Vanille Bourbon 2000 by Yves Rocher

I remember it with the green bottle cap. That bourbon vanilla by Yves Rocher was my first proper perfume. I was hooked; it lasted for ages and smelled of baking, as if you were a walking cake. I used to go to school covered in it: vanilla, vanilla, vanilla! What a delight. I wish they’d bring it back… Sometimes I felt the dolls were still smelling me, even after I’d bathed and not worn it. I’d sweat and smell like custard… I haven’t found a vanilla like that since: so sweet, so bakery-like, unpretentious, and lasting all day. That said, it wasn’t for those who don’t like sweet scents. Smelling it was like devouring a six-tier cake all by yourself… What a treat!

Without a doubt, the best vanilla. What a shame they’ve discontinued it… It was my signature fragrance for nearly 20 years.

Wonderful vanilla that carries something extra; I read a while ago that it was blended with fruits and white flowers. When these quality perfumes at a good price were worth it, this was my signature fragrance for nearly 20 years; I still have some bottles of the newer formats. The body spray doesn’t do it justice, what a pity they turned it into that.

At first, it’s very intense, sensual and extra sweet, but softens quite quickly. I wore it a lot during my university years.

Hello! The opening is strong, sweet, with a smell of caramelised almonds that whets my appetite just by smelling it. The pity is that after about ten minutes, that caramelised note fades, giving way to an aroma that remains largely unchanged until the end. That scent is a true bourbon vanilla (living up to its name), with the pod and all, no bakery notes whatsoever. If you put that pod in a glass and then add a good pour of sweet honeyed rum with its touch of alcohol, you’d have the scent of this Vanille Bourbon. That alcoholic note might be due to my bottle; it’s a vintage 20ml pot that already has tiny sediments inside, which I suppose wouldn’t have been there years ago. What I’m trying to say is that it might not be in perfect condition, but hey, I like the smell. The longevity surprised me; whenever I wear it, it lasts at least 12 hours with a moderate trail in the first few hours. Suitable for daily wear in cold and mild seasons. Very good value for money, although I don’t know how the current formula will hold up. A cheap perfume for all vanilla fans. Also a good idea to mix with other perfumes. If you want to see more reviews, photos and related content, check out my Instagram and YouTube to see if you like them: Instagram = JL_Perfumado | YouTube = Perfúmate Con JL.

I’m not sure if Yves Rocher has reformulated their scented colognes, as I notice across the range they don’t have quite the same trail as before. I remember this cologne was one of my first winter colognes at school, and I had to be careful applying it because the scent was noticeable everywhere, which could be annoying to people around me. Recently, I bought it again and found myself having the same caution as back then; to my surprise, it no longer ‘floods the room’ as it used to, and I have to double the applications to make it noticeable. Nevertheless, I really like this natural vanilla formula, more so than others from different brands.