Coup de Coeur

Coup de Coeur is a lot of things all at one time: fresh, spicy, tobacco, fruity, woody, and gourmand. It is a very interesting ride that took a few trials to really grasp it. It starts out with a strong green apple note (perhaps the most realistic of any perfume I have ever sampled) along with very strong fresh mint, culinary herbs, and some tobacco. Some strong wood comes in that smells strangely like paper, maybe a bit like synthetic wood. Then all of a sudden there is vanilla, orange (instead of green apple, what a twist--literally "apples to oranges"), and something that smells a bit like green bell pepper. This is what they call "everything but the kitchen sink". It confused me upon my first sampling, but I grew to love it after subsequent trials. I was looking for tobacco, and I was set on their own Le Tabac, but this is a really nice, surprising perfume of high quality as well.

I was so excited when the house was able to sell me a bottle of Coup de Coeur. I had tried a sample when it was first released and then I did not see it on their website. A few years later, I inquired about it after my sample was long gone and they were able to sell me a bottle. The bottles presentation is clean and yet has a touch of decorative deluxe. The fragrance has a clean intoxicating air to it. Light yet lingering. The mint does stand out but not in a bubble gum quality, more of a cold herbal bath. Rich and studious. It leaves me with a clear mind when I wear Coup de Coeur. I wear it to work events where I have to focus and leave an air of firm direct rationality behind. A must for any discerning executive.

This is the most delightful vanilla tobacco. Rather on the feminine side, it is creamy and smooth without the harsh spicy tone that most tobacco scents tend to have. Soft and beautiful. I can still smell it very lightly after 9 hours.

Pink pepper and tobacco at first spray. On my skin it stays here at this spicier place, with a little lavender and incense peeking in, for about 90 minutes. Only then does the vanilla develop - weaving it's natural creamy sweetness into the spice. Warm spicy orange heats up later on. No big blasts of floral here, but an impression of them somewhere in the distance.

Very interesting and complex perfume! If you want to impress somebody, this is the right choice! After the first moment the perfume reaches your skin, it has a fresh woody-minty scent, then it becomes more sweet and smokey but still keeps its fresh base. One big minus (for me) is that it does not feel feminine - more androgenic (like a very sophisticated androgen) or like a teenager (with very rich parents). But for business meetings, especially if you need to meet some fancy businessman or a big-boss-of-a-big-company this perfume is just perfect!

L'Antichambre - Coup de Coeur Mint + Lavender with warm touch of orange. Then, a fruity note of a candied green apple appears. A powdery vanilla makes the difference here. Jasmine + Pink Pepper make things better - a final touch until we reach the drydown.

A layered, complex perfume. The lightly metallic sage and cedar give it a vintage French feel. Almost a formal scent, but light enough for day wear