The thought of a chocolate-scented fragrance may appeal to some; to others, however, it might sound like a nightmare. Personally, I’ve found that fragrances with an unexpected chocolate or cocoa note – among, perhaps florals or sandalwood or amber – smell absolutely divine, without becoming too dessert-like. The following four are recent discoveries that I can’t stop wearing.
Aerin’s Rose Cocoa is a startlingly realistic depiction of a fresh red rose sprinkled with powdered cacao. The sweetness here comes from the rose – a natural, honeyed greenness amplified by a bittersweet chocolatey dusting. Other notes include mandarin, cinnamon, champagne truffle, amber, vanilla and musk. The dewy rose and cacao powder stand out so distinctly that it feels like wearing a botanically hyperrealistic oil painting.
Another fragrance that expertly marries florals with chocolate is Amouage’s Lilac Love. Opening with lilac, peony, heliotrope, and gardenia, it conjures a mystical garden at dusk, wisteria drifting on a light breeze. The notes quickly deepen into cocoa and tonka bean, anchored in vanilla and sandalwood. If Rose Cocoa was dry cacao powder, this one is cocoa butter, creamy and mildly sweet. An homage to femininity itself, Lilac Love is the scent of a wood nymph who lives among the purple petals.
Dream by The Maker veers into true gourmand territory, but it’s done so elegantly it barely fits the category. Although vanilla bourbon, caramel and cinnamon butter are some of the main notes, a chorus of magnolia, sandalwood, vanilla orchid and vetiver keep it from becoming cloying or sticky. Then, of course, there’s the top note of cocoa – a hint of chocolate, like a Hershey’s kiss that ties everything together. It’s not a chocolate fragrance, but the note is there, melding everything together. To me, this is an airy cinnamon croissant drizzled with dark chocolate. I’d call this the perfect gourmand for those who don’t like gourmands.
Finally, I’ve saved the most indulgent fragrance for last: Guerlain’s Fève Gourmande, an opulent ode to the cocoa accord. This is a true celebration of everything chocolate can be – light and dark, sweet and bitter, earthy and ethereal. Rum, spices, rose, patchouli and tea accompany the cocoa, resulting in a sensually surreal chocolate concoction fit for the most devoted lovers of the Amazonian bean. Wearing this is like a little treat – a small piece of your favorite dessert, a sip of expensive wine. In my opinion, it earns every scent of its hefty price tag.
