California Chocolate

California Chocolate opens with bright, juicy, tangy grapefruit. It’s quite boozy from the start, with the cognac making a strong entrance. The chocolate is present too, but it's secondary to the citrus for me. Overall, I get the sense of freshly squeezed citrus juice mixed into a subtle chocolaty-smooth liqueur. The citrus I smell in this is distinctively grapefruit in the top notes, but I also start to smell the orange as it wears. This scent is sweet but not excessively so. The citrus notes are delicious and realistic, bringing a zestiness to the fragrance that is a nice contrast to the warm chocolate undertones. I don’t feel the patchouli is that prominent, but I’m not particularly sensitive to patchouli in fragrances generally. This is a very well-conceived gourmand. This is the brightest and most vibrant take on chocolate that I've tried thus far.

I tried the Seattle Chocolate, and loved that one so much, that I wanted to try this one too. I'm really glad I did. This is a beautiful chocolate-dipped orange! It certainly is sufficiently similar to Kyse Elegance Sombre, that I don't need both, and I think the Kyse is slightly more user-friendly if I recall correctly. However, for those of you looking for a brilliant and unique chocolate scent, certainly don't pass up these two from Olympic Orchids! If I had my pick I'd get the Seattle Chocolate from OO and the Elegance Sombre from Kyse, and I'd be able to hit that chocolate craving whenever it comes! :)

Where Seattle Chocolate is dark, dry and dramatic, California Chocolate is its sunny, juicy milk chocolate sibling. It's gourmand, but don't expect a mere chocolate orange - the citrus here is seriously tangy and strong; it is the real focus, with sweet milk chocolate noticeable but in the background. In the first couple of hours, neroli adds a lovely, delicate flourish. Now, after 7 hours, orange, lemon, and milk chocolate remain, fairly soft, but present nonetheless.

My first foray into the world of indie perfumes thanks to thelady :D When I first put this on, I got a lovely blend of oranges and dark chocolate that eventually turned into a gentle booziness. The patchouli and musk aren't too strong in this, so this could be a great scent for someone who only likes a little of either of these in their perfumes.

I won a sample of this and a few other new scents from Olympic Orchids in a givaway on the perfumers blog. On me this is a pretty simple scent with a sharp orange top note that mellows into a boozy vanilla. Very nice, but not really my thing.

Soapy green musky! This a floral irish spring perfume, very fresh, very clean. A chocolate I can wear when raining. This not gormand. Jan 2024 update: irish spring like, soapy, green with chocolate, later soft floral.

Literally orange jaffa cakes. Yummy :3 , it's like a little soapy as well, like a clean feeling , gotta check performance and then update :3 update: PERFOMANCE GUD, YAIIII

I have to say my experience with this one is quite similar to SailorV's; having written my review I realize I'm almost plagiarizing hers. I guess great minds think alike! I got a decant of California Chocolate on a whim when I saw it offered somewhere, just because I was curious to find out how the combination of chocolate and orange would work in a scent. Of course, now that I've tried it, I realize it smells the only way it possibly could: as others have mentioned, it's very reminiscent of dark chocolate/orange confectionery. More specifically, it makes me think of what's called "Orangettes" here (candied but not very sweet orange peels covered in dark chocolate), or even Orange-flavored Jaffa cakes. Which is a scent I like, because I like those sweets, but I'm not so sure if I enjoy it as a perfume. On top of that, I usually like my gourmands to include other components as well, to keep them from smelling too straightforwardly edible, but in this one I find the none-gourmand notes a little offputting. There's something slightly dank about the patchouli/musk combination in the base that just doesn't work very well with the gourmand part of the fragrance, at least to my nose. All in all I'm glad I got to test this to satisfy my curiosity, but I don't think my decant will ever be fully used up. I don't dislike California Chocolate, but I can't really think of any occasion when I'd like to smell like this - except possibly around Christmas, and I have enough scents for that period that I feel a lot less lukewarm towards.

