Arabians Tonka
Cardamom and black pepper sharpen the opening into something more urgent than most oriental gourmands allow. The tonka bean arrives in the heart with orris alongside it, that pairing giving the sweetness a floury, slightly rooty quality that keeps it from reading as dessert. Rose and jasmine provide warmth without competing with the tonka's softness. Vanilla in the base is present but held in check by the amber-sandalwood structure, making Arabians Tonka richer than it is sweet.
Why We Carry This
Tonka handled well is a perfumer's material, not a shortcut to sweetness. Pierre Montale's use of cardamom and orris to frame the tonka heart here gives the composition texture that straight gourmands lack. It reads warm and adult rather than confectionery.
Scent Profile
Top notes: Bergamot, Cardamom, Black Pepper
Heart notes: Tonka Bean, Rose, Jasmine, Orris
Base notes: Vanilla, Amber, Musk, Sandalwood
Character
Accords: Sweet, Amber, Warm Spicy, Floral, Woody, Vanilla
Perfumer: Pierre Montale
Launched: 2014