angelique Noire might be one of the only fragrances where vanilla has a front and center starring role that I absolutely love, and that is due to the gorgeous angelica note, caraway, pink pepper, jasmine, and cedar creating an unearthly, gorgeous concoction with my skin chemistry. With Spiritueuse Double Vanille, I don't find anything to be excited about. It's a pretty vanilla. It's less complex, in my opinion, than the notes lead on. I have tried wearing this time and time again, and each time, I am completely underwhelmed. I want to love it. I desperately crave having the reactions that other people have to this fragrance. People sing Spiritueuse Double Vanille's praises far and wide. There are sonnets written about how ethereal and gorgeous this vanilla is. And yet, I spray it on, and think... yeah, it's a nice vanilla. Worth the price tag? For me, absolutely not. My eyes don't roll back in my head, I am not swooning at the aroma of this, and whenever I wear it, I am just barely content with it. It's another vanilla extract-esque fragrance, and I have smelled other vanilla extract-like fragrances in lower price brackets that I absolutely adore. Perhaps my nose or skin chemistry are broken, because I am absolutely madly in love with Kayali's Vanilla 28, which is another fairly straightforward vanilla fragrance, but the composition of notes in Vanilla 28 excite my nose far more and play beautifully with my skin chemistry. People praise Spiritueuse Double Vanille for its nuanced vanilla, complexity, and depth. However, I don't get any of that. To me, this is the least expensive smelling of the L'Art & La Matiere line. It's a straightforward vanilla, and an unexciting one at that. I feel as though I've smelled this sort of vanilla extract reminiscent vanilla dozens of times, for much less money, and I've seen it done better.

Honestly i just get a whole lot of honey with some vanilla and florals in the background. It’s not at all syrupy tho, its more like honeysuckle with vanilla

My favorite vanilla so far . The notes don’t seem right. I don’t get the smoke at all. I get a boozy vanilla . Very luxurious vanilla. Beautiful .

The king of vanilla which we all know is the best note ever. When I first tried this back in 2016 I was blown away. Some scents just wow you to the point that you want to hide them away so nobody can take them from you. Must have.

The incense note is too overpowering for me. I don’t see what all the hype is about with this as “the best vanilla” out there. I love Agelique Noir, and several other Guerlain vanilla based fragrances, but this is very low on my list in comparison to the rest. SDV smells like incense, vanilla on a sweaty drunk that you avoid in a hot nightclub/bar. And the silage and longevity are non-essential, gone in an hour after heavy spraying and this is from the bottle and not a sample. Save your $$$ there are better vanilla-based fragrances out there. I would say this is not a safe blind buy, and if you like this scent profile, Goutal, nuit et confidences is a good alternative/dupe with better longevity and moderate silage, at a much cheaper price.

I have had this for around 18 months and have been unsure about but I’m noticing it’s definitely getting better the longer it macerates. It used to smell very woody/ boozy on my skin but now the vanilla is really starting to come out.

Preface to review- I own no FBs of a Guerlain fragrance and I don't think Guerlain vanilla is my favorite either.
2021 version- had a sample for at least 6 months and I tried it in a dabber as well as spray format. Very light and I did notice like others that it seemed to get stronger as it wore (on skin at least). However, the only way I got a whiff without sticking my nose to my wrist was by spraying a sweater about 10 times with my sample. It's very subtle and pretty much disappeared after 3 hours. I get a medicinal vibe which I assume is the incense, rum & ylang ylang mixing together. I'm slightly reminded of Datura Noir. I'm getting that Guerlain vanilla that also plays in Angelique Noire (which is way better imo). Overall I get orange creamsicle candle vibes... a waxiness (reminds me of Carmex!) from ylang? and smoke from incense (duh).

Lovely rich vanilla, but ruined for me by a liquorice note.
As it dries down, the liquorice becomes incense and it starts to strongly resemble The Bewitching Yasmin from Penhaligon's.

Edit: My sample matured over a fortnight, and okay yeah, I get it now. Oh my god, I get it. I need a bottle so badly, but nowhere ships to New Zealand and I'm actually devastated by that 😭

I have a 75ml 2010 bottle in full packaging. Taking offers for it. CONUS. No lowballs please.

Definitely love at first sniff. Its boozy, its sexy, its a unique vanilla. I will cherish the bottle I have but likely won't purchase again because of its performance. For the price, I want something that is going to knock out everyone I come across.

One of the most intoxicatingly beautiful boozy vanilla fragrances I've ever had the pleasure of smelling.
Unlike anything -- reading off notes won't do it justice.

I don't understand how people can say this is overrated. The most amazing vanilla I have smelled to date. That booziness is intoxicating. I have yet to find anything remotely close to this. This, along with Babycat, macerates so well! The longer you have them, the better they get! I have had my bottle of SDV for almost a year and it is very strong and long lasting on my skin.

I wasn't a fan the first time I tried this. I found it too masculine and I thought I detected a minty note that I didn't think went well with the boozy, smoky vanilla that I ultimately grew to really enjoy.

Now when I wear this I find it to be such a soft, pretty, rum and woody scent that I just love wearing to bed. It's extremely comforting and almost familiar in some way. I find it leans a bit more feminine now but I'd still love if my husband wore this. It would be absolutely delicious on him. It's the epitome of a tall, dark and handsome man who is also caring, gentle and loving.

Even though this fragrance is fairly weak after the first two hours, I still catch the most yummy and enjoyable wiffs of this throughout the day. It's so, so nice. Really high quality. It's become a love for me.

Delicious! I think this is straight unisex. In the opening I get an awesome aromatic, boozy vanilla (actually reminded me of Ivory Route by Xerjoff but more edible). This doesn't last long as into the drydown it reminded me of Grand Soir with lots of ambery benzoin. I have to agree with others here that the performance to price ratio on this frag just makes it inaccessible. But for like 2 hours this is seriously good!

I don’t like this. Too spicy for me. I’m also comparing it to vanilla planifola which is much softer and more femenine. This one is not worth the price despite being cheaper than vanilla planifola.

Immediately after spraying, I was actually shocked and kinda pissed off. It definitely wasn’t vanilla, and I definitely didn’t like whatever it was. Someone else here on Fragrantica mentioned that there was an almost Vaseline-like quality to this fragrance, and immediately post-spray, I agree. The pink pepper and florals seem to do something that comes across vaguely medicinal & can almost smell “greasy” until the fragrance warms up on the skin a bit. On me, this settled out of the scent profile pretty fast, within 15-20 minutes. Not long after that, maybe within a half hour, I also lost the ability to individually detect most of the top and mid notes. They just sort of melted away into the base as it warmed up and got stronger. If you happen to love the opening of this fragrance most, you might be disappointed, as it disappeared fast. What was left were some of the round, sweet, woody notes of the benzoin and… the vanilla.

And I must say, the vanilla in this puts so many other so-called “vanilla” scents to absolute shame. It’s exceptional for something that really shouldn’t be exceptional in vanilla scents, but sadly is: it smells like real vanilla. This is not the fluffy, airy, spun-sugar-confections-and-all-things-sweet “Vanilla” note that seems to be in fragrances everywhere now (looking at you, celebrity perfumes and TikTok favorites) but an actual dark, rich, natural, honest-to-god vanilla. It’s like splitting a fresh vanilla bean over a snifter of cognac out in the garden on a warm, humid day. The vanilla in this is so au naturale that it’s rocking ‘70’s bush and fuzzy pits, yet it’s so sexy that you don’t even care. With SDV, you finally get all of those complex, boozy, earthy and even slightly-fruity facets of vanilla that are so often lost when using it as a mere olfactory sweetener the way so many fragrances these days do. There’s an almost leathery quality to this, with hints of waxy florals and a dry woodiness all wrapped in a dark cloud of velvety, syrupy vanilla goodness.

Though technically a feminine offering, this fragrance is complex enough to be unisex imo, just in a way that’s definitely on the sweet side. Let me be clear, despite this vanilla being a very natural scent profile, this really isn’t sweet in an edible sense - vanilla may be edible, but most folks aren’t drinking vanilla extract straight-up, ya know? The sweetness here is sweetness done in a dark, dusky kind of way. It’s strong, but not a bomb, I’d say the scent bubble is maybe 2-3 feet out at first in a cool, indoor environment, which dropped to probably a foot or so later on. I imagine in a warmer environment it might be stronger/project further, as most fragrances tend to.

My only real gripe with this is sadly also my biggest one: Natural vanilla is more volatile and prone to disappearing than the synthetic stuff, and it sadly shows in this fragrance - I really didn’t find that this lasted particularly long. I’ve heard that the original version did, which makes me so sad that Guerlain won’t go back to that formulation - it must have been incredible. I got to enjoy this for maybe 4-5 hours before it got so close to the skin it could only be detected by putting my nose directly on my wrist. For the price, I find the longevity majorly lacking and just plain cannot justify the full bottle with that kind of performance. However, it’s such a beautiful, lush 4-5 hours that I will absolutely still wear this to the last drop of my small bottle, and will probably end up purchasing another decant at some point to enjoy.

Beautiful but VERY weak. Has a nishane ani mix of spicy, Smokey vanilla, but this barely smells like it’s there.

I really wish I got the longevity and sillage as the few people that rated this as enormous 🤔
Yes, the vanilla is high quality, but only IF you could smell it! I paid top bucks for a good quality vanilla that is barely there, even with over spraying.
I don't get the booziness, just plain vanilla with some flowers in the far back
I do enjoy it, but it's crazy overpriced, not woth the money.

