Micallef - The Art Collection Vanille part 2

Following on from my last post, I thought I'd add a few more thoughts on the Micallef Art Collection Vanille. I stated that Vanille Orient was my favourite of the four. However, what I didn't explain is that favourite doesn't necessarily mean the most interesting. 

I think Vanille Orient is an easy pleaser, and easy to wear. However, with all due respect, it isn't particularly original in concept. Having said that, I don't only wear perfume for its originality. It has to smell pretty good too, which this one is.

So moving onto Vanille Marine: I think it is the most original of the four, and quite a bold move to release a marine fragrance knowing its ubiquity in the nineties. One thing is clear: this is not a marine fragrance circa 1996. It does not smell of calone, nor does it smell contrived and synthetically cliched. To my nose it smells of sea and salt, not of stagnating seaweed, which so many marine fragrances do smell like, to me. It is also rather floral, and even tinged with a greenness or herbal tone, making it smell fresh. The fresh I am thinking of here is clean skin that has perspired slightly, warmed by the sun after a dip in the sea. 

Vanille Cuir to me is a bit of a disappointment. Perhaps I like leather to be on the bold side, but on my skin the leather here is very light and overall masked or swamped by the vanilla. It doesn't smell bad by any means, but doesn't really stand out; I'm not sure what this fragrance is trying to get across.

Overall, I think the collection is decent, but I'm not sure how much vanilla I want at this point in my life. They smell very decent and are well executed for the most part. If I were to recommend two, it would be Vanille Orient if you want a slightly different take on Spiritueuse Double Vanille, and Vanilla Marine for something a bit quirky and by far the most interesting in the line in my opinion.