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AlenLenard – :
Truly delicious but hugely disappointing on performance. Somehow not cloying or overly sweet – the chili is detectable and makes the vanilla & chocolate smell exotic and rich rather than sugary – and with a really earthy, almost sweaty undertow which keeps it interesting. I’m usually revolted by gourmands so this deserves plenty of respect for fighting its corner. Reminded me of L’Artisan Poivre Piquant in its spikier aspects.
But sooooooo weak on sillage – though the persistence is pretty fine. This is frustrating – it’s like going into a bakery when you’re really lusting for some gorgeous solid wedge of cake, and ending up with an air-filled éclair or choux bun which disappears in a puff of icing sugar. It does last (if you apply enough) but the later stages turn to just an unusually dark and organic vanilla. A near miss, though, so if your skin usually magnifies perfume rather than killing it like mine, definitely worth a try. Shockingly expensive though – the bang per buck is just not adequate in my view.
Albina_Nur – :
One very perfume-ish kind of scent. Undoubtedly unique. The very first spray gives me an immediate smell of dark vanilla chocolate+chilly and after awhile the cinnamon present itself as well, and the whole composition mixes up very well together and starts projecting in a very nice sensual way. Where could I wear this fragrance best? I think I know – at home last night I was watching 71 Bafta awards in Albert hall on the TV. Yep, that kind of place would be perfect for walking this fragrance with.
p.s. It is Gourmande, but it is not Gourmande. I don’t know how to explain my last sentence. Hope you get it right.
gon_char – :
Beautiful warm cocoa spicy scent . Very comforting and delicious . Not too gourmandy. Just perfect in my opinion. I wish it was a little stronger and more long lasting. Besides that this fragrance is an absolute gem.
Aerohopleneripvt – :
Chilli, cocoa, vanilla and cinnamon? Yes please! Sweet delectable delight, this is just what the doctor ordered for cold nights in downtown scenic Auckland. Nothing surprising here, what is listed is what you get, beautifully blended into something less sickly than it sounds.
orekh75 – :
Perfume interesting! It is surprising to its development, a fragrance that knows ancient secrets. An evocative perfume, suitable for cold winter days… Unfortunately sillage is soft you should reapply every now and then. I like Anima Dulcis, this is the first scent I feel of Arquiste, I would also like to try others. All in all a nice elegant and refined scent in Baroque style.
Sillage: 6/10
Longevity: 8./10
Scent: 8.5/10
Overall: 8.5/10
imre – :
ok so i have been trying arquite’s line lately all i can say is that the perfumes are very well done
this one smells exactly like mole (a savory chocolatechilli sauce ) at the beginning then it develops into chocolate abuelita to finally have a really mellow drydown is good but since i am mexican living in mexico city i would feel really funny smelling like mole for a good 30+ minutes is good don’t get me wrong but i guess is better for those abroad that don’t have the food association
yanae4 – :
Beautiful warm cocoa spicy fragrance. I just wish it were more fragrant and intense. Tuned up by about 5x this would be a true gem. I’ve sprayed 4x and I’m finally starting to get the desired intensity…doesn’t really last. 2 hours tops and it’s faint. :/ sad, as the price would imply this is a good one.
I have 100+ niche samples for swap within Europe – updated spreadsheet of samples on my profile, get in touch!
ToSeRa – :
Oh my Goodness, the vanilla, warm spicy, cocoa notes are blended very well for fall/winter day and /or night. Reminds me of Mogadess by Maria Lux but a little stronger scent. This scent is perfect form the Thanksgiving and Christmas; baking and holiday candles being burned of pumpkin, cinnamon,caramel and spice. I will have to add this to my niche collection.
