Tonka Extraordinaire

I have so many thoughts on this scent. It's rich, stunning, interesting but wearable, and keeps hitting me with a symphony of notes that blend together wonderfully while still being just distinct enough to make out individually. I get: smoke, chocolate, incense, myrrh, tonka, nuts, not so much almond as marzipan, and maybe a hint of booze. It seems to bloom around me in a way that's different from what I smell directly on my skin - I get hit with these lovely waves of gentle, deep florals from out of nowhere every 30-60 minutes, perhaps the orris from Amber Iris? Or the heliotrope in Tonka Sesame? I can't quite identify it, but it's lovely. It's subtle, yet whenever I come back into the room I just left, that's also the note that stands out the most, and only then do I notice the more gourmand and smokey notes. Still, they appear almost immediately after, blending together in a way that's very sweet but not cloying. So far tested in moderately warm temps, with moderate activity, and longevity seems good (around 6-8 hours). Sillage is more quiet than loud, but not quiet enough to be a skin scent; people within friendly talking distance should still smell it. I adore this fragrance; the only thing holding me back from buying a full bottle (for now) is that I'm also intrigued by one of the blends I made with the essential discovery set (Cardamom Moss + Tonka Sesame + Amber Iris), and I'm torn between the two.

Wow, not what I was expecting and Im loving it. Smooth sesame and spicy myrrh and patchouli to open. Sharp but velvety. A cashmere blanket studded with thistles. Extremely textural. This fragrance has texture AND a temperature and it is HOT! I dont know how else to describe it. Im getting no cinnamon, but the scent holds heat the way that Big Red chewing gum might, if that makes any sense. Very patchouli forward and Im loving it. There's a spicy claylike aspect I need to adjust to. Something evocative of play doh is at the middle but its not unpleasant. Is this nutty deliciousness? Yes. Is it an actual gourmand? No. The end of the half life is mostly frankincense and patchouli. The sillage is pleasantly large. Surprised by the short longevity of this given its size. Good for most seasons except summer, snd especially on a rainy fall day. Not blind buy safe but easy to love for me. Excited to get to know this house better!

Delicious, pure gourmand goodness while still being elegant and not cloying. The sesame + hazelnut + tonka combo is so delicious and can smell like chocolate, but the resins and other notes in the background make this more complex and less literal, while also not taking it too far in the perfumey direction. The golden middle of balance. I've never smelled anything like it.

Most of my favorites have been too suited for spring and summer, this has finally been something I adore that feels like it fits the colder months. So damn cozy and comforting!

Deep, rich, sweet and edible. Like dipping a sesame snap in nutella whilst wrapped in a cashmere stole on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Totally nuzzleworthy. Delicious!

Like a chewy sesame caramel bar, loaded with various nuts - and a touch of salt. Quite gourmand, slightly savoury. Addictive, comforting and inviting.

Absolutely stunning gourmand fragrance- hazelnut - filled praline with mesmerising amber note that makes it very seductive too! Love it!

Wow, I’m now realizing that my grandmother preferred strong frankincense and myrrh notes in her perfumes. As soon as I smelled it on my skin, I had a childhood flashback of sneaking into her bedroom, embarking on a treasure hunt for her jewelry box, and playing dress up with every sparkling gem. My grandmother had good taste. I don’t mean to deter anyone by saying this perfume reminds me of the ones she fancied. The fragrance isn’t “grandma-like” in the heady, OVER-intoxicating floral way. It’s a clean burning incense, milky smoke. I don’t get many other notes on my skin other than the frankincense and myrrh. Maybe a little sesame. To me, the opening is more masculine leaning. The dry down is a mysterious incense that I see as both feminine and masculine. I don’t detect much sweetness.

This is a very spicy, amber sort of fragrance that leans more masculine to me. It is not a gourmand in my opinion, nor is it a sweet scent, but more slightly floral-amber-spicy. I expected the nuts to be more gourmand, but instead, they add a powdery nuance to the fragrance. I find it very warm spicy and slightly floral with the iris (not listed, but there). The sesame note is always present, and adds a resinous quality to the fragrance. A very unusual fragrance. The closest fragrance I have to this is Amber Eccentrico, but without the fruits, and plus nuts and Iris. I need to try this more when it is colder.

Powdery, nutty, doughy goodness. I barely smell the patchouli in this, it’s all about the nuts and the tonka. The myrrh is a back up singer, but waaay in the back. Still its contribution is important, because the resin adds just the right amount of smoky lush sweetness to counterpoint the dry, powdery, nutty dough. TE does remind me of Zoologist Chipmunk, but it’s less woody and oaky than Chipmunk. It leans more to the gourmand side of things and is less reminiscent of a forest floor in autumn.