This just smells like a weaker version of Guerlain Shalimar to me. Quite a mature and smokey vanilla.

Longevity is poor. I am so glad I got a 5ml decant instead of a full bottle.

May just be the best thing I’ve ever smelled. Subtlety sweet vanilla woody goodness. Unbelievable. I forget I’m wearing it then catch a whiff and am blown away all over again. Incredibly well blended. 10/10!

I’ve had a large bottle of this for sometime and just can’t make my mind up. On my skin it smells very dry woody. No vanilla at all. On my clothes I get the beautiful vanilla everyone talks about. I think I prefer kayali 28 on my skin 😂

Finally got a chance to smell this beauty.

Extremely rich but the notes are subtle. I was expecting a heavy thick vanilla bomb but this was nothing like that.

I could see this being worn in the cold winter time for a special occasion.

The most beautiful vanilla I’ve ever smelled. The quality of ingredients are incredible.

$500 for the 4.2oz
$300 for the 3.4oz

I’m definitely getting a bottle

10

This is the most beautiful vanilla-forward fragrance I've smelled. A gorgeous vanilla, light incense, pink pepper, benzoin and cedarwood. If you like vanilla - and even if you don't like it - as i'm not the biggest fan of it myself - you should definitely try this.

8,5/10

I have been seeing so many reviews for this fragrance and finally smelled it today. All I can smell is mint, and it reminds me of toothpaste. I am so sad. I cannot believe no one else is mentioning this. I guess I saved a lot of money.

I am a vanilla fanatic, and this is by far my favorite vanilla blind buy ever. Starts off as a slightly smokey vanilla with a little pink pepper. The vanilla is top notch quality. It then dries down to smell like fresh baked cookies with vanilla. It’s been 5 hours and it’s so warm sweet and cozy. This is the goddess of vanilla rightfully so

The perfume opened with a bold blend of smokiness and pepper, a touch too intense for my liking. Yet, as time unfolded, it transformed into a captivating vanilla, and I am usually really picky with vanilla. Regrettably, the longevity of this perfume is weak which is a major disappointment, especially considering the high price point. If it was cheaper or if it lasted longer I would undoubtedly be buying a full bottle of this.

I ordered a second decant of SDV to see if I loved it enough to justify the $400 price tag. Turns out, I did not. As nice as SDV is, I would personally reach for Commodity’s “Gold” any day of the week, especially with Gold being $140 for 100 ml. SDV is a lovely scent, but it disappears far too quickly. Everyone that has smelled it on me (when they actually can) describes SDV as “nice, but boring”. Such a shame, I would have loved to have smelled the original formulation.

This opens woody and resinous, with a slight smokiness, it reminds me a bit of eau duelle. But then that fades into one of the most beautiful vanilla scents I’ve ever smelt.
Aaaaand then it keeps on fading. As others have pointed out, the lasting power is poor, which is outrageous considering the price.
The opening is quite unisex, but the scent overall leans feminine (smells just as good on my husband), just a warm and sweet vanilla and benzoin with a solid woody base. It’s very beautiful, just a shame about the performance.

Doused myself in a sample of this and can barely smell it. I feel Luna Feline does the same job in terms of the scent but projects way better. Great name, great bottle, great colour, great fragrance... but the performance doesn't match the price.

I sold this so fast.Impulse buy.Good smell.The problem was the lasting power and performance on my skin was worst than a body mist.So it had to go.

As someone who is generally very indifferent towards vanilla fragrance, THIS knocked me off my feet in the best way possible.
It’s soft, yet potent. Smoky, but subtle. Intense, but gentle. It’s not sweet, but rather comforting. It’s very reserved but super present. I could go on and on about this masterpiece. It’s is absolutely beautiful. Projection and staying power is beast mode on me. 24hours+ even after a good hot shower. Insane.
I love this so much I got the biggest bottle so I could use and abuse it to my hearts’ desire lol

I maintain and will always maintain that Guerlain's can absolutely be included among the best fragrances.
Here I have further confirmation.
Vanilla is present, it is not sweet, it is not cloying, but really of excellent quality, but be careful: this fragrance is, at least on my skin, extremely iridescent, first vanilla, then woody, then with intensely boozy accents and finally sweet.
Changing makes me very curious and I find it wonderful.
One of the few vanillas I would wear.
Elegant, sensual and with a strong character.
“Portrait of Jeanne Hebuterne” the beautiful, young and strong lover of Amedeo Modigliani, who will be the pillar for the creation of his immense pictorial style.

I think this is what heaven must smell like.

This is my holy grail vanilla and my signature scent. It’s blended beautifully and is rich and complex. I find it quite intoxicating, but never sharp or heavy. I ordered a decant and after one wear ordered the full bottle. It’s everything you’ve been looking for.

The first time I sampled this I thought it was lovely, but nothing extraordinary in a sea of vanilla fragrances. However, I kept reaching for it and every time I dabbed it on the scent just got better and better. I’m absolutely smitten and finally understand why it is such a highly regarded scent. It’s smooth, rich, decadent, opulent, golden vanilla with a touch of smoke and spice that gives it a luxurious feel. I seriously can’t get enough of it. It’s sweet without being over the top and just smells like the most elegant wearable vanilla. So smooth, silky and warm. I can’t wait to add a bottle to my collection.

Managed to get my hands on a 2019 one that comes in a different bottle - 75ml. It smells breathtaking! I will have to cherish it 😭

Well.... after selling my original bottle, I've returned to this beauty. She arrives back in my hands later this week...can't wait!

UPDATE: (02NOV23)
Ahhhhh yes...that lightly sweet, slightly spicy smooth vanilla.
Oh yes...definitely needed this in the stable again.
Now that I am on a new career path...i'll need a more...subtle...vanilla to wear.
This is "Professional" vanilla elegance...

Bought a decant, and again a more potent and longer lasting Black Tie for me(celine)… funny how I find some of Guerlain’s expensive line are similar to celine’s scents too, just a one rank up kind of difference. 😬😅😊

Smells like Eau Duelle on steroids (but so much better blended and with immensely longer lasting power). If you like Eau Duelle, you will love SDV.

I have to say, there is something magical about this fragrance. The first day I tried it, I wasn't very impressed (though it did garner multiple compliments). On day 2 of testing, I found SDV to be alluring and gorgeous...I'm already craving more of it, but my decant is nearly gone. The price point of Gurlain’s fragrances does give me pause...but wow, SDV is truly intoxicating and sophisticated. I feel like I'm being hypnotized, in a good way!

The endgame of vanilla, especially if you dont want it to be sugary sweet.

I broke my old bottle with the red wax all over my stupid bathroom floor. I won't be purchasing the newest formulation. I have a ton of samples sized in this formula, anyway. But dammit, I hurt.

Stuff is amazing. It smells expensive and special.

People hate it because it is expensive. Fine. It's also incredible.

10/10 vanilla.

No, Benz black doesn't smell nearly as good.

For me this is by far the best vanilla fragrance. Because it's not just about vanilla. The fragrance as a whole is not gourmand as many vanilla fragrances are.
But this is chic. I believe there are a bit of aldehydes in the mix. The pink pepper and bergamot open have a classy green zest.
Great cedar wood and florals in the mid. I don't care for Ylang ylang flower much. But it's not distinct here as it's blended with a subtle rose and jasmine.
The benzoin is a bright, crisp woody resinous note that has a vanillic quality in itself. So it pairs very well as a fragrance accord with vanilla, in the base.
This is similar to Angelique Noire, but the vanilla is stronger here, the greeness is stronger in Angelique Noire. Both are very chic, and gender neutral.

Rating: 9/10

God bless. John 3:16

Well this was disappointing. Don't know what year my decant came from, but opens incense, a little boozy, vanilla, then it's just a very weak resin and vanilla. Almost Vaseline like. Odd.

I bought a 2023 bottle, smells lovely as ever but I honestly need a good 5-6 sprays to even detect it on my skin for more than 30 minutes. And I am not some projection lover beast mode type of person by any means.

Not bad but vanilla is hardly detectable here.
More benzoin and ylang ylang .
It reminds me very much of a discontinued fragrance Par Amore by Clarins .
It has benzoin too.
Dry down on my skin is very woody like the woodiness of Madagascar vanilla .smells popular .smell is borderline similar to repellent smell.
Not unique .need to have another wear of it to decide how I feel about it

My bottle is from the 2016-17 batch with the older design. I gave it to my husband because I just adore the way it smells on him. The initial woody elements (slightly oudy) dissipates after a couple of hours and later the effect is the most gorgeous powdery dark vanilla, no more oud/wood in the drydown. I can smell it in the air, it stays in the car, in his clothes. I love it.
I got a sample of the new version and I wonder how many reformulations have been done. I just get a super watery vanilla with tons of oud. The oud doesn't go away, the black delicious vanilla never gets to develop well. It is a skin scent. What a monstruosity to decapitate a gorgeous scent like SDV to make it a generic sweet woody water.

If you have a vintage bottle treat it like a treasure.

I tested this recently on paper, so the review is based only on this and not on a full application on skin.

When trying this fragrance I noticed that it was FAR lighter and more floral than expected. Actually it starts as a high-quality, transparent floral veil, then gradually gains some weight. Also, it is more mainstream than expected. I always imagined “Spiriteuse Double Vanille” as a complex, slightly dark, intriguingly intense vanilla, but reality showed me it is just not that. Instead, it evokes the image of a wealthy, young, pretty woman on a boutique shopping spree.

