Elixir Charnel Gourmand Coquin Guerlain for women

My husband bought me 5ml decant of GECGC and now I'm not so sure about it. It is the same smell as in Epcot but perhaps the heat bring out the cocoa more as it was chilly (50 degrees) out today and there seemed to be more rum than cocoa. I wore it single all day then layered it with Pink Sugar for night time and I really like it that way. I am totally going to layer it with Angel as I have always been disappointed that the chocolate in Angel rarely ever shows up on me. ECGC also doesn't seem terribly long lasting on me compaired to other Guerlains, Shalimar sticks through a shower! I get about 4 hours out of ECGC and it is pretty close to the body as far as sillage goes, maybe a foot of projection. All in all I guess it was worth the $35.00 he laid out for it.

On our vacation to Disney World I was reading about the World Showcase countries in a guide book I have and found that France had a Guerlain shop in France, a pure dream to a perfume junkie such as myself. Unfortunatly it was Roasting hot today to a northerner so my brain was toasted by the time we made it to France. I did get my brain in order enough to get a spritz of this lovely gem on my wrist and a paper tester spritz. On me this is very linear, it has not changed from the spritz at 10:30 this morning to now (9:00 pm) it is still dectable, so the longevity is awesome! The perfume itself was not worth the hefty price tag, though had I loved it the husband was bound to splurge for me. It actually smelled like Angel does on me at times, very cocoa, spicy chocolatey, nice, smooth and inoffensive. I can not justify the cost but this is a very nice scent and would love to recieve it as a gift.

Longevity: 5/5 lasts a looooooong time!
Sillage: 4/5 seems very close to the skin a scent for the husband or boyfriend to savor!
Overall: very very nice but a pinch on the pocketbook and pretty difficult to obtain as far as I can tell. I am persuing a sample from theperfumedcourt. :0)

Gingerbread cookies

This is my current absolute favorite scent. I like to wear different ones too much to declare a signature, but this has been my comfort scent ever since I was lucky enough to get this at a Guerlain boutique recently.

Chocolate is a huge weakness for me and Gourmand Coquin, to my fairly untrained nose, carries the scent of the most luxurious chocolate with perhaps a bit of hazelnut and dash of cinnamon. I can't pick out the rose note separately, although the fragrance is so much smoother and richer than just plain chocolate. On my dry skin, it wears well as a pretty linear fragrance, lasting longer than most others I have tried. I like to spray it once every couple of days on my nightgown or pillow because I enjoy falling asleep to that scent (and because it lasts at least a couple of days on fabric).

I've tried to find another less expensive chocolate scented perfume that I could love as much as this one (and save some money next time I go to buy), but this one has spoiled me completely.

I really love this scent - warm and chocolately. But, I wish it lasted longer!!!! I have a decant of this, and I will be so sad when I use it all up, but I can not buy a full bottle because the scent evaporates within one hour of applying

"Did you just have a great piece of chocolate spiced cake? It had to be delicious as it smells wonderful." This is exactly how this fragrance is. It smells spicy rich chocolate, sweet, delicious and most certainly a delightful and playful fragrance to wear. I bet some girls would love to smell it on their guys as much as they wear it themselves.

On me, Gourmand Coquin is quite linear, unobtrusive fragrance with good sillage. I haven’t yet decided whether it is a bit ‘meh’ or exquisitely crafted soft vanilla, but it is very difficult to imagine anyone getting irritated. Although it is noticeable and long-lasting, it does not feel like you are wearing a projection bomb. Rather, you are surrounded by beautiful and calming orientalish aura. Compliments galore!

The general impression to me is calmness and relaxation, not opulence. I wore this when I needed to relax or for work when I had stressful meetings. I am afraid this falls to the B+ category: Definitely enjoyable, but not sure if I want to splash this much on an almost love-definitely like fragrance. My review is based on using up a 5ml decant.

Creamy cocoa and spice, slightly reminds me of Blue Agava and Cocoa, minus the floral notes. There is a prominent liqueur note, like in liqueur-infused chocolates. Very well done.

