Andalusian Soul The Merchant Of Venice 2018

The rum and acacia comes out with vanilla draping over them. A very sweet fragrance with some hints of freshness where the vanilla and rum are the main factors here with the incense giving you a candle-like scent used for meditation. A very soothing scent for lost souls.

I would imagine myself wearing this after a long day of work. You are really tired and all you wanna do is grab something to eat and just enjoy the moment. While u apply this fragrance you seem to realize you are in the moment and the scent is there with you to comfort.

About a year and a half ago I acquired a full bottle version of Andalusian Soul from The Merchant of Venice, yet for some reason or other forgot to add it to my collection on Parfumo. The beautiful Murano bottle – some of TMoV's bottles rightly rank among the most elegant of our perfumed times –, with its sundrenched hues of orange, red, yellow and ochre, is a sight to behold. Its colour nuances convey exactly what is inside the glass: a slightly smoky and spicy, not-too-sweet dream of the south of Spain. It has that bit of mystery of the gypsies found there, with their gorgeous olive-skinned femmes fatales burning themselves up in a wild flamenco dance, throwing their long raven-black hair around to the sound of passionate guitar chords rooting in the old travelling cultures of even more exotic places. There's something sultry to this wonderful scent, reminding one of that particular abandon which certain long hot Summer nights can conjure up. Who knows what the madrugada will bring?
As for the vanilla component in the base: to me, thankfully it remains firmly within bounds. If there's a sweetness here, then it is, without a doubt, of the creamy ambery kind. As a result, it acts in a so much more subtle manner than your average ice cream-that-comes-in-a-pint type of vanilla could ever hope to do. Smoke and spice – as well as the sage – bring just that intriguing soupçon of a deep oriental flavour to the table.
Andalusian Soul, like many of The Merchant's offerings, is an intimate delight when sprayed modestly. Nonetheless sillage and performance – on my skin – are quite decent. On a shirt, you will clearly smell its warm scent the day after you've worn it. For a few spritzes more – preferably in the neck, on the chest and arms –, you'll leave an alluring trail of refinement in your wake.

A gorgeous bottle and a worthy luxurious parfum. Rum, amber, vanilla and labdanum - so cozy, warming and mood-boosting. This fragrance gives me a feeling of protection and very cozy in the summer time as well. The main thing not to overdose - on the skin it is a pleasant slightly gourmand smokiness. I adore it.

This is a very very boozy Vanilla. It is not beginner friendly. You definitely have to love scents to jump into this one. I smell the Civet, rum, vanilla, incense, amber and what I assume is is the acacia Immediately. The drydown is an absolute beauty though. Amber and Vanilla rich. This is one that is perfect for the fall & winter, wearing cozy clothes. I am happy to have this in my collection.

This might be the most warming fragrance on earth.

Especially in the opening it reminds me of vanilla pipe tobacco, despite no tobacco being listed. The impression might stem from a combination of the smokey accord with the herbal notes of sage and rosemary, which I wouldn't have identified if they weren't in the notes list. This doesn't smell like kitchen herbs at all. More like how I imagine tobacco leaves drying in the sun to smell like. And they're blended into a scrumptious creamy vanilla and amber, which are the main notes here. Very rich and rounded, the perfect balance of sweet and balsamic. The rum is just a subtle addition, the acacia feels slightly honeyed, but lighter than typical honey notes.

Andalusian Soul is a completely dense, warm perfume with no fresh twists. In my opinion it doesn't need them, as the blending is so smooth the scent never feels cloying. Even though it's intense and very long-lasting, it still has a soft character. I don't perceive this as a true gourmand. Yes, the vanilla in this is sweet and delicious, but together with the balsams and tobacco it doesn't feel like a dessert.

This is like the summer sun in a bottle you can pull out on cold and dark days to lift your spirits and warm your heart. Maybe it could be worn in hot and very dry weather, too, but only if you really want to amplify the feeling of the sunrays on skin through your fragrance. I see this primarily as a winter warmer. Just look at the colors of the bottle, it's the olfactory version of them.