Altogether, this is a nice scent, but just not what I was looking for.

I find this fragrance to be a very overpriced but well done vanilla fragrance. I do get the boozy note at the start, but it quickly fades into the generic amber vanilla combo that although mass-appealing, is very common. I believe the longevity is in the neighborhood of 8-10 hours, and it has at least moderate projection. This would be a good date night, or formal scent, but definitely not one I'll consider purchasing due to the price and DNA of the fragrance. This, to me at least is simply a generic Vanilla amber fragrance. For the price I'd recommend Penhaligon's The World According to Arthur, Dior Vanilla Diorama, and Maison Francis Kurdijan Grand Soir. Overall an overpriced but well done generic Vanilla scent. A safe blind buy should you have the money, for Spring, Autumn and Winter.

It's okay...not exactly the kind of vanilla I was looking for.
This just sits in-between too many different categories of fragrances that I already own...doesn't really stand out.
Wound up decluttering it to someone that will appreciate its...moderate stance.

UPDATE: this still smells like an English teachers bad breath when they lean in to help you.

Not any better performing on the skin, it is complex but not in the traditional sense. Since the reformation there has been this underlying acidity that I could smell when I would wear it on the skin and clothes, tested it in difference seasons and weather conditions, I found this was prevalent throughout the 4 batches I tested, the smell is similar to that of when I used to volunteer at my local hospice and often times the patients aren't aware of certain smells their body is emitting due to their numerous ailments...this happens when the body starts decaying from within and since then I have never been able to smell this scent the same. Perhaps it's like Hershey's chocolate to non-Americans.

If by a stroke of luck I find the older formulation I'll most definitely snatch it up but as for what Guerlain is currently offering...all the more for you!!!

A fine, stalwart, very boozy vanilla entry. For me, there’s more oak than cedar— almost to a Chardonnay degree (not that there’s any wine in this, only a happily strong booze note). S as far as booze goes, I detect as much bourbon as rum but what do I know? Mmmm. …Then there’s toffee, and a little coffee, and a bit of incense and smoke. But mostly, it’s full-on vanilla and booze, with an undertone of chocolate. It isn’t candy-ish or overly sweet. It’s not femme, or kitchen-y, or gourmand. It’s great.

This is an edited review from here on in, because initially it was at this point that I said that I preferred Penhaligon’s Babylon when it came to a boozy vanilla. But I hadn’t done a side by side at that time. Well now I have, and it’s made me really appreciate SDV. It’s beautifully blended. The Guerlain is darker, smokier, more full-bodied and less fruity than Babylon—which I still love; SDV also initially comes off stronger. I am comparing a bottle straight from Guerlain’s current site , so nothing vintage about it. And— Yes. It’s beautiful.

And —yet. Over an hour later — Penhaligon gains complexity, wafting strands of various sandalwoods and cedar, incense and saffron; whereas SDV does not develop, but maintains its linearity. I suppose therein lies one powerful difference between designer and niche.

Each has their strengths. Ultimately, they’re both succulent. I think I have room for two vanillas in my collection.

aeharris is correct! This is not the same fragrance I used to love. At one time, this was my holy grail, but it was reformulated in 2021. Pre-pandemic, SDV was GORGEOUS. It was rich and boozy--perfect for winter and a cashmere sweater. I made the mistake of purchasing a new bottle in late 2021, and I was so disappointed, I could have cried. I will never buy another bottle. Guerlain, you blew it!

Old formula was great. New formula is like slightly vanilla scented water. High price for much weaker fragrance. Why these companies keep reformulating high quality rich smelling classy fragrances to make them less niche smelling and anemic is beyond me. I paid more for an older formula on eBay and glad I did. It’s marvelous.

I LOVE this perfume. I don’t understand the hate it gets, but then again I am biased to vanilla perfumes. This is a strong woody vanilla that I always reach for during the winter and colder months. It tends to be overpowering so be careful with over spraying. As another review was saying I think this is great for layering but I just love it so much I tend do use it alone. It is a little pricy, but definitely worth it imo.

I get my vanilla / rum combo from inito’s side effect, so I’m used to it being bold and loud. This is nice, but a lot softer and quiet, which has its own appeal. My favourite vanilla from guerlain is Angelique Noir, and it projects nicely off my skin. I know some people who really love this, but I’ll leave this for them. Worth checking out.

I find this one a simple vanilla vanilla and vanilla. Use it for layering and seldom wear it alone. Not a bad choice when I need to add more warmth and depth to my fragrance for that day. It acts as a good carrier and amplifies my other parfums.

This is much lighter than I had pictured. The first few minutes it is giving vanilla with a touch of orange soda because there is something fizzy and cutrus about it. After that it is just a smooth vanilla. The spices, incense/resins, and woods are on the light side so nothing jarring at all. It comes off as a well-rounded light vanilla. But also nothing that special imho. And definitely not worth the price tag. There are so many gorgeous vanilla fragrances out there at many price points. This is not a stand out at ANY price point to me. It is easy to wear and non-offensive, but it also makes it nondescript. Men and women can wear this. But this is not FBW, even though there isn't anything "wrong" with it. It's O.K.

Damn fragrance world 😅

Rich, rummy vanilla. It smells delicious. My mind kept trying to find notes of caramel and coffee, but it doesn't contain those. It if did, I'd have been tempted to lick it off my wrist.

The most addicting, beautiful and wearable vanilla in existence. Performance is perfect as well. If I am looking for more of a simple vanilla, Black Tie is my choice. With SDV, it gives more complexity and spice, giving it more wearability and versatility. This is one of very few frags that I savor for those special occasions, for that special feel-good feeling. Also one of my frags that still to this day, I can’t get enough of. Granted, I am of lover of vanilla but this fragrance has intensified that very love. If you have any desire towards vanilla, this is more than blind buy safe. Yes, even with the retail price!

Unpopular opinion.. this reminds me of (and shares so many of the same accords as) Fresh Cream Warm Cashmere. Sweet, woody, powdery, vanilla, amber... They smell alike to me, except this fragrance has a smoky unisex flare.

This was such a disappointment for me. I wanted to like SDV SO BAD! :(

Does she smell nice, yes!
Is she well-blended, hell yes! very much so.
... But, is her scent complex enough to warrant such a high price tag, NO! Big fat, NO. Not even close.

Before trying, I was imagining something a little more spicy & resinous. I didn't get that at all. SDV is a very linear vanilla, so if that's what you're looking for, then this very well may be for you. The incense note goes away after 5-10 min, which was a disappointment because I really loved the opening.

All of that being said, I still appreciate the quality of SDV. I just think there are more cost effective options on the market that can closely accomplish what SDV is all about in the scent department. Vanille Iconique & Vanilla Woods are great alternatives.

Another great alternative is Aerin Tangier Vanille d'or. The price point is high, but I find that she has that spicy element that I was looking for in SDV.

The medicinal vapours of camphor mixed with the heightened smell of vanilla pods macerating in alcohol for a hundred years. That is the mystique of this fragrance and I love it.

First scent impression...makeup and carmex. There's not much vanilla here, but there is a classy, vintage, cleanness to the fragrance. I envision this on a mature female with money.

For the price...it's not full bottle worthy for me. My decant has been sitting on the shelf for six months and I still haven't felt the need to wear it outside the house. I've worn it around the house twice to give it a fair shot, and both times it goes back up on the shelf.

A rich and heady floral vanilla amber. I really get the Ylang Ylang, and it's such a fine touch to this boozy vanilla beauty -- makes it slightly animalic and oh soooo provocative. Wears close to the skin, getting wafts when the skin heats up. It's a bit overpriced but worth it for the sensual and delicious experience.

Looking for full or partial older formula.

I was really disappointed by this. I just expected something more, something more complex, darker and layered than... this slightly shallow, bright and alcoholic vanilla. That strong alcohol-dominant opening lasted for way longer than I thought, and I don’t mean that in a nice rum vanilla fashion - I mean 'vanilla' flavoured booze. It also dried down to something almost imperceptible and soft and musky after around 3-4 hours on my skin.

To give it a little credit, it was clearly a quality creation - in the sense that it's not at all synthetic or sickly syrupy but regardless, overall, a great letdown for me.

I sampled this previously and thought it was a beautiful scent but not worth the price tag. Fast forward, FOMO made me purchase a 200ml bottle and I am so happy to say that this smells better than what I remembered from the sample. I get way more depth, booziness and longevity from this bottle. This goes straight into my "For Life" list!

Straight up balsamic vanilla with a hint of smokyness.

On my skin personally? Nearly identical to Nuit et Confidences, which I already own.

Edit: After more wearings I actually disagree that they are identical. I think this is more rounded and less of a cool incense. I probably prefer this actually but the price is a few times more and probably not worth the price difference.

This wears closer to the skin/ poorer performance sadly on me. I have been reaching for my sample of this over Cuir beluga.

I must say, this perfume lasts forever! Even with the strong wind in London, the perfume managed to stay. This collection made by Guerlain is extremely impressive. For this specific scent, I find it giving feminine energy in the best way possible. When you enter a room, you will definitely turn heads. I strongly suggest this perfume.

