A UNE MADONE Eau de Parfum

Ugandan vanilla surprised Pierre Guillaume with its contradictions: gourmand softness alongside nuances of leather, fruity cocoa and peaty whisky. It brought to mind Charles Baudelaire’s poem À une Madone, where a divine image meets bodily passion. The fragrance takes both its name and its sensual tension from that encounter.

Cardamom and sandalwood draw out vanilla’s warm gourmand side, while a guaiac-wood-and-milk accord adds softness. Myrrh, styrax, guaiac and gurjum nuances join castoreum and civet accords to emphasise a darker, animalic character. Vanilla remains the principal theme, with its sweetness closely tied to wood, resin and leather.

Milky, powdery warmth meets animalic sensuality in a composition that reveals several sides of vanilla. Its appeal lies equally in the softness and in a more provocative leathery, resinous character. À une Madone gives vanilla richness and complexity without reducing it to uniform sweetness.

Want to try this fragrance in a smaller size? A sample is included in the brand’s Discovery Set alongside samples of several other fragrances — to purchase the full set, click here.

Fragrance notes: Cardamom, Ugandan vanilla, guaiac-wood-and-milk accord, sandalwood with animalic nuances; accents of castoreum, civet, myrrh, styrax and gurjum.

This fragrance is for you if: you enjoy rich vanilla fragrances that combine milky softness with resins, a leathery impression and pronounced animalic nuances.

This fragrance may not be your best match if: you expect vanilla to offer only gentle, creamy dessert sweetness without a more provocative, bodily character.

Choose this fragrance if: you want to explore vanilla’s dual character: gourmand warmth and milky woods alongside darker, animalic sensuality.