Anonymous

I was just thinking that when I sprayed it on. I will always have special memories of this fragrance because I was given it as a gift by my boyfriend, who is even more of a perfume junkie than I am. So it's not surprising that I think of him with every spritz.
The fragrance is relatively linear, but that doesn't mean it's not special. It starts with a very delicious and classy lemon vanilla (I immediately thought of my brother's bomb lemon cake). The lemon doesn't turn the fragrance into a freshy, but it enhances the sweetness of the vanilla in a very delicate and classy way. To be honest, I find it a little synthetic at first, but this synthetic quality becomes more and more pleasant with each passing minute. Over time, the lemon fades more and more into the background, but never completely disappears, leaving a wonderfully creamy, delicate vanilla in the base that is somewhat reminiscent of La Nuit Tresor à la Folie. These are not fragrance twins, but with Lira I have probably found a slightly different, but still pretty good alternative.
Incidentally, I also get devotion vibes from the fragrance. D & G has created a similarity in the designer area, but it made me feel rather nauseous. No, I'm not one of those people who always paint designer fragrances so black and only find niche great, but Devotion unfortunately seems so synthetic from the top to the base that it becomes unwearable and accordingly it's not worth spending money on it. I would rather buy a small 10 ml bottle of Lira than a 50 ml bottle of Devotion.
The longevity and sillage are quite high: of course, I know some that have a much higher projection, but this one can also keep up well. However, given the price-performance ratio, I would honestly have expected a slightly higher projection.
And slowly the beautifully sweet and naturally somewhat spicy vanilla bean with subtle roasted aromas comes through. I just love the fact that it's not a cardboard sweet, but a really authentic vanilla, even if it is somewhat synthetically underpinned.
I would recommend it to anyone who loves vanilla and adores it in all its facets. I think this is a fragrance that should definitely always have a place in the collection of vanilla fans.
It's so nice to have come into contact with this fragrance in such a beautiful way and I'm incredibly grateful for that.

The first time I smelled this fragrance was on my dear friend @Betül89 . By the way, we didn't meet through Parfumo, but years before we each set up an account there. We were on the way to another friend's house with her and she smelled pleasantly sweet. This sweetness melted so beautifully on her skin and I just had to ask her the name of the fragrance. When she said it was Intense Café by Montale, I was totally surprised, because the Montale brand had really put me off at the time, if only because of the price and the fact that you can hardly test it anywhere in person... "Wow, Montale and all, it's on..." was my reaction and we both had to laugh. "But the sillage is really horrible," she said. The day was pretty eventful and somehow this fragrance faded into the background.
About a year and a half ago, I was in hospital and a nurse was wearing something sweet that I recognized from somewhere. But at first I couldn't associate it with my girlfriend's scent and was just as surprised when she said it was Intense Café. I quite liked the scent on her too, but I thought to myself that it probably wouldn't show up so well on my skin. Incidentally, the projection on her was also totally enormous, because of the poor sillage...
And a few days ago, I bought a sample here on Parfumo so that I could finally smell the fragrance on myself. To be honest, I hadn't dared to try it for a long time because I haven't had such good experiences with other fragrances from the brand.
The fragrance progression is fairly linear and unfortunately the name doesn't say it all, because I don't smell any coffee at all. What I perceive is a sweetener-coated rose with slight hints of cocoa. Even though the fragrance is so simple, which I actually like quite often, I don't know whether I love it or hate it. The first moment after spraying it on, I was overwhelmed by the synthetics, then suddenly the rose came in a very luxurious and soft style, then again not, and then again I am mega ambivalent. A few hours ago, I was even considering whether I should get a larger bottle after all, but now I'm not even sure whether that was a sensible decision with my current bottle.
And again about the synthetics: they are the same in many Montale fragrances and are so annoying. And it's called a niche, I just can't believe it. There are so many designers and so many mainstreamers that are much higher quality. The fragrance doesn't really seem unusual either; as a person with Turkish roots, it reminds me of very classic powdered lokum discreetly mixed with rose water... well, I'm really into gourmands, but I don't necessarily have to smell like lokum...
Sometimes, however, there is a brief flash of equally subtle freshness, which makes the rose less sultry and therefore more wearable, fantastic. Oh man, you can tell: I'm in a dilemma and have no idea. The best thing for me to do is to keep the bottle and continue using it. Then I can take my time to think about my decision. But the fragrance is definitely associated with memories, especially of my girlfriend. And the fragrance still suits her wonderfully.
Oh yes, and before I forget: Lasting power and sillage are quite good from my point of view, although the lasting power is a tad stronger.
Conclusion: I don't know how good or bad it is, but it is a recommendation for fans of sweet oriental fragrances. And very important: please don't let the name confuse, frighten or disappoint you.

