A new quintet from Montale recently arrived at Aus Liebe zum Duft, comprising the eaux de parfum Sweet Vanilla, Day Dreams, Oud Island, Holy Neroli and Lucky Candy. Perfumer Pierre Montale’s brand is known for its opulent compositions – often found in colourful, black or gold bottles – which have been kept in the same style for many years. Montale is cult and has been for a long time.
Sweet Vanilla – Montale
We can assume that with this creation – as with so many from Montale – the name already indicates a fairly precise direction. Sweet Vanilla is said to exude an intense and powdery fragrance and smell of apricot, bourbon vanilla, white musk and vanilla.
Sweet Vanilla starts off surprisingly airy as a powdery, crystalline vanilla fragrance with a sweet and sour apricot velvety note. The fruity notes are clearly perceptible and lend the creation lightness, freshness and dynamism. The eau de parfum is not overly sweet, which I like – I was admittedly a bit skeptical at first, because I’m particular about vanilla scents. A soft and rather transparent, gourmand-powdery and velvety-fruity composition that can be worn all year round and on any occasion. A super nice prelude to this olfactory quintet.
Day Dreams – Fragrant daydreams
I’d like to indulge in a daydream or two again, but somehow I don’t really get around to it. Maybe I can doze off in my hammock with Day Dreams and forget everything around me. According to the press release, the fragrance was inspired by a trip to Greece, where Pierre Montale enjoyed the warm summer nights and the good life. In the fragrance, he translated these memories of Mediterranean vacations with tropical notes: Mandarin, neroli, tiare, orange blossom, jasmine, coconut, cashmere wood, sandalwood, heliotrope, vanilla, ambergris and musk.
In the opening of Day Dreams, citrus fruits meet lush floral creaminess and salty-maritime accents underpinned by milky coconut. The eau de parfum is quite present and powerful, yet balanced and finely composed. The woods appear early on in the creation and bring velvety-soft warmth to the fragrance, while Day Dreams becomes spicy and powdery in the base. Crystalline musk is reminiscent of white sandy beaches, accompanied by soft vanilla, creamy heliotrope and warming ambergris. An absolutely successful mix of fresh-fruity, tropical-floral and spicy nuances that is perfect for the warmer months of the year. Beautiful!
Oud Island – Island magic
Oud is an integral part of Montale’s fragrance compositions, so it comes as no surprise that the newly launched quintet also includes an agarwood scent. The French fragrance house combines the precious incense oud with lemon, bergamot, mandarin, tuberose, tiare, sandalwood, leather, musk, ambergris, labdanum (cistus), tobacco and vanilla. We don’t find out anything about the source of inspiration in the press release, but from the picture above, I strongly assume that it will be tropical and humid somehow.
The opening is tangy and citrusy-tart thanks to a colourful basket of citrus fruits, which soon meet animal-leathery and delicately smoky oud. The flowers create a gentle creaminess that soothes and calms the agarwood, while a subtle sweetness gradually spreads throughout the creation. Vanilla, tobacco and labdanum create lovely golden notes that are underpinned by balsamic ambergris and velvety sandalwood. Oud Island is not a powerful tropical storm, but a balanced, leathery-creamy oud fragrance with a citrusy opening and a lovely, spicy warmth at the end. Suitable for the office and everyday wear and can be worn all year round.
Holy Neroli – Holy flower
In lush orange with golden embellishments, Holy Neroli by Montale brightens up our day. The direction of travel should be clear: Neroli, citrus fruits, flowers, a presumably creamy, fruity eau de parfum that makes us think of sunshine and summer, with the fragrance notes neroli, bitter orange, mandarin, bergamot, orange blossom, cedarwood, Bulgarian rose, amber, vanilla, sugar and musk.
A sparkling and rather tart opening, which is characterized by a colourful bouquet of citrus fruits – here I particularly notice the bitter orange and bergamot – is gradually followed by clean cedarwood and delicately soapy rose, accompanied by the creamy fruitiness of neroli and orange blossom. Very light, transparent and yet present, Holy Neroli is a creation that creates a good mood and carries a hint of summer. The sweetness of the composition is limited. The aforementioned sugar does nothing to change this, although the eau de parfum becomes gentler, softer and sweeter in the finish. Warm ambergris, spicy vanilla and fluffy musk create a powdery, cosy base.
Lucky Candy – Delicious surprise
Last, but not least, Lucky Candy. A creation that should be just the thing for all those with a sweet tooth, as the name promises a gourmet revelation. Will the eau de parfum keep this promise? The fragrance notes confirm this impression: cocoa, bergamot, honey, gourmand notes, neroli, lily of the valley, coconut, frangipani, vanilla, toffee, ambergris and musk.
Lucky Candy is milky, creamy and powdery, crystalline-molecular and elusive like an olfactory hologram that fascinates in a mysterious way with its shimmering metallic colours. I perceive lily of the valley and coconut, which give this fragrance a radiant white, as well as exotic, sweet frangipani. Fluffy, soft and airy, Lucky Candy is less opulent than expected and also less sweet. Bergamot adds a touch of freshness to the composition, which is absolutely suitable for everyday and office use and can be worn all year round. For fans of molecular, powdery and clean fragrances.
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