Guerlain Spiritueuse Double Vanille and Odori Iris

GUERLAIN SPIRITUEUSE DOUBLE VANILLE: Yes, I know, what was I thinking? But it's always good to push one's boundaries just so you know those boundaries are there for a darn good reason.

I mean, I'm just getting back into the swing of an ordinary day after the gluttony of the holiday weekend, but gluttony is what Spiritueuse Double Vanille is all about and I feel like I'm right back at the dessert menu debating between pie or cake, pie or cake, pie or cake or . . . French Vanilla torte?

If vanilla is your thing, then it's unlikely you'll find much to resist in Double Vanille -- there's a baked, sugary yumminess folded into a mix of almost ridiculously pretty florals (Bulgarian rose and ylang ylang) followed up by some frosted incense smoke with an undertone of cinnamon and cloves.

Indult Tihota is a more pure vanilla scent, while Frapin 1270 and Abinoam Beleza are richer, thicker, "sink your teeth into it" gourmands, but Spiritueuse Double Vanille is comfortable, easy to wear and unlikely to cause even the mildest of ripples in the space/time continuum . . . or even any upcoming holiday parties!

It is a Guerlain, however, so it unwinds on the skin in a classic fashion -- no surprises, no tricks up its sleeve, no third act deux ex machina, just a steady as she goes vanilla floral with a soft, smoke and spice finish.

FYI: the cinnamon and clove more than pull their weight through to the drydown before handing the baton off to Mr. Vanilla.

***Note: as stated in the comments section, as well as on other perfume blogs, a lot of wearers get a distinctly boozy note from Double Vanille in its first 20 to 30 minutes. I didn't experience that myself, but it seems to be a common enough occurrence to make it worth mentioning.

ODORI IRIS: a modern iris floral that reads like a classic blend, only trimmer through the body, tighter at the tummy and vaguely masculine in the way it carries itself.

A green leafy shimmer envelops the fragrance from the beginning, enhancing the already cool iris root quality, rounded out with some mellow floral notes to give the impression of the full iris flower. There's also a suggestion of earth at the base, along with a slice of dry 2x4 sprinkled in sawdust. I think somebody's rolling a cigarette in the background, too, but I can't be certain. Not smoking it, just rolling it.

The result is the illusion of a batch of actual iris flowers in a wooded grove bending in a dry, hot breeze. A dusty vanilla (softer and quieter than what's in the Guerlain) makes an appearance near the end, lightening and brightening the earth and wood notes.

I'm kind of a sucker for the Odori line -- I can't stop babbling about Cuoio whenever a leather fragrance is interjected into the conversation, and their Tobacco scent does the pipe tobacco + vanilla tap-dance as well as Tom Ford's Tobacco Vanille (Tara will disagree!) -- so it's not a surprise that their interpretation of iris is a hit in the world of Nathan. Whether it's a hit in the world of anyone else remains to be seen, but I definitely recommend it as a must-sample if not an outright purchase.

Supposedly, there's a distinctive star anise note to the proceedings, but bugger me if I can smell it.

Wrap it up: if faced with a "Choose One or Die!" scenario, Odori Iris would be in my hot big hands in a hot little second, but I wouldn't begrudge the fool who reached for the Guerlain, instead. I might arch a metrosexual brow, but begrudge? Nevah!