Oh wow, I remember that on my first test of this one I wasn’t impressed, all I got was a very soapy vanilla, which didn’t do anything to me.
Fast forward few months and I decided to try on again from the rest of the sample that left. I can see the Beaty of it now. It’s much less soapy now. Such an addicting scent. It’s obviously vanilla, a tad powdery and bright but sooo fun. It’s not a complex scent at all, it doesn’t have any depth to it, yet it’s just so satisfying to smell. It has a glimpse of a boozy profile to it but not polarizing at all imo. I think it’s definitely mass pleasing, not sure it can be called unique or anything like that, but it doesn’t matter honestly. Even tho it’s straightforward and to the average person it smells like vanilla - it’s unmistakably rich one. It’s refined and well blended, no “jagged edges” or a misfitting element, it really does give the illusion that what you smell is one cohesive note, and that’s impressive. Very good harmony overall.

I’d say this is unisex with a slight lean to feminine. It gives me the vibes of the color purple, maybe a deep one. But guys can definitely rock this too (I would). It smells clean and sweet in an interesting way. I can see it working in most settings. It’s not cloying fortunately, and thus can work also in closed environments.

Overall, a very refined vanilla perfume. As of yet I can treat it as the epitome of vanilla perfumes, the benchmark that every other in the category should be compared to. Pretty much a FBW for me.

74/100

Nice vanilla fragrance. Very expensive for what it is. I like Duelle from douptique more that this one however it is solid good quality fragrance. 7/10

After having a sample of "Vanille Doree" from Alexandria Fragrances, I decided to just buy a bottle of the ORIGINAL fragrance it was based on. Looking forward to its arrival later this week...

Review to come.

23APR23 UPDATE:

Okay... To me, this smells like the most delectable mixture of two fragrances. If you took "by the fireplace" and diluted it with "vanilla love"....the result would be this fragrance. "SDV" has all the best parts of both of those two fragrances combined in this one perfectly crafted beauty of a fragrance!

The longevity is AMAZING as well!! I put this on as a full body base layer yesterday and it lasted the entire day. The fragrance i layered on top of it faded after 9 hours and left the beautiful scent of SDV underneath. So even after 15+ hours, i could still smell that beautiful deep smoky and floral vanilla on me. Don't get me wrong, i still adore "vanilla love" and she's my absolute #1. But SDV is DEFINITELY my go-to for smoky vanilla now. I think i may offload "Raghba" after this next fall. I never really bonded with it and SDV outclasses it by a mile.

This smells gorgeous, but 90% similar to Goutal Nuit et Confidences. I own a bottle of Goutal and have a sample of this so I’m 100% sure. I would love to have a custom-made bottle from Guerlain, but I can’t see myself paying over $300+ for a fragrance so similar to one of my all-time favorite vanilla fragrances.

I shouldve known I wouldn't like this due to the incense. Reminds me of prada infusion de vanille. The rubber tyres note just utterly ruins it for me. The vanilla is sweet though.

This one is growing on me. I liked it, but it didn’t seem overly special to me. I just wish it were more beastly. I do not think Club Black is a dupe for this. I went through a whole bottle of CB this winter and, aside from them both being vanilla dominant, I don’t get the same vibe. SDV is definitely a very luxurious vanilla that smells expensive. The longevity is average on me and is more of an intimate fragrance, which makes it nice for the office.

I own Mercedes Club Black and I must say they are 80% similar. The vibe for both is a boozy, woody sweet vanilla extract type vanilla. MCB is boozier and heavy on Ambroxan, ethyl maltol overload, and screechy in the drydown. SDV is a way higher quality vanilla (like realistic baking vanilla extract type), and way more refined and well blended. Is SDV worth the price? I think for the vanilla obsessed, most likely yes. The problem though is the performance. For those who own the old bottles, lucky you!

I had this and sold it. The longevity, projection, and sillage are not good for what this costs. I have only smelled the juice in the new bottle and based on what I understand, this was reformulated and not as nice as the original. I ended up buying the Alexandria Fragrance dupe and it smells exactly the same for a fraction of the price. In terms of the scent itself, I wish it was deeper and richer.

NOT at all worth the price!
This doesn’t live up to the hype. SDV smells nice but catch it quickly because it’s very watery.
It evaporates and I cannot smell a thing after an hour.

Only a confident well groomed and well dressed man could pull this off. VERY sweet. Would much rather prefer this on a lady

Overall- 6.8/10


Update- ok I wore this in 45 degree weather with a leather jacket and it was quite beautiful. Pretty strong scent trail with excellent longevity. Didn’t seem too sweet when wearing in colder temp.

Overall- 8.8/10

This has been a love at first sniff for me.
I went to discover the l'Art et la matière collection and had to get this one.

I did have a problem with my cap which would lose its seal and cord if not pulled the right way, apparently this is a common issue with new bottles sold in Paris so be careful if you're looking to get one.

Apart from this, it is a beautiful boozy vanilla scent with one of the most realistic vanilla on the market and the best one to me.
It's not overly sweet and definitely unisex to me.
This reminds me of a delicious crème patissière being prepared.

Scent profile: 9/10
Longevity: 5/10 unfortunately not its strong suit
Projection: 7/10

To this day, the best vanilla money can buy! And it is a lot of money 🤣
I don't think there is much to add, this is a all round great buy, especially if you can get a good deal on it.

Looking to sell my SDV 80% 75 mL discontinued bottle with OG formulation. CONUS highly preferred. PM me

Instant love!! Been searching for a vanilla like this

A very heavy, indulgent vanilla that smells almost like an alcoholic vanilla syrup. Absolutely wonderful.

I have an older 75ml bottle about 85% full that I am looking to sell if anyone is interested. PM me. Definitely rarer nowadays

This is a very pretty, light incensy vanilla that is widely likable, but very tame. After hearing so much about this fragrance, I decided to try a sample. I was expecting more richness, more smokiness and more booziness. Instead I got a very "safe" perfume. There is vanilla but it's not rich. It's light, airy and slightly floral, non-gourmand. There's not a lot of booziness. It's barely there. There's a slightly smoky incense note that cocoons the vanilla.

I think my sample is authentic. I got it on Etsy from a seller with good feedback. The color of the juice in my vial is mauve rather than brown. I noticed some people selling bottles online of a version of this perfume that has mauve juice, so maybe it's a variation of the same one.

Anyways, I was expecting a stronger perfume. Parfum concentration is very weak. Not at the strength level of Tom Ford private blend collection if you had to compare. Therefore, I find this to be overpriced.

Smell: 8 out of 10
Longevity: 7 out of 10

For reference, I'm female.

I was very disappointed by this having tried a sample over a few days. Particularly given all the hype over this fragrance. I thought it was supposed to be a vanilla classic - and very vanilla. It isn't. It opens with a woody medicinal element which is obviously the Cedar, but this completely dominates. It is primarily a woody, amber/ incense scent, with vanilla very much in the background.

Fragrantica lists it as an "Amber fragrance for women" and the Guerlain site lists it as a "woody-oriental fragrance". Both 'amber' and 'Woody' are there and prominent above any vanilla. Overall it's quite a light, thin fragrance. Classy and high end smelling yes; vanilla - not much. Projection is poor but it does last on clothes for over 24 hours. As it evolves the faint warm vanilla that does come out stays very close on the skin/ clothes. It leans masculine to me. Yes vanilla can have a woody/ smokey side. But this is more of a light woody oriental Cedar/ amber scent with some tobacco and maybe smoke. Also to add to the confusion there is another listing for SDV on this site!

Montale's Vanille Absolu may smell quite artificial but at least you get vanilla and sillage - which you do not get with SDV. Serge Lutens Un Bois Vanille is also more 'vanillery' than SDV but there is no projection or longevity with that either. Same for Vanille Noire (to comapre). I'm sounding hard to please but I just want a good vanilla scent with projection and longevity (holy grail) but am realising that the more natural the vanilla, the less projection and longevity you get. Glad I tried this first before buying. Perhaps it has changed over the years.

One of the best, if not the best, from the Art and Matière Collection. It is a deep and multifaceted fragrance that smells beautiful and is finely crafted. Overall, the fragrance leaves something to be desired and that goes with nearly the whole line, despite the pleasantness of the fragrances. I think they may be marketing these fragrances to the wrong demographic because only perfume lovers are going to pay these prices, but the perfume lovers also want the longevity and strength. At 360+ for a 100ML bottle I'm expecting it to last all day.

I've been a perfume collector for many years now, and even though I have many, I always felt that my collection will never be complete without Spiritueuse Double Vanille. So, I decided to finally get a sample of it and see what the fuss is all about before I make a decision to either hunt for the pre-formulation bottle or just buy the new version.
I am happy I went with the sample first, which is something I almost never do. I do not like SDV at all. It could be the fact that I am testing a new formulation, but I don't see myself getting a FB of either version. To me, SDV belongs more to the boozy category rather than the vanilla one, along with Fève Délicieuse, but man, Feve is so much better!
SDV comes off quite masculine to me, and it takes a really long time until the spiciness turns into vanilla-like warmth on my skin. Sadly, this new formulation can not afford the time to do that. It is completely gone within a couple of hours, which in my case, is a blessing.
I love Guerlain with all my heart, I have quite a few in my collection, but there are much better vanillas out there. And there is no way this new formulation is worth the money they are asking for, it has neither potency nor the willingness to survive. Guerlain should focus less on bottle customization and more on the quality of the juices they are now producing! I am glad I sampled first!

I purchased this last summer and even though I didn’t hate it, I sure didn’t like it! So yes, I regretted spending so much for it. Autumn came and I tried it again and in cooler weather I started liking it. Along comes winter and I love it! I do wish this heavenly vanilla, boozy scent lasted longer though.