Oh, I want this sooooo badly! This is just me! Soon my love, soon you will be mine ;)

I want this so, so hard...but is too much expensive :( Gingerbread Elixir (smells like Christmas) mmmmm

I purchased a number of chocolate-based samples. This was the most expensive out of the batch, so my expectations were high. I have had and Montale Chocolate Greedy on one wrist and this Guerlain on the other for the last six hours and while true chocolateyness comes through on the Montale the Guerlain is nearly non-existant. The drydown has been fairly linear. The "spice" note on me comes off as powdery, not spicy. My wrist smells like a luxury brand bottle of baby powder or baby lotion, it reminds me of a higher quality Johnsons Baby Powder or Lotion-type product. After the first 20 minutes, the Guerlain is unrecognizable as a gourmand to me. And while the Montale is chocolatey, the citrus note is sharper and plasticy more than I want. It seems that every chocolate scent is either weighed down by powder, citrus, red fruit or even lavender... sigh. My search continues for a chocolately cream scent with a musk or woodsy base.

A sweet chocolate laced with pepper and "hot" spices - reminds me of gingerbread. I was expecting Gourmand Coquin to be a rich cocoa scent like Montale Chocolate Greedy and CSP Amour de Cacao, but instead it smells thin and the chocolate is barely there (think of how Serendipitous would smell with a spicy kick). The pepper and spices make it smell like a holiday home scent. I can totally see this scent as a BBW Christmas candle. Not worth the $270 price tag. If you are looking for a cocoa scent, your money would be better spent on the CSP or Montale.

I would love to try a sample of this. Anyone know where I can find a reliable decant of this?

I can't smell anything than cocoa here, try as I might... Delicious, inviting, warm....Swiss Miss, anyone? Will try again and report back!

holy crap what an opening!!!!! I dont care I'm a dude I'm rocking this stuff tomorrow!......this is not overly sweet at all...this juice is a sophisticated gourmand, just think of bricks of the finest chocolate surrounding u, not Hershey's but real elegant stuff.

Listen ...the price tag is not all that bad considering what u are getting....this is EDP niche quality juice(in my book) that you wont have to use to much of and will last a good while. Guerlain continues to prove to me time and time again why they are at the top the game..

This frag doesn't scream I'm chocolate eat me...its subtle, like someone said in another review and I couldn't agree more that its a seducer....it will get people creeeping around you trying to figure what smells so unbelievable

I adore this scent. The reviews here are spot on. It is beautiful. I have newly discovered a less expensive version of this in Anne Pliska! Anne Pliska starts out smelling like Kenzo Flower Oriental/Coco Chanel, moves into a CK Obsession phase, but quickly develops into the most beautiful version of Elixir Charnel Gourmand Coquin by Guerlain. Simply amazing, just as this fragrance is. GOD I love my vanilla orientals! But I think I'll spend my money on the Anne Pliska for daily wear, and keep my precious Guerlain for special events!

When i saw the amazing reviews on this I had to have it, it sounded like the perfect perfume.! So I ordered a $12 sample & yess it is a very nice, long lasting perfume that has found a near perfect balance of gourmand BUT i think the reviews on here made My Expectations a little too high.

Although it is a great, well balanced perfume it's still missing that WOW factor that i was expecting.. I would not call it intoxicating or spell-binding.. which is where I would justify that $270 price tag.
My advise: Order a sample before investing a small fortune. Everybody is different.

I just got this perfume today and I ripped open the box from Bergdorf. I was a bit worried I wouldn't like it as it wasn't cheap, but I was not disappointed. This is going to be my new sigature scent I can tell. It is definitely Guerlain, there is a hint of L'heure Bleu in the background when you first spray it on. Lovely flowers, especially rose, balanced by a peppery aroma that you can feel, too. Very big scent when you first put it on. Middle notes are more the cocoa and the rum still with the flowers. Then it dries down to the rose, pepper, vanilla and a toasty caramel smell. It smells like creme brulee with rose oil in it- if this doesn't sound good to you, it is, trust me. Also sort of a honey smell, clovey, cinnamony and rose. Everything works together so well it's like a Bach fugue- the notes seem to wind in and out on your skin, one note is prominent, then another. I love this so much. I'm going to spray it on my sheets every night before I go to bed. This perfume is my perfection. Thank you, Guerlain, you have not lost your touch!