I like it but don't love it. Not going to get a full bottle of this one. In the opening i het very strong almond, later drying down to a powdery vanilla. It reminds me of a cookie or some protein shake powder. So it doesn't really become mouth watering. Just nice. And the projection is a little to intimate for me. I would like it a bit stronger.

I honestly like this a lot, but I just have to be the one to say it. When I smell it, I smell play-doh. Thats not really a bad thing, but for me I smell play-doh.

This is crazy good, Not really smelled anything like it. Smells like sesame snaps to me lol

I feel a bit weird being the first neutral review here but! I think I was expecting this perfume to be sweeter because of the vanilla note, but was a bit surprised when i couldn’t really smell any vanilla over the incense. I definitely like it more when it sits on my skin but I don’t think I would get this if you are looking for something more gourmand.

Hmmm... this is a challenging one. It’s really not comparable to most contemporary gourmands given the volume of Frankincense and Myrrh woven throughout the Tonka. It’s easy to smooth out the edge with You Doux, which shares that woody incense quality. If I had to put an image to the smell, it’s giving open antique closet, old book, vintage bedspread — with a cup and saucer full of botanical honeyed tea and some caramelly petit fours nearby. I can’t imagine wearing this in any conditions but the cold, dry, dead of winter. Even in my 50 degree weather, it felt a little sticky (not sticky like gooey, but sticky like pokey). It’s extremely unique and absolutely befitting for Tonka lovers, especially for those that like a little vintage surprise and are sick of the sandalwood-vanilla combos permeating the market. I would argue, however, that it’s heinously overpriced for what it is — and given its limited appeal and seasonality, I want to redouble that statement. I haven’t worn it in public yet, but my boyfriend, whose skin pulls *real* woody, literally like dried firewood, goes... “it’s... not *great.* not that it’s bad. there’s just something about it that kind of... hurts me a little bit? but I sort of like the way it smells?” On me, we said it was like opening an old book that has water-damaged pages. You get the gist — more of a fantasy perfume than a literal gourmand.

This is a NO for me. All I smell is earthiness. I’m completely bummed because I love sesame and I do not smell it at all. I’ll I smell is earth, must be the patchouli which I hate.

Absolutely delightful fall fragrance. Opening with a silky, delicious nutty liqueur note; pistachio/macadamia creme. (While hazelnut is listed, i associate it with a creamy chocolate-y accord which is not the case here.) Salty, savory, on a backdrop of a resinous vanilla. The drydown is Tonka heaven, velvety and dense. Frankincense/Myrrh combo is done so well here, without any oily or damp feeling that sometimes rears its head in perfumery and inspires a fragrance to lean in a churchy direction; this is dry and sweet, leaning gourmand JUST enough to be delicious, but with enough edge to allow the drydown to leave a lasting cozy trail that feels like being wrapped in a warm sweater. The overall impression of the fragrance is reminiscent of what many tobacco fragrances aimed for, but could never reach. Although tobacco ISNT a note in this pyramid, you would likely place this scent into the same part of your collection. 10/10, wouldn’t change a thing. Full bottle worthy.

This is giving me tea house filled with old books, cashmere sweater, coconut-vanilla flavored incense. It's also a strong scent with decently big projection. Very comfy, cozy, sweet, and powdery yet rich. I think the combination of hazelnut, vanilla, and sesame reads as tonka-infused coconut cream. This frag is creamy dreamy, and vaguely earthy and herbal. I think this would wear beautifully in humidity/rainy weather, but might feel too dusty in dry/high pressure weather.

This is beautifully crafted. I’m not a gourmand-goer by any means, but I don’t mind the odd sweet vanilla or tonka here or there... this to my nose smells like a Ferrero Rocher chocolate, freshly unwrapped from the golden foil: hazelnut, almond hitting your nose first - and perhaps the myrrh, patchouli & labdanum give the effect of a thick chocolate centre. This would be wonderful to wear to bed or on lazy, rainy days at home when needing to feel comforted.

This is a lovely gourmand that is not syrupy sweet. I love the bottle and the excellent atomizer. I was a little worried about the sesame and incense but they are both lightly sprinkled in the fragrance. There is nothing sharp or challenging to be concerned with. I am excited about the refill program. Highly recommend to those who love gourmand but do not want to smell like food.