Le Baume Vanille
A balm for the heart, distilling the vegetal treasures of Madagascar, where Marc-Antoine Corticchiato spent countless stays between the bush and crops.
A balm to drink, the olfactory imprint of the scent of blonde vanilla forever engraved in the perfumer’s memory. That of a fabulous beverage composed by a young Madagascan woman, reinvented here as a generous sillage.
A vanilla balm, the opulent flesh of a plump, fatty pod, split to release its fragrant black seeds, expressed in Madagascar through three natural extracts. Tincture, CO2 extract and vanilla absolute run through the composition. From top to base notes, these rich materials unfold balmy, animalic aromas that evoke the richness of the pod, enhanced by tones of wood, leather, hay and tobacco. To remain faithful to the original recipe of vanilla pods infused in aged rum, Marc-Antoine Corticchiato has drawn on the sumptuous palette of the island of Madagascar. Peppercorns, cloves, and cinnamon sticks combine with the almost animal depth of cocoa beans. Freshly grated coconut flesh, a flash of milky whiteness in this amber elixir, enhances its creamy texture. Particularly rich in balms, oils, and resins, the formula of Madagascar requires a level of craftsmanship that has all but disappeared today. Another rare luxury is the long maceration process that allows each ingredient to express itself to the fullest…
“It is an unforgettable beverage that I sought to recreate in this vanilla balm. When I was spending long periods in Madagascar with my long-time collaborator Lucien Acquarone, the very friendly and cheerful daughter of one of our Madagascan partners once offered me a drink she had concocted herself using natural ingredients from the country, including an impressive bunch of vanilla pods that had been left to ripen in the sun for a long time.
The mixture was left to macerate for several weeks in very old rum, eventually producing a unique elixir of profound richness. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water even today!” — Marc-Antoine Corticchiato
