Vanilla Cake by Montale

Quick description: At first, it smells like Wonder Twinky, but as it dries down, it turns weird and plastic. After two hours, it smells like Tres Leches cake with lots of vanilla and almond. The funny thing is, in dry-down it resembles ‘Just a Slice of Mango Cake’ by Gula Perfumes, but softer. I say funny because I know Gula doesn’t do pastries if you want to smell like cake, so just buy that one. This Montale feels poorly executed at the start and smells very strange. It’s a subtle scent, so I endured that weird odor. Once dry, it’s nicer, somewhere between Latafa’s Brioche Vanilla and that Gula slice.

Vanilla, caramel, meringue, and milk: perfect notes for gourmand lovers, but something went wrong. Everything smells synthetic, not like perfume. I’d categorize it as an air freshener; a total disappointment. I own Kayali’s Vanilla 28, Mancera’s Vanilla Roses, Narcótica’s Dulce Diablo, Devotion, and Vanilla Candy Rock, and this one didn’t work for me. I don’t know how they failed here; it smells like a cheap, poorly formulated perfume that doesn’t match its listed notes. I’m done buying blind based on reviews; I’ve thrown money out the window. If anyone is thinking of buying it, don’t do it blind—try it first. I’ll let it macerate for a few months to see if it changes; if not, I’ll use it as a car air freshener.

Vanilla, meringue, caramel, and almond. At first, it smells a bit dry, probably the almond, but then it turns into vanilla cake batter. It’s nice, but definitely not worth it, though it could also be an excellent fragrance for layering.

One of my favorites, smells like a little dessert. I loved it the moment I got it and it could have been my signature, but since it’s so hard to find, I put it away. I ended up gifting it to my sister and she absolutely loved it. It smells like freshly made vanilla cake batter, a pancake soaked in milk. When I run out of perfumes, I hope to buy it again.

Sweet pumpkin pie, causes cavities at first sniff. If you don’t like this vibe, don’t even try it, but maybe you’ll like Sweet Vanilla more, which has a fruity touch.

I feel like I’m eating a freshly baked vanilla cake with lots of cream, cocoa, caramel, and vanilla; that’s the sensation I get every time I wear it. It’s very sweet and potent at first, but as it evolves, I smell Nesquik. It’s rich, but it didn’t win me over enough to buy it outright. I love cloying gourmand scents, but I feel like Vanilla Cake left me wanting in terms of longevity and scent; it lasts 6 hours, its sillage isn’t very wide, it’s more for personal enjoyment. It’s very synthetic, unfortunately not for me; I recommend it for gourmand lovers, ideal for autumn and winter. For now, it doesn’t remind me of another perfume; it’s unique, so try it well on skin before buying. It’s not a scent for everyone. Scent 8/10, Longevity 6/10, Sillage 7/10, Value 10/10, Packaging 8/10. Would I buy it? NO.

NEVER buy this perfume blind. Fortunately, I was able to try a decant first. While I’m sure I smelled it in a Montale store, in the little bell jar format, and found it somewhat pleasant, the decant experience was very different. It made me cough on the initial spray, but as it dried on paper and skin, it gave me nausea. It smells like vanilla, only with the terrible detail of something overwhelmingly synthetic as it dries. It could be an apple chemical, either from a cleaning product or a flavoring for water. I love vanilla, both gourmand and non-gourmand, but I don’t want to smell this again and I’m not sure if I want to explore more of the brand, since what I’ve tried so far hasn’t worked for me, except for Chocolate Greedy, though after such an experience with Vanilla Cake, I doubt my sense of smell was in good shape when I liked that other perfume. I hope I never encounter someone smelling like this in public places. Not even when testing perfumes with distinct animal notes did I feel such discomfort. The only positive point (or very negative for me) is its longevity and how many attempts of soap and water it takes to get it off the skin.

I agree with the comment below: Vanilla Nesquik. Fortunately, I only bought a decant, because paying almost the $80 it costs in my country is too much. The bad part is I don’t even know what occasion to use it for because I wouldn’t want to be smelling this; it’s rare for me to dislike a perfume.

Smells like a vanilla Twinkie or Mexican Marinela vanilla submarine—the feeling of biting into one. If you like sweets, this is excellent for gourmand lovers. People around you might love or hate it. Long-term, it gets cloying like a dessert, but for a quick moment or as a treat, it’s a good option. I think it’s great as an artistic composition for its realism.

Smells like vanilla Nesquik and that’s it 🙂

Wow, what a blast. One thing works: it smells like whipped cream from the supermarket. But I wouldn’t wear it. It’s very synthetic, very gourmand, just like flavored milks in tetra packs. It lacks that ‘perfumey’ touch that the gourmands I actually like have. The worst part is I already own one that smells identical and costs half the price: Strawberry Milk by Sugar Milk Co. It smells exactly like Vanilla Cake, which costs double. Same synthetic sweetness of a factory-made cake, with no real vanilla bean or caramel. Good thing I sampled it before buying. I recommend something cheaper or better, another vanilla perfume, not this one.

Extremely realistic scent, to the point of making me gag. Yes, it’s a matter of taste, and I don’t like referring to it that way, but seriously, I’m disgusted by Montale’s Vanilla Cake. I imagined I’d like it as much as Chocolate Greedy, but no way. It smells like vanilla, dough, something baking, even corn. It’s stridently realistic, synthetic, and evocative. It upset my stomach; the impression was more than just smelling it; I felt it in my mouth. Like tasting a low-quality cake with radioactive sucralose, or pouring out vanilla essence from those cake mixes. It even gave me a dirty sensation; if I smelled it on someone, I’d think they ate cake and got it on their clothes. Oh no, I really can’t do this. I say this respectfully to those who enjoy it, but for me, it’s a resounding NO. I love vanilla, but try, try, and try again.

It literally smells like a freshly baked vanilla cookie or cake. That’s the vibe. I like it. Update: I sold it. It smells like hot milk with vanilla, which is pleasant, but I don’t want to walk around smelling like hot milk and vanilla forever. Passing on this one.

A totally gourmand proposal, very sweet; I don’t detect the almond well, but it’s almost edible. It reminds me of a famous caramel with a cake note in the opening that smells like just out of the oven. If you’re on a diet, better not; it’ll make you run to the bakery. If you’re up for it, try it in winter—the cold will give you a tasty, warm hug. I think it’s feminine, brings joy and fun, but honestly, I’m not sure if I want to smell like vanilla cake. Longevity and sillage are more than enough; it’s not a bomb, which is a relief.