Tache de Café

Perfectly unisex and to me it's in the same woody musky league of Korres Philosia - they share the crude natural type of earthy- patchouli woody and musky smooth base with a bitter sharp opening that gradually turns smoother, creamy and very musky. Philosia is a different scent though being very green, piney, tart and fruity, with a solar warm anise, but it becomes smoother and warmer the way Tache De Cafe does. The drydown of Philosia reminds me of the drydown here: a very musky woody earthy scent with a slight green undertone from the rose absolute oil middle note here, being a fresh green rosy note, and I totally get that aromatic subtle green effect here. Also the ocranox provides a woody green powdery scent in the drydown. The anise of Korres being creamy, nutty and solar reminds me of the vanilla tonka effect here but this is more on the ambery-salty side with the powdery salty ocranox note too. Tache de Cafe also has a leathery feel throughout even at the later drydown, from the saffron and mainly the ink note. The saffron's earthy quality is amplified by the patchouli. It opens with a peppery black pepper-spicy patchouli, an earthy sharp medicinal sharp scent from the saffron and the deep sharp bitter quality of the dark chocolate - dark chocolate is always a sharp kinda bitter scent to me and the saffron has an earthy quality. Despite being a medicinal sharp scent in the opening, it is very attractive to me due to the tonka that's prominent right away and it adds a velvety, subtly nutty depth to the scent that I still get in the later drydown and pairs well with the leathery feel of the saffron and the espresso. I smell the coffee espresso note along with the tonka and it replaces the bitterness of the dark chocolate with its austere somewhat bitter and kinda nutty-woody quality - espresso has a crude nutty-like coffee scent. Not much warmth at this point, still a cold dark scent. I am allergic to coffee and caffeine and I hate the smell of brewed coffee, but I love it in perfumes and as coffee beans. It reminded me of the bitter dark coffee note in BBW Coffee and Whiskey, a fav of mine. The vibe is cold at first and dark metallic from the ink note, with a wet sensation stemming from it, which also adds to the leathery feel of the scent and its medicinal undertone as well. So the ink note is medicinal, dark leathery. In fact I smell some smoky effect from the ink note right before the drydown but it doesn't last and it isn't obnoxious. The blank pages paper accord appears in the mid phase and at the drydown for me and it's truly like white paper - it made me smile, it's so realistic. It's very musky very woody like real white pieces of paper. It's a brighter break from all the dark notes that have preceded. The paper scent progressively blends in with the cedar and I smell traces of it along with the super woody amber-y ocranox-cedar base. It all becomes warmer at the drydown when I smell more of the vanilla-amber. The amber becomes very balsamic later on and adds a masculine deep undertone to the dark bitter leathery, woody earthy-saffron musky scent - all of that - and that's how it ends. It does have that sharp medicinal feel of Angel with the sharpdark chocolate, but Angel's patchouli is too sharp and peppery/dirty and minty. I agree with the reviews talking about rainy days and books. I LOVE the bohemian character of this scent, very complex, crude and artistic. It doesn't have great lasting power, but the projection is exceptional and it projects like a darker leathery Philosia. It dies on me quickly after 3hrs. I wish the mid phase lasted longer because it feels like it fades quickly allowing more room for the base notes to be stronger, but I do smell the effects of the middle and top notes later on. More excuses to reapply tho. I love all of its notes and phases unfolding, adding their unique traits and building this scent. If you love dark unisex scents that emulate natural smells, then this is gold. It's not masculine to me aside from the amber later on, but don't expect a feminine scent either. I prefer unisex perfumes personally to wear them casually for my own enjoyment and company since they remind me of forests, an open window to a garden or in gloomy days or the sun's warmth, the wet earth or books and ink, all things natural, simple and nostalgic. This would be the scent of Jo from Little Women, a tomboy bookworm, wild cat of a girl who also wears cowboy boots, rides horses in the nature and rides her bicycle too; the forever-alone independent macho girl whose best companion is solitary and who only has eyes and acts feminine for that one man whom she admires.

Glad I picked this up, and cannot wait to wear this in the fall. The coffee is there, but it is overtaken or blended underneath a woodsy scent and the book/paper accord. As other reviewers have noted, there is a milky accord as well. It's the perfect blend of cozy, woodsy, and slightly milky/gourmand. This ia also an excellent layer with Bath & Body Works' Book Loft body care that just launched for Fall 2025. I may have to pick up an extra bottle on Amazon while it is still around, but I am hoping it starts to appear at TJ Maxx/ Marshalls this fall for a deal!

This is my second favorite scent from the recent le monde gourmand collab (after Angel soirée). I was pleasantly surprised at how cozy and warm this scent is. It’s definitely a more masculine leaning unisex scent but I don’t want that at all. I’d definitely break it out more once it rains, it smells like a warm hug from your man/crush mixed with a bit of a clean smelling perfume. Ethan really did a phenomenal job with scent, it definitely encapsulates his laid back, cool, cozy vibe he has going on.

Wow! I’m so impressed with this one! I saved it for a rainy day, just sprayed it as the rain started to fall, and I’m glad I did! It is a perfectly smooth, comfy, cozy, pass me a good book, scent. I bought all 3 in the collection and I test drove Tache first. It delivers all the notes and components perfectly as described. Absolutely love it! Especially for the price point!

