Antica Farmacista "Vaniglia, Bourbon & Mandarino di Sicilia"

This was a freebie with a set of other samples. Vanilla, bourbon and mandarin? Hmm. Foody and boozy and citrusy: throw in some powder, and it sounds like my olfactory nightmare. But also free, and I am nothing if not cheap when given the chance.

This goes on like a moist slice of Grand Marnier cake drizzled thinly with vanilla icing. But that phase vanished within 15 minutes, replaced by a thick, creamy vanilla with a slight mandarin sheen. In other words, I smell like a creamsicle. (Another foody description could be a glass of cream soda with a large dollop of vanilla ice cream bobbing on top.)

Applied from the sample vial, this is pretty strong; I can only imagine that a sprayed application would increase the sillage. My coworkers like it, but in an "mmmm!" way rather than an "oooooh" way. And I do enjoy the scent (though I'd've preferred the Grand Marnier cake to linger instead), but it is very young, or very... disingenuous? Basically, this is so sweet on me that it verges on childish coquettishness, and while that's a nice scent for a picnic or a day at a theme park (you know, where there are actual creamsicles present), it's not something I'd ever put into regular rotation as a grown woman. I can imagine this is sweet on a teenage girl, so I may pass it on to my cousin Blondie and see if it suits her better.

A last note on the creamsicle effect: I think I've been a bit spoilt by the two icy-fresh Malles. I was looking for a creamsicle right out of the freezer; I got a creamsicle that had melted as I ate it, dribbled down my wrist, and left behind a sticky film that I'd better wash off fast before the ants find me. And that melted-creamsicle scent was the one that lingered all day long, so much so that my stomach turns every time I catch a whiff of it (eight hours on).

Verdict: Sweet and thick vanilla with faint orange glaze, it's a creamsicle to the end. If you're someone who could conceivably have just eaten a creamsicle, then this might be for you. If you're not, then save it for the occasional picnic.