Banane au Chocolat

Teddy the Perfumer’s “Banane au Chocolat” is a wonderful release from one of the scenes most promising niche houses. Banana au Chocolat breaks the walls of gourmand fragrance by being understatedly sweet and wholly earthy. The opening is a photo realistic blast of dark, slightly sweet cacao and mushed ripe banana that delivers on the concept of “Banane au Chocolat” immediately. I was worried the fragrance would progress linearly, but Teddy orchestrates it’s next phase perfectly. The patchouli that was harmonizing in the opening notes did a good job of creating an earthy middle ground that dark cocoa and ripe banana peels could occupy simultaneously to still create a gourmand profile. When the fragrance sits, the chocolate and banana take a backseat as the patchouli really begins to bloom into the star of the show. The chocolate retreats most of its harsh or bitter qualities and leaves a slight powdery sweetness that coats the entire fragrance. The ripe bananas contribute that next tinge of sweetness and the earthiness for the patchouli to flourish. The kind of wet, mossiness you might think of when envisioning patchouli is toned down to a minimum, distilling the scent of patchouli to its smoothest and earthiest. It’s really hard to describe just how beautifully blended this patchouli is; the slight sweetness of the other two main ingredients round out the damp earthiness of the patchouli’s edges, letting some of its more resinous facets be the foothold of the fragrance. Whats really the kicker to me, is to be reminded that this a gourmand fragrance. The fragrance is sweet, its earthy and as much as it may not seem to fit the bill, most definitely gourmand. I do think most of that label comes from a gourmand inspiration, as opposed to execution, and thats exactly what makes this occupy such a unique space in my fragrance rotation right now. The fragrance is super wearable, unisex, and has that level of longevity and sillage I love where the notes subtly wave through the air, as opposed barreling around as a wall of fragrance. A modern day masterpiece to me, but sampling first is definitely reccomended. Final Rating: 10/10

I see people calling this a clever gourmand, but I'd flip that and say, despite the notes listed, the spirit of Banane au Chocolat is that it's a clever patchouli. I don't get cake and butter (to my relief). I get something like, say, Santa Maria Novella Patchouli dipped in a chocolate magic shell, sitting next to a green underripe banana (everyone I've had smell this say they get overripe banana you'd find with banana bread, and fair enough, but I'm getting that zingy green banana, perhaps enhanced by the patchouli foundation). A classical painting of a beautiful still life, but as you examine it and look closer, you start to notice the odd elements. If you're into patchouli, try it. If you think you hate patchouli, try it and see if it breaks your brain a little.

I bought this because the story was so adorable but this is the fragrance that made me make peace with patchouli. This fragrance is rich, it's dry, it's comforting and it LASTS. I was worried I would hate the banana note, but it's just the right amount of ripe sweetness in the very opening. Once it starts to dry down it's just the most beautiful dark chocolate cake that rolled around in some very rich clean soil. I once sprayed this (2 sprays), then drove three hours with my windows down and still got a compliment at the hotel reception desk. Very unique and totally unisex.

Absolutely fantastic! It is not for those who do not like a natural banana smell, as there is a freshly mashed banana quality right off the bat. But if you like the combo of natural sweetness, earthy dark chocolate cake that is accentuated by earthy patchouli (there is a note in patchouli that sings harmoniously with dark chocolate!), this is something worth trying. It is an excellent inaugural fragrance from a new, self-taught perfumer. New, unusual, truly niche, yet it's mass-appealing. I cannot wait for more releases from Teddy!

I adore this one. I'm a huge fan of Angel Muse EDP and the OG Angel EDP. BAC is definitely a close relative to Muse EDP but it's not redundant to have both. I love the notes of patchouli, chocolate and banana and combining those three notes was a brilliant idea!! TBH, I don't smell much of the banana...if anything, it's contributing to a general sweetness. This one is a keeper. BAC is also very similar to Sorce Your Girlfriend Is A Badass (not in the Fragrantica database).