This is not at all what I was expecting, and it took me a while to warm up to it. I had it on my want list before all the notes were uploaded and listed. I was completely oblivious that it had notes like cognac and patchouli, I always imagined it being some sugary sweet orange chocolate. I mean cali chocolate sounds like such a cheerful name, right? Why it is called that I will never know, I call it seattle chocolate all the time on accident because there is nothing cali about this to me. Today is my 2nd time giving this a full wear, and it really is something else. Moody dark chocolate, bright orange, sour fruit, dark booze, vanilla, musk, earth, and maybe just a little decay. Dry and wet all at the same time. It makes me feel like wearing black clothing, but in an oh so good way. This perfume was really such a shock to me! It took sometime to wrap my head around it, but now that I "get" it I really do like it. To me it is a moody gourmand with a lot of personality and angles.

From someone who typically runs the other way from gourmands, this is delightful. The chocolate here is dark as night, dry and so bitter it makes your mouth water, and the wild orange balances it perfectly with its brightness and juiciness. None of the other notes are particularly prominent to me but altogether they form a strong supporting act to keep the dark chocolate and orange playing together. For such a classic flavor combination, this scent profile is sparse in the fragrance world. There's a flirtiness here I love. I get the feeling of biting through a hardened layer of chocolate over dried fruit, so good. Try this!

I order samples from KrystalFragrances and she kindly included this one as a free gift with one of my gourmandy purchases. I had no idea what I was about to smell lol my first spritz literally had me jerk my arm from my face and go "phew!" lol Definitely a super boozy orange with touch of chocolate. Seriously that first spray was so strong. I'd be super intrigued to smell this on a guy for some reason. Not sure how I feel about it on me though. For me its the brother of Panah London's Pink Champagne Truffle (with Panah's fragrance feeling a lot more feminine).

218) La note de chocolat en ouverture est ici la même que dans Seattle chocolat accompagnée d'orange, de pamplemousse et d'une pointe légère de fleur d'oranger. Le chocolat se fait de plus en plus discret, le coeur du parfum s'équilibrant sur l'orange qui reste fraiche grâce à l'acidité des autres agrumes et domine heureusement un fond très dense de patcouli-vanille-musc. Un parfum fruité, patissier, très bien construit qui arrive à rester frais.

Not really a true review, just my wear notes. May they be helpful. 9/19/21 Opens heavy with orange and chocolate. Smells very much like essential oils, almost too much so. Could be a candle. Becomes more like a true perfume as it wears. Nicely sweet, not overly so, not like the modern sweet screech. Becomes a nice fall/winter scent. 10/31/22 Has a candle-y sandalwood waxy base. Slightly metallic but not in a harsh way.

The boozines and citrus is so strong, the chocolate is almost in the backseat with the other two driving recklessly. I think if it was more chocolate and less drunk orange, it would be more wearable. Hard to find an appropiate time to wear, makes you hungry! Lasts really long. Most other perfumes the reviews say it lasts long and on me it dissapears after 2 hours, this one really does last a long time. About 8 hours.

Around Christmas they sell these chocolate orange balls wrapped in a gold foil. I don't know the name of them but they taste almost exactly like this smells, although this fragrance smells way less synthetic. It's opening is fantastic and strange, but then turns into a "clean bathroom" smell before becoming a dry and sweet vanilla on the dry down. I like it, but not enough to buy a full bottle.

This is still a little woodsy like Seattle Chocolate, but a darker wood instead of pine (probably the patchouli and cognac give this impression). Chocolate starts off very thick and the orange undertone reminds one of Jaffa Cakes as a previous reviewer has already mentioned. Into the drydown it loses much of the chocolate flair and becomes a clean vanillic orange. 7.5/10

Liked it decently enough on its own but to really amp up that orange i spray some tangerine & amber body spray over after i use it and that literally works like magic. Smells identical to those chocolate covered orange jam sticks and lasts a decent while, projects better than Seattle chocolate as well which i like.

Chocolate covered candied orange slices between stale biscuits. Hubby likes it. The staleness only lasted a short while in the opening and disappeared while the scent became a chocolate orange candle. I'd love this in candle form. -

I love this one, the notes are right, a chocolate orange. Just wished it lasted longer! I might go anosmic on it after awhile.

Nicely done orange chocolate combo. This one succeeds where all others have failed.

