Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille, Indult Paris Tihota and Mona Di Orio Vanille by Olya Bar©
If there’s one ingredient that reigns supreme, it’s undoubtedly the queen herself—Vanilla. She’s been in the spotlight lately, dolled up like a sugar bomb, turned into a cupcake so sweet it could send you into a sugar coma with just one sniff. But before this sugary takeover, vanilla had a different vibe—a richer, deeper allure crafted for those who knew better. This isn’t about the trend-chasers; this is a story of vanilla’s untamed past, where she ruled with sophistication and an edge. And where we madly fell in love with her entire essence. That’s why Michelyn Camen, Editor-in-Chief suggested that we do a three-part series (so far): Niche Vanilla Icons (2006-1011), Niche Contemporary Vanillas (2015-2023) and Indie Vanillas.
Indult Paris Tihota by Olya Bar©
Indult Paris Tihota (Francis Kurkdjian) 2006: An unrestrained vanilla, Indult Paris Tihota is sweet, raw, and irresistibly delectable. Composed by master perfumer Francis Kurkdjian, this fragrance needs no introduction and is perhaps one of the most sought-after vanilla fragrances in niche perfumery. It’s creamy and as light as a cloud, wrapping you in a warm, comforting embrace with every wear. This fragrance celebrates the full spectrum of Tahitian Vanilla’s natural facets—a unique hybrid of two species, vanilla, and tahitensis. Its natural scent is often more floral with rich undertones of ripe fruit, with deeper facets of blend of chocolate, licorice, and caramel. One of my guilty pleasures is making panna cotta with real vanilla beans, and as the heavy cream mixed with sugar warms, the air fills with the intoxicating aroma of rich, buttery vanilla. That’s exactly what Indult Paris Tihota smells like—addictive, gourmand, and undeniably original, as it paved the way for many of the vanilla fragrances which emerged after. Notes: Tahitian vanilla, cane sugar, almond milk accord, Tonka bean, white musk, amber.
Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille by Olya Bar©
Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille (Olivier Gillotin) 2007: Let’s rewind for a second. Even as a current die-hard gourmand lover, my fragrance journey didn’t start with vanilla. I was all about lush florals and boozy leathers at first —until I crossed paths with the wicked Ms. V. It all went down at a lavish party in the South of France, where I caught a whiff of Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille on a man who oozed confidence and masculinity. The way that scent fit him—I was smitten, the scent of course it is. By the time I was back in the States, I knew my first purchase had to be Tobacco Vanille. In 2007 when it was created by Olivier Gillotin, that fragrance not only ignited a mass obsession and pathed the way for many tasteful fragrance wardrobes but maybe even participated in a couple of heartbreaks along the way. Boozy, resinous, and with the most intoxicating scent trail it still makes my heart skip beat. I don’t reach for it often these days, maybe because I prefer to savor it like a fine, aged scotch—something you sip slowly, reserved for those moments when you’re either celebrating a milestone or diving deep into memories where secrets linger and untold stories stay hidden. (M. Gillotin of Givaudan received a lifetime achievement award at the World Perfumery Congress in 2022). Notes: Tobacco Leaf, Spicy Notes; Vanilla, Cacao, Tonka Bean, Tobacco Blossom; Dried Fruits, Woody Notes.
Mona Di Orio Vanille by Olya Bar (original bottle)
Mona di Orio Vanille (Mona Di Orio) 2011: When independent perfumer extraordinaire Mona di Orio imagined Vanille, she conjured a tale of an old ship bound for Madagascar or the Comoros Islands, loaded with treasures like rum barrels, oranges, vanilla beans, ylang-ylang, cloves, and sandalwood. It has been a maddening obsession for me since the first time I sprayed it. It’s almost bewitching and feels like your senses are being quite literally deranged. To translate the full beauty of vanilla, Mona Di Orio used pure vanilla in this elixir, making it gourmand, smoky, and boozy at once with a subtle aromatic orange note lingering in the background. The first spritz hits like a sip of dark aged rum, rimmed with crushed orange, brown sugar, and the warm depth of nutty tonka bean. As it settles, a creamy ylang-ylang emerges, while the dry down is a devilishly sensual leather with an animalic muskiness and is impossible to resist. When the world lost Mona di Orio, it lost one of the greatest female perfumers of our time. Every drop of this elixir feels like a magical potion as if it were discovered in an ancient treasure chest. We hold it close to our hearts, knowing it is truly irreplaceable. Notes: Clove, Rum, Bitter Orange, Petitgrain; Guaiac Wood, Sandalwood, Vetiver, Ylang-Ylang; Madagascar Vanilla, Amber, Tonka Bean, Tolu Balsam, Leather, Musk.
For more on Mona di Orio check out EIC Michelyn Camen’s interview with her at this link.
Disclosure Olya’s and Michelyn’s bottles of Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille and Mona Di Orio Vanille are our own. A bottle of Indult Paris Tihota was kindly gifted to Olya and Michelyn (who drained hers dry in 2009) by the brand but opinions are always my own.
Olya Bar, Editor.
Co Curated with Michelyn Camen, Editor-in-Chief
Please note that throughout the series (so far three parts) there will be ground breaking perfumes not in the “three”, only because one or the other didn’t own it.
Indult Paris Tihota by Olya Bar
Thanks to the generosity of Indult Paris we have a draw for a 50 ml flacon of Indult Paris Tihota for one registered reader in the USA, EU & UK ONLY. You must register here or your comment will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what you enjoyed most about Olya’s review, Michelyn’s and Olya’s co-curations and where you live. Draw closes 09/15/2024 and the winner will be announced within 10 days later. It is your responsibility to check back as we do not notify you by email or Instagram.
Please note that throughout the series there will be ground breaking perfumes not in the three, only because one or the other doesn’t own it.
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