Sweet sweet perfume. I love it.

Finally! A delicious, spellbinding perfume with depth and staying power. Oh my God! It is soooooooooooo Everything Yummy and sensual and somehow is able to come across as complex and subtle, simultaneously.

I bought this cold, without trying it. I read all of the reviews and just had to take the plunge. This is now my signature perfume.

If you are waffeling, go for the plunge. I use a tiny amount, sparingly on my wrists and the back of my neck. It stays with me all day and I can even pick up hints of the scent the following morning when I wake up.

It carries a warmth. There is a very faint subtle powder. The actual center of the scent reminds me of toffee and toasted marshmellows, perhaps cocoa. It doesn't sound like a stunning mixture; however, IT IS!

Words don't do this one any justice at all. You have to wear it. I find people, especially males, want to stand closer to me. They catch a hint of the scent and it draws them in for more.

Now if only Guerlin will keep this Forever, I'll be content!

My God, this is a fabulous gourmand perfume! I was expecting chocolate and vanilla and I was expecting it to be tasty, but this fragrance goes beyond tasty, it's just irresistibly edible and has the olfactory structure of a real, three-dimensional dessert. It made me salivate as soon as it hit my nostrils as if my nose couldn't tell the difference between this masterful allusion and reality.

Gourmand Coquin has the very buttery, creamy texture of the delicious dessert that you know will get you fat just as sure as you know you'll definitely eat it all. This is pure gourmet dream: white milky chocolate, lush vanilla, dark powdered cocoa and spices and inebriating spritzes of savory rum. If there is any rose in this perfume, it's made of chocolate too.

Any gourmand perfume lover has to try this one, because it is the epitome of the genre, made with extraordinary, high quality materials. But beware, if you fall for this as hard as I have, the price you'll have to pay is a high one, for this gorgeous elixir does not come cheap: last I've heard, a 75ml bottle was around $270.

Sweet, rich, soft, velvety, oily, luscious, buttery, chocolatey deliciousness... yes I just want to eat myself up when I wear this!

Dear God!!
I just got this decant of this scent today!
What an intoxicating perfume!
This is such pleasure!
My question is.....Can I gain weight from this?
Ahhhhh........fabulous. Rum, spicy, woody, chocolate! What's not to like I ask you?
Definitly fave of the Charnel line.
Go try it! Thanks again Guerlain!

LOVE!!!

Dear God!!
I just got this decant of this scent today!
What an intoxicating perfume!
This is such pleasure!
My question is.....Can I gain weight from this?
Ahhhhh........fabulous. Rum, spicy, woody, chocolate! What's not to like I ask you?
Definitly fave of the Charnel line.
Go try it! Thanks again Guerlain!

LOVE!!!

Excellent smelling choclate gourmand,smells great on either men or women as it is unisex despite the mislableing here. My daughter says it smells like babypowder.

When I first blind bought angel after looking at the notes, THIS is what I had expected it to be!

Rich dark chocolate... I often find it's easy for chocolate notes to get strangely synthetic, but this one didn't.

The rum, spices, and pepper give the chocolate a depth that makes it a very grown up kind of cocoa.

And the rose gives it that slight bit of something different to keep it from being overly gourmand

It lasts several hours on my skin, thank goodness.

I don't use it often... it's so expensive I don't think I would buy another bottle, so I am going to use this one sparingly!

For a long time I have been in love with the house of Guerlain, and the first time I tried this perfume a few years ago, that love increased another notch.

Gourmand Coquin is an intoxicating blend of chocolate, rum, vaniila and rose with a hint of spice in the background, keeping it interesting and unpredicatable.

GC is very complex, deep and rich, with a soft butteriness to it so it seems to melt into the skin. However, it is only moderately sweet to my nose and it's not a cloying gourmand at all.

On my skin the chocolate and rose seem to be at the forefront, with luscious boozy undertones giving it that extra special edge.

