Les Ind\u00e9modables Caf\u00e9 Arabesque (Eau de Parfum) is not a typical \u201cgourmand\u201d-style coffee fragrance; rather, it approaches coffee as an ingredient with its own terroir, texture, and complexity. As part of the project, perfumer Antoine Lie collaborated with a coffee expert to discover special coffee varieties, ultimately focusing on coffee beans from a cooperative in the Minas Gerais highlands of Brazil. The Mundo Novo and Catua\u00ed varieties were roasted to bring out their chocolatey, nutty, fruity, and floral notes, and Les Ind\u00e9modables then transformed these into an exclusive, ultrasonically extracted coffee essence, which is used in the fragrance at an impressive 6% concentration.<\/p>\n
The opening of Caf\u00e9 Arabesque is like a freshly brewed ristretto: dark and concentrated, yet surprisingly lively. The aromatic, woody tension of the coffee is sharpened by a cool, licorice-like note, making the perfume\u2019s opening dry and refined rather than sugary. As the perfume warms up, the composition expands in breadth and becomes softer and more tactile. A creamy mochaccino character emerges, dusted with cocoa powder and lightly roasted hazelnuts, allowing the coffee\u2019s bitterness to melt into a rounded, velvety texture.<\/p>\n
Les Ind\u00e9modables Caf\u00e9 Arabesque becomes warmer and more sensual in the base notes without evolving into a traditional dessert perfume. Laotian \u201cLarge Tears\u201d benzoin lends a smooth, resinous radiance, while New Caledonian sandalwood brings a polished, milky woody note and depth. The coffee never completely disappears; instead, its roasted notes linger as the scent dries down, linking the creamy heart note with the woody and resinous notes beneath.<\/p>\n
Caf\u00e9 Arabesque is not so much about the scent of a caf\u00e9 as it is about the character of the exceptional coffee itself: bitter and creamy, aromatic and captivating, familiar yet unexpectedly refined.<\/p>\n
Perfumer: Antoine Lie<\/p>\n
Top Notes: Brazilian Specialty Coffee \u201cGrand Cru\u201d ultrasound extract (6%) \u2022 Liquorice
\nHeart Notes: Mochaccino accord \u2022 Cocoa powder \u2022 Lightly roasted hazelnut
\nBase Notes: Laotian \u201cLarge Tears\u201d benzoin resinoid (0.8%) \u2022 New Caledonian Santalum album sandalwood oil (1.1%)<\/p>\n