GUERLAIN
SPIRITUEUSE DOUBLE VANILLE

2007

PERFUMER
Jean-Paul Guerlain

Incense
Pink Pepper
Bergamot

Cedarwood
Ylang-Ylang
Bulgarian Rose
Jasmine

Vanilla
Benzoin

Spiritueuse Double Vanille (SDV) is iconic and rightfully so. Not the most special or eccentric scent, but one of the best vanilla fragrances ever produced in my opinion.

The opening is a bit floral on me, with pink pepper and bergamot. After some minutes it becomes more woody (cedarwood) vanilla. It does sweeten quickly, but the nuances remain; it’s not a simple full-on vanilla scent.

It’s juicy in a way that’s rare for a vanilla fragrance. To my nose there’s a sweet (wet) tobacco (blossom) giving a slight smokiness or spiciness. Similar vibe in the spices as Byredo Seven Veils or even a little bit of a connection to Casamorati Bouquet Ideale (although more vanillic than either of those)

The 2021 boutique sample that I tried was a bit brighter and softer, but I’ve been wearing a decant of a much older bottle and I have to say that that’s a different experience. It’s much darker and heavier, almost boozy and more smoky. On the other hand my brother has a Bee bottle filled with SDV in 2023 (pictured above) and that seems pretty good, more in the direction of my decant and it also has quite a dark color juice, although still a tad softer than the vintage.