It's really very aptly named. The way that it teases throughout the day...a waft of chocolate one moment and a hint of rose on the breeze the next. It's really as mischievous as its name implies.

While it's an intense scent, it also paradoxically manages to stay soft, and never overwhelms the senses. There is no monster sillage here, but it doesn't need it. GC is an intimate, and even romantic scent. The kind of scent that embodies true love.

Of course, it's a great quality perfume overall. It smells very natural, nothing synthetic here at all.

And best of all, the longevity is really good. It stays all day, surrounding me with it's breathtakingly beautiful aroma.

GC is my favorite of Les Elixirs Charnels and although this is an expensive fragrance, for me the quality goes a long way towards justifying the pricetag.

However, a much less expensive option, with a very similar dry down, is Tendre Friandise by Molinard. They both have that buttery syrupy semi-sweetness. GC is more chocolately than TF though, which is more caramelly.

Guerlain rarely disappoints, and this scent is another great sucess. A dream come true for gourmand lovers.

I FINALLY saved enough money to buy this and it came today!!! OMG! Its to die for. I am already saving for a second bottle. I want a small stash of bottles... If they ever discontinue this I'll be crushed. I did not buy this blind, but I just can't see how anyone could not LOVE this scent.

Is it TOO expensive...? well, I've been buying all kinds of perfumes that claim to have that wonderful cacao scent, and many come close. BBW Chocolate Amber has a nice chocolate twinge to is, and I actually have been buying tons of bottles of the now discontinued (DAMN YOU BBW!!!) body spray from eBay for way too much). I also like the Delicious Chocolate by Gale Hayman. It has a decent chocolate scent and a wonderful amber/soft spicy dry down that I didn't appreciate for a while. But all in all, Guerlain does it best. So, I guess I'm willing to pay for the best.

It goes on light and stays light. Very close to the skin. I will be wearing it to work tomorrow and will apply to my hair and blouse too... There are slight florals that tease in and out of the cacao scent but they blend SO beautifully~

This is special.

I want to blind buy this SO badly but am scared that I might not like it and it's SO expensive...

but I think I'm gonna go ahead and risk it, and if I hate it somebody else here might want it!

the notes sound like everything I've ever wanted.

bought it today at the new guerlain counter at mazzolari in Milan. By far the most wonderful cocoa vanilla scent existing.
I was left in a cloud of warm vanilla, cocoa and rose and I walked in that cloud all day long, enjoyng my wonderful Milan, my family with me. A perfect carpe diem scent.

I obtained a sample of Gourmand Coquin from Kchild, and I thank her for her generosity.

The top notes smell so clearly of rich, dark chocolate. Soon I think I smell cinnamon and marshmallow. But there is an underlying scent of fine incense throughout the perfumes development, which is the part I am gaga over. I clearly smell exotic rose with a touch of smokiness. I've never been to Marrakech, but I would imagine it to smell a lot like this! This is one of the richest and most exquisite perfumes I've smelled in a looooong time!

I need to use this sample sparingly, but really I just want to dump the whole thing all over myself!

A cheaper version of this would be L by Lolita Lempika! This one is a bit more sophisticated an a bit softer than L, but darn near te same to my nose.
I have only sprayed a tiny bit on from a sample my sister had, im sure its much more that what I candescribe. I definatley will own this one day, as its beauty is like no other, but I did have to say what oter perfume it reminded me of

mmmm i do love this one and it is the most expensive one i have unfortunately my nose can never detect it when i wear it because ive come to wear it often in the past week...but man others smell it....my stepson thinkS it smells like our "Fireside Marshmallow Candle" or pumpkin pie the way i make it which is toned down on the spice but not the cinnamon because i love cinnamon. It's so warm n sexy. On my hubby it smells even better his skin chemistry makes it sooooooo wonderful...i was fightin with my hubs that day i sprayed him but after he wore this i was so nice to him, but after his shower i couldnt smell it n i was back to fighting lol So i guess you could say it makes you very forgivable to others Its a warm sexiness like a natural skin smell if you were sweating out sweetness, but still grounded...i love it so much

This is by far my favorite scent! It's sweet, without being to sweet and never bores me. I bought this in Paris as a souvenir and I have to go back when I finish it... which is not to bad :)
An other scent I like is love don't be shy by Kilian, and I think people who love this will like the Kilian scent as well. Gourmand coquin is just more all year around. So lovely. I also smell a faint arugula/rucola smell. Yummy!

