Diptyque Eau Duelle Eau de Toilette review

Diptyque Paris boutique, Chicago.

         I've become quite enamored with Diptyque fragrances lately. Like a good book, each perfume has a story to tell; the notes unraveling like unbound pages, transport me to faraway lands! I'm lucky to live in one of the few cities with a free-standing Diptyque boutique, so I enjoy the luxury of stopping by and perusing the wooden shelves in search of my next olfactory voyage. Recently, I acquired Diptyque Eau Duelle Eau de Toilette, a spiced vanilla scent that sent me spinning to the other end of the globe!

          Diptyque Eau Duelle is a clever concoction that recalls dessert --- after all, vanilla is involved! In the western world, many a sweet childhood memory builds from the piping hot aroma of baked goods emerging from an oven. Likewise, many a perfume builds upon the warm gourmand essence of vanilla. However, in Diptyque Eau Duelle, I was thrown for a turn by the cool and refreshing nature of the vanilla fragrance, seemingly inspired by South Asian desserts. It's more kheer than cake --- a cold treat to enjoy in hot equatorial climates!

Notes: Cardamom, Elemi resin, Olibanum, Bergamot, Pink pepper, Juniper, Saffron, Black Tea, Musk, Ambergris, Bourbon vanilla.

         Diptyque Eau Duelle is a vanilla perfume accentuated by green resins, incense, and sweet spices. The overall experience is akin to sitting in a small café after a long day of exploring, savoring the shade and cool breeze that carries with it trails of incense and breaths of foliage.

         The perfume opens on an invigorating green resinous note, which is no doubt the Elemi. After its moment, a secondary round of green freshness arises from the juniper and tea, with trails of olibanum incense and a pinch of dewy spice from pink pepper. This cool green edge lingers well into the body of Eau Duelle.

        In the body of the perfume, dessert is served. The milky vanilla is blended with the delightful complexity of cardamom and the sweet wafting fullness of saffron. The creamy wood and marine tones of ambergris dominate the base (especially on warm skin), and add fullness to the light vanilla. A touch of musk is also present.

A selection of sweets from a recent brunch at India House, Chicago.

        Just as a spoonful of sweet milky dessert is the perfect antidote to hot weather (and hot curry!), the cool spiced vanilla in Diptyque Eau Duelle imparts a sense of respite in a perfume landscape filled with warm vanilla fragrances. With its infusion of green resins and sweet South Asian spices, you could say that Diptyque Eau Duelle is, in fact, anything but 'vanilla'!

         If you love your gourmand fragrances, Diptyque Eau Duelle is certainly worth a sniff! However, as with Diptyque Eau Moheli (reviewed here), I will stress that the notes wear differently depending on your temperature. On cool skin and paper strips, you can appreciate the delicious vanilla and delicate saffron spice, while on heated skin you might find that the resins, incense, and ambergris dominate.

          Thanks for reading! What was the last Diptyque fragrance or product you tried? What are your favorite vanilla fragrances?

Love, Dovey.
P.S. For more reading on Diptyque perfumes, be sure to check out my reviews of Diptyque Eau Mohéli and Diptyque Volutes!