Un Bois Vanille

Un Bois Vanille is an oriental vanilla for women and men, composed by Christopher Sheldrake for Serge Lutens in 2003. Vanilla here is dark and burnt rather than creamy, and the things around it push it further: coconut milk and beeswax make it thick, bitter almond and black licorice give it an anise-tinged bitterness, and benzoin and tonka bean hold the sweetness down. Sandalwood, guaiac wood and musk keep the base dry. Gourmand in principle but not in temperament. It lasts a moderate while and projects moderately, and it suits autumn and winter, day or night.