Short Product Description
Two vanilla absolutes, Peru balsam and caramelised black sugar turn the Maison Mataha icon into a richer, deeper Absolu de Parfum.

Inspiration
The starting point is still that first spoonful of crème brûlée: the brittle crust of burnt sugar giving way to warm, creamy custard. Maison Mataha was founded around this memory in 2021, and Escapade Gourmande became the signature of the Parisian house. For Grand Cru, the two founders and perfumer Vincent Ricord went back to where it all began. They kept the comforting warmth of the original and gave it more weight, texture and sensuality through exceptional natural materials. The concentration rises to 35 percent, making it an Absolu de Parfum, housed in a bottle dressed in gold flakes and crowned with a sculpted golden cap.

Perfumer
Vincent Ricord, the nose behind the original Escapade Gourmande, working alongside the two founders of the house.

Fragrance Family
Amber gourmand, vanilla.

The Olfactive Composition
Top notes: Cristal vanilla absolute, Peru balsam essence
Heart notes: black sugar accord, tonka bean absolute
Base notes: Bourbon vanilla absolute, musk accord

The Signature of Escapade Gourmande Grand Cru
This version is built on a conversation between two vanillas. Cristal vanilla absolute opens bright and almost translucent, while Bourbon vanilla absolute in the base reads darker, sweeter and woodier. Where the original relied largely on a single vanilla line, here you smell a layered vanilla that moves from light to deep as the hours pass. Peru balsam adds a resinous, faintly cinnamon-like warmth from the first seconds; the balsam naturally contains cinnamates and benzyl benzoate, which lend the vanilla a smoky, balsamic edge. In the heart, the black sugar accord captures the moment sugar darkens under the torch: bittersweet, with a scorched tone. Tonka bean absolute smooths this out with coumarin, a molecule reminiscent of almond, hay and sweet tobacco, bridging the gap towards the creaminess of custard. Finally the musk accord lays a soft, powdery film beneath it all, so the composition stays close to the skin and glows for a long time. The result feels fuller and more mature next to Escapade Gourmande, with a nutty depth absent from the original.

What our ParfuMaria team thinks of this fragrance
Escapade Gourmande has long been one of the scents customers come back to ask for in our shop, so we were honestly a little sceptical about a second version. That doubt vanished with the first wearing. Grand Cru opens less candied than you might expect; first comes that balsamic, slightly resinous warmth, and only then does the burnt sugar rise up. On a blotter the difference from the original seems modest, but on the wrist it becomes clear after an hour: the vanilla darkens and picks up something of roasted hazelnut and aged wood. One of us wore it on a cold Saturday under a wool coat, and by evening the scarf still smelled of caramel and warm cream. Because of the high concentration, one or two sprays are plenty; more makes it heavier rather than more beautiful. We see it mainly for autumn and winter, and for anyone who already knows the original and longs for more depth. If you are after a fresh or airy vanilla, look elsewhere. For us, this is the gourmand of the season.

Inspiration
According to Teo Cabanel, Julia is a Sunday morning in the city: a bouquet of bright flowers, a visit to the patisserie, a light dress and, as a final gesture, a few sprays of a favourite perfume. Rich and subtle at once, with poetry and joie de vivre.

Fragrance Family
Floral fruity

The Olfactive Composition
Top notes: Sicilian mandarin, rhubarb, blackcurrant
Heart notes: Egyptian jasmine, hyacinth, violet
Base notes: sandalwood, incense, cistus, raspberry, white musk

The Signature of Julia
Mandarin, rhubarb and blackcurrant open fresh and tingling. The heart blooms with jasmine, hyacinth and velvety violet. Sandalwood, incense, cistus, raspberry and white musk give a warm, lightly powdery finish.

What our ParfuMaria team thinks of this fragrance
Julia is pure cheerfulness. Rhubarb and blackcurrant give a crisp, green opening, followed by a soft bouquet of violet and hyacinth. Slowly a powdery, lightly fruity musk settles close around you. Perfect for lunch with friends or a stroll through a flower garden. Romantic and fresh, with French flair.

Inspiration
Van Cleef & Arpels' Collection Extraordinaire, created in 2009, honours perfumery's noblest raw materials like precious gemstones. Gardénia Pétale is an ode to spring, one of the Maison's favourite seasons.

Fragrance Family
Floral, green

The Signature of Gardénia Pétale
A delicate interpretation of gardenia, with a petal-like facet refreshed by green, citrussy notes. This bottle is the earlier 45 ml edition.

