Piment Brulant

Edited to Add: Scents generally have more ingredients than those listed. The L'A P website lists notes as: hot pepper (i.e., chili), clove, cocoa, tonka, vanilla. ----- The nose behind "Piment Brulant" was apparently inspired by the Aztec drink "cacahuatl" (from the Mayan, "xocoatl"), along with a recipe published in Spain in 1631 which blends the New World ingredients cocoa beans, chilies, vanilla and annatto (aka achiote) with Old World ingredients anise seed, cinnamon, almonds, hazelnuts, and white sugar. Besides, it is now fashionable to make chocolate bars and chocolate ice creams with chilis, vanilla, and spices, which i enjoy. Also, i often cook Medieval, Moroccan, Levantine, Persian, Indian, Thai, and Indonesian cuisines. So the collection of fragrance notes in "Piment Brulant" intrigued me. Still, i was surprised by this perfume. It was so rich and complex and sophisticated - more so than any of the other L'Artisan Parfumeur fragrances i've tried so far (and i've loved nearly all of them). The combination of aromas is astonishing, perhaps counter-intuitive, but it works beautifully! At first spray i smell citrus (apparently not in it - perhaps it was the raspberry listed on some fragrance blogs), vanilla, red bell pepper, and capsicum (chili). As the scent develops more fragrances emerge, although none stand out individually. A non-specific, non-girly floral. Intriguing spices (fragrantica lists cinnamon, some fragrance blogs list clove). A hint of chocolate, strengthening slightly during dry-down. And a slight warm animal undertone. But it is absolutely NOT "gourmand", thank goodness. I want to bury myself in this! Yet it isn't overpowering - somehow it remains light and gentle (and has the infamous L'Artisan Parfumeur short staying time). The only drawback is that i can "taste" it for a short while, although i only sprayed it on my arms. Certain scents have this effect on me, one reason i avoid lemon verbena - the flavor stays in my mouth for hours, even though i haven't ingested it. With "Piment Brulant" it isn't so unpleasant and only slightly distracting, and it diminishes over time. Given how wonderful this unlikely amalgam of fragrance notes is, that won't stop me from wearing this. As it dries down on me, the complexity remains, and fortunately neither the vanilla nor the musk becomes domineering. Assigning this to a time or a season based on conventional associations would point to nighttime or cold weather. But i love spicy food, which is typical of hot, even tropical, cultures, so i'll wear it anytime!

Piment brulant wasn't on my wishlist at all... after having tried Poivre piquant I felt pretty bored to go for another in the same series. So I just got here by chance as a friend blindbought it and wanted to immediately get rid of it. He was disgusted. In my case, I was instantly charmed! Not as in : wow, beautiful! but more in a different sort of feeling... I felt demanded. On the one hand, the strong smell of hot chili pepper after you open one with a knife and take your nose very close to the vegetable... that exact feeling is what is offered here. Does it sound a bit too plain? too weird? well... it does indeed but I still can't believe how l'Artisan managed to give it a very exotic, wearable and somehow sexy edge. Think of the chili in Dzongkha but without the metal part or the incense. They're twin scents to me... this is much simpler and less spectacular but still manages to outstand marvellosly. I can't sense the chocolate at all I'm afraid... On the other hand let me add I've been stopped by several people to ask what I'm wearing. No one said chili pepper or anything close... they mentioned "flowers", "wilderness" and "uniqueness". When I told them the piment part they all went: ohhhh true!!! So I suggest you try this without thinking of smelling like food since most people have a different take on smells according to where they get them from. I'm sure many women and men could stand out using this as a signature without a single person recognizing the obvious chili pepper... The same happens in Padparadscha where the chili is very strong. It simply gives you an alluring extra touch. Still... not the easiest scent to go around with... needs a try before buy. If you get stressed with weird scents, don't even spray. As for me: a great new addition! It lasts for ever and ever and works better in early spring and autumn... could be too much in summer and too faint in cold cold winter.

