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is there a sophisticated chocolate out there?

post #1 of 34
2/8/07 at 11:43am
Thread Starter 
hi-- i love chocolate as a note, esp during the winter; it taps into something deep in me. i'm looking for a chocolate-based fragrance that is sophisticated yet fabulous: something that i could wear with a fashion suit. is there such a thing? or is chocolate too quirky to fit into this category? (btw: i pull of woman's perfume well, so sky's the limit....)

thanks for helping this relative newcomer to the world of fragrances.....
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post #2 of 34
2/8/07 at 11:49am
Try Hanae Mori's men's fragrance. I think it might be more what you're looking for...

Bond New Haarlem is another, as is Yohji Homme (although, I'm not 100% sure there is chocolate in the Yohji, but there are a number of things in there that would go along with what you might like).
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post #3 of 34
2/8/07 at 12:09pm
I would recommend Borneo 1834 if you can get your hands on it. It is a mixture of dark chocolate and patchouli. It lasts without being cloying.
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post #4 of 34
2/8/07 at 12:10pm
SL's Borneo 1834 is the one chocolate - in this case, cocoa - scent that I find wearable. Not the typical cloying gourmand, it's dark, rich, and enveloping, but since it's a Palais Royal exclusive you'll need a Euroconnection.
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post #5 of 34
2/8/07 at 12:20pm
Givenchy Very Irresistable

Green Chocolate
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post #6 of 34
2/8/07 at 12:28pm
I will third Serge Lutens Borneo 1834. Its like a less sophisticated (interms of composition) version of A*Men - but as a result of being less loud and less compositionally complex, it comes off as a more sophisticated offering. I prefer A*Men, but Borneo's dry chocolate accord is a welcome relief at times.

As others have mentioned, its an "exclusif". No, its not worth the big bucks, and its not worth paying for a trip to the funky Palais Royal. Instead, just mist A*Men and achieve more or less the same effect.
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post #7 of 34
2/8/07 at 12:36pm
You should give Guerlain L'Instant a try. Classy and won't sufocate you.
Another good option is Rochas Man.
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post #8 of 34
2/8/07 at 12:47pm
Along with the other recommendations, I'd like to also add Animale Animale. If my memory serves me correctly, it's the first gourmand made for men. The chocolate accord is tempered with tobacco and patchouli so you won't come off smelling like a Hershey bar.
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post #9 of 34
2/8/07 at 1:10pm
Ayala Moriel's Film Noir. She's a natural perfumer, and the scent is of incredible quality. It's chocolate, but like a mexican dark chocolate, with some spicyness or coffee-ness to it. Myrrh adds a spicyness and keeps the chocolate in check. The whole concoction smells like what velvet feels like. I think it would be very apropos for a NYC night scene.
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post #10 of 34
2/8/07 at 1:56pm
Borneo without a doubt. Not only is it wonderful, but you aren't going to smell it on every Tom, Dick and Harriet.

Also, S-Perfume Lust has a wonderful cacao note that is similar to Borneo, but with a musky drydown. Lust is also not badly priced: $27 for .5 ounce
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post #11 of 34
2/8/07 at 2:15pm
Coze 02 (2002)
by Parfumerie Generale is worth checking out. They will post you a sample if you send a nice email. The chocolate note in it is dark,rich and luxurious.

http://www.basenotes.net/ID26125837.html
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post #12 of 34
2/8/07 at 5:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by GenuineImitationLife

Coze 02 (2002)
by Parfumerie Generale is worth checking out. They will post you a sample if you send a nice email. The chocolate note in it is dark,rich and luxurious.

http://www.basenotes.net/ID26125837.html

Where might one buy this? I did a google but could not find a source.


Dan
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post #13 of 34
2/8/07 at 5:11pm
Try Elixir des Merveilles - chocolate covered candied orange peel!
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post #14 of 34
2/8/07 at 10:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rach2jlc

Try Hanae Mori's men's fragrance. I think it might be more what you're looking for....


I second Hanae Mori. Too much chocolate for my taste but you might love it.
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post #15 of 34
2/8/07 at 11:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by RCavs

You should give Guerlain L'Instant a try. Classy and won't sufocate you.
Another good option is Rochas Man.

I'll second RCavs on the L'Instant. I've also heard great things about the Extreme version, but have not had the chance to try it. I also think B*Men is a better choice for the chocolate note than A*Men, it's not overwhelmed by the tonka/coffee/tar/bug spray thing.
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post #16 of 34
2/8/07 at 11:18pm
There's chocolate in my L'Instant? and I swore I would never fall for a gourmand scent.
anyways:
here's what the ladies had to say not to long ago

http://community.basenotes.net/showthread.php?t=187555

and you can search for more choclate threads above.

Chocolate in my L'Instant... [muttering]

Instant chocolate?!
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post #17 of 34
2/9/07 at 12:13am
I'd definitely recommend giving Mat; Chocolate another try- I find it to be pretty sophisticated after it dries down a bit.