What our ParfuMaria team thinks of this fragrance
Gardénia Pétale is a radiant spring scent. The opening feels cool and clear, like the first breath in a flower shop. Gradually the gardenia turns softer and creamier, clean and relaxed well into the afternoon. An elegant choice for the office or a wedding. White flowers that never turn heavy, in the handy 45 ml flacon.

Inspiration
Amorosa is inspired by the dramatic Umbrian landscape of rolling green hills and rugged mountains, carved by vineyards and lines of olive trees. Ruth Mastenbroek composed it as a tribute to her home and garden in Italy: a holiday feeling where worries are left behind.

Fragrance Family
Floral chypre

The Olfactive Composition
Top notes: watermelon, violet leaf, galbanum
Heart notes: ylang-ylang, tuberose
Base notes: amber, vetiver

The Signature of Amorosa
Watermelon bursts onto fresh green vetiver and violet leaf, while a heart of white flowers caresses the woody amber base. Delicate yet distinctive.

What our ParfuMaria team thinks of this fragrance
Amorosa is summer in Italy. Green and juicy at first, with that cool watermelon moment, then tuberose and ylang-ylang bloom sunnily. A soft amber with vetiver closes and stays surprisingly long. It belongs to terraces, holidays and long June evenings. Floral with a fresh, green twist, and in 50 ml easy to take along.

Inspiration
Roos & Roos (now Dear Rose) created Comme une Fleur in 2017 to capture a flower in full bloom: the house describes it as woody floral, with petitgrain essence and multifaceted orange blossom around a patchouli heart.

Fragrance Family
Woody floral

The Olfactive Composition
Top notes: petitgrain
Heart notes: orange blossom, patchouli
Base notes: ambergris effect, cashmere wood

The Signature of Comme une Fleur
Petitgrain brings a green, slightly bitter freshness before orange blossom opens honeyed and sunny. Patchouli adds earthy depth, and cashmere wood with an ambergris effect lets the scent fade soft and skin-like.

What our ParfuMaria team thinks of this fragrance
Comme une Fleur surprises us every time. Petitgrain makes the start green and almost citrusy; after ten minutes warm orange blossom appears on a bed of patchouli. Afterwards a creamy, woody skin scent remains, calm and polished. Lovely for spring days and free Saturdays. Orange blossom for those who prefer it earthier and less sweet.

Inspiration
Aziyadé, named after Pierre Loti's novel, is a tribute to the pleasures of the Orient. Marc-Antoine Corticchiato, founder and nose of Parfum d'Empire, opens with pomegranate, the forbidden fruit, and sets candied dates, almond, orange and prunes alight with aphrodisiac spices.

Fragrance Family
Fruity spicy oriental

The Olfactive Composition
Top notes: pomegranate, candied date, prune, orange, almond
Heart notes: cardamom, Ceylon cinnamon, Chinese ginger, Egyptian cumin
Base notes: Tonkin musk accord, Moroccan cistus, Arabian incense, tobacco leaf, Indian patchouli, vanilla, carob

The Signature of Aziyadé
Pomegranate opens tart and red, followed by thick, liqueur-like date and prune. Cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and cumin draw the fruit towards the skin. Tobacco leaf, patchouli, vanilla, incense, cistus and a musk accord give a dark, naturally coloured nectar that matures slowly.

What our ParfuMaria team thinks of this fragrance
Aziyadé is a scent to sink into. Pomegranate and spices smell like a market in Istanbul, with a bold cumin edge. Then it deepens: tobacco, incense and vanilla, with a warm skin tone that lingers. For long candlelit evenings. A literary perfume with nerve, for true spice lovers.

Inspiration
Frezno takes you on a train ride through the Douro Valley: an old steam locomotive winds past the vineyards of Porto, whitewashed houses and orange trees, to the last station where the clock has stopped and loved ones are waiting.

Fragrance Family
Woody

The Olfactive Composition
Top notes: bergamot, blackcurrant
Heart notes: port wine accord, labdanum
Base notes: vetiver, cedarwood

The Signature of Frezno
A port wine accord and the aromatic resin of labdanum open with a breeze of bergamot and fresh blackcurrant, supported by precious vetiver and warm cedarwood.

What our ParfuMaria team thinks of this fragrance
Frezno is a glass of port by the fireplace. Bergamot and blackcurrant start out juicy, then it grows warm and a touch syrupy from wine and labdanum. Dry cedarwood and vetiver remain, calm and tenacious. Recommended for a dinner or a weekend away when it is bleak outside. For anyone fond of boozy woods with a Portuguese story.