Ian Anderson could easily compose a followup to his Habanero Reel with this one. Perhaps it'd be called the Piment Brulant Jig. A bright fragrance, a dancing fragrance. One I'd regulated to summer use only, but today is in the 30's and a spritz of this dazzler is just what's needed to combat the cold; not even a bit out of place with my suede and jamawar. The pepper that is front and center here is not quite a bell - but it is spot on for the nearly inedible Aja Dulce - a pepper that looks just like a scotch bonnet, but is instead quite sweet, with zero heat. What the Aja Dulce does have in habanero-like proportions, is an overwhelmingly perfume-y flowery flavor that makes it useless for anything other than a novelty candy or perhaps an oddball canape. Piment Brulant is it's own novelty candy, and embodies this unique, standout individuality of the Aja Dulce perfectly. It also is one of those few fragrances that very noticeably morphs on my skin, becoming amplified, richer and deeper the longer I have it on, and noticeably different from it's aroma on inanimate cloth or paper. Short phrase - it works with my chemistry, everyone should test first. The chocolate does not come out for me. Instead, it is this amazing rare variety of capsicum, a hint of raspberry, a touch of 12-year old Scotch with all it's complexity and depth, and perhaps some unisex 'clean' notes... a few indescribable bits, and all around terrific. I definitely hope it's around for a long time, but these unique quirky jewels are not made for mass appeal. Another one to horde.

I've read reviews and have been led to believe that all L'Artisan Parfumeur fragrances are weak - too weak to justify the price. Well, maybe that's to be ignored. Today, I sampled Piment Brulant. I get the chili, but it's not alone. No one around is going to sneeze or wonder if you just finished cooking a spicy dish. On my skin, I DO get a hint of chocolate, which I don't believe was put there to be noticed. IMO, its job is to make sure that the chili doesn't overpower everything else in the fragrance. I can tell that this one wears close, as far as the nose is concerned. But this follows you around and others would notice this on you long after you've dismissed it as having worn off too soon. This would have significant lasting power on fabric and it's unique enough to justify a 100ml-bottle purchase. Personally, I love it! This may very well become my 2nd niche fragrance. UPDATE: it's 1:05 AM (4/29/2010) Uhm, this is still on my arm.. It's wearing very close at this point, but I can still smell it. When I went out earlier, it kept following me and I could smell it all around me.. Poor lasting power? I think NOT... It's on my want list..... UPDATE 2: (05/09/2010) After testing this more and more, I've had a few swings on the pendulum about this one. Sometimes, it can last forever and sometimes it fades too soon for my taste. But I've finally figured out the magic formula for me... Spray this one on the garment(s) and use The Body Shop's Vanilla on my skin. Voila!!! All possible doubts have been permanently laid to rest.

Piment Brulant lets me think I'm still a gardener. Haven't worked the soil for several years but still avidly peruse the seed catalogs every winter and stroll through the garden centers each spring. In my mind I'm growing several varieties of tomatoes and peppers which end up in glorious salads and delicious grilled summer meals. Piment Brulant is going outside to the garden early in the morning with a cup of coffee in hand and bending to pick the weeds that have popped up overnight. It's crushing the leaves of pepper and tomato between my fingers and inhaling the aromas of spring, summer, salad and the gods and goddesses of plenty. Don't expect "perfume" or you'll be disappointed, as many reviewers state they have been. Expect the fragrance of a sunny roadside market stall filled with the ripe goodness of a vegetable garden well-nurtured and Mother Nature's promise of colorful, tasty and nutritious salads enjoyed outdoors with loving friends and family. To my nose and to coworkers sniffing Piment Brulant on me, there's absolutely no chocolate, no cinnamon, no clove...nothing shown in the pyramid above but peppers. Chile peppers, green bell peppers, ripe red bell peppers, and a background scent of tomato. More like a Demeter experience than a L'Artisan creation, but a lovely surprise nonetheless. I love Piment Brulant and someday I will once again plant tomatoes and peppers.

The opening is like a dewy, whole chili pepper, perhaps hanging right on the plant. It seems at first more like a green pepper, but it becomes like a bouquet of red green and yellow capsicum. This isn’t so much the broken flesh of the pepper- I feel myself smelling my wrist the way I try to drag out the fresh scent of a pepper from its surface. It is understated. It isn’t a burning spice, but a living, almost tomato-vine like fresh warmth. As it dries down this scent reminds me of a late summer afternoon, with the sunlight hitting tomatoes and peppers sitting fresh in the kitchen bowl. This scent has such poetry, it is something so inviting, and expertly captures a pure fresh chili scent profile that could be taken for granted in its subtlety. It dissipates quickly and does not last on my skin for longer than an hour but my skin seems to eat up scents. Regardless of performance this is such a worthy olfactory experience and i believe this will conjure up some fond memories. I would wear this to add a punch to a jaunt to the farmers market, or spray before bed or after a shower to be invigorated. This also could work as a great brunch or outdoor dinner scent with family or friends. However, it’s true power lies in a moment between just you and the aroma. I don’t think this meant to be powerhouse, rather a subtle poetically nuanced scent with the power to uplift.

