TAUER PERFUMES
VANILLA ABSOLUE
2025
PERFUMER
Andy Tauer
spicy notes
geranium
dried fruits
dark vanilla
rose
tobacco
labdanum
Patchouli
resins
coumarin
ambergris
‘VANILLA ABSOLUE builds on the Vanilla Flash from Tauerville, offering a deeper, and a bit more luxurious interpretation of vanilla. It reflects Andy Tauer’s ongoing exploration of warm, resinous themes and his love for long-lasting, characterful perfumes that unfold slowly on skin. The fragrance opens with a soft glow of spices and a hint of fruits over a rich rosy geranium layer, leading into a rich, textured heart of dark vanilla, rose, and tobacco. The vanilla builds on a natural C02 extract of vanilla pods that is warm, balsamic and woody. A warm base of patchouli, amber, and balsamic resins anchors the composition with lasting depth and sensuality. Vanilla absolue is a perfectly unisex, warm and radiant, comforting vanilla perfume far beyond the ordinary. A vanilla with soul.’ – Tauer
Vanilla Absolue is a reworking of 2015’s Tauerville – Vanilla Flash, which I have briefly smelled once, but apparently the two are very similar (one reviewer mentioned that he couldn’t discern a difference between both bottles. Either way, I instantly knew that I’d love this when I sprayed it on.
The name can feel misleading, especially if you’re used to straight-forward or designer gourmands. Don’t expect a full-on vanilla blast. Instead, Vanilla Absolue leans heavily into tobacco, sparkling amber and florals. Which makes for an interesting mix.
In one hand you get a sweet, moist, vanilla-tobacco. On the other hand a rose-patchouli with a vibrant, golden cola-like tinge. Both sides seemingly very familiar, perhaps even overdone, but combined this way, it feels interesting still.
After a while, this reminds me most of Roja Parfums Enigma Pour Homme, with a pronounced geranium-rose in the mix.
It’s in the late drydown, when the sparkling amber and florals tone down more, that it fully becomes a spicy vanilla scent. With that leftover earthiness from patchouli still there, but at this stage, the vanilla feels most like the main player.
This has made me excited for Rose Absolue, which I will sample and review shortly after. Vanilla Absolue is a wishlist-level release for sure in my book, and one that you will see again in my Best Of 2025 Awards.