Our take
What does Spiritueuse Double Vanille smell like?
This is one of the last perfumes Jean-Paul Guerlain composed for his family’s house. Released in 2007 as a Guerlain boutique exclusive, Spiritueuse Double Vanille lives up to its name: it smells of dark spirits as much as of the bean. Pink pepper and bergamot give a prickly start. Incense shows up almost at once, sweet rather than smoky. Around the twenty minute mark, cedar adds a dry frame. Bulgarian rose and ylang-ylang hover in the background, just enough to round things out. The base is the real story. The vanilla feels raw and dark, like baking extract, while benzoin lends it a resinous balm. Some people smell apple pie with a rum sauce. Longevity is excellent and easily outlasts a working day. Comparing it with Hermès Ambre Narguilé (2004) is hard to avoid. Spiritueuse is denser and a little more floral, while the Hermès gives the rum more air.
When to wear it
Save it for winter evenings and wool sweaters, where the woody vanilla feels at home. One spray is enough since it projects hard and lasts.
It belongs to the Oriental / Amber family. Spiritueuse Double Vanille is one of 89 creations by Guerlain in our encyclopedia.