I seem to be riding on a different ride at the Guerlain fair than everyone else. It's my chemistry.....It'll change a ferris wheel into a tilt a whirl every time.

I love Gourmand Coquin. It's a spicy marshmallow rum for me. The chocolate may be in there but it's not a "chocolate" perfume to my nose. It reminds me a bit of making Rice Crispy treats and the marshmallows that hold them together. A lot. It's certainly more complex than that though.

I get a lot of the spice in the beginning. So much so that it almost feels like there's a bit of amber in there somewhere creating a nice depth. As it dries down however it becomes more apparent that it's the rum and spice. About an hour in the chocolate becomes very clearly a part of the composition. Shortly thereafter the pepper moves in and gives it a nice bite.

All in all I find it a very sophisticated and yet very sweet gourmand. I can see a teenager w/exquisite taste wearing it lightly as well as a beautiful mature woman. This parfum is a true French confection, an early morning dessert shared after a night on the town....in Paris.

Yom! Yom! Yom! and Whoohooy! This is what I have been searching for, I love this stuff!
Although I recognise the gourmandy-ness of this scent, funnily enough I can't identify most of the notes mentioned above.Well, okay, I can identify the rum nd vanilla, but that's is. Cocoa? Chocolate? Nope. What I smell is my favorite Satya Sai Baba Nag Champa incense. This is a sweet scent, like freshly baked scones with flower-flavoured icing, a comfort scent for me, associated with warm feelings and meeting up with like-minded people.
It's similar to Biehl's PC02 in its warm doughyness, but, on my skin at least, PC02's tangerine notes make her more breezy and open and not as sweet as Gourmand Coquin. It's also similar to Molinard Tendre Friandise. although Molinard is not as strong and concentrated, and has a touch of fennel which is a little bit soapy.

Okay, so here we go...

*clears throat*

THE QUEEN OF ALL GOURMANDS!!!

I almost feel like anything I say will be an injustice to the delicious and divine beauty in which the Guerlain Gods have created with Coquin.

At first sniff from my sample, I knew it was special, a gourmand delight waiting to be consumed by my olfactory taste buds. And it did not disappoint! Yummy spiced & peppered vanilla, cocoa powered dark chocolate bites dunked in boozy rum accords. Completely heady.

This, along with Tonka Imperiale, are perfume's most extravagant of artwork. And I must agree with my dear friend Tigerlillian... these 2 have indeed spoiled all other gourmand scents for me forever more. None will ever quite compare and will only continue to fall in their shadow! Very big shoes to fill indeed!

However, as I smelled both Coquin & Tonka Imperiale, I was reminded of another scent. And yes, like the comparison or not, I have to say it brought to mind another fragrance I have:
Dawn Spencer Hurtwitz - Tonka Vanilla

*Composition*
Top notes: Tonka Bean
Middle notes: French Sweet Vanilla, Honey
Base notes: French Vanilla, Tahitian Vanilla, Vanilla Absolute

This niche, with quality ingredients, to me would be the perfect alternative. Money wise, too. We all know not everyone can afford the luxury of these Guerlian's. But DSH Tonka Vanilla smells like Tonka Imperiale & Coquin's middle sister! And is just as much of an experience for a fraction of the price.

Coquin itself isn't an overtly chocolate perfume, and Tonka Imperiale is lush tonka with spicy vanilla undertones. Hence the suggestion of DSH... it would make the perfect happy medium for the gourmand lover and fan of these 2 amazing & unattainable Guerlains!

Update: I finally got my hands on this! I own 2 bottles now. I'm in love!

i would love to know too... but the price is lil' expensive though :/

Does anyone know where I can buy this? Been trawling the net, all the usual places but no luck yet!!

