Eau Duelle Diptyque 2013 Eau de Parfum

I like Eau Duelle (EDP version) for many reasons, but perhaps the best reason is because it sets out to be an equal dance between two opposing elements (cold, spicy incense, and warm, clear vanilla), and in this, it succeeds effortlessly. The opening is cold and aromatic, fizzing with the sting of pink pepper and juniper berries. Hiding behind the aromatic spices and black tea is a warm, robust, but utterly unsweetened vanilla. The vanilla note pops its head out shyly at first, but then it becomes a dance of equals, the aromatics, black tea, and the incense dominating one moment, the vanilla the next. The two elements never merge, instead they develop along separate tracks, but wrap around each other at various points of the journey.

It's worth pointing something out about the incense and the vanilla here. First, the incense here is not the smoking resins type of incense, but the cold, waxy, almost herbal/aromatic spiced air left behind in a church after incense has been burned but long since extinguished. This type of note is in fitting with the cold, open air feel of Eau Duelle in general. The vanilla is cold and clear, sharpened by a slight evergreen edge. There is a starchy, papery feel to the vanilla in Eau Duelle that makes one think of opened books. It is a cool-headed, intellectual vanilla fragrance rather than a sweet, foody one, and it's all the better for it.

Petrified forest vanilla. Strikes me as a tree resin sort of vanilla, like something you’d get from melting down Paleocine amber. Dry, peppery, honeyed, smoky. It still lays down malty and smooth, like a true vanilla extract. Queen bee of the “evergreen amber” family of vanillas. Perfect choice if you found Glizzy Water too flighty and cupcakey, or if you wanted more fire and spice from Architects Club. Does something parallel to Liis’s Bo but with pine and pepper instead of mallow and cedar. Or perhaps Babycat, evolved into a graceful cougar. Yes mother.

Mental Snapshot: The kind of woman who would carry an impressively scuffed-up Birkin, the way nature intended. She’s an art historian, an elusive Pulitzer winner. Think hot archaeologist, like Rachel Weisz in The Mummy.

tl;dr: elder amber

Oftentimes the initial stage of a fragrance is the most exciting part and it's rare –at least for me– for the fading drydown to beat an opening full of fireworks. Eau Duelle is one of such exceptions: a scent that requires patience in order to reach the proverbial pot of gold.

The first few minutes may come across as too loud or agressive particularly for a Dyptique fragrance, usually so full of restraint. There is an abundant bright spice that is fizzy like ambroxan, and it combines with cypriol oil to create an almost sour accord that the most sensitive nostrils won't appreciate. Thankfully this stage doesn't last too long.

Once the spice settles the real protagonist rears its head. It's a warm, slightly powdery and very pleasant vanilla –far from sickly sweet– next to some wood and incense. This is a much more enjoyable combo that comes to the forefront fully as time goes by, ending up in a sober, unisex vanillic woodwork smell with a hint of smoke. It's a perfume that could be categorized as spicy, woody and sweet but it never approaches gourmand territory.

A few hours later most of the notes are gone and there is just a faint vanilla scent on the skin, so comforting that one wishes it would never fully fade away.

Very linear fragrance. Opening smells like vanilla extract and rose, it remains the same throughout the day. It is a sweet, warm fragrance best suited for cooler weather. The usage of rock rose contributes to the overall simplicity and slight soapiness of the fragrance. The spicy notes are difficult to pin down but to me, it smells like a blend of cloves, cardamom, and possibly cinnamon. This is not an overly complex fragrance but if you want a cozy, well-blended, expensive-smelling vanilla-this is the one for you! My favourite vanilla scent of all time, Eau Duelle has my heart-do not bother with the edt, it pales in comparison.

At first I struggled to smell it , I really don’t know why because now I can smell it correctly maybe because I were smelling other decants before this ( this was a decant too not in a spray bottle I just had to opened it to smell ) I was a little bit disapointed and gave it directly to my mom who were in love with the smell ( which I didn’t understand because I cannot smell it before ) but at the exact moment she put a little bit of juice on her wrist and I went to smell it I immediatly regret giving it haha and cannot stop sniffing her wrist ( which is a little bit ankward but I didn’t care haha ) I completely fell in love with it !!! this fragrance is just sooo good it’s smell exactly like a bourbon vanilla a spicy vanilla / smoky vanilla with so much warm in it not a sweet vanilla tho but a sophisticated one I think It will be perfect for the vanilla haters , then come the scent of incense and oh my god I don’t know if it’s because I always put incense in my home everytime I feel good but this note makes the fragrance more comfy more cosy ! I really have a instant hapiness when I just smelling it in the mini bottle
I think It will be perfect for everyone and anytime especially for autumn because it got a cozy vibe to it but I really think I can rock with it all year long
This is definetly a unisex perfume and will be smelling so good on a man ( unfortenetly never experience it yet :( ) Some people said the EDT smell better , according to the notes I really don’t know but I will try it and buy a full bottle of the EDP !!
btw sorry for my bad english I’m a french speaker :)