Red Chlli Pepper - check. Vanilla - check (a little) Fresh - check Unique - check Anything else - meh Awesome scent - I ummed and ahhed about blind buying this one for so long. Finally took the plunge - not disappointed - exactly what I expected and classic L'Artisan. I find all the negative reviews here hard to fathom. Don't let people tell you it smells just like a garden or vegetables - whilst this may be the case it blends together to sit as a wearable perfume in its own right. I found when I suggested what it was or what the notes were people were then like - oh yeah - otherwise they thought it was just an awesome perfume! I think most notes here are complimentary but to me it really does smell like Red Chillli and vanilla. Don't get the Cacao. Amazing how well this captures a fresh cut Chilli Pepper at first. Awesome buy - for male (casual) or female (professional or casual - infact I think it is very sexy on a woman). Was a conversation starter at work (as was Comptoir Sud Pacifique Souffle Des Indes) - not that it will necessarily get you noticed but once my colleagues sampled it they were amazed such creations existed. Another one for the niche shelf for when I need a change of pace.

For those that never hunted discontinued fragrances I’m here to tell you that 70% of scents that got a pulled off are lost cause and could be a big disappointment and I say this out of experience I’ve been interested in the brand lately and in my part of the world this house is very hard to find there is no trace whatsoever except a couple of bottles in the grey market When I saw it online I was skeptical I mean chilly peppers how accurate can the note be After searching I found out the perfumer and I trust his work Had to blind buy a bottle and I was fascinated This scent is heaven to spicy scents lovers The interpretation of the pepper is perfect Which stays in the majority of the scents life cycle in the depth of it you can feel a hint of sweetness very little it might be untraceable Which is linked with some kind of butteriness that is rare to smell as well This one is an original gourmand a perfect piece of art that was neglected by the consumers to buy something less challenging like sauvage if you like spicy scents give it a try if you can find it It’s a work of art in a time where mainstream is the dream Performance was above average projection is good

This is easily one of my favorite purchases that I have ever made. It takes me back to my childhood somehow and makes me smile. The chili is always present in the scent from start to finish. Its a kind of fleshy chili scent on top with a floral backbone and a very small hint of fresh cacao. I think like a Hispanic fresh foods mixed with my backyard garden that i grew up with as a kid, if that had a smell. Not sweet and highly floral on my skin, but I don't care I love it none the less. Piment Brulant last a long time on me but the projection is very light, but that makes it good in just about any situation because it wont offend anyone. I also have to note that I don't like fresh and light scents of the get go. It usually takes time for me to like them but I loved this from the day I got it. gold cap here. I'll look into the scents starsnek suggested because these chili scents seem to be up my ally and a nice change of pace from what I usually wear. Dame does have some good stuff like Mexican vanilla.

while checking the notes listed in Piment Brûlant, the savoury dark chocolate spiced up by chili pepper immediately pops into my head. Unfortunately, on me the chocolate never manages to peep out. Upon application, it smells spicy, green and crisp, like many have pointed out, the freshly cut green bell pepper. I can hardly get other notes suggested. After about 4 hours, it evolves towards red chili pepper but overall it remains the same cold spicy tone which is a similar ambiance that I got from Un Jardin après la Mousson. The sillage is close to skin. The longevity is at least 6 hours. A very interesting olfactory exprience though not exactly what I expected. It's actually a versatile fragrance, fresh enough for summer, spicy enough for winter. However, it lacks something sensual to evoke a 'love' for the scent itself. I'd love to get a small bottle for my collection, but a 100ml bottle just seems an eternity to me.

This chili-centered scent needs a bit of sweetness, in my opinion. As an avid spicy food champion, what I've always loved about any type of chili is the combination of spicy, fresh, and gingerly sweet notes. This specific aroma made me pursue the perfect hot pepper fragrance for years. I can appreciate the beauty of Piment Brulant, but it just doesn't strike me as likable or personable. It seems not to tell the story of its notes as soulfully as I wished. Happy and contented with my 5ml decant, but even twice as happy that it didn't turn out to be yet another discontinued fragrance from L'artisan parfumeur that I passionately hunt down for thrice the price. My bank account is relieved. EDIT: Nevermind, I’ll be buying a full bottle. Turns out in this case less is more and somehow I was happy to feel the scent on me all throughout the day.

