Alright frag fam, Joe A. here with another one for ya’. Round 1 of The Gourmand Wars: Vanilla vs Chocolate was absolute chaos. Thirty-two contenders stepped into the arena, but only sixteen survived the opening barrage of votes, debates and a few surprising upsets! Heavy hitters fell early. Underdogs rose up. And the battlefield is already starting to reveal something interesting… these aren’t just fragrances competing anymore, these are styles of gourmand perfumery clashing. We’ve now entered Round 2: The Sweet 16, where things tighten up and every matchup starts to feel like a championship bout. 🍦 TEAM VANILLA — THE SURVIVORS Vanilla came out of Round 1 swinging hard. What we’re seeing now is a fascinating split between modern designer powerhouses and refined niche seducers. On the designer side, sweetness and projection are king. These are bold, spicy, amber-loaded vanillas that dominate colder weather and command attention in a room. On the niche side, things get more nuanced. Creamy dessert vanillas, sensual animalic vanillas and silky woody interpretations are all still alive, each bringing a completely different interpretation of what vanilla can be. Round 2 asks a bigger question: Is vanilla better when it roars…or when it seduces? 🍫 TEAM CHOCOLATE — THE CONTENDERS Chocolate, meanwhile, has proven to be the darker and more unpredictable side of the bracket. The designer division shows just how creatively cacao can be used. Sometimes it’s subtle and elegant, sometimes it’s spicy and masculine, and sometimes it sits quietly behind other notes adding richness. But the niche division? That’s where things get wild. Here we’re seeing pure cacao expression, bitter cocoa powder, boozy chocolate desserts, espresso-infused cacao and artistic interpretations that blur the line between fragrance and dessert. Round 2 is going to determine which version of chocolate moves forward: Refined cacao…or unapologetic indulgence! 🧠 WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN VOTING At this stage of the war, the decisions get harder.

“Perfumery rewards attention to detail.” — Dominique Ropion, Master Perfumer Small choices create big differences. Miss enough details and the whole thing slips! Precision matters! One day at a time guys, Enjoy the #Journey