My second favorite fragrance (#1 being tihota)..Chocolate, rose, vanilla, rum- yummy! Never synthetic, but I can see how people would see it as too sweet. For me it is just right!Love the bottle too! I would damn the price, but its beautiful and I will gladly pay it again. I also agree it is the best of the line. I have around 400 perfumes in my collection and this is my second favorite perfume of all time.

This stuff is pricey but totally worth it. My first bottle lasted me a year, and I wore it frequently. People will come up to me all the time and tell me I smell amazing, they have to know what I'm wearing. I got my second bottle and it's just as perfect as my first.
If you think about it, gwen stefani's perfume line is $30 for a tiny tiny bottle, Guerlain's bottle size is very generous.
The smell is so unoffensive that if you work in a place where they ask you not to wear perfume, they will let you wear this stuff, it's so enchanting.

More than a year after first smelling and falling for this scent I am the proud owner of a small decant.

I wore it today for my work review because I needed the confidance it gave me.

After several hours I can still smell it going stong on my skin and I dont find it to be tiring. In fact it keeps surprising me through the day and I find myself smilling more often. Its pretty much cocoa and spices on my skin. I don't get any other notes and I just love it!

I sampled this in Vegas and it had me at hello. This thing is deliciously gourmand--my husband laughs at me when he catches me sniffing my wrist. This is a grown up confection, complex enough to remain interesting from start to long-finish. I'm a 40+ woman who adores a well done gourmand; I don't want to wear Shalimar and Youth Dew. There, I said it! Classics may be intellectually pleasing and informative, but Gourmand Coquin is something that I and my loved ones can actually enjoy. Worth every penny.

I really love this one, it's amazing and lasts a long time, it's expensive but totally worth it. C'est vraiment belle et je la trouve exotique.

Probably the best scent out of four in this line. Boozy and sweet, this one develops into a honeyed, but not sticky, rumy comforter. Very much like pastries. Men love it. Expensive but probably worth it.

I can't imagine someone dislikes this perfume.
Although it is sweet, it is not that simple, girlish candy sweetness that we find in so many perfumes.
The dark chocolate mixed with all that spices, rum and pepper is incredibly delicious.I feel something like a pipe-tobacco smell although not listed in the notes.The sillage and longivity are great and the scent vibtares for hours and hours, especially in humid weather.
I really love the juice and the bottle.

I adore this perfume - but not willing to fork out big bucks for a bottle I have bought small sizes from The Perfumed Court of several Guerlain creations including Iris Ganache and Double Vanille...I also like Cuir Beluga - I am a spicy/gourmand type I guess...looking to replace Angel which has gotten a bit tired for me.

This scent is divine, yet hard to get hold of. I found it at Nieman Marcus in SF. It is one of my favorite smells next to Back to Black by Kilian. It is sweet and tender, feminine in all its color. Strong yet soft it evokes a happy feeling of beauty and warmth. Rum and vanilla will make you feel youthful, yet distinguished. The price is high and you have to hunt it down. Like any scent, it evokes emotion and memories over time.
I have people stop me to ask what I am wearing and I sometimes tell them and sometimes not. Most people would not pay for perfume like I do, but fine perfume is an art.~ A little goes a long way.

welll this wonderfull perfume my boyfriend bought for me in paris..lovely..
on the way back in the car ,while i was drivin(long/story)he makes a joke"to trow the perfume in the pretty box out of the window...and gues what...while driving like 150 km /hour he lost the pretty package out of his hand and i was lookon in my mirror while it flow,across the freeway,fallin like a ball...no possibility to stop (afcourse) ..i let some tears really,i felt like a lil girl who went to disneyland,had a wonderfull gift and memorie from there ,and it was gone....my story..:_)or:_(

Smells like a very expensive rum ball first on:all Rum and dark dry chocolate. It's unbelievably delicious. It dries to a burnt sugar caramel feeling with rum notes. Very similar to Aomassai, and equally as delicious. I really wish it weren't so terribly expensive.

