Before I had encountered truly beautiful Vanilla fragrances this is pretty much what I imagined they all smelled like...gentle, musky, feminine and pretty lackluster. Okay so I've given the game away from the beginning, this fragrance lacks imagination and some complementary notes which could make it sing. Vanille Insensee isn't bad at all, very pleasant citrus notes in the opening which lead into a vanilla musk scent which perfectly wearable. I just didn't feel the same degree of enthusiasm as the lady who was showing me the Atelier range. She couldn't wait to have me try this vanilla and while it's really nice I think I'll pass on it. I think I like my vanilla to be heavier, more gourmand and with bolder elements to make it pop. On the positive side it lasted well and I've not smelled anything bad from this house, so far every outing has been a solid one.
This is my all-time favorite vanilla fragrance. Perfectly balanced. I can't stand sickly sweet gourmands -- this is how I like my vanilla scents. Utterly beautiful, it's tragic that Atelier Cologne is no longer available here in the U.S. But hunting for this on eBay or Mercari could be worth it.