I had been wanting to try this forever, and finally got ahold of a few manufacturers samples. I’m not sure what I received wasn’t actually mislabeled Tonka Imperiale? Not that I’ve ever smelled that, but I’m looking at the samples, I’m reading where it says Spiriteuse DOUBLE VANILLE, but I’ve been wearing this all day now and I don’t smell anything but tonka, from top to bottom. I get zero vanilla, and none of the listed notes, whatsoever. It’s just stonking tonka tonka-t0nk. So in other words kinda woody, shrill sweetness sort of like amaretto.

Edited 2/28/23:
Lalique Le Parfum is pretty much this with a little bit of green and 3.4oz can be had for about $40 American. I am not appalled by spending hundreds on your favorite, but this is one that truly has NO business costing as much as it does.

Hello, I have a NIB (sealed) 200 ml bottle that was purchased from NM as a gift. I already own this fragrance and it is a true love for me. If anyone in US is interested I am open to selling. In no rush as I LOVE this fragrance. Message me if serious only please. I will include a 5 ml decant of Guerlain Gourmand Coquin and 5 ml of EBK Yaucht and Desire along with with 5ml of YSL - Babycat. Will provide batch # if provided on the bottom of sealed box! Message me if interested! $500 total cost and that includes shipping!

I think I understand the hype on this one. Is absolutely beautiful, boozy, balsamic and slightly sweet vanilla.
Not cloying or overwhelming, BUT with a terrible performance.
I bought a decant after months and months of putting it last on my list and now I regret it because it seems that has been reformulated.
At first spray it was instant love, but I wanted to try it several times before committing to a FB, but performance is still 👎🏻, and for more than 300 for a bottle, uh-uh, no sir. I did bought the Julianna’s perfume dupe and I will compare it once it arrives, if not a great dupe it goes back to JP warehouse and I guess I’ll buy a Guerlain bottle and let it sit for a year… oh well *sighs*

I love this perfume and I have had it for years, topping up every year or so. There is huge warmth and sweetness to the vanilla, but balanced well with a mix of pepper and wood. I usually wear this fragrance in the evening and always receive compliments. The downside is that it is very expensive, so I use it sparingly.

It’s very soft to my nose but dries down into something really lovely. Wish I had the original version. I rarely want “sticky” sweet but I crave it from this fragrance and it’s just a hint too soft to really project that side of itself. It’s a pretty skin scent to me and not worth the price tag (in the new bottle at least) because you have to overspray and I am not an over-sprayer. At least not for $360+ a bottle.

This smells like cooking spices with benzoin. As it starts drying, it smells like boozy spices, syrupy and a hint of angel's share. The powder, musk and incense does create quite an enjoyable aroma. However, it reminds me too much of note vanillee.

Drying down it has that vanilla extract vanilla. But I could easily buy Lira or Tihota or any other vanilla esque fragrance that has better value than an almost $500 CAD fragrance.

Easily the best vanilla fragrance out there

OH NO!!!! Whathave they done to you and why? I smelled this recently and it is not the same- like the dark rich rum and sweetness is gone. Its like a shell of its former self- its like a body spray. What is going on???

This was definitely reformulated. Such a shame. I finally got a chance to test to new bottles at Neiman and this fragrance is a shell of its former self. Extremely light and disappears into a skin scent not long after spraying. The price is criminal all things considered. Shame as this used to be my favorite vanilla but I also passed on it in favor of other frags at the time. Ditto on the user below me. I wish I got the older bottle. Ugh

Nice but admittedly not my favourite...

I did try this years ago and loved it but its new formation (not here for the denial of others that it's not been reformulated) falls flat for me. This has been watered down to the 10th degree, some in the line have not been reformulated and manage to hold their integrity but for how long with that last? Time will tell. I wish that I would have bought a bottle of this when it was still housed in those slender sleek bottles, but I had my heart set on a different one from the range.

I'm sure they had their reasons, no matter how absurd it may be to reformulate e.g. LVMH, ingredients, regulations etc. leaves me with money in my pocket for another fragrance. I do have enough of it to last a fair amount of time, so I can still enjoy it within my collection, but I will not be lusting after a bottle with its current formula.

I will second what others have mentioned about this halitosis/cough syrup note as I do pick up on it too.

All aspects of its performance is subpar for what Guerlain is asking for but if someone was to gift this to me I would wholeheartedly accept it. I mean, who wouldn't?

Why do most fragrances from Guerlain give me cough syrup vibes?? Little bit spicy and smoky but mainly thick cough syrup/drops. Ugh, just no. This lasted all the way through and a couple hours after a long hot shower, so that’s something. I haven’t had many perfumes with it’s strength.

Don't listen to the hate. It's too expensive, yes, fine, ok. It's also sublime and. Beautiful. If you havent actually worn this fragrance, the real version, then you don't know.

This is a beautiful vanilla booze fragrance. It manages to be sweet, rich and luxurious and light at the same time.

Despite the airy lightness, this lasts 12 hours on my skin.

Upon first smell, it may strike you as somewhat subtle and less than exciting. However, the wearing experience on skin is one of the most enjoyable out of any fragrance I've ever worn.

This is not only vanilla, and it's totally unisex. There is some spice, clean ceder and dry rose as well.

Guerlain vanilla is second to none, and this is as expected.

This is worth all the praise, period.

Rating: 8.95

I was so excited to finally try a sample of this after reading about it over the years, and it wasn’t what I was expecting. The opening is quite peppery, and I get a tea note (from the bergamot I assume). The other spicy and floral notes really dominate, though, and I didn’t find this to be “boozy vanilla”. This is a spicy, floral scent with some incense, with a vanilla note in there in the dry down (not the same scent, but makes me think of perfumes like Coco). I think this is a floriental (as I believe Vanilla 28 is). I’d definitely recommend getting a sample from Perfume Court and not springing for a full bottle. Not what I was looking for, unfortunately.

So I have an older bottle that was tall and narrow. I’ve stretched it and over 4 years, the juice has gotten darker and rich…around 1/4 left…I would say 85% of what is gone was used and the other 15% went to the angels share. My husband and I were at Neimans and the new bottle with a cap choice were on display. I walked up and he’s a sucker and spender. So we left with a fancy bottle of SDV. To me, sure, it’s not like it smells like my existing bottle but…I also have faith it will age just as nice, just like a good wine, in a shorter time (most wine collectors buy a case and then testa bottle every few years for those with promise of time…perfumes are the same). It reminded me of when I got it the first time. Enough where I am happy to have this and put it out for me to look at, be delighted and say to it…go ahead young Lady…you’ll be a woman soon.

I bought a full bottle of SDV 6 months ago after testing extensively. The price was hard to justify, but the bottle will last for years. This is a rich, comforting, deep wear for fall or winter. It was stifling in warm weather but seems ideal for cooler days. I haven't experienced the same problem with projection or longevity that many reviewers report, but I also never tried the original version for comparison. One spray of this reformulated version lasts on cotton clothes until I wash them, and a second spray lasts on my skin for about as long as I want: 4 hours with decent but inoffensive sillage, and turning into a skin scent for a few more hours after that. To me, the incense, booze and woods in SDV all linger for a long time and perfectly round out the vanilla, and this fragrance is more interesting and lasting than the dozen or so other vanillas I've tried.

How has no one compared this to Goldfield Banks Silky Woods?!

A slightly boozy vanilla with some creamy florals and a smidge of spice. Wish i could smell the older formulations because this one does not particularly interest me.

A decent vanilla scent, but not especially performant for the price.

A delicious vanilla with little hints of booziness and spices. Doesnt have the greatest longevity or projection but I don’t mind reapplying this beauty

Smelled this at the Guerlain counter, and the clerk painted imagery of this scent: pirates on a stormy merchant ship, drinking booze and carrying spices from foreign countries. This is exactly it.
The opening is such an intoxicating rum/booze scent, paired with a delicate layer of smokey tobacco. Literally as though luxury meets rogue, a picture of a rich but sexy-rough top note. For this top note alone, I would consider purchasing a full bottle.
However, the top note is so short-lived, and less than an hour later, it opens up to a vanilla scent and stays that way. For me, the vanilla smells like Kayali's Vanilla 28, which is nice, but I don't particularly care for it, and vanilla scents oddly remind me of plums.
Gorgeous top note, but once passed, just smells like any other vanilla fragrance. Beautiful but not particularly worth it for the price imo.

Hmm.. not what I was expecting.. Where is the DOUBLE VANILLE? This smells watered down. I don't doubt the old formula was nice.

This is more "Souffle de Spiritueuse Double Vanille" now, but it does get richer the longer you have it, to be fair I only have the 10-15 ml bottle of this new bottle/formulation, so I'm just assuming it will deepen like it used to. Guerlain is like an investment in the stock market, longer it sits the more value you get. I don't know if this one will ever be boozy like the OG was, but it has it's merits. I appreciate that there isn't a bunch of ambroxan in it, that's a scent killer for me. The nose blind question below is valid, imho.

First, let me say: The quality is what I would expect from Guerlain. (Note: my review is based on a sample I received from Guerlain 6 mos ago.)

My subjective experience: It’s a little “thin” and less deep than I expected from the pyramid I saw. I expected something thick and resinous in the amber accord that’s described. The name “Double” Vanille conjured up an overdose for me..something kind of heavy. I think the name is what throws me off, because I really want the name and pyramid to match the juice my nose is craving.

That said, perhaps my expectations were unfair because I can’t really think of anything heavy from Guerlain. (I should know this by now. Geez, what’s wrong with me? 😅) Anyway, there’s nothing wrong with this, and I do really like it. I’ll stick with the sample for now.

Boozy balsamic vanilla, clearly high quality. Nothing other than that.

