Last year, on my birthday, my friends from work got me as a gift, what else: a fragrance!

They started asking subtle questions about what my favorite fragrance is, what I would like to get next etc. So, I told them at that time that I did not own any fragrance from Montale :). They got mine from Obsentum.

And what a good choice it was. They chose for me Intense Cafe, a perfect gourmand scent, with just a little bit of everything. If you want to see my first impression, please watch the video here.

Intense Cafe is like a morning breakfast in Paris, smelling like a savory coffee and a piece of vanilla pie, with sugar frosting.

It is hugely gourmand, but not nauseating or overwhelming. It is the spring sun captured in a bottle. It is the optimism and joy of life in a spray.

Notes listed are floral on top, roses, and coffee in the middle, and vanilla, white musk, and amber in the base.

To my nose, it opens with a hint of flowers, quickly turning into a cocktail of coffee and vanilla, sweet and tasty.

Performances on this one are great, and the price/quality ratio is perfect. Actually, Montale fragrances all have great performances for the price paid. One thing though, you have to be very careful when and where you get a Montale fragrance, as this brand is one of the most falsified niche brands. I would advise buying Montale only from trusted, famous shops, perfumeries and websites. Also, these fragrances are ok to blind buy, as the notes and descriptions are accurate.

All in all, Montale is a brand you should check.