Tempus Vitae® Vanille Miel Brûlée, photo via the brand 

Tempus Vitae® is an independent house that blends, bottles, and labels perfumes in small batches, by hand. The idea? To create scents that act like memory triggers, tied to moments, milestones, and personal wins. There’s something to be said for simplicity done right. No marketing big budgets, no inflated mythology – just well-crafted perfumes that know how to hold a memory, and hand it back to you in a bottle.  And today, we feast on a delicious one!

In the words of Creative Director and Founder Timothy Hooks of Tempus Vitae®: ”I always enjoyed a rich French vanilla ice cream and also a freshly made crème brûlée. I noticed vanilla fragrances that were rich and decadent without being overdone always seemed to garner the most attention and admiration from fragrance enthusiasts and aficionados. So my end goal was to make a vanilla fragrance that checked all the boxes in terms of being unique, with a slightly smoky edge, without being overbearing, and that had a restrained desert quality without being overly sweet or syrupy.”

  

Vanilla beans by Pexels Kaboompics.com

I love a good vanilla, and I love a good gourmand. Add to that the fact that crème brûlée is one of the most nostalgic and beloved desserts of all time, and… and you already know where this is going. When a perfume promises to bottle that golden crackle – the soft custard heart, the caramelized edge, that first indulgent spoonful – I’m all ears and flaring nostrils.

Tempus Vitae® Vanille Miel Brûlée AI photo by Nicoleta 

And who doesn’t crave crème brûlée, from hearing the name alone? Its origins, predictably, are disputed – because, of course, everyone wants credit for something this universally good! Spain enters the chat, with crema catalana – a custard infused with citrus peel and cinnamon, served traditionally on St. Joseph’s Day since at least the 14th century. France counters with the Court of Versailles, where a certain François Massialot included a very familiar-sounding “burnt cream” in his 1691 cookbook – though it’s worth noting he casually renamed it crème anglaise a few editions later. England, meanwhile, claims the ultimate intellectual property rights with Trinity Cream, served at Cambridge’s Trinity College since the 15th century, complete with the college crest branded onto the sugar crust. So yeah, medieval monks, French aristocrats, and British academics have all claimed the invention of this decadent dessert. But whoever gets the crown, what matters most is the feeling: that rush of pleasure when the spoon breaks the first layer, and the scent rises… warm, sweet, and just a little burnt brûlée at the edges.

Michael Salazar perfumer courtesy of the perfumer

“Vanilla is one of my guilty pleasures. So many vanilla fragrances on the market use a synthetic accord. Real vanilla has so much character to it that is absent when not utilized. Using a Bourbon Vanilla Absolute as the star of the show. Accompanied by Liatris and Tonka Bean, which gives me depth to the vanilla note as well as warmth and creaminess. Burnt sugar feel was a delicate balancing act as the sweeter materials often want to take over. But I believe we were able to create something truly unique and high quality.” – Perfumer Michael Salazar

AI photo by Nicoleta

From the very first seconds of wearing it, all the way into the evening, I felt like I had the invisible hand from Tom & Jerry – you know, the one that pulls characters by the nose with a scent trail – luring people from across the office to my desk, to ask (and write down) the name of the scent. So, I blame the perfume for the acts of debauchery that followed: several crème brûlée ordered via Uber Eats, zero regrets, all spoon-scraped clean in minutes!

Let’s take out our olfactive spoon and dig in, shall we? First in – a wisp of smoke passes through the door, mysterious and inviting. Then comes a violet note, slightly powdery, nostalgic, like sugared bonbons hiding in a wooden drawer. And then – the main event – vanilla, deep and dark and endlessly seductive. It shifts and shimmers: from cloud-light vanilla ice cream to sticky, boozy, caramelized depths. Tonka beans rushes in to fluff the smoke and warm the mix, while cinnamon adds a teasing tickle. There’s a milky, custardy texture in here,  dangerously edible. Fruity hints (just a whisper), swirls of cocoa, drizzles of honey… and a floral bouquet that adds dimension and an infusion of oh-la-la-chic. Resinous shadows and burnt sugar edges frame the scene, wrapping around a delicious heart – both decadent and delightfully easy to love.

Like fine pâtisserie, this is a gourmand done right. Smoky, sophisticated, and perfectly balanced – no whipped-sugar overload, no overdose of sticky pastry notes. Just a grown-up indulgence, starting from a sweet memory and translating it for a more refined, better-trained palate.

Notes: Calabrian Bergamot, Cinnamon, Violet Accord, Jasmine Grandiflorum, Indonesian Patchouli, Custard Accord, Bourbon Vanilla, Liatris, Tonka Bean, Banaña, Cacao, Honey, Cade Oil, Portuguese Labdanum, Peru Balsam, Siam Benzoin, Musk, Castoreum, Ambroxan

Nicoleta Tomsa, Senior Editor

Disclosure: A sample was offered by the brand, opinions are always my own.

Also, check out the articles on Tempus Vitae®: High Tea here, Café du Jour here; Tempus Vitae® Elixir de Vie here,  Carpe Diem here; Fête d’Ambre here (which also won a Best of Scent 2022)

Watch Steven’s Video on Café du Jour

Tempus Vitae Vanille Miel Brûlée, photo via the brand 

Thanks to the generosity of Tempus Vitae® we have a 50 ml bottle of Vanille Miel Brûlée for for one registered reader worldwide You must register or your entry will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what sparks your interest based on Nicoleta’s review and where you live. Draw closes 5/21/2025

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