Surprisingly weak performance.

Haven't tried first formula, but I wear the new one and it's an authentic heaven

285
Ah this again, it has gone down the hill into hell, but the price has hiked up to heaven!

It’s not heavenly anymore…

Like many say, it is a ghost of the original beauty…BOO, it’s gone!!!

If you don't want to pay that clunky price. Reach out to Palace Vendome 💓 200ml lower than 100ml US price!

One of the more realistic vanilla scents I’ve used so far, smells like dabbing vanilla extract on myself. I was worried I wouldn’t like the incense, but it is mild. The rose occasionally peeps through. On me this lasts all day with one or two sprays, curious if those saying otherwise perhaps went nose blind after awhile. Would I pay $360+ for a bottle? Not sure. But that’s subjective to individual means.

Its ok but I dont get the hype unfortunately. Smells a little bit old/mature to me. I prefer absolut aphrodisiac way more.

273
I agree with many of the recent reviews about the new bottle formulation. I’m so disappointed, it’s anemic. And the dilution makes it have a kind of halitosis smell as it dries. I was willing to buy it, but after comparing it to the other bottle, no way! Save your money.

Is not nice to talk Bad about perfumes because is something very subjective, but yesterday I was very happy because was my birthday so I went Finally to buy this gem. I went with my husband and I ask to the girl if she can apply a lot perfume Everywhere to me and so she did. A lot, but I barely smell this, nice sweet vanilla for sure, but very subtle, we went for a walk for around 30 minutes and honestly the smell disappeared, I think is even better a body mist from Victoria secret. I don’t say don’t buy it, because maybe is my skin, not sure, but get a sample And don’t lost your money. So finally I didn’t buy this perfume because I think for that amount of money I can get something better, for me is insane the price because the quality is not the best. ( I bought a sample before, but I wanted to give a second chance ). My husband tough the same.

Hmmm… I’m slightly disappointed with this batch in the new bottle. It smells considerably different than my previous bottles. I feel it contains less rum and the vanilla seems lighter as opposed to the heavy vanilla pod in the older version I still have some of.

Well…I do love SDV but friends! Save yourself the money and get Mercedes Benz Club Black. Same exact DNA 99.9% and it lasts longer and projects better.

Edit: upon drydown my decant of SDV smells a little more delicate and dainty and airy and a touch more leaning feminine than Mercedes but for the price, Mercedes CB is a steal!

This comes off as the most sexy and rich vanilla on my skin. My bottle has been sprayed and aged for around 6-7 months and has only gotten stronger and richer in scent profile. I get easily 8+ hours of good performance with strong projection and sillage. Many people complain about performance, but this is one that you can go nose blind to easily. Also it helps to spray multiple times in the same spot to make a thicker layer.

I definitely pick up the smoky opening, along with the bergamot and cedar. This is basically a smoky, woody vanilla with a hint of spice. Sophisticated, formal, “traditional” feeling.

A mature vanilla, that exudes class. Not a candy vanilla like Kayali Vanilla 28, which is nice(I would have loved it in my 20s😅) but the Kayali is nothing more than a sweet gourmand, and SDV has depth.

Even in my 40s Spiritueuse Double Vanille isn’t quite my vibe. Dior Vanilla Diorama is the winner for me, too bad I can’t get any here in Canada👎🏻

Only really issue with SDV is the projection and longevity could be better, especially considering the price point.

It is lovely though, absolutely worth sampling😊

On me this fragrance is lightly spicy vanilla and warm flushed woody-rose with small tendrils of sweet smoke. Completely unisex. Totally addictive. This scent is the only rose I've ever loved.

I get 10 hours+ on skin under clothes. I don't really look for projection but this isn't huge, which suits me fine. I can smell it in the air when I move and my niece days I smell "yummy". She's little and dosen't like some of the heavier/bolder scents in my collection.

DISCOVERY NOTE
On paper, I should hate this. I really don't like rose or ylang-ylang (or most florals in general). I came at this sideways; I accidentally found some dupe/inspiration frags that were described as smokey vanillas, enjoyed those, which led back to the OG. I never thought I'd actually try it. The sky-high auction price those discontinued bottles were demanding was interesting. Then one day, the clouds parted and the sun shone on the announcement of the re-release! So, I blind-bought a full custom bottle, having only experienced the replicas. Wise purchase! Happy to have it and looking forward to seeing how it develops with age.

Smells like rock candy, very harsh sugar, and baking vanilla. I don’t get much of the depth or warmth I expected. Not unpleasant and very good for layering, but for the price?

Doesnt matter how it smells, after 5 minutes it becomes a faint skin scent, and after 15 minutes it’s totally gone.Atrocious projection and longevity, price is absurd. This and Creed Sublime Vanille are neck and neck in the race for the fragrance with the absolute worst performance. Avoid unless you like throwing money away.

It’s a very special vanilla. But for the price? It disappears after about an hour. I wasn’t expecting that.

I will have to say. This is absolutely beautiful. My husband kept giving me compliments on this fragrance. It doesn't slap you in the face but has a appealing vanilla scent throughout the day. This is very expensive so save up for this one, but you need to add to your collection. 10 out of 10

Spraying this on I get an unexpected rum note or perhaps apple brandy. Instantly appetizing. Right after, a deep woody vanilla with caramel-like benzoin a touch of cedar in the very back, 100% the real thing.
Just as you are about to pop the top open and drink a shot of it, you come back to your senses (probably after seeing the price tag) and realize that you have been smelling your wrist in public for like 5 minutes straight and are watering at the mouth.

Absolutely stunning, intoxicating vanilla without any of the blubbering powdery vanillin goo many of us have come to detest, matched with typical Guerlain elegance.
I would wholeheartedly wipe out all other vanilla fragrances from the face of the earth for a few free bottles of this golden ambrosia.

Rich, boozy vanilla. Totally straight, it's like I dabbed pure vanilla extract on my skin but manages not to be gourmand or smell like something to eat. It lasts 12h+ though, and projects really well. I was catching whiffs of it all day and it was really cosy and comforting. The price point is INSANE, sadly, so I'm not going to buy a full bottle.

This is so yummy! It smells like a Dairy Queen Heath Bar Blizzard tastes. The first time I tried it was in the spring and I applied it sparingly and it lasted about 3 hours...very disappointing. Yesterday it got up to 112° here in Texas. I made sure that I sprayed it liberally on neck, chest and arms. It smelled heavenly and lasted a good 6 hours. 10 hours later I could still smell it when I put my nose right on my skin. Unfortunately it is too pricey to be spraying liberally, for this girl anyway. It makes me sad, cause I really like it 😔

I got Xerjoff Lira vibe in the opening (albeit only the caramel) so I thought - holy crap, if this is anything like Lira, this will be a monster of a fragrance and have incredible longevity, and I already like the smell better (for a man).

Although its more unisex than Lira, it's very calmingly sweet & cozy, it all went downhill from there.
Doesn't last long and at that price point, it's just ....daylight robbery!?
I'll stick to my Mercedes Benz Club Black.

This is a beautiful vanilla scent. Reminds me of a vanilla custard. This is definitely more close to the skin and intimate which I personally do not mind. There is beauty in “silent” fragrances. For those looking for more unique vanillas, stay away, this is a very simple straight to the point vanilla fragrance. It’s also probably the smoothest vanilla I have ever laid my nose on. Worth the money for me and i haven’t been able to stop wearing it.

I love this scent I find it cozy and comforting 😊

As other reviewers have said before me. This fragrance is not worth the price due to lack of longevity and projection. I sprayed my forearms and in less than 1-2 hrs I can only experience this fragrance by pressing my nose to my arms. It is such and elegant ice cream like vanilla with spicy depth. Divine Vanille of Essential Parfums is similar in profile, has more projection and longevity but i like the Guerlain so much better. Could have been a signature perfume if it projected past a few inches, but some people might like that depending on your workplace setting.

As a vanilla lover, and a Guerlain lover, I was excited to try this. I find it quite underwhelming. Projection and longevity are laughable in general, especially for the price. The scent itself lacks depth. I’ve tried it over and over and I just have to accept it; I’m not a fan of Spiritueuse Double Vanille. I’m still a little in denial. Maybe I’ll change my mind. For now, it’s a pass.

Not unique. ..........

Performance is atrocious and a joke for the price
It’s such a shame because the scent is gorgeous
But I just feel like I don’t even want to smell anything else from guerlain after this especially for the fact that this is a VANILLA AMBER scent and it just disappears from your skin.
That’s just downright offensive

Exactly just as I’d expect. It’s vanilla
at double dosage. Good for layering
when you want a 2x dose of vanilla
into something. Heavenly 2x mixed
with Chantecaille’s Kalimantan 🤤🥴

beautiful on my skin. the incense and smoke aspect of the perfume really blends well with the vanilla, and the vanilla smells a bit like vanilla extract which i personally like. vanilla's not too sweet, but just enough to balance out the incense, so it doesn't smell too woody. i usually don't like spicy fragrances, but this is really nice. i will say, it smells similar, almost like an upgraded version kayali's vanilla 28. i only have a decant, but if i wanted more of this scent, i would probably only shell out for the dupe on oil perfumery. beautiful, really, but way too expensive!

I could not tell you why I disliked this one. On paper, it should be great. In person, it was just... IDK. It's the same thing that bugs me about most Serge Lutens scents. The notes look great, but they have something in common that I just can't name. Maybe it's the specific incense notes?

