LES EAUX PRIMORDIALES
Vanille Supermassive

2023

bergamot
elemi

cinnamon
balsam fir
labdanum

patchouli
caramel
ambroxan
moss
white musk
vanilla

‘Les Eaux Primordiales takes its name from the first signs of life on Earth: primordial waters. A fitting example of the fragrance House’s inspiration, Vanille Supermassive plunges the wearer into the mysteries of the vast ocean depths and the universe. The essences of patchouli and white musks are at the base of the perfume extract, followed by a constellation of woody notes that reveals majestic vanilla.’ – Les Eaux Primordiales

Here’s a vanilla that will likely smell different from any vanilla fragrance in your collection.

Straight away you notice this isn’t just any common vanilla fragrance. The opening has a lot of spiciness, woodiness and some green hues to my nose. Looking at the notes we get elemi, bergamot, fir balsam and moss among other things and those give an indication of how this develops.

That’s not to say you don’t smell vanilla. Also from the first minute, warm and cozy vanilla and labdanum are prominent. Not too far off from the ‘Shalimar’ custardy amber, but surrounded by a forest (and the bergamot is not as prominent to me in Vanilla Supermassive).

The spiciness and greener tinge remind me a bit of Alghabra King Of Flowers, the vanilla that I know best that’s goes in this general direction. It’s probably the best reference I can give.

It’s mossy and woody, combining dry and more liquid textures. Kind of like sweet wet cedarwood at times to my nose, probably because of the ambroxan. Then again, you also definitely get that pine-like quality and oakmoss tinge throughout the first hours and the woodiness becomes more dry as it goes along. I’d say an almost Christmassy combination, especially factoring in the addition of cinnamon.

It’s sweet enough to register as a real vanilla fragrance, just not a generic one and one that’s on the mature and versatile side. The note itself is very well done and prominent especially in the mid (with more spices first and more wood). I’d say this leans traditionally masculine more, but not overly so. Women that don’t mind woody and dry mossy facets should check it out for sure.

The quality feels superb; I’ve only smelled a couple Les Eaux Primordiales and they’ve been a (rare) combination of very contemporary, cleanly executed structures, that feel more full-bodied and high quality than most in its style.