Bois d’Amande by Van Cleef & Arpels

Let it macerate for five months, and now it lasts eight hours on skin with medium but very noticeable projection. The scent is spectacular, totally different thanks to those almond notes. Excellent quality, hits 100%, and it’s a ten-out-of-ten purchase. The Van Cleef collection is extraordinary; I love them—they’re truly great creations.

Creamy, sweet, and delicate, with just enough citrus to keep it from being cloying. I absolutely love it.

I went to Saks looking for a sample of Bois Doré that fascinated me, but when I saw Bois d’Amende was on sale, I didn’t hesitate. The notes on paper are different but from the same family. I’m head over heels for this purchase: the citrus greets you upon application, then releases the wood. After that, it leaves behind that sweet, warm delight of vanilla and musk. I tested it at a cultural event in India, among food stalls in an enclosed area. I walked for two hours, and when I sat down to watch the dance, every time I glanced to the side, I smelled something sweet; I thought it was from some scraped ice cream with syrup until I realized it was me, and I was thrilled. The projection is medium with a just-right sillage: noticeable but not overwhelming, people ask what I’m wearing. As it dries, it reminds me a lot of Jo Malone’s Myrrh & Tonka, though less potent. I think that projection gives it the dimension that JM lacks, which still smells strong and beautiful right next to my skin after hours. I see it as unisex and ideal for cool climates, the kind where you need a jacket once night falls.

I tried this by chance. I was about to smell (for the nth time) Orchidee Vanille; it’s already my ritual at El Corte Inglés. The sales associate showed me Bois D’Amende, and without much interest, I brought my nose close to the blotter… My eyes opened wide. Almond is a note I rarely tolerate unless it’s well-camouflaged, but here it has fascinated me. I had never smelled an almond so beautiful and delicate until I got excited. In fact, I’ve never liked an almond (YSL’s Cinema is the exception). That moment of being speechless… it happens so rarely! It’s accompanied by that exquisite vanilla (which I’m so obsessed with) that Van Cleef works with, plus the musk and woods that give it a golden frame. It’s a jewel, a red jewel wrapped in indigo velvet. Extremely elegant, distinguished, yet close, warm, and delicate. I don’t know what these perfumes from this house have that smelling them is almost therapeutic. Conclusion: I was determined to buy Orchidee Vanille and went home with new indecision and consternation over this new discovery.