Magnificent Gold Yves Saint Laurent 2017

Oh, oh
Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love can heal such a scar
Oh, oh Magnificent

The lines from the wonderful U2 song fit this amazing fragrance very well.

Magnificent Gold is truly a protector, a cocooner, a scent that sends a delightful shiver down your spine. Here, after what feels like an endless summer, the first white layer of the year is forming. Incredible... just last week it was T-shirt weather, and now I need to quickly get my down jacket out of storage. My brain can’t quite process “the white” out there yet and first lowers my serotonin levels completely, releasing an extra dose of melatonin. That’s when MG comes in just right!
The scent radiates, shining extremely at the beginning, a golden vanilla bathed in light, more real pod than baking pouch, combined with a fine rum note, glowing gold-brown, both so incredibly well balanced that my heart starts to beat a few beats faster, warmed through.
Noble vanilla and rum - wasn’t there something? - yes, it does remind one of Spiritueuse Double Vanille, and the quality is such that no paper can fit in between, the subtle freshness in the background also reminds of Guerlain’s masterpiece. However, with MG there is also a subtle amber note in the background, often vanilla-honey-sweet, sometimes with a slightly sweaty note, here glowing golden, very subtly reminiscent of the “fossil amber” from SHL, although not quite the same quality.
The slightly dry wood note (could be guaiac wood) in the background is also very pleasing for rounding out and providing a slight contrast, even though MG has already become very calm and subtle in this fragrance phase (after about 45-50 minutes). SDV for me only smelled of vanilla from the heart note onwards, not on my own wrist, but when standing in the sillage of another person. MG justifies its existence solely through the wonderful, soft, cozy scent blanket in the base. Potpourris, open fireplaces, angora underwear, underfloor heating, or hot water bottles can be safely forgotten; the scent is more than enough.
Conclusion: A truly great fragrance, wonderful, heartwarming, high-quality, but also with a subtle similarity to the house's own Velours, the bases do resemble each other a bit. The longevity is good but not outstanding, the sillage is only strong in the first hour, which is completely sufficient for this fragrance direction, as the nose's habituation effect with vanilla tends to occur rather quickly.

Everyday suitability: 8/10
Comfort factor: 9.5/10
Wow effect: 9/10
Price/performance: 7/10
Packaging/bottling: 9/10
Idea + implementation: 9.5/10