Inspiration
Sun Drop belongs to By Orlov, the third collection of Orlov Paris, in which each fragrance is inspired by a mineral. This "drop of sun" is inspired by the black diamond: a charismatic oud.

Fragrance Family
Woody spicy oud

The Olfactive Composition
Top notes: cinnamon, saffron, nutmeg
Heart notes: oud, rose, clove
Base notes: patchouli, vanilla, musk

The Signature of Sun Drop
Accords of rose and golden saffron give the oud a mystical character. Touches of nutmeg and cardamom reveal its woody-musky side, while cinnamon and patchouli reinforce its power and charisma.

What our ParfuMaria team thinks of this fragrance
Sun Drop is oud without a threshold, with a golden glow. Cinnamon and saffron warm up the opening, rose and oud wood follow round and barely smoky. Hours later a soft musk with vanilla and patchouli surrounds you. Beautiful for a dinner as the days grow shorter. A fine first step if oud still feels a little daunting.

Inspiration
Pasión Choco is built around the alluring scent of passion fruit, with gourmand notes such as coffee, caramelised grapefruit and dark chocolate. Nishane itself added: made with passion, use with caution. Nishane no longer makes it, which makes it sought after by collectors.

Fragrance Family
Fruity, sweet, oriental

The Olfactive Composition
Top notes: passion fruit, coffee, caramelised grapefruit
Heart notes: dark chocolate, linden blossom, orchid, coriander seed
Base notes: vanilla bean, benzoin, patchouli, dark musk

The Signature of Pasión Choco
Tropical passion fruit and grapefruit open tart and juicy, grounded by the bitterness of roasted coffee. In the heart, dark chocolate melts into orchid and linden blossom. Vanilla, benzoin and patchouli give the typical Nishane depth. Nishane has stopped producing Pasión Choco.

What our ParfuMaria team thinks of this fragrance
Pasión Choco is dessert in extrait form. First passion fruit syrup with an espresso beside it, then dark chocolate, round and sweet. Towards the end patchouli creeps underneath and vanilla with an earthy edge stays behind, all day long, on clothes as well. On raw November evenings this is our comfort. A must for gourmand fans and anyone keen to keep a piece of Nishane history.

Inspiration
According to the house, M. Micallef Note Vanillée evokes the memory of sun-warmed skin: warm, refined and sensual. This bottle is the first edition from the Art Collection, with the hand-painted design on the box, which makes it a piece for collectors.

Fragrance Family
Amber vanilla

The Olfactive Composition
Top notes: tangerine, citrus
Heart notes: jasmine
Base notes: vanilla, rum, cognac, amber, sandalwood

The Signature of Note Vanillée Art Collection
Sparkling tangerine and citrus set a fresh opening and soft jasmine adds a floral edge. Generous vanilla then takes over, layered with rum and cognac, while sandalwood and amber add depth. This is the first version from the Art Collection: a collector's edition.

What our ParfuMaria team thinks of this fragrance
Note Vanillée is vanilla that has been handed a glass of cognac. The tangerine winks briefly, then it turns creamy, warm and lightly boozy. What stays is amber with vanilla, soft as a cashmere jumper, far into the night. Wonderful on cold days, an evening out or a book on the sofa. A gourmand without a sugar coating, and a find for followers of the house of Micallef.

Inspiration
With Amour Elegant, Hayari Paris celebrates the grace of a lifelong promise. The house calls it a unisex fragrance that seduces and captivates: chypre accords entwined with pure rose absolute.

Fragrance Family
Floral chypre

The Olfactive Composition
Top notes: bergamot, pink pepper, chamomile
Heart notes: Grasse rose absolute, magnolia, clove, Indian jasmine
Base notes: leather, patchouli, oakmoss

The Signature of Amour Elegant
Bergamot opens sharp and lively, while chamomile and pink pepper add a spicy, bitter edge. Rose and jasmine form the heart, seasoned with a touch of clove. Leather, patchouli and oakmoss lay down a dark, classic chypre base.

What our ParfuMaria team thinks of this fragrance
Amour Elegant wears its rose with a straight back. Chamomile gives the start a lightly bitter freshness, then the rose steps up, clear and not sugary at all. Later leather glides beneath the flowers and the scent dries down mossy and chic, with a long echo in your coat. Well suited to autumn and early spring, at a business lunch or dinner. A chypre for every lover of classic character, man or woman.

