Vani Choc Hilde Soliani

Source: Fragrantica

This is a good example of why you shouldn't judge a book by its cover or a perfume by its listed notes. On my perennial chocolate fix I did check out the notes and reviews for Vani Choc but was disillusioned without trying it based on the naysayers and well, lack of chocolate or cacao in the note pyramid. Like duh! How can you call it "choc" when there's no choc? 

Thank god for fragrant friends and second chances. Just yesterday I received a surprise package sent by a dear fellow fragrance traveller which included a good sized decant of Vani Choc amongst other little treats. Since the tape on this decant came off the easiest, it was the first to be sampled. I had absolutely no expectations but oh what joy! 

As uplifting as Vivaldi's Gloria must have sounded sung by the orphans of the Ospedale at the Church of La Pietà, or sunlight streaming through crystal clear windows, you get a burst of joy and energy at the first spray of bright zesty citrus and sugared almonds. The brightness fades away as does the tangy-ness and Vani Choc becomes a cuddly creamy chocolate scent either through trickery on the nose or Hilde Soliani left out chocolate in the official ingredient list.

This is no bitter chocolate for sure and chocolate purists would not be enamoured of this for it is a sweet milk chocolate containing vanilla ( I feel that vanilla is the olfactory equivalent of salt, it adds a little extra to everything and chides the other ingredients to get along together and here it enhances the chocolate effect) that smells nutty and warm with a subtle hint of citrus rind that gives the chocolate some tartness without actually smelling like Terry's chocolate orange.

Good projection, excellent longevity and one helluva "feel good" scent.