I bought a sample of this perfume and forgot about it for a few weeks. One Sunday morning I joined a good friend for breakfast at a nice restaurant close to the beach. The place smelled like chocolate, coffee, pastries. I had a lovely time and kept thinking about the nice aroma in the restaurant. I was surprised when we came out and I kept smelling the chocolate and pastries and realized it was me!! Gourmand Coquin is a soft, comfort scent. It is not too sweet and not agressive, but it is persistent. You will enjoy the same delicious smell for hours. I do not agree with any comparison to Pink Sugar or Angel. Although Gourmand Coquin shares the gourmand qualities of other perfumes, it is not cloying. It is soft, and even romantic. Try out for yourself!

I bought a sample of this perfume and forgot about it for a few weeks. One Sunday morning I joined a good friend for breakfast at a nice restaurant close to the beach. The place smelled like chocolate, coffee, pastries. I had a lovely time and kept thinking about the nice aroma in the restaurant. I was surprised when we came out and I kept smelling the chocolate and pastries and realized it was me!! Gourmand Coquin is a soft, comfort scent. It is not too sweet and not agressive, but it is persistent. You will enjoy the same delicious smell for hours. I do not agree with any comparison to Pink Sugar or Angel. Although Gourmand Coquin shares the gourmand qualities of other perfumes, it is not cloying. It is soft, and even romantic. Try out for yourself!

This is a cruel love affair. You can fall in love with it only to realize its out of your reach and you must love it from affar.

I tested it in the Champs Elysee store and was almost willing to blow my credit card limit on it... almost. Its a real shame you cannot get a smaller size botle.

Its sweet and chocolaty and perfect to confort your soul and make you glow in it...

I reviewed this perfume soon after purchasing it several months ago and after wearing it again yesterday, I decided that that review was not adequate, so here I go, again.

First of all, there are only about six locations in the United States where this perfume can be sampled and purchased, and, even if you're lucky enough to have access to it and you find yourself in love, nerves of steel are required in order to slap down the $250 that will allow you to take this two-and-a-half-ounce bottle home with you. I was lucky enough to snag a bottle with some birthday cash but I had doubts all the way to the register as I considered all of the Lutens, Malles, Bonds, and other niches that could be had for less than half the price.

That said, if you can sample it, do so. If you are a fan of Angel or other sweet, gourmand scents and you can afford the steep cost, order it, blindly even, and it's my guess that you won't regret your purchase.

I've always gravitated toward oriental perfumes, and with occasional forays into floral territory, I've remained a loyal vanilla girl. When confronted with a counter-top full of Lutens, I ended up in love with Un Bois Vanille and it's in my nature to gravitate towards scents that offer heavy notes of spices and vanilla. If you are my opposite, do NOT expect great things from this perfume as it was obviously intended for those who adore the smell of decadent desserts. I do appreciate lighter sweet scents as well and I was shocked at how well Gourmand Coquin combined both the heavy and lighter sides of the sweets spectrum, to create something both elegant and fun, and utterly intoxicating.

At first spray, there was absolutely no doubt in my mind that this was the best perfume I had ever had the pleasure of smelling. I first tested the other two Elixir Charnels in the line and wasn't entirely impressed and almost ended up passing on this one, but something told me to test it before leaving the Guerlain boutique and wow, I was blown away.

The perfume itself, like all Guerlains, develops rather slowly and it's notes seem to be playing tag with one another. Rum, gingerbread and vanilla get the game going and then gingerbread tags chocolate, who brings along mint, and the two then chase down vanilla and it's not long before rose and cinnamon show up, wanting to join the game. The notes seem to intertwine with one another, allowing every accord to achieve its moment of fame in the spotlight before the song settles down into a lovely harmony of liqueor-like dessert, set against a backdrop of the lovely Shalimar dry-down.

I expect nothing less than amazing from parfumeur Christine Nagel I'm never disappointed. The bottle, alone, is also nearly worthy of the steep cost. It's a fairy-tale masterpiece in every aspect; my HG forever. I can't imagine a more perfect perfume.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this Parfum, Its delightfully sings of chocolate notes.... mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm yummmy

e cred ca cel mai bun parfum pe care l-am incercat vreodata...si serviciul pe masura