Inspiration
The Queen of Flowers meets the Queen of the Night: a radiant tuberose dances with a dew-covered rose, spellbound by exotic desire. Composed by master perfumer Jean-Claude Gigodot in Grasse.

Fragrance Family
Floral bouquet

The Olfactive Composition
Top notes: orange blossom, fruity, candied, exotic, green
Heart notes: rose, jasmine, floral, violet, tea
Base notes: ylang-ylang, woody, vanilla, musky, solar, balsamic, sandalwood, animalic

The Signature of Tubéreuse Rosée
An expressive fragrance revealing the many facets of a woman: gourmand, bewitching, assertive and radiant, with a fresh, bright tuberose. This box arrived without its plastic seal; the flacon is new and has never been used.

What our ParfuMaria team thinks of this fragrance
Tubéreuse Rosée is a tuberose with sunshine on her face. There is something candied in the first spray, then rose and tuberose take hold of each other creamily. Eventually it all rests on sandalwood and a touch of vanilla, holding up surprisingly long. We reach for it at garden parties and on summer Sundays. A Provençal gift for anyone who likes to wear white flowers cheerfully.

Inspiration
High in the Himalayas the air is so pure it shimmers. Amouroud translates the view over snow-topped trees into a scent that is fresh and woody, airy and cooling, opulent yet weightless.

Fragrance Family
Fresh woody

The Olfactive Composition
Top notes: cardamom, black pepper, clary sage, juniper berry, lemon blossom
Heart notes: jasmine, guaiac wood, vanilla flower
Base notes: tonka, white amber, oud, patchouli, musk

The Signature of Himalayan Woods
A crisp breeze of cardamom, pepper and juniper opens the scent. Lemon blossom and white flowers soften it and mingle with clean woods. In the drydown a whisper of incense, white amber and musk appears: cool and clean, yet sensual.

What our ParfuMaria team thinks of this fragrance
Himalayan Woods shows the cool side of Amouroud. Cardamom and pepper tease the nose, after which cedar and a hint of lemon blossom set the tone. By evening a clean white amber with musk is left, intimate and calm. Lovely on warm days, at work or on the way to the airport. Ideal if fresh woods appeal to you but you want more depth.

Inspiration
Amouroud's Bois d'Orient (2016) brings together the flowers and spices of the East with precious oud, in the house's signature black bottle. The house has since ceased production.

Fragrance Family
Woody oriental

The Olfactive Composition
Top notes: bergamot, blackcurrant, cinnamon
Heart notes: tuberose, Turkish rose, ylang-ylang, galbanum
Base notes: patchouli, oud, amber, Peru balsam, vetiver

The Signature of Bois d'Orient
Bergamot and blackcurrant open juicy, with cinnamon adding immediate warmth. A lush heart of tuberose, rose and ylang-ylang gets a green edge from galbanum. Oud, patchouli, amber and Peru balsam form a balsamic, dark base. Amouroud no longer makes this scent.

What our ParfuMaria team thinks of this fragrance
Bois d'Orient smells of velvet and gold to us. Blackcurrant and cinnamon leap out first, and shortly afterwards tuberose and Turkish rose take the stage. Somewhere in the afternoon the bouquet sinks into resin, oud and amber, and that warmth lingers in your scarf until the next morning. For us an evening scent for the darker months. Anyone collecting floral oud will find a piece of Amouroud archive here.

Inspiration
Royal Elixir is Ambre Royal, Ormonde Jayne's worldwide bestseller, unchanged but at extract strength: 42% perfume oil. Linda Pilkington: a perfume so dreamy and tenacious, not heavy but complex.

Fragrance Family
Floral amber

The Olfactive Composition
Top notes: green notes, orange absolute, bergamot
Heart notes: jasmine absolute, osmanthus, rose oil, amber, orris butter, orchid oil
Base notes: cedarwood, ambroxan, tonka, patchouli, musk

The Signature of Royal Elixir
The high concentration brings the creamy orris butter to the fore. Green notes and orange open, jasmine, osmanthus and rose form a warm floral heart, and cedar, ambroxan and tonka let the scent unfold for hours.

What our ParfuMaria team thinks of this fragrance
Royal Elixir is Ambre Royal wrapped in velvet. Orange and green notes give a sunny start, after which iris and osmanthus form a creamy amber. From breakfast to nightcap the scent purrs quietly on the skin. It works just as well on cool summer evenings as in December. For fans of Ambre Royal and anyone who wants amber elegant and dry.