A luxurious amber oriental that opens with bright benzoin and vanilla, developing into a rich, resinous heart with labdanum and tonka bean. This opulent evening fragrance creates a warm, enveloping cocoon of sweet balsamic notes.
What People Say
The benzoin-vanilla opening hits with immediate warmth that feels like wrapping yourself in cashmere
Labdanum gives this a dark, resinous depth that separates it from basic vanilla gourmands
The tonka bean adds a creamy, almond-like richness that makes the sweetness sophisticated rather than cloying
This creates an amber cocoon effect that makes you smell expensive without being loud about it
The vanilla-benzoin combination can feel suffocatingly sweet in warm weather
Performance is surprisingly weak for such a rich composition - it sits close to skin after a few hours
The price point is steep for what essentially amounts to a well-blended vanilla-amber
Great for
People who want a luxurious amber that feels cozy and enveloping for evening wear, especially those who appreciate resinous sweetness over fresh or green notes.
Not for
Anyone who dislikes sweet fragrances or finds vanilla-heavy compositions cloying should avoid this completely.
Longevity
6-7 hours but becomes a skin scent fairly quickly
Projection
Intimate projection, rarely extends beyond arm's length
Value
Expensive for the performance you get, though the scent quality justifies some of the cost
Where to Buy Grand Soir
by Maison Francis Kurkdjian