Matcha Soft Serve

Upon spray it’s bitter green tea but with milk. It does not smell like green tea by itself. I think green tea latte is a good description. The bitterness is present. After drying down and a couple of hours later, the scent is mostly gone and I am left with milky vanilla and perhaps a hint of tea. The sillage is rather poor. I sprayed myself almost 10 times and it barely projected or lasted. I think I like it as it dries down. Of tea fragrances, I prefer jasmine tea composition. One Day Jasmine Tea is very realistic without much citrus. Most tea fragrances have too much citrus. Soft Serve is fine, not my favorite. I think a really good fluffy green tea with lactonic scent is Kilian’s Princess, the newer formulation, not the one with a ball—which is sweeter and denser and less fresh. Update: 04/08/2025. I have worn this several times more, and I appreciate it for what it is. Green tea latte. Not sure I get waffle cone. But I am liking more. Not in love territory because I prefer Jasmine tea scent better. But for what it is supposed to be, this is very well made. Now, I am keen to try other perfumes from this brand. Update: 04/20/2025. I have continued to wear this often. The more I wear, the more I like. Actually I like that it’s not so milky. I have Sorce’s Matcha perfume, and that is too buttery creamy. While it’s nice for a few minutes, that indulgent smell sickens me over time. D’Annam’s cleaner matcha latte is not sickening. I like the subdued profile. Upgrading to love.

I really enjoyed much of d'Annam's first drop, but didn't pull the trigger on any of the fragrances. Then, in my hunt for a replacement for Matcha Meditation, I saw that they were releasing a Japan-inspired collection. Immediately, I thought: "If one of those fragrances is matcha, I'll order it on the spot." I chickened out on blind buying the full bottle, but I did end up ordering the Chapter 2 discovery set quite literally just for this fragrance (a decision I don't regret - there are quite a few gems in the full collection). If you've had a matcha soft serve outside of a temple in Kyoto - one where they sprinkled extra matcha powder on top - you can attest to the fact that this does honestly smell like its namesake. As others have shared, it opens as a nearly photorealistic matcha fragrance. I certainly get ebbs and flows of vanilla, and while others don't get the waffle cone, I get the faintest hint of something not all that dissimilar from, say, Imaginary Authors' waffle cone fragrance. This is not a Matcha Meditation dupe - but that's not a bad thing. Never a full on matcha latte/frap, where d'Annam truly diverges from Margiela is in just how green the fragrance stays over time. Two sides of a similar coin. In the end, the closest I've come to recreating MM is by layering this with Kilian's Princess. I'm only upset that I now have to buy two bottles to half-heartedly recreate what I used to have in one.

D'annam's Matcha Soft Serve is definitely the most realistic matcha perfume out there. Some might say....too realistic? It's bitter, powdery, and earthy just like real matcha powder. I appreciate when perfumers are cognizant of the culture. The only thing that prevents me from reaching for this as often; is because it's a bit too green for daily wear. But when I layer with a vanilla perfume, it's much more wearable but that's because I prefer gourmand scents. I actually like layering with Sorce's Match Made in Heaven, since that one is missing the matcha powder feel. The two layered together is my preferred matcha combo. Otherwise, best gourmand matchas - Kilian's Princess, Arielle Shoshana's Sunday, Mochiglow Matcha Cloud, Kayali Freedom Musk Matcha, Fantome Kuidaore Green tea with lemon, but not matcha - Le Labo The Matcha 26, Narcotica Happy Dust, Teo Cabanel Je Ne Sais Quoi, Momji Angel's Tea, Fugazzi Matchabuya Grassy matchas - Obvious Un Ete, D. Grayi Matcha Cat Floral or soapy matchas - Liis Rose Struck, Sorce Match Made in Heaven, ROAN Current Culture Save your money, no don't do it - Obvious Milk & Matcha, Theodoros Kalotinis Matcha Ice Cream, Solinotes The Matcha, Smell Frankly Lie To Me, Tabbeau Place Matcha Rush Also no since they're dupes - Dossier Citrus Matcha, Zara Matcha Mochi, Briix Fragrances Matchatopia, Le Monde Gourmand The Matcha, Parfums by Cherie Stardust, Dua Tangy Matcha Latte

While this may be classified as a gourmand perfume, this is gourmand under the Japanese sense of desserts not being too sweet. I have also tried Sorce - Match Made in Heaven, Theodoros Kalotinis - Matcha Ice Cream, and Obvious Parfums - Milk and Matcha, but those were all too sweet gourmand or the matcha was too weak. d’Annam hit it out of the park with Matcha Soft Serve! It opens with a photorealistic, rich & nutty matcha aroma distantly accented by a vanilla ice cream on crunchy waffle cone. In the drydown 1+ hour later, a really soft, beautiful floral note reveals itself! It feels like a whisper of sweet lily of the valley or honeysuckle. I can see this fragrance being polarizing because of the drier matcha note, people are either going to love it or hate it. But coming from a person who drinks pure matcha in the traditional way 🍵, this fragrance balances, with a Japanese esthetic, being a subtle gourmand and a gentle floral skin scent. The presentation and packaging is so beautiful and thoughtful as well, each fragrance featuring its own artwork and haiku (Japanese poetry) and presented in a reusable box. Love this fragrance and house in so many ways!

Okay so this is one of my favorite perfumes but with that being said, it should just be called Matcha, not Matcha Soft Serve because this is not that nor is it Matcha Latte, this is pure bright green ceremonial Matcha Powder, I would not say it is a sweet gourmand in the least bit, i wouldn’t say it’s overpriced for what it is, it is a very unique DNA that I haven’t found anywhere else trust me I’ve been trying o find a dupe, however I wouldn’t say it’s affordable either, to me it’s a perfect rainy day perfume, I love it but I also don’t think it’s a safe blind buy for many people, get the discovery set for sure, it does project I think, but I also do run through the bottle rather quickly due to having to spray constantly since it’s not very long lasting, that is my biggest critique for this fragrance, the scent is unmatched however at $160 I would want a longer lasting fragrance