ATELIER DES ORS
Cocoa Kimiya
2024
PERFUMER
Marie Salamagne
cardamom
coffee
Cocoa
patchouli
Vanilla
‘A dark and intense cocoa contrasted by the light of cardamom. Abstraction is the starting point for a new representation of reality. Beyond the ingredients, open up your imagination and let it guide you away from the usual reference points. Coming from the distant lands of Latin America, cocoa is considered a sacred plant, “food of the gods” (meaning of cocoa tree, theobroma in Greek). The divine in matter. A creation around a dark and intense cocoa contrasted by the light of a singular and radiant cardamom. Rich in natural and exceptional raw materials, this 2nd extract is also at 40%, a concentration of materials as if enhanced. It oscillates between shadow and light, shine and mystery, addiction and bitterness.’ – Atelier des Ors
Cocoa Kimiya is my favorite of the 2024 duo of it & Kawa Karda. I’ll make some comparisons between the two in the breakdown below. Full notes for these fragrances have not been disclosed by the brand; the notes above I saw listed at a presentation, but the official notes for Cocoa Kimiya only list cocoa & cardamom.
From the opening, this feels warm, pretty earthy and dry. It has a roasted quality to it, like ground coffee beans (I get more coffee from this, than from Kawa Karda, which lists coffee as an official note). It’s spiced, but the cardamom isn’t overly prominent. It also feels like more of a mix of cardamom and other spices like maybe a black pepper or nutmeg.
It’s sweet with (bitter) coffee, but not overly so. I like that it’s not sugary and in general, this fragrance wears mature. Not a lot of things standing out, no bright opening, no super sweet drydown; it’s pretty linear, but really lovely. Style-wise, it reminds me more of the mature coffee vibe from Diptyque Bois Corse. It feels a notch darker and more ‘singular’ than an Akro Awake for example. The spiciness stays prominent after the opening, creating more of a spiced amber drydown, but the coffee/cocoa tinge is retained well.
Texture wise, as mentioned, dry. Almost powdery, but there is a very smooth, resinous edge to it, probably thanks to the 40% concentration, which takes the sharp edges off.
When comparing Kawa Karda to Cocoa Kimiya, I think Kawa has more brightness coming trough. Kawa Karda is probably more mass appealing and smells more ‘perfume-y’, while Cocoa caters more to gourmand lovers in my opinion, with coffee and cocoa being front and center more. That being said, when you are not directly comparing them side-by-side, they don’t feel like they’re worlds apart; they are siblings that work in tandem. I do personally prefer Cocoa Kimiya by quite a margin.