And in the truest sense of the word, because compared to my previous review of YSL's Mon Paris, where the first encounter turned out to be a disappointment, this was my ultimate love at first sniff.
Why? Because it gives me vibes of my favorite fragrance La Nuit Tresor by Lancôme. Perhaps many people won't really agree with me, but I did indeed notice similarities between the two fragrances. This one is of course a little more unusual in comparison due to the rum note. It is also a little sweeter, as the vanilla is more in focus here. But both are beautifully sweet with a very subtle smoky note, as wicked as the night and just the way I like it best.
I got to know this treasure through a sharing. I had only ordered 3 ml due to my student budget and I wanted to avoid any nasty surprises, but somehow I was disappointed in myself. Oh darling, if only you weren't so expensive... I would buy you in a bottle immediately.
How excited I was when I opened the envelope. The excitement increased further when the spray head didn't want to work at the beginning: I must have tried about ten times, but it just wouldn't spray... But at some point it suddenly worked and the contents didn't spray out, but shot out.
The rum note at the beginning was a little overwhelming, but a few seconds later came the fluffy, soft musky vanilla (without any animalic notes, by the way) and I was hooked...
Now I know: I suddenly fell in love at that moment... Such opulence, such a balanced fragrance composition, such a noble feeling despite the solid scent... I have to have you, my absolute darling. I simply must.
where Mon Paris introduced me to the feeling of false expectations and heartbreak when I was 16, you convinced me that sometimes things can spark pretty quickly if it's the right one. You brought butterflies to my stomach and a little bit of hope into my world, even if I can't get you yet, but what isn't can still happen ;)️
Oh yes, and unfortunately you also get very close to the skin very quickly, quite a shame... Still a great fragrance. Recommendation especially in the feminine sense.

And unfortunately not in a good way. Back then, when I was 16, I was strolling around the shopping center with my sister and cousin and, of course, we scent maniacs had to go to the perfumery to spray ourselves full of all kinds of fragrances. That was the time when I had my first few designers. I didn't know any niches back then, so I was still finding my bearings. There were a few from Paco, a few from Lancôme and even one from YSL and then I thought it would be useful to test more of the same brands, which is how I came across the lovely Mon Paris. One spray on the tester and I was smitten, so smitten that I ordered a large bottle straight home. I simply had to have this delicious strawberry (which, by the way, is unfortunately very rare in fragrances) bedded on the floral wood (I had probably noticed yasmin and patchouli), I simply had to have it and no matter what the cost... then came the bottle, smiling at me with its decorative ribbons... How warm it felt to touch it, to hold it in my hand... But when I sprayed it on, there was a nasty surprise. I was deeply disappointed. Apparently I had simply tested too much that day and hadn't perceived the fragrance correctly. There was nothing left of strawberry and blossom...wood. The only thing I perceived was an indefinable pungent: Sweetness and I suspect that the ambrox was to blame for the stinging, because I had a similar problem with all the other fragrances that also contain ambrox. And on top of that, this overwhelming durability and sillage... Absurdly inappropriate on my skin. Funnily enough, however, it smells just as good on others as it did when I tested it back then - my skin chemistry probably doesn't get along so well with many fragrances... Well: somehow I'm not too sad about the loss. I then refunded it and learned from it that I should test fragrances extensively before I buy them.
Unfortunately, fragrances are sometimes too good to be true, like love for example... because my experience with this fragrance also reminds me of heartbreak due to unrequited love: that feeling when you picture the person you love so beautifully in your head and maybe the person is really great, but not for you... And then the pain when you finally realize that the person doesn't suit you, doesn't meet your expectations or is predestined for someone else... That feeling of longing when the adored person isn't there or at least just whizzes past you... And the final phase, in which you often aren't even that sad about the loss anymore and learn to come to terms with it. Yes, scents can sometimes really have a deep meaning.

You are a masterpiece, even if you are one of those fragrances that everyone knows. Yes, you can be smelled everywhere, but you are still simply wonderful. I got fed up with La vie est belle after wearing it for two years, but never with you. I never get bored of you, even if I don't wear you all the time. You are simply beautiful, you last a long time, you have a great sillage and, what's more, you develop in a different way with every wearer. You don't sting, you don't annoy, you cheer me up with your vanilla-coffee aroma, mixed with an opulent bouquet of flowers. Your flankers are also great for the most part and even if they are similar to you, I sometimes buy them even though I have you in addition. you have been with me since I was a teenager. At first you were a present for my mother, but I couldn't resist and had to buy you shortly afterwards. But I don't care if my mother or anyone else wears it: I still like you. I won't be dissuaded from wearing a fragrance just because others are wearing it, what nonsense... I'd have to throw most other fragrances in the garbage can too. In everyday life you make you bloom, when you go out with you you make you feel sexy, when you go to bed with you you are a gentle cradle... in spring and summer you freshen up, in fall and winter you are a fluffy cuddly cloud. You always go everywhere and will always be a part of my fragrance life.️️️️