Do you know the confectionery "Erfrischungsstäbchen"? I guess this might be kind of hard to pronounce if you don't speak German, but there doesn't seem to be an English translation for these, except the literal one which would be "refreshment sticks". Anyways, Erfrischungsstäbchen are little sticks with dark chocolate on the outside and a weird sugary orange or lemon flavored liquid filling. They are really old-fashioned, I haven't eaten them for years, but California Chocolate made me think of those. I don't know if that's a good thing. This smells of dark chocolate, obviously, and very strong citrus notes. Lemon, orange and a bit of grapefruit, too. Over the time, it turns a bit musty and also cleaner-like on my skin. It's a bit too citrussy, not sophisticated enough and the chocolate note isn't especially delicious either. This is not really bad, it's fruit and chocolate after all and I love fruits and chocolate, but they can be so much better.

24th Very nice one! Has a modern feel about it (more 1990s or so). Juicy orange rind and dark chocolate, a delicious combination and memory provoking (those orange flavored dark chocolate oranges or chocolate covered orange jelly sticks). It still has a perfume element to it though, a touch of soapiness which I don’t like. I think it's a fun, delicious one...a happy scent. Nothing serious here, just a vibrant youthful vibe... I liked my sample better, as my travel size had a rancid smell that did not last long, but I wondered if perhaps the batch I received was bad (the essential oil-perhaps the citrus). Still, it smelled nice enough to use up. Would consider getting another travel size in the future. 7/10-wish it wasn’t soapy

I wanted to like this so bad. I’ve been craving smelling like a chocolate orange for eons as it’s my favorite dessert. I’ve been looking forever. This was a blind buy. Upon first sniff this is truly that, chocolate orange, delicious, dark chocolate, so yummy. And it’s not overly sweet either. More like a dark chocolate covered orange rind, I was so excited. But as it settles on the skin it is a headache inducing archetype of a cloying cheap Christmas candle. I would maybe only ever wear this perfume on Christmas Day and that’s it. :(

There is a UK biscuit called Jaffa Cakes, with a soft crumb cake/biscuit underneath, a thick orange jello over the top and then covered with a sliver of dark chocolate....of course I'm mentioning this as this fragrance reminds me of those. If you want a thick dark chocolate orange smell, you'll get this in the opening. Very nice. As it dries I don't enjoy it as much as it becomes this more powdery orange soapy feel, which isn't anywhere as fun as it started. You should sample this though, you may like how this changes more than I.

Orange flavored chocolate candies, the ones shaped like orange slices. Some boozy vanilla. Powder. Patchouli in the dry down. Seattle Chocolate by the same house is more foresty, California more gourmand. They're similar in the powdery quality of the chocolate note. This isn't my taste, but if you like the notes and want semi-gourmand then I definitively recommend California.

This is the exact same as Seattle Chocolate after the top notes burn off. Yes it smells like a chocolate orange for 20 minutes but the chocolate element is powdery and stale. Both this and Seattle chocolate remind me of a gross chocolate sented lube someone gave me years ago and this kinda ruined it for me. ⛤⛤

I got this as a free sample, my it is interesting! it smells just like the orange filled chocolate you get. the really good high end rich stuff. Very deep, boozy, dynamic and citrusy. Very very edible. not my cup of tea, but still fantastically done!

Chocolate and orange flavored medicine for children. The opening on my skin has a sweet medicinal quality that I couldn’t shake. I don’t disagree with the comments that this would make a good candle scent, but a pass as a perfume.

Well, I'm an addict to gourmand perfumes, so naturally whenever a new one comes out, I feel compelled to try it. This little gem is no exception. I've tried (and loved) several other scents from this house so I had high expectations and California Chocolate definitely delivers. This is no typical gourmand. It's a little more unique and complex than many of the ones that are out on the market with new nuances that come out each time I try it. It opens with a tart citrus note that bursts open like a freshly cut orange. It's wonderfully sharp and tangy, giving the scent a refreshing quality. Initially I don't get a lot of chocolate but as it dries down the chocolate subtly emerges until it balances nicely with the lingering citrus notes. The patchouli is definitely there in the dry down but it adds a much needed earthiness to the composition, keeping it from getting too sweet or sickly. Hints of musk also become stronger in the dry down giving it a faintly animalic quality. This is definitely a boozy fragrance...like a rich and creamy chocolate-orange spirit. It smells thickly luscious and decadently edible. It is sweet, but I find it less sweet than other chocolate based perfumes like Chocolovers, Amour de Cacao, or Chocolate Greedy. There's no huge sillage coming from this scent but it does have pretty good lasting power, especially on clothes. There's something very addictive about this. The more I smell it, the more I love it.