Dior Homme is another option. Not much chocolate per se, but there's a dry cocoa-powder quality to it that I enjoy.
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post #18 of 34
2/9/07 at 1:11am
Comptoir Sud Pacifique - Amour de Cacao
The Body Shop - Amorito
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post #19 of 34
2/9/07 at 2:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by zztopp

I will third Serge Lutens Borneo 1834. Its like a less sophisticated (interms of composition) version of A*Men -


To me it's exactly the contrary... I find Borneo to be far more sophisticated and in a totally different world.
A*men, together with the majority of the on the shelves chocolate or coffee scents are all not the real chocolate or coffe, but just a sickeningly cloying and (sometimes) fakely synthetic smelling clone of what the collective imaginary pictures out they should smell. The result is often a gross mishmatch of clashing and heavily cloying gourmand notes like if a shortsighted housewife without her glasses started reading a recipe and mixing ingredients...
Borneo, instead, has a very refined and unsweet toasted cocoa bean note (***note I haven't said chocolate!) that's absolutely sophisticated: my only complaint it's that though the scent lasts long, the cocoa note appears loudly only for few time.
Not cloying gourmands like this are definitely a rarity!
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post #20 of 34
2/9/07 at 3:45am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lightninrod

Where might one buy this? I did a google but could not find a source.


Dan

Dan try this;

www.theperfumeshoppe.com

(a very nice and kind lady and really helpful)
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post #21 of 34
2/9/07 at 4:15am
.... and Yves Rocher's Néonatura cocon:

I read it's basically Borneo without the cloying mothball note. It's very very cheap. I don't know Borneo yet, so I can't compare them myself. All I know is there have been several raves here, Pigeon Murderer hates it and Tigrushka has both, Borneo and Néonatura cocon. I even read the reviews on MUA - it seems it's a good one ....
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post #22 of 34
2/9/07 at 5:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Magnifiscent


To me it's exactly the contrary... I find Borneo to be far more sophisticated and in a totally different world.
A*men, together with the majority of the on the shelves chocolate or coffee scents are all not the real chocolate or coffe, but just a sickeningly cloying and (sometimes) fakely synthetic smelling clone of what the collective imaginary pictures out they should smell. The result is often a gross mishmatch of clashing and heavily cloying gourmand notes like if a shortsighted housewife without her glasses started reading a recipe and mixing ingredients...

Borneo is definitely lacking many of the notes in A*Men (most prominently the lavender) and while the quality of ingredients might be a tad higher in Borneo, its pretty linear and dry (cocoa might be it). As a result of its less complicated composition, it comes off as a bit more restrained and well behaved in its performance (a point which I mentioned in my previous post).

Calling A*Men a "shelf store" choco/gourmand scent might be doing it injustice - its a quality scent and easily competes head to head with Borneo (no matter the "niche" classification) and surpasses it in many areas.
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post #23 of 34
2/9/07 at 7:27am
zztopp,
It was not my intention to use the "on the shelves" definition to say "poor" or "mediocre" but just to intend widely available, so no competition was intended by my side.
And again, I perfectly see A*men being a structured concoction and not linear at all, but in a way I don't like that much as i find it somehow clashing where I see borneo to be only appearently more linear having actually a structured architecture too but more melted, balanced and less in your face. And trust me, it's not a matter of niche or not niche, but again it's only my opinion after all...
Btw, when youll be in the mood I'd like to swap a a*men bottle for a bottle of borneo...
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post #24 of 34
2/9/07 at 7:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Magnifiscent


To me it's exactly the contrary... I find Borneo to be far more sophisticated and in a totally different world.
A*men, together with the majority of the on the shelves chocolate or coffee scents are all not the real chocolate or coffe, but just a sickeningly cloying and (sometimes) fakely synthetic smelling clone of what the collective imaginary pictures out they should smell. The result is often a gross mishmatch of clashing and heavily cloying gourmand notes like if a shortsighted housewife without her glasses started reading a recipe and mixing ingredients...
Borneo, instead, has a very refined and unsweet toasted cocoa bean note (***note I haven't said chocolate!) that's absolutely sophisticated: my only complaint it's that though the scent lasts long, the cocoa note appears loudly only for few time.
Not cloying gourmands like this are definitely a rarity!

