On Essential parfums: Every now and again a brand comes along that really hits on every level. Essential parfums is one those brands. Superb perfumes, nothing superfluous or irrelevant in the lineup, a nice number of releases, Frederic Malle style focus on perfumers (all of which are fantastic master perfumers) with their name (and picture) pride of place on the bottle and marketing materials. A commitment to sustainability, in terms of perfume materials and packaging, transparency about natural naturals used and their source, and the really important thing to most consumers an pledge to keep prices affordably low without sacrificing quality. So a brand that truly adds value and brings a lot to the table. I have huge admiration and respect for them and they should be applauded for the whole concept of the brand. So, I'd only tried the musc at first and for a good while nothing else from the brand, then I got the sample set and now I'm on Divine vanille which seems to be the most talked about from essential parfums. I can see why in a sense, it's an impactful, full blooded, vanilla fragrance. The comparisons to Herod are somewhat understandable but also a bit misleading too, the intent of this fragrance is quite different. The tobacco or cherry/almond facet is minimal, just an artefact from the kind of balsamic vanilla this is and I find quickly dissipates. I found the opening hour or two to be a mildly boozy, cocoa butter, caramelised vanilla, which while not unpleasant I don't necessarily associate with massively 'high quality' or a good mimick of vanilla absolute. This is a scent which unfolds over time and becomes more and more pleasant, releasing those woodier qualities. It's still sweet but I can enjoy it and I get why it's popular. Then BAM!!!! I'm confronted by a mild, dry, floral accord/note which for me marries beautifully and if it wasn't there my appraisal of this scent would be quite different I suspect, so it kinda makes the perfume. I've no idea what it is but they feel like dry, velvety, slightly decayed rose or geranium perhaps? I've no clue, and subtle to the point I could be imagining of perceiving it. It's still primarily vanilla and gets, softer and more supple still, but subdued, which is preferable to how it opened. This is a really good, long lasting deep vanilla, but on a personal level, they're just not my thing.