ATELIER MATERI
CACAO PORCELANA

2019

PERFUMER
Marie Hugentobler

Cacao
Rum
Immortelle

blond tobacco
Davana
Jasmine

Tonka Bean
Patchouli
Sandalwood

This is a fragrance that I highly anticipated, because of the great notes and concept on paper. Cacao Porcelana uses rare white cacao beans and white tobacco, which sounds interesting. To be completely honest, I don’t smell anything particularly out of the ordinary (and I don’t get tobacco from it). That’s not to say this doesn’t smell great however; the opening has potentially the most natural, realistic smelling chocolate scent I’ve come across.

It says ‘white cacao yields sensuous notes of walnut and milk, with hints of tonka bean’. To my nose it doesn’t smell more nutty or milky than the average chocolate, but it’s beautiful though, and for a couple of minutes it feels syrupy and slightly boozy. That opening only lasts a couple of minutes, before the realistic chocolate, makes way for a chocolate-y patchouli fragrance. It quickly turns more bitter, almost musky at first, but in the drydown it became smoother again on my skin. It’s still sweet, but not a straight-forward gourmand sweetness. Texture-wise, it becomes dry and slightly powdery.

For a while, I thought the scent disappeared within the hour, but to my surprise, I kept getting wafts in the following hours. So it’s really subtle, but longer lasting than I initially gave it credit for. I like this a lot; it’s classy, sophisiticated, smells natural, but you have to be in the mood for something understated and mature. If you have a small collection and you want a gourmand for any occasion, this might be too subtle (and it’s pricy €220/100ml). If you already have a solid rotation and you’re looking to add something special, this is a great option. You’ll get a stunning looking bottle, a gorgeous opening and a beautiful overall fragrance.