With "VaneXstasy | Maison Tahité," I expected an ultra-heavy vanilla gourmand, something on the level of "Tobacco Vanille (Eau de Parfum) | Tom Ford." A typical scent that reminds one of Christmas, unbearable in summer, and pleasantly overwhelming.
I was completely surprised by how it turned out. VaneXstasy starts very unobtrusively and rather unspectacularly. Coconut is relatively clear to recognize, especially once you know it. Honestly, I don't smell any caramel here. But vanilla is present from the very beginning. However, here came the surprise for me. I don't perceive the vanilla as I find it in all the sweet fragrances ("Tobacco Vanille (Eau de Parfum) | Tom Ford," "Layton | Parfums de Marly," and so on). VaneXstasy reminds me more from the first moment of sticking my nose into a jar of vanilla pods that have not been cut or scraped.
In contrast to seemingly many others here, I perceive this vanilla note as extremely natural. Completely free of artificial sweetness and far from vanilla sugar, as some describe this scent. The woods form a nice base for the fragrance and complement the impression of the natural, plant-based vanilla pod without really standing out in the foreground.
All in all, VaneXstasy unfolds very linearly. I don't perceive any significant scent development; it remains practically the same from the spray to the dry down until it disappears. Only a tiny bit of sweetness joins in over time. For me, this is quite positive; I really like the scent with its lifelike quality, and it creates a sense of confidence and calm, as one always knows how one smells, even when one can't smell oneself.
The Tahité is a great opportunity for me to wear vanilla outside of winter without immediately standing out. A way to wear a bit of confidence and uniqueness without imposing on the surroundings.
To say a quick word about the bottle: I find the simple yet thoughtful brown bottle extremely beautiful and handy, and it looks very appealing in a collection. The price-performance ratio is also top-notch at around €90 for 100ml!
