Our take
What does Un Bois Vanille smell like?
Un Bois Vanille came out in 2003 from Serge Lutens, composed by Christopher Sheldrake. The house does not publish notes, but the lists agree on the essentials. It opens with coconut milk, bitter almond paste and licorice. The effect is creamy and a bit strange, with an aniseed touch that keeps it from turning into dessert. Black vanilla follows, smoky and drier than you might expect. Beeswax gives it the texture of a blown-out candle. Caramelised benzoin makes it more resinous. The base brings back the wood promised by the name, with guaiac and sandalwood over tonka bean. Compared with Guerlain’s Shalimar, Un Bois Vanille skips both the citrus and the leather. It stays more gourmand and more intimate, close to the skin. This is a vanilla for people who avoid sugary vanillas.
When to wear it
Wear it in winter, for evenings or weekends, on skin rather than clothes. Two sprays are enough as it stays close but lasts.
It belongs to the Oriental / Amber family. Un Bois Vanille is one of 31 creations by Serge Lutens in our encyclopedia.