I second this opinion. There is no real chocolate in A*Men! This some hideous cheap synthetic that smells like the worst chocolate icecream available! Even cheap milk chocolate smells better than that (at least in continental europe), not to mention fine dark chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa (70% +).
Even L'Instant and Dior Homme have better cocoa notes than A*Men.
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post #25 of 34
2/9/07 at 12:54pm
I think I've found a great chocolate scent, and for anyone in the UK it's really worth checking out. It is in fact a room scent (I know, I know, but hear me out). British Home Stores (BHS) sell a Chocolate Room spray for £3.50 (about $7.00) and it's a knockout. It reminds me of Bond New Haarlem a bit. It's pure cocoa through and through, dark and bitter almost like a chocolate liqueur, and lasts ages. I saw it today and remembered reading this thread and sprayed some on my sleeve today at about 4.30pm, it's nearly 9.00pm and it's still going strong. My sister just smelt it and said it was like a really expensive cup of hot chocolate! Really beautiful and great quality, I think BHS are missing out on making a killing with this stuff, and I can't imagine why anyone would want their room to smell of this, it seems too sophisticated for something like that.
Anyway, as I say, anyone in the UK has nothing to lose by checking this out, it's a real stunner!
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post #26 of 34
2/9/07 at 1:24pm
chocolate?
Borneo
and of course - Dior's Eau Noire - chocolate with gourmand spices
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post #27 of 34
2/9/07 at 2:40pm
Since you said that women's frags were ok, you might give Bulgari Blu Notte a try, but NOT the men's version. I once described it as sophisticated like a chocolate martini. My one complaint against it is it's longevity ... it doesn't last very well, pity ...

Here's the notes:
Top Notes: Iris, Galanga
Middle Notes: Vodka
Base Notes: Dark Chocolate
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post #28 of 34
2/9/07 at 4:46pm
I like a lot of these scents but i don't really find any of them particularly "elegant".
If you want to try out yet another chocolate scent: Mat; Chocolat, but this lacks in elegance as well, maybe you want to layer with something more like fresh woods?
I personally love Exilir de Merveilles and Cocoon (as well as the original, wich doesn't have chocolate).
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post #29 of 34
2/10/07 at 2:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lightninrod

Where might one buy this? I did a google but could not find a source.


Dan


http://www.parfumerie-generale.com/
--------------------------------------
Quote:
Originally Posted by liam1977

I think I've found a great chocolate scent, and for anyone in the UK it's really worth checking out. It is in fact a room scent (I know, I know, but hear me out). British Home Stores (BHS) sell a Chocolate Room spray for £3.50 (about $7.00) and it's a knockout. It reminds me of Bond New Haarlem a bit. It's pure cocoa through and through, dark and bitter almost like a chocolate liqueur, and lasts ages. I saw it today and remembered reading this thread and sprayed some on my sleeve today at about 4.30pm, it's nearly 9.00pm and it's still going strong. My sister just smelt it and said it was like a really expensive cup of hot chocolate! Really beautiful and great quality, I think BHS are missing out on making a killing with this stuff, and I can't imagine why anyone would want their room to smell of this, it seems too sophisticated for something like that.
Anyway, as I say, anyone in the UK has nothing to lose by checking this out, it's a real stunner!

I'll definitely look out for that!
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post #30 of 34
2/10/07 at 6:15pm
Surprised no one said Cannabis Santal yet. Skip the HM who's too busy frolicing in the flower fields. Move past the A*Men who's still stuck in that god-awful tarpit. Go straight to the Cannabis Santal who's totally zenning out eating a finely carved chocolate buddha while burning sandalwood for heat.
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post #31 of 34
2/11/07 at 5:12am
Gourmands and sweet frags in general are not my thing, but I used to love A*Men and New Haarlem. I also liked Yohji Homme (more of a fougère) but it failed to satisfy in a consummate manner. Hanae Mori is one of the few I could never wear.

I wasn't initially impressed with Borneo 1834 but after acquiring a full bell jar and living with the juice for awhile, that all changed. It's superb, oozes class, and can be worn in a certain degree of heat. Cannabis Santal is also a high quality fragrance (with plenty of sophistication) with manages to stay interesting and extremely wearable.

If I had to choose one, it would be Borneo 1834.
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post #32 of 34
2/11/07 at 6:06am
Redcomet, the OP said Cannabis Santal was too "wistful", which I don't understand because it's quite a good "choco" source. I think New Haarlem by Bond no.9 is excellent as is Rochas Man which I've only recently bought. But Cannabis Santal is so good.
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post #33 of 34
2/11/07 at 8:17am
A*men doesn't have a chocolate note in it. The womens(Angel)version, however, does list caramel and chocolate.
Maybe the sweet coffee, tonkabean combo reminds of chocolate, but it not a note listed in the official note list.
I remember receiving an A*men cd once from TM parfums( for PC) use that listed the notes one by one with pics. On Osmoz. com there's also no mention of chocolate in A*men:http://www.osmoz.com/encyclo/marques...RFUM&LANGUE=en

It's listed in the Basenotes directory however. I dunno why that is. Maybe Angel and Amen got mixed up , and it's understandable cause it's a minor change.
However, the smell (and taste)of pure coffee and the smell of chocolate is differend in real life.

By the way, I don't like A*Men that much anymore.
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post #34 of 34
2/11/07 at 10:32am
Has anyone suggested Ayala's "Guilt"?
Very chocolately , deep and delightfully gourmand.
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