Just notified that this was one of the fragrances L’Artisan is discontinuing, so I hurriedly bought another bottle. I have had this perfume for quite a few years, wear it a while, get tired of it, then start up again when the weather first turns chilly. I don’t get what so many regard as a bell pepper scent, since I abhor bell peppers. No, it’s a nice spicy chilie pepper or pink peppercorn with a dash of cocoa, dry but not powdery. Not exactly Gardeny, but not typically perfumey either. All I know is that I like it enough to grab a backup, which is something I almost never do. I wear almost exclusively gourmands, usually on the sweet or fruity side. Although PB is in no way sweet, it still flirts with being a gourmand, and is one exception I’m happy to have in my collection

It starts off very green - like bell pepper and I thought I wasn't going to like it. But oh, what a transformation! It's like the chili ripened right under my nose. Red chili and dark chocolate mix luxuriously. Beautiful, beautiful pairing. There's the slightest smokey streak. After hours, it was still there, warm, spicy, comforting. I wouldn't call this a gourmand, it's not sweet and the vanilla never takes center stage. I would call it perfect, though. I am in love with this fragrance. Nothing but compliments and requests to sniff. The chili gives it a heat that I usually get with patchouli. But it's not cloying and doesnt overpower the more subtle notes like patchouli will do. It's crisp and warm and plays nice with everything. I highly recommend this.

Green pepper + Cayenne+ Chocolate. You must ready for a ride with this scent. ...spray cautiously. The bite of this can be felt in the back of your throat and nose. Makes the nose tingle if not prepared. I hold my breath and spray the insides/outsides of my elbows generously and leave the room before inhaling. The green pepper spicy scent to me is very sensual and attention grabbing. Not for the floral or gourmand lover. If you enjoy or appreciate tomato leaf/ garden or spicy scents you will probably be drawn to this one. To me, this is easily fully bottle worthy but not necessarily a signature scent. it makes me smile. My nickname from a former lover was ...sriracha.......so... Wish it lasted longer on my skin....I reapply when wearing

This is actually one of the most surprising, interesting fragrances I ever had the chance to try. It really smells like when you slice open a chilli in the kitchen and the strong heat gets to your throat almost making you sneeze. And there is a sweetness with it which gives it balance. It is warm, warm... getting warmer. I actually feared it would start burning on the skin where I applied it. But it didn't. It also let through some undefined floral smell. I liked the experience, I don't know when I'm going to put it on, but I have it in my collection now and it is one of the most original fragrances I ever smelled.

This is unmistakably chili-centered, and yet it is by no means a gimmicky scent. In fact, it is utterly wearable and an instant mood lifter and very invigorating. I wear this often when I work from home and want to be productive, as to me its effect is very similar to that of a good cup of espresso. The chili used here is red, not green, and freshly harvested. You can in fact smell some dirt, some roots and an accord that smells like the plants that grew in its vicinity, like tomato leaf and basil. What an underrated classic!

This must surely be one of the most underrated perfumes of all due to it's uniqueness. I can't think of anything else like it; an incredibly uplifting, mouth-watering, unisex, zesty mix of fresh bell peppers and soft musk. It lasts nearly all day (quite incredible for a citrus perfume). I can't smell anything like chocolate in it, as other people have claimed. Give it a try if you're looking for something light and bright with a different character to the usual floral/vanilla/fruity formula. I think it's spectacularly good.

Love this one! Reminds me just a little of DSH Piment et Chocolat. I love the Chili powder kick! Spicy, deep, rich, and warm. The chocolate sends it over the top in a good way. Considering when Piment Brulant was released, it was quite daring. Typical of L'Artisan. I've loved this for years and will continue to love it for many more. On the whole, L'Artisan frags don't have the greatest longevity, however, this one lasts on me for up to twelve hours. It becomes a skin scent after that. Love it, love it!

Upgrading from like to love on this hot summer day where this unique chilli pepper really shines and refreshes. Update on the potency. 6 hours after spraying on my arms, my wife smelt her hands and trying to recall if she was cutting chilli while cooking, then we realized she was just holding my arm where I sprayed this fragrance 6 hours ago. That's strong chilli power.

This is an odd fragrance. Spicy and vegetal at the beginning. Not too pleasant. Awful-smelling on paper. But it warms on my skin, and the drydown smells amazingly like Dzongkha's drydown. Not identical, mind you. But FAR more than one would have predicted, given the listed notes, and the lack of similarly between them.