Milky, comforting, brooding and delicious. Opens as a laconic, deep, masculine scent, and develops into something that to me smells like a smooth latte with subtle inky notes coming through. I absolutely adore this, such a unique barely gourmand. Not overwhelmingly sweet at all, almost a creamy savory scent, which the right amount of complexity. I’m in love!!!

Tache de Café—French for "coffee stain"—opens with a dark, yet clean aroma, reminiscent of the air freshener my grandma has used for as long as I can remember. Cedarwood and patchouli come through immediately, creating a bold, slightly smoky scent. The pepper and saffron add warmth, while the dark chocolate provides a dry, rich bitterness, evoking the feeling of walking through damp woods after rain. As the fragrance settles, the bitterness mellows, allowing creamy milk and soft tonka to surface, though the sweetness never becomes cloying. Instead, it's the kind of subtle sweetness that lingers in cold, damp air, blending with the woods. A faint ink note adds a cool, metallic twist, giving the scent a leathery edge. Imagery: The forest scene in Twilight. Would Recommend To: Those who enjoy bold, earthy scents with a natural edge, but aren’t fully into the "granola" lifestyle. Perfect for anyone who likes the smell of a woodsy air freshener. Wouldn’t Recommend To: Fans of loud, sugary gourmands—this is more understated and grounded. Personal Ratings: Wear Time: 4/10 – Lasts around 2 hours, typical for Le Monde Gourmand. Sillage: 5/10 – Intimate, but suits the fragrance’s nature. Personal Rating: 7.5/10 Contrary to its name, Tache de Café leans more into the "stain" than the "coffee." While I usually don’t gravitate toward this profile, I appreciate its blend of nature and sophistication. It doesn’t quite evoke the “freshly brewed coffee” as described on the brand’s website, but it surprised me with its depth, especially considering I find most Le Monde Gourmand scents simple and fleeting. Though linear, it’s beautifully blended and nuanced. If performance weren't factored into my personal rating, I would genuinely give the scent itself at least an 8.5/10!

This is very unlike anything else in my collection, and my first impression is that it’s an incredibly comforting and complex scent. I think it’s going to especially shine in the fall and winter for me because of those cozy, homey vibes. Makes me want to wake up on a snowy day, wrap a blanket around myself, sip on a mocha latte and watch an old Hitchcock film or read a good (and maybe slightly pretentious literary fiction or classic) novel. Cozy—but not warm, pumpkin spice, gourmand cozy—cozy like cool weather, shaved chocolate, journal pages, and falling rain. It wasn’t a love at first sniff, but I think it’s going to grow on me and become something I love more and more each time I wear it. Gorgeous!

This honestly isn’t a bad scent, it’s actually pretty nice and well blended but it’s honestly just a bit too masculine leaning for my taste. I think I would appreciate this a lot more on my male partner rather than on myself. The reviews seemed to say it was solidly unisex so I thought that maybe I’d like it for me. I think it may be the ink (and maybe the patchouli?) note that’s throwing this off for me. I’ll definitely be gifting this to someone else.

This lasts all of 5 minutes on my skin before becoming a skin scent that I have to get really close to smell... In all honesty, this was a waste of money. Smells ok.

Smells like Sabrina Carpenter Caramel Dream.

When I bought this I was under the impression it’d have more coffee notes, but it really is just like a really musky, woody, powdery chocolate. I wasn’t thrilled to wear this but my husband enjoyed it. I think he’d be more inclined to wear it if it didn’t have so much sweetness to it.

the notes here are different than on the website. they are: Top Notes: Black Pepper, Saffron, Dark Chocolate, Blank Page Accord Mid Notes: Rose Abs, Espresso, Tonka, Ink Accord, Milk Froth Base Notes: Cedarwood, Vanilla, Patchouli, Warm Musk, Salted Amber, Orcanox I need to spend more time with this one, but upon first impression, it's heavy on the vanilla and Tonka, with a medium dose of chocolate. reminds me a lot of sweet on the outside from finery, which i wore all fall and winter. I notice the patchouli, which I normally hate, but I think it blends well with the earthy unisex vibe of this fragrance. agree that it's more of a fall/winter fragrance than a warm weather fragrance.

It's cheap, pleasant, and somewhat unique. It is most prominently dark chocolate, vanilla, woods, and musk. There is not a majorly detectable coffee not to my nose, and it's also a lot creamier and warmer than the notes suggested. The ink and black pepper notes are not the easiest to pick up on at the top. Dry down is a relatively straightforward semi-sweet musk. True to its brand name, there is a slight gourmand quality to the scent, though it doesn't go too far into the saccharine notes and remains unisex.

An interesting, lightweight warm/spicy scent that's super unisex, a touch sweet and leaves a bit of intrigue. The ink note is unique (might not be for everyone) since it's a bit gritty, almost plasticky-smelling, but it's rounded out by the musk, amber and milk notes. The saffron and patchouli are a nice touch and add some depth and earthiness. Truly smells like a coffee stain on a reclaimed wood desk. The ever-so-slightly more masculine cousin of L'eau Papier by Diptyque imo.

probably one of their best and unique scents. smells very cozy, you get the book/ink note but in a nice cozy warm way and you can get a creamy milk smell in the drydown, leans masuline but i love and wear masculine scents. le monde gourmand is a mostly miss brand but this is so good.