I pick up the smoky scent from ylang-ylang,rose,incense, cedar smells to be Atlas.
Pink pepper masks the bergamot and I get a vanilla resinous sticky smell. It's not overly sweet but more like a dry woody vanilla Incense but it has this sticky styrax liquid scent.

I like it because it's unusual not your average girly vanilla it's sophisticated and soft with smokey undertones. With a slight menthol coolness like menthol extraction from peppermint. It's a scent you can't pinpoint exactness but it smells nice

-This is so hyped up that it turned out to be a letdown.
-Weaksauce scent...that makes me wonder why its named Spiritueuse.
-Overall, I'd describe it as a mild, nondescript cinnamony scent with some sweetness. (-)

I've been dying to try this based on reviews for years- they no longer have this line at Guerlain counters in the US other than Los Vegas and New York. Almost bought it blind based on the hype, but im glad I instead splurged on the sampler set from Guerlain. I was a little disappointed in how feminine and basic this smells, I thought it was going to be a very rich boozy vanilla, in fact from reviews and youtube you'd think this would smell unlike anything you've ever smelled before. For me, it wasn't. I did enjoy the vanilla in the dry down though, but alas, I don't think I'll be purchasing the larger bottle. Edit to update: Included in my order was a sample vial spray of Spiritueuse, and I do like that better than the straight shot from the coffret, but still, not as exciting as I was hoping.

This is a spot on dupe for the dry down of Ivory Route... are you serious. No ma'am!!
Update: not linear, I had to give it time.
Reminds me of Eau Duelle. Also reminds me of Prada la femme.
Spot on to Hemingway 1899 mixed with Eau Duelle.
I have a sample on my site if you wanted to try.

This is a sophisticated vanilla fragrance that is dry, and incense-y. I see the resemblance with Vanille 44, though that one is muskier. Double Vanille is a subtle vanilla scent with an elegant sillage. It's long lasting but discreet. It's not sweet or sugary for a vanilla dominant scent.

Honestly, finally tried this after hearing about it for years and something between the Incense or the Ylang Ylang kills this for me. I get a much more animalic overtone on my skin than I would’ve liked or expected from this

Do grown men swoon? Well I do when I smell this gorgeously warm and smooth vanilla gourmand. And how can something so boozy stay so classy? Perhaps because the note (to me) is more fine cognac than rough rum or whisky. The price is outrageous - could anyone get through 100ml in a lifetime (£300 worth) unless out every night? Very feminine, very sexy, in a very refined sort of a way.
4.5/5
(not a 5 because of the pricing and preference for better performance, but make no mistake, this is a sensational perfume)

Wonder how it compares to Ani?
To think they apparently watered the fragrance down and changed the bottle all while raising the price. The bottle is now hideous.. I'm still going to try this and update but darn!

Incense, vanilla and benzoin.
Very unisex, more so than I imagined based on the profile and notes, I think it has more incense and is less sweet than I imagined.
A strong like.

Being a vanilla lover on the hunt for her perfect vanillas, I've been wanting to test this for so long. I finally purchased a sample and spent the day with her. This is a gorgeous, soothing, high quality (of course), not too sweet, realistic vanilla to my nose, but I either become anosmic to it or it has abysmal lasting power. I applied this around 5-6 times throughout the day and early evening. I received a 'You smell good' compliment in the evening from my sister as we hugged, so this is a skin scent on me, I guess - even after 5+ applications. I suspect I become a bit anosmic because I fell asleep, and when I woke, could smell it more strongly than before the nap. That frustrates me because *I* want to smell it on myself! For the price, I want this to project a bit more and last longer. It is SO beautiful in its seeming simplicity, but given how often I needed to reapply, I don't think I can justify purchasing a full bottle, but we'll see. Are other people finding this to be a skin scent requiring frequent application? I wouldn't mind reapplication, but I'm pretty sure I would blow through that very expensive bottle in no time. I wish there were options for smaller bottles for me to blow through haha.

Edit: I am trying this again today. I will try until I find a way! I've tested this, Cuir Beluga and Tonka Imperiale. They are all gorgeous. Cuir Beluga and Tonka Imperiale I don't seem to go anosmic to. I accidentally sprayed Tonka on with Double Vanille and I can say it was a happy accident!

Update: My sister - who hugged me and said I smelled good while wearing this - passed away much too soon in September, leaving a husband and four beautiful, school-aged children. I just read this review again for the first time since I wrote it. It is now November. I've been wanting to get my hands on a bottle of this, but now I will make it my mission to do so, as my sister is right here in this review from March. I love you, Amanda. Among all the other wonderful things about you, thank you for telling me when I smelled good.

Not the same as I remembered from about 5 years ago...
Maybe a reformulation? Or maybe my nose has changed/matured...
A sickly-sweet vanilla, backed by an unripe benzoin, with a trace of cedar lurking.
As it develops, it displays the same 'evolution' as my wife's Gypsy Water -- a weird metallic-waxy element that I do not like.
And as such, I do not like this, either...

Vanilla x vanilla = vanilla overload

I have been on a quest for months to find the perfect vanilla for me. I tried SO many vanilla fragrances! This one is PERFECT! Not too gourmand or too floral. This will always be in my collection!

I don't understand the hype over this. It's nothing special. I have the vintage version, and the smell is meh to me. Not worth the price tag. Smells woody and medicinal. I don't pick up on any vanilla, just a harsh woody medicinal smell.

This to me smells like lounging in a luxurious Victorian opium den (all covered in dark red velvet) somewhere halfway between a dream and reality.

High quality but 100% feminine. Reminds me of something an older woman over 50 would wear. I don’t understand how anyone could consider this unisex at all.

A beautiful grownup dark vanilla that deserves to be worn on special occasions. It gives me that confident and seductive vibe. On me I get the smoky and some rhum-like accords mixed with those beautiful vanillas. Long lasting, around 12 hours on skin. It becomes a skin scent after around 5 hours. The drydown is mostly a beautiful deep slightly sweet true vanilla. This is one of Guerlain’s masterpiece. In my top favorites of all time that I will always repurchase.

This is Mercedes Club Black but way overpriced. Do not spend your money on this.

I'm so angry with myself for not trying this earlier. Not only because I missed out for so long, but also because of the recent price and bottle changes of the L'Art & la Matière line.

I had tried Cologne of the Missions years ago, which is considered to be the affordable version of Spiritueuse Double Vanille, and was not that impressed. But in this case the price difference is also noticeable quality-wise, which makes me love SDV while CotM is merely okay to me.
They start out quite similar with a creamy, boozy vanilla and somewhat papery woods. But where Cologne of the Missions showcases undertones of wet paper and old powder to my nose, Spiritueuse Double Vanille just dances around that and immediately takes a turn to sweet, balsamic vanilla bliss.
Which does not mean that the other notes aren't noticeable. They are important support players. I get a dry woodsy note from the cedar, a warm, delicious rum note that blends in with the ylang ylang to become almost fruity, a subtle floral bouquet that adds a feminine touch and, of course, the deep balminess of vanilla's best friend, benzoin.
The opening is nice enough, but the drydown is where it's really at. It's rich without being loud, very rounded and refined.

There are many fragrances that were inspired by this, just look at the "reminds me of" section, but the original is the most sophisticated and elegant of all that I smelled.
I also really liked Kayali's Vanilla, which belongs to this family too, but has more gourmand and musky aspects and feels more extroverted and youthful. SDV is different, I think it would be suitable for a serious person who wants to smell sweet and cuddly from time to time, too. It has that classic Guerlain touch after all. I can appreciate both.

Not sure if I will ever be able to add this to my collection, but I sure hope so.

This is the most elegant vanilla I’ve ever smelled, a little smokey, a little boozy indeed, but almost on the dry side and with a makeup vibe to it, probably due to the cedar and the multi-facetted vanilla type Guerlain used. Note that I still detect a weird side of the vanilla (Guerlain’s vanillas do that to me), reminding me of bandage glue, but this perfume is overall so addictive and the makeup note is so elegant and perfect. Although I rated it poorly upon first test, because of the bad performance, now it became one of my favourites.

I was so excited to receive this as a sample. Opening the vial, I was enamored by the simple, yet intriguing smell of a sophisticated, warm vanilla. Dabbing it onto my wrist, I waited eagerly for fragrance + skin chemistry to work its magic into something other worldy.

A flat fifty minutes later, I am glad I only bought a sample. Admittedly, I ask a LOT from vanilla-centric perfumes. I need them to be complex, sweet yet not too sweet, creamy yet not too creamy and then please mix other things that would make the scent feel more intelligent than a warm sugar type I could get at the mall or the drugstore. And while SDV is interesting, it's not quite interesting enough. Vanilla stands out with typical smokiness and booziness. But that's it. I'm seeing crazy prices online for a full bottle. I'll be happy to layer my collection of perfumes to replicate the same effect.

Guerlain Spiritueuse Double Vanille (2007) - smokey vanilla - #jeanpaulguerlain creates one of my favorite vanilla accords. Sure, you get this boozy Vanilla, but its more than that. I get smokey Incense, Woody Cedar boxes, floral components and a spicy Pink Pepper accord. It’s like eating your favorite dessert at the #ritzparis

My expectations were extremely high for this, given the hype and build up over the years. While it is lovely, it’s in no way $360-$600 bottle worthy to me. I am just going to state the taboo here: This is far from a mind-blowing or innovative fragrance. I personally would never pay this much for a vanilla based fragrance, let alone one which also dries down to pure vanilla, making this more linear than lead to believe. Sure it’s cozy, comforting, creamy, and warm, BUT… this just doesn’t scream elegant or complex to me at any level. I’m actually kind of mad about this tomfoolery – Guerlain must be laughing all the way to the bank on this one.