California Chocolate opens with boozy notes + grapefruit juice + blood orange + a touch of powdery cacao (smells like a citrus liqueur at this point. Grand Marnier?). I was surprised how grape-fruity this stage is on me - makes for a very happy scent. It settles into a powdery orange chocolate scent with a touch of booze and patch for the majority of its progression. This stage does smell like those little chocolate oranges a bit. I don't think this smells at all like Seattle Chocolate. But I agree that the chocolate smells very powdery - this isn't a melted rich chocolate but more of a dried cacao. The late drydown is patchouli + resin? + a touch of cognac. Enjoyable, but not the chocolate I was looking for.

California Chocolate is oh, so good. It's a citrus burst of chocolate-y goodness. The most dominant notes in this delightful concoction is the combination of rich, deep dark chocolate and exhilarating orange. The cognac and citrus notes balance out the sweetness creating this gloriously delectable scent sure to please the most discerning gourmand lover. I do not find it overly sweet ... it's warm and intoxicating to the senses. The patchouli makes its appearance during the dry down but it does not overwhelm, it only enhances the warmth and depth this fragrance exudes. Lasting power will not disappoint at over 8 hours on the skin. Highly satisfying!

I recoiled when I first sprayed my sample. The boozy orange zest soapy smell was crazy overpowering. This is like: It's 3am, you've been driving all night and you stop at a rest stop to go to the bathroom and stretch your legs. The place is empty of people and all you can smell is the strong disinfectant orange cleaner some moody lady is cleaning the toilets with. It singes your nostrils, the flourescent lighting is giving you a headache, the whole place is making you uncomfortable..it's weird, it's nasty and you can't wait to get back to your car and drive off. I don't even get chocolate in this. total scrubber.

This started to me like the scent of a chocolate orange. I wouldn't want to wear a chocolate orange (the kind you get at Christmastime), but it definitely mellowed into something much more sophisticated. I really feel the musk, vanilla, orange and hint of chocolate. Definitely a keeper. It's a strong scent that will stay with you for up to 10+ hours. It's a perfect blend of chocolate and orange. If you don't care to smell like a delicious treat, perhaps it's not for you, but I feel like it also has a slightly boozy quality which helps it to grow up and feel more sophisticated.

on paper, this looked irresistible, but unfortunately it performed quite differently to what i hoped it would. the chocolate is dusty and dry, which is fine if it is backed with something dense or juicy, however, in this case, it is a type of booziness i've smelt somewhere else before, and it's a particularly high, noxious and unpleasant booziness. also, the orange doesn't add anything pleasant, for mine. it's a no from me...

Gosh this is lovely. Its a Cadburys Chocolate Orange in perfume form. Truly orange flavoured british creamy milk chocolate. Yes, it is chocolatey on me but yet it is still not sickly. It is sophisticated and decadent feeling. The orange and other citrus notes are not overwhelmed by the chocolate. The cognac is very low key on me. Decent sillage and lasts for 4-5 hours.

Okay now this I can get behind! Kind of perfumey in the dabber but on skin it’s kind of the chocolate orange I was hoping for! On the downside, it is a bit musty and heavy on patchouli for me. It’s an interesting sensory experience, but it makes me really hungry and crave chocolate. Not a love and I don’t want to smell like a boozy chocolate orange, so still a pass.

This reminds me of Lush's Karma. There is definitely orange blossom to give this the orange note. I am not a fan of karma, but this is lovely. The cognac, patchouli and chocolate add depth to this. So its a deeper, sweeter, karma. If you love karma give this a try

Why? Too foody to be perfume, too perfumed to be food. Eeesh.