Illureeduby – :
What an interesting fragrance. It proves again how well cocao and chilli go together. A very nice dusty spicey opening with the cocoa swirling around in the background. The chilli is no 1 here followed by the cocao which is slightly sweetened by the vanilla and cinnamon. Its definitely bang on unisex. It is pretty linear on me which is ok but it doesnt make it very interesting after a while. Im disappointed in the moderate longevity and sillage considering the price point.
msv2010 – :
I was underwhelmed by this one. Dry and dusty like cocoa powder rather than a creamy chocolate. The hot pepper is a nice touch but it doesn’t meld well. Rather, it ends up a bit bitter and unnatural. This isn’t a bad fragrance, just not the amazing creation I expected.
Koveks – :
I’m not for sweet scents but this one is great: it’s not just a sweet vanilla, but I find it develops into powdery old-woody room where vintage clothes and dresses have been stored for years in a antique wardrobe, sprayed every now and then with a sweet, syrupy spicy fragrance. Sillage and persistency are very good. Thumb up!
туаняту – :
Although there are only 4 notes listed, don’t be fooled (like me): This is not a simple (gourmand) niche fragrance.
There might be spices and vanilla and cacao (which I don’t detect), but it is more of a 80ies power house frag. Very perfumery, very strong, fruits and spices and vanilla.
It reminds me of YSL, Lauder or italian classic perfumes of the 70s/80s.
I expected a simple perfume. What I got I appreciate more in it’s original way: Opium, Coco or Organza Indecence. Not niche, nor creativity, imho.
Funny, that those classics get beaten for their heaviness and old school perfume smell, but in niche they copy it and everybody seems to love it. As I never wear Opium, although I could wear it vintage extrait, why go for Anima Dulcis?
tril111 – :
I’m really feeling this. Can believe I’ve slept on this house. But 55ml for $165+tax retail is a bit of a stretch. Its breathing well on my skin underneathe my sleeve….since Its a test area. I received the sample from Tyler at Barneys in NY/Madison. Also he sent Nanban which I really like as well. He als sent me Byredo’s Baudelaire, Mohave Ghost and some Malin-Goetz Dark Rum EDT. I purchased the Perfume Roller of Dark Rum. NOW. I let a FEMALE co-worker sniff all of the above, and the winner was…………HERE.
Actual Notes:
Key Notes
Cocoa Absolute, Mexican Vanilla, Cinnamon, Chili infusion
Olfactive Pyramid
Top notes: Sesame seed, Cinnamon bark and Oregano
Heart notes: Clove buds, Cumin, ‘Huele-de-Noche’ (Night-blooming jasmine) and Chili infusion
Background notes: Mexican Vanilla Bean, Cocoa Bean Absolute and Oriental- Chypre accord.
Meyrj482JeomiWogkig – :
First I smell cinnamon, and then, more cinnamon. I’m not a fan of it in perfumes generally, but here it’s blended with vanilla cocoa and a touch of chilli, they weave around eachother and each time I sniff I smell something slightly different. This has become a skin scent on me within an hour, it was quite strong in the beginning. Easily unisex, a nice cocoa scent with some heat in it. It’s gourmand but not in the sickly sweet realm.
s1a8k0 – :
I fell in love with this at first spray. It’s truly luscious, spicy, warm, just edible. I’m working my way through the Arquiste Discovery Set and this is definitely my favourite and certainly full bottle worthy. To my nose it is quite similar to Ambre Russe, but not quite as boozy.
alex8008 – :
Oh gosh, this did not smell at all like I was expecting. According to Arquiste’s website, the inspiration is nuns making spiced hot chocolate in 1965 Mexico City.
Unfortunately these nuns forgot to add any sugar! I feel the bitter dark chocolate and the roasted chilies and the cinnamon and vanilla trying to sweeten them up but still, if someone handed an actual hot chocolate that smelled like this to me to drink,there’s no way I could! The sugar and milk notes (and possibly whipped cream) are needed if a literal hot chocolate scent is what you’re looking for.
