Vanille Fatale

Vanille Fatale by Tom Ford is an unisex eau de parfum from 2017 in the luxury price tier. It opens with rum, frankincense, saffron, coriander, myrrh and lime, moves into coffee, plum, narcissus, artemisia, rose and frangipani and dries down to suede, tobacco, oakmoss, patchouli, violet and vanilla. Expect around 8 hours of wear, and it projects at a moderate level.

Notes, explained

Opening

Rum Boozy, sweet and warm. Adds a grown-up edge to gourmands.
Frankincense Bright, peppery, church-like resin. Lifts and cools a fragrance.
Saffron Leathery, medicinal and slightly metallic. The signature of modern niche.
Coriander Warm seed spice, slightly citrusy. A quiet workhorse.
Myrrh Bitter, smoky resin. Ancient-smelling and slightly cool.
Lime Sharper and greener than lemon. Reads a bit tropical, a bit barbershop.

Heart

Coffee Roasted, bitter and dark. Adds edge to sweet fragrances.
Plum Dark, wine-like and slightly stewed. Autumnal.
Narcissus Green, hay-like and slightly animalic. Strange and beautiful.
Artemisia Bitter and silvery-herbal. Wormwood, the backbone of a fougère.
Rose Can be jammy, green, peppery or soapy depending on the type. Not one smell.
Frangipani Creamy tropical floral. Suncream adjacent.

Dry-down

Suede Soft, powdery leather. Much gentler than the real thing.
Tobacco Sweet, dried and honeyed. Nothing like a cigarette.
Oakmoss Damp forest floor. Bitter, green and the backbone of every chypre.
Patchouli Damp earth and dark chocolate. Either you love it or it's your least favourite note.
Violet Powdery, sweet and a bit retro. Parma Violets in flower form.
Vanilla Sweet, creamy and warm. The most comforting note in perfumery.

Smells like this

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