Chypre Shot

Do you want to smell like slightly sweet aromatic cardamom? No? Then move along. Yes? Read on. This is a long lasting cardamom scent. Typically in other creations this note appears in openings and disappears shortly afterwards. Not here. This is the best fragrance for cardamom lovers. Seductive, not overpowering, noticeable from a distance. It requires a little body heat and is best smelled from at least 8cm to the full range 1m-2m away. Nose right next to skin will not produce the best results. For this reason is would suit Fall/Autumn, Spring and a cooler Summer night. Still waiting for summer to roll by so I can see how well it will work on a truly hot dry or a humid day. This layers extremely well with many other fragrances, in particular gourmand scents will pair up easily, though it's fantastic on its own. I'm not sure if skin chemistry will play a role on how it smells on you, but on me and one other person I've smelled this on it is absolutely divine. I will always have a bottle of this. Having smelled thousands of fragrances, owning over 700 samples and 30 bottles this now takes a spot in my top 5. One of Duchaufour's best creations and the fragrantica score is criminally underrated.

All the reviews seem to be describing a very different fragrance, yet I still cannot find one that resonates with what I experience when I wear this. First of all, I would hesitate to even call this a chypre - it leans more towards an ambery gourmand in my opinion - akin to Kenzo Jungle (absolutely not the same scent, but with a similar spicy, enveloping tendency). The coffee and patchouli are also reminiscent of Intoxicated by Kilian, but made softer and sweeter, perhaps by the addition of cardamom. On my skin, it opens with a beautifully realistic cardamom that diffuses after the first half hour into an amber/authentic coffee combination. I also get a 'menthol' note, from what I'm assuming is the patchouli, more of a tease than a true accord, as I catch whiffs of it here and there, but when I search for it all I can smell is sweet roasted coffee with a touch of warming spices. I do love this fragrance, and while I don't believe it breaks new ground in the chypre category, it's a beautifully cozy scent that brings to mind holiday dinners and good times spent with loved ones. Highly recommend.

An enchanting gourmand chypre, I believe those who love Chypre Palatin (like myself, and also created by Duchaufour) will love this one. Undertones of Mitsouko give it that rich and opulent, chypre-like texture. Chypre Shot is little fizzy, warm like a thick velvet blanket, and smells like a heavily spiced latte with a thick foam cap. Delicious! ETA: I can decant this for those in Canada.

Spicy, jammy and mossy, with a really amazing smoky-gourmand effect provided by the Coffee and Oakmoss duo. Peony is clearly recognizable and ever shifting from "innocent pink flower" to a sultry "rose wine" Be sure NOT to test this perfume on paper, it has to be sprayed on skin to let it bloom.

I m no expert but I get a fair bit of fresh star anise or fennel vibe from it. It's fresh and spicy, to me it smells very close to an Indo/Pak mouth freshener Pan Masala, which has a lot of sweetened fennel and fresh spices. Overall a hearty fragrance, can possibly elevate your mood.