As an artistic reinterpretation of 1965, nun-made spiced hot chocolate, I don’t love it but I lean more towards like than dislike. ODDLY ENOUGH, the moment I put it on, it gave my nose the same feeling my senior citizen dad’s Aramis used to give me, which is odd becase none of the notes are the same (though a few of the actual chemicals that make up the liquid might be?) The common part of the scent my nose is catching can be descibed as the waxy white part of a cocoa pod + unsweetened cinnamony spices. What’s interesting is that Aramis was made in 1964… but probably not worn by Mexican nuns…
It IS a unisex fragrance but to me it leans more toward the masculine side and not just because of my childhood Aramis memories.
DEFINITELY DO NOT BLIND-BUY! But if the idea of super dark bitter chocolate + spices excites you, give it a try. It’s pretty unique. NOT gourmand!
ea2kop – :
A spicy gourmand. Really cozy and warm. Decent longevity.
saper – :
A year and a half ago, you decided that for once in your life, you would cook a curry from scratch instead of ordering a takeaway.
Today, you decided to do it again, with the same spice powder mix you bought 18 months ago. Anima Dulcis smells like that old masala, served in a pretty bottle.
cpa747bedyWelty – :
Perhaps my nose is not as good as I thought. Or, once again, it’s just a matter of chemistry. This is not a good smell on me, or even when I sniffed my sample. One of my absolute favorite scents is YR Cocoon. I think I was expecting something similar minus tte patch. I love the back story for this, and it does smell old. But not in a good way. Maybe it’s trying to smell like the old convent where the nuns made their cocoa. On me it just smells like the old nuns themselves, who are maybe in serious need of a bath. No thanks.
Gadol – :
Wow this is goooooood. Warm, spicy, sweet and utterly delicious. I knew I would love it based on the notes, and I do. It’s well rounded and beautifully blended, there are no hard edges to this perfume just warm waves of spiced chocolate and chilli notes. Heavenly. Great longevity and good sillage too, I do love a good gourmand.
I would say, on reflection, that this perfume reminds me of Bal a Versailles.
swink – :
A unique take on gourmand fragrances, Anima Dulcis offers equal parts sweet and savory. “Chili infusion” is noted in the upper registry, give a “heat” to the opening first seconds of the fragrance. Faintly, I notice other spices here; most noticeably cumin and cinnamon. Vanilla intermingles, offering a quiet sweetness and creaminess to the overall composition. Cocoa mirrors perfectly with the “hot” chili notes in the opening. Initially showcasing the true bitterness of unsweetened cocoa, it later blends with the sweet vanillic notes and resembles more traditional chocolate. The ingredients smell raw and unadulterated, free from artificiality. As it dries, the vanilla becomes less sweet and more caramel-like, as if sugar has been left too long at the bottom of a heated pan. The cocoa too becomes darker and rich, showcasing its smokey and earthy facets. I really enjoyed the evolution of this fragrance on the skin, as it is truly dynamic. A must try. (156)
1may45 – :
light acceptable animalic top note. it has a cute vanilla cacao note in the middle & the cinnamon appears later. then the pepper arise right after the appearance of past mentioned.
this perfume at the beginning gives you the sweaty filthy essence at top, then later it enchants you with the delicate silky spell that it casts around you. the vanilla in it is presented disgracefully as a sexual attractive element that memorizes the victim and drags him-her to bed.
this perfume is a MAJOR sexual intense that i believe only the certain evil lady would use it to pull her victim unconsciously to her throne. she is the innocent, respectful, Immodestly, decent, decorous ,bashful (only by look) young lady that came from an aristocratic family. her beauty makes each & every single man look her way unintentionally when she passes as she is aiming on that specific, innocent, masculine young craftsman to drag him alive to her forbidden paradise shocking him by showing her lust & burning desire as she is the one & only that takes the lead.
A sexual potion that overcomes the devil in disguise
you have to give it more and more time to realize the charm it brings.
this perfume is unisex at max.
*Use this in bed when you are with someone 😉
Alllora – :
This is a rich, incredibly blended fragrance. Warm, spicy and sophisticated. I couldn’t keep from smelling my arm repeatedly – it’s wonderful from the first application to hours later. The