Escapade Gourmande

Escapade Gourmande is probably one of the most refined gourmand fragrances that I have encountered. I am fairly particular when it comes to gourmand scents, especially sweet ones, because many of them make me feel nauseated. Escapade Gourmande is definitely not one of those fragrances. Yes, it is sweet but it is not tooth-achingly sweet, nor is it too gooey or thick. To me, it is a luxurious and realistic take on crème brûlée. The scent trail it leaves stays true to that impression (I know this because I got compliments regarding it). Despite being gourmand, it is quite airy and projects well. Despite being airy, it is long lasting (I smelled it on my skin 10+ hours later and on clothing days later). As far as comparisons go, I think that it resides in the same family as, and is on par with the quality of, Jovoy’s Fire at Will and Indult’s Tihota, but is not identical to either of them. People are comparing this fragrance to more affordable fragrances like B&BW Warm Vanilla Sugar. While I can agree that they are in the same family of fragrances, giving off a similar(ish) vibe, I think there is a huge disparity in the quality and longevity. Warm Vanilla Sugar (and other body sprays) and affordable vanilla scents (like perfumes that you can find at Target, for example) tend to smell like alcohol on first blast, while fragrances like Escapade Gourmande, Fire at Will, and Tihota do not at all. Affordable members of this genre don’t last long and smell more synthetic and inexpensive. Don’t get me wrong, I have, and enjoy, Warm Vanilla Sugar and SoliNotes Vanille (they are great affordable choices) but they are not the same quality as Escapade Gourmande. I think the best affordable member of this family of fragrances is the Vanilla Musk Perfume oil from Nemat, as it does not smell inexpensive, even though it is available at Whole Foods for a decent price; but, due to it being an oil, it lacks in projection. To be honest, I do not understand the comparison to Pink Sugar though. Perhaps that is because Pink Sugar has the licorice facet that none of the aforementioned fragrances have, smells burnt (not caramelized), and is less airy. I also don’t get the comparison to Kayali’s Vanilla 28. Vanilla 28 is much darker and heavier. In my opinion, Escapade Gourmande is one of the best of its kind. The only apprehension I have is the price (which isn’t a con unique to this perfume), but I will probably purchase it at some point, because I love it so much.

I don't know how someone can smell a perfume called Escapade GOURMANDE and then get mad that it's sweet and creme brulee-y and a sugar overdose??? Like are you dense lol. Anyway I may have left a review before, I cant remember lol but I finally purchased a full size after savoring my Scent Split sample for months and I'm so happy with it! Such a deep delicious custard-y creme brulee with the burnt sugar on top. It smells like a rich dessert made with the finest egg yolks flavored with the finest vanilla. It does remind me of OLD SCHOOL B&BW Vanilla Bean Noel, before it became disgusting and plastic-y. Back in the 00s it was so good. Also def has qualities of Nemat Vanilla Musk. I do think this is very gourmand but it's not sickeningly sweet like Bianco Latte is, and I'd say it's also better than Amore Caffe. It's less sweet than both of those. While this is custardy vanilla, I dont get a caramel vibe from it which I am happy about because caramel notes tend to smell maple syrup-y to me andI hate that. The lasting quality and silage is surprisingly good! I feel like I can barely smell it when I first spray then it blossoms as it sits on my skin and clothes. I love the heaviness and overall quality of the beautiful bottle too. It looks absolutely stunning on my vanity.

I’ve been wearing Escape Gourmand for a while and I love it, but I had one other contender competing towards my affections, but I’ll come to that... Firstly, let’s focus on Escapade Gourmand. I love it: it’s praline with sponge cake and caramel but with an almond/tonka/Play-Doh note. On my skin it’s rich, golden and sparkles with a little Allspice, but sometimes that almond note isn’t my favourite. My favourite almond fragrance is Dans Paris as it’s light and airy but with Escapade Gourmand being a sweeter and richer syrupy scent in comparison, the almond note is a tiny bit too-much and unnecessary. I wouldn’t have knocked this aspect until Lattafa’s Eclaire came into my life. Eclaire is basically Escape Gourmand but without the almond note and is much cheaper. I’ve been going back and forth between the 2 scents (I’m currently wearing both on each wrist to compare) and I finally think that I prefer Eclaire. But Gourmand Escape certainly deserves its place in the gourmand hall of fame. Update: I’ve been wearing this again and I’m now aware of a sour cheesecake note. It’s a sour dairy cream cheese scent that’s sweet but slightly tangy. I’m not keen on this gourmand balance of sweetness and acidity.

i'll never understand the negative comments this perfume gets, this has to be one of my favourite vanilla fragrances. it's perfect for just wearing on it's own, or layering. definitely my most versatile gourmand fragrance, i'm always gonna defend escapade gourmande! it smells so gorgeous delicious. it's this sugary, caramelised burnt sugar goodness. i don't think it smells synthetic at all honestly. i saw someone compare this too the crackly part on-top of a creme brûlée and i couldn't agree more. also reminds me of freshly made & whipped vanilla icing covered in caramelised sugar then flamed, or a brown sugar croissant that's just been overcooked slightly. it's just such a delicious scent without being cloying to me. the compliments i've gotten from this have been endless too! also, the longevity is amazing. it's one of the top three performing gourmands i have. usually lasts around 10 hours, but even longer if i layer it with a few body products. i knew i'd love this so much, got a sample then instantly bought a full bottle 4 days later after wearing it non stop. me and escapade gourmand have been inseparable for months now, us against the world fr

Sampling Maison Mataha Escapade Gourmande, a decant gourmand of sugar, vanilla, tonka, and musk, with an overall caramel-like vibe, very much a sort of burnt/brown sugar crossover with caramel, but very elegantly done, not too heavy or dense or sharp. There are hints of caramel and cream, but arguably not the insistence of either, with burnt sugary tonka aspect being front-and-center. It’s very well done, a gourmand that’s not overwrought but rather classily restrained while still being quite rich. It’s a nice achievement. My logical comparison, given that I tried both for the first time on the same occasion, is RDZ Parfums’ latest release, Flan, inspired by the dish of the same name, and Flan is a bit more intense overall, whereas Escapade Gourmande, still rich, leans toward being a little smoother and delicate, though either option would satisfy serious fans of their (I’d argue) somewhat similar profiles. Escapade Gourmande is extrait concentration and priced at $215 for 100ml, sold in the US at great boutiques like Perfumology. I think the value is very high, given the cost per volume, strong performance, and overall quality. 8 out of 10