Van-Île Jacques Zolty 2014

A brief, sugary-floral flurry, vanilla of the floral kind, heliotrope from the Oetker nursery; then… oh? A hint of dirt in it. The acidity also briefly reminds me of the greasiness of Mona-Vanilla.

The interpretation of this is obvious: the patchouli, although not the main actor, gives its all character-wise. This will not be a charmer. I smell sweet orange (well, more like mandarin…) and, if you like, almond, along with soft-creamy floral notes with just a slight heliotrope touch - and yet everything is seriously tempered by a sour-greasy note on the threshold of smoke.

This mentioned contrast accompanies me throughout the morning. With such a strong counterpart, the vanilla alongside its companions can bravely venture into prickly heliotrope, even putting a toe into - in and of itself - cloying florality.

And the boundaries are thoroughly tested. On its own, I would find this quite unbearable, certainly a vanilla brat, but in combination, it is exciting. The (admittedly somewhat over-the-top) Mona-Vanilla comes to mind again. Not a scent twin(!), just another vanilla with extremely prickly opponents.

Around noon, the patchouli unfolds ambitions to approach leather. That the vanilla, so to speak, in anticipatory obedience, has become darker and less floral fits perfectly. Apparently, the squabbles have come to an end. This somewhat more harmonious, yet still striking part of today’s candidate pleases me the most.

“However” and “Unfortunately”…

To the “However”: However, the contrary appearance only works if the patchouli is indeed let off the leash with a sufficiently bold application. Those who proceed too timidly will instead quickly arrive at…

…“Unfortunately”: Unfortunately, Van-Île leaves the high plateau again. In the progressing afternoon and evening, a plastic note bothers me, which both ruins the vanilla and also tumbles around a kind of sweet-caramel “Werther’s Original” aroma at the H-cream cliff. I find the scent particularly musky at no time. Even less animalistic, unless perhaps a rubber duck is meant.

Conclusion: It’s a shame that the ending becomes so unpleasant. I quite liked the front part.

I thank Ergoproxy for the sample.