Though tobacco is not listed in the notes, tobacco is what I pick up on for the first 30 minutes. Smoky vanilla blooms after this keeping tobacco in the background. No booziness to my nose. All a bit 'meh' in my opinion. Guerlain and my skin always seem indifferent to each other, so this may just be me.

Maybe because I had such high expectations, or even perhaps because it's so difficult to acquire a bottle, which only added to the fantasy I had created in my mind, whatever the reason, it's a little bit "meh" for me.
Well, it is a beautiful vanilla, cozy, creamy, a little boozy, perfect for winter, but it is not the extraordinary beast I had hoped for. It actually reminds me more of a body butter. It doesn't project much, longevity is moderate as well.

This is a beautiful boozy true vanilla. To me the Kayalli Vanilla 28 got its inspiration from this masterpiece. I got the re-packaged bottle. I have a sample of the original and I do not smell a difference. Does not smell reformulated to me at all. If anything the sample I have had just had time to macerate. Anywho the smell of the perfume is not mind blowing nor is it an extremely unique vanilla necessarily. But as a perfume lover I enjoy the beautiful presentation of the new bottle and I am happy to have it in my collection, as I'm sure it will go away again. If you just want the smell and do not care about the bottle, Alexander Fragrances did a great impression. If you have Kayalli 28 I honestly do not feel that you need this. But if you are a collector - get your hands on the new bottle and don't pay the $500 for the old bottle.

Byzance you’re welcome

I wanted to try this because of the “remind me of” section which I’m realizing is off. At first I thought I was getting a booziness booziness (I was right) but a note or combination of notes is creating an effect, from first spray, that is uncompromisingly a no for me. In the dry down, the lovely vanilla shows up more but the medicinal quality stays until the end preventing the vanilla from becoming “too sweet”. This may be from the deepening resins, which I usually like, but I’ve also seen it go menthol on me like in Hermes Merveilles Elixir. It’s more than a vanilla, there are other big players here…notes I’m not too fond of sometimes like incense, benzoin, and jasmine. I think this is intentional and meant to be a mature unisex vanilla but it’s not for me, even though it’s loved.

I was so happy to find a bottle of this in store with the old formulation, I have never purchased anything quicker! However, I must say it's not as amazing as I thought it would be. Yes it's a slightly boozy vanilla, but the pencil shaving note is so strong that this really borderlines too masculine for me, and I enjoy unisex perfumes. It comes across as slightly medicinal.
I bought an Yves Rocher dupe before this that I actually prefer as it has a heavier dose of vanilla and an overall more balanced vanilla and woods combination.
Longevity is great on clothes, but on skin the vanilla is dry with projection of a skinscent.

I have a visceral negative reaction every time I smell this one. It's expertly blended for sure, the quality is there. But imo it's in dire need of some element of freshness. It smells like a musty closet to me.

Beautiful vanilla, love the scent and guerlain brand overall. Extremely disappointed with the performance. Sadly, it only lasts 15’ on my skin, stays on my clothing for a few hours. Truly regret purchasing a bottle at $360. Wouldn’t mind the hight price tag if the longevity and projection were decent, the fragrance is divine.

The Legend of SDV

This fragrance has everything people want in a vanilla fragrance. You’ll find nearly endless reviews praising this fragrance, and the rumours are true!

The foundation is Incense, Cedar, and Benzoin with an overload of boozy vanilla and a feint dose of pink pepper/bergamot.

I recommend that you go hard on the trigger and spray six times.

SDV lasts 6 hours but has a weaker projection.

9.0/10 

There truly is something to be said for just how masterfully this is put together. It's swoon worthy. I hadn't smelt SDV for almost 4 years and when I sprayed it on, it was exactly as I remembered it to be. It's distinctive, despite being fairly straightforward.

On my skin, it's mainly vanilla, benzoin, bergamot and jasmine. The bergamot gives a certain juiciness to it. Upon looking at the notes, I can smell a faint outline of rose (if I inhale deeply), and cedar. Its a fragrance with body, for sure. As time goes on, I'm sure I'll discover more.

I think this is an extremely romantic and comforting scent. I'd love to smell it on someone I'm close to. Overall, despite all my praise, I don't think it's for me. It's a bit too linear on me and at the end of the day that's not really what I'm looking for. I do enjoy it, though.

Iconic vanilla, well worth all the hype. Spicy sweet and a little smoky upon first spray, immediately transitions into a boozy caramelized vanilla lightly tempered by woody cedar. Ironically enough the vanilla doesn't read as 'obviously sweet', but it's still delicious and decidedly vanilla nonetheless.
Major presence, quite glam, but also very comforting and approachable.
Great sillage, very long-lasting to me, 8+ hrs. A definite must for the autumn & winter months, this is when this scent absolutely shines.

All I can only smell is booze and tobacco, very minimal vanilla.
Strong dislike for me, however if you are truly looking for a gourmand vanillas then check out Comptoir Sud Pacifique’s Vanille Passion, Matin Calin and Vanille Extreme, Serge Luten’s Un Bois Vanille which smells like caramelised coconut in dark and sexy bed of vanilla, because they’re so delicious and pure realistic natural vanilla extracts like the vanilla powder you put in cakes.

This is a beautiful vanilla perfume. It's not old-fashioned, it's not harsh, and it's not super sugary. It smells delicious but also sensual. And while the main note I smell throughout the day is vanilla (a yummy and deep one), the other notes in here still play a role and combine smoothly with it. Very high quality.

Soft, boozy vanilla opening that pops just a smidge, like a vanilla rum-flavored Reflection Man. The boozy accord quickly fades to added sweetness. Gets the faintest hint powdery as it dries down, otherwise linear. Nice scent, trash performance especially for the price. Very soft projection for ~1hr, skin scent for 5-6hr.

GORGEOUS. sexy. stunning. intoxicating. comforting. edgy... literally one of the best scents I've ever come across. I don't even care for vanilla fragrances all that much but this is something else... for all of about 45 seconds. I'll literally spray 5 sprays on my wrists and after 5 minutes it's as if I sprayed it yesterday and showered. It just vanishes immediately it's barely even a skin scent. Devastating.

I got a sample of this and have worn it several times.. Unless I got a fake, it smells exactly like Elizabeth and James bourbon. Even with the note that always smells like kalamata olive to me. It's bizarre and I'm wondering whether this olive note is something my nose is mistaking in both fragrances or if I really got a fake spiriteuse sample in a whole pack of guerlain samples? Anyway I like it! E&j bourbon or amethyst are much cheaper though, even as discontinued fragrances

High quality, versatile, boozy vanilla, also a thing i've learned while wearing this - i don't like vanilla on the forefront of a fragrance, even tho this is a gourmand, to me this obviously leans feminine. Wish i enjoyed this more, but i think i will stick with Tonka Imperiale for my holiday-feeling fragrance. Also, vanilla lovers, you can end your journey here, cause this is the holy grail of vanilla genre, highly consider this something that you want to have in your collection. Just a shame that price will go up.

I tried this because of the popularity and references made in comparison to it. I definitely like it, its complex, smooth, and medium bodied. To me its as if fine whiskey (vanilla oak/cedar barrel aged) was condensed into an ambery resin, it's neither gooey nor crystallized but more the texture of a simple syrup. I'd classify this as more of an amber with light spices fragrance than a vanilla centred one. It's got an edgy, classy, cool gal vibe to me.

This is one of my favourites. Just a nice unusual vanilla and I feel like a real adult wearing it. At times I think it smells like pencils, but it’s grown on me more and more.

I'm in love with this stuff. If anyone is selling or willing to trade, please message me. =)

To the poster below me, SDV is not discontinued. According to a Guerlain representative, the L'Art et la Matière line will be repackaged and should be back in stores around September. New bottle design and only 100ml and 200ml options. Prices will most definitely increase though! I think the 100ml will start around $400~ CAD.

Opens up as a BOOZY BOOZY BOOZY vanilla (honestly, I don't get much of the vanilla, it's very faint in the background). The drydown is something suedey, might be the benzoin+incense, but reminds me of dry sand.

In terms of vanilla frag, SDV is disappointing... I get WAY more vanilla from Cuir Beluga and Angelique Noire. I don't get the hype, at all.

This is another fragrance I have heard rave reviews about and felt like I HAD to try it.

The initial spray is absolutely fantastic.
The caramel-smooth vanilla with those beautiful crisp and fresh florals. I was like wow I have to add this to my collection.
But as it started to dry down, the florals became powdery and after a few hours the florals were straight up dusty.

Imagine putting rose and jasmine flowers in a book, closing the book and leaving it on a shelf in a library for a few years.
When you come back and open the book, the flowers have that dusty (almost musty) sort of powderiness.
This gives the fragrance a mother-in-law sort of vibe.
Woman in her 50s sort of vibe.

As I am in my early 30s I am not ready to wear fragrances that smell like this.
Otherwise, it is quite beautiful.
It is expertly blended and the ingredients are of very high quality.

I had high hopes, but unfortunately the boozy tobacco-y notes dominate on my skin with just enough vanilla to make it sickly—my sister thought it smelled like honey liqueur. I get the cedar and incense, which I think is what’s reading as tobacco, but the florals and bergamot are nowhere to be found. The sillage is reasonable, but it becomes a skin scent after about 2 hours, and is pretty much gone after 6. Not a safe blind buy!