Cover the gourmand fragrance family remains one of perfumery’s most curious and captivating modern inventions—now delighting wearers for over three decades
the gourmand fragrance family remains one of perfumery’s most curious and captivating modern inventions—now delighting wearers for over three decades
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Gourmand is a curious and captivating fragrance family, born in the early ’90s and now celebrating more than three decades.
In ancient times, scent bore little resemblance to the sweet, confectionery notes we associate with modern perfumes. Fragrance then was a sacred conduit between mortals and deities requiring a solemn, almost reverent quality, grounded in the purest essences of wood, stone and grass. Closest to the divine was the royal court, whose members alone held access to the rarest and most elusive aromas. For the aristocracy, perfume became both a status symbol and a spiritual armour, bestowing serenity, security, and reverence. The scent of a monarch stirred awe and admiration. To this day, our collective subconscious still reveres perfume with the same quiet devotion.
Now, with scientific advancement, scent has shed its former rigidity. Fragrance is no longer bound by scarcity or sacred codes. Innovation has allowed perfumers a far broader canvas, encouraging a wave of creativity that has given rise to ever-diversifying fragrance families. Once burdened by religious symbolism and later by social hierarchy, perfume has gently stepped down from its pedestal, growing closer to everyday life, more intimate, more human.
Real fragrance, in this sense, becomes the most sincere reflection of the lives we lead.
Chocolate - Food of Love
The first scent to be acknowledged as a trailblazer in the gourmand genre was Angel by Mugler. Unveiled in 1992, Angel created a sensation, its audacious blend conjuring a vision of the wearer as a decadent chocolate truffle, dusted in coconut, and exuding a bold, festive allure. A single spritz, and the world seems warmer, more jubilant—winter's chill swiftly undone.
Above Profumum Roma Sorriso is a warm, enveloping blend of dark chocolate infused with rum
Profumum Roma Sorriso is a warm, enveloping blend of dark chocolate infused with rum
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Chocolate, of course, is long considered a delicacy of love, not merely for its interplay of bitter and sweet, echoing the nuances of romance, but for its almost alchemical ability to spark and sustain affection. In gourmand fragrances, its scent soothes the nerves, steadies the mood, and sharpens focus, drifting softly into the realm of emotional intimacy.
Above Chanel Coromandel with its elusive yet lingering chocolate note
Chanel Coromandel with its elusive yet lingering chocolate note
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With Angel, perfumery as we knew it pivoted dramatically. Today, around 3,000 new fragrances are released each year, and at least a third of them are food-inspired. Following Angel’s trail of coconut and chocolate, we’ve been introduced to ever more deliciously romantic compositions.
One cannot overlook Sorriso by Profumum Roma, a warm, enveloping blend of dark chocolate infused with rum, both intoxicating and delightfully rich.
Then there is Chanel’s bold and spirited Coromandel, where the chocolate note is elusive yet lingering, gently surfacing on the skin. With its blend of sweetness and bitterness, it seduces the senses with quiet confidence.
Finally, 1969 by Histoires de Parfums whispers with notes of chocolate laced through ripe peach. Wear this to feel youth’s warmth—free, unbothered, and deliciously unconstrained.
Vanille: The Taste of the World
Vanilla is among the oldest and dearest spices on Earth. Revered in kitchens as much as perfumeries, this snowy white treasure is the cornerstone of countless desserts. It softens the tannins of a dish, enriching flavours and leaving behind a lasting impression that lingers, long after the final bite.
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Above Guerlain Shalimar is a rich, timeless vanilla
Guerlain Shalimar is a rich, timeless vanilla
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The world of scent is no less infatuated with vanilla than the culinary world. Like a favourite recipe, its aroma nurtures the senses and stirs something primal. Far from fantasy, this gentle note is known to evoke powerful emotional and even sensual responses. It soothes, steadies, and lends a quiet calm, all while wrapping the wearer in an invisible cocoon of warmth and ease.
Guerlain understands vanilla deeply. As France’s most storied perfume house and a titan of modern fragrance, it has long embraced the spice’s allure. Shalimar is a rich, timeless vanilla, while Spiritueuse Double Vanille embodies contemporary elegance with its opulent take on the note.
Above The bold, irresistible Tom Ford Vanilla Sex
The bold, irresistible Tom Ford Vanilla Sex
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Beyond these gourmand icons of love and longing, there are other fragrant romances. Vanilla Powder by Matière Première is softened by young coconut, green rice, and sandalwood, maturing into something smouldering once warmed on the skin by the fire of Madagascan vanilla. Burberry Goddess is gentler: its blend of vanilla and cocoa powder makes it an ideal first vanilla for those who favour a more restrained sweetness. And then, of course, Tom Ford’s Vanille series—a trilogy of bold, irresistible scents including Tobacco Vanille, Vanilla Sex, and Vanille Fatale. Each one a distinctive take, unapologetically sensual.
Above THoO Saphierre Blue is reminiscent of almond wine
THoO Saphierre Blue is reminiscent of almond wine
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From these two beloved gourmand pillars—chocolate and vanilla—has blossomed a modern aromatic renaissance. Our appetite for edible elegance shows no sign of slowing, as perfumers continue to innovate with daring delight. The 21st-century fragrance wardrobe now includes the likes of Rabit by Zoologist, evoking the spice of carrot cake; Honoré Delights by Ex Nihilo with its salted caramel macaron charm; Saphierre Blue by THoO, reminiscent of almond wine; and Sirio by Menditorrosa, which captures the crisp intoxication of apple cider.
So, what culinary note would you like your next perfume to echo?
This article is adapted from the original published in the February 2025 issue of Tatler Vietnam.
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