MIYAZ PERFUME
IRIS CACAO (2022)

2022

Benzoin
Bourbon vanilla
Iris
Amber
Cocoa absolute
Tonka bean
Spices
Sandalwood
Oud

Iris Cacao was a Birthday gift last year and it’s become one of my most worn fragrances. I also reviewed the altered Iris Cacao 2023 version (with added vintage Assam oud and civet) and a 2024 version followed, but my Iris Cacao is an older batch, in an older bottle style. And it’s quite spectacular.

Straight from the opening Iris Cacao delivers mostly on the second part of its name; chocolate. It’s woody, thick and very sweet. Most wafts it’s gourmand, but there is a slight smokiness and at times the woodiness reminds me of old furniture.

That being said, most of Iris Cacao is sweet, with a strong creamy, almost buttery core of cacao, spices, vanilla and tonka. The spices are subtle and mixed in with the creaminess, creating a dessert-like mixture.

At first, I didn’t get much iris from Iris Cacao. As time went on, I started getting more and more of a buttery thick iris texture, that seems very prominent to me now. I still don’t get any of the iris’ powdery or floral qualities.

This is a thick, slightly dark and smoky gourmand in the same broad direction as Strangers Burning Ben, but leaning a lot more into the sweetness and with a much more liquid texture. It’s one of the coziest fragrances in my collection, giving off a similar vibe as freshly baked cookies and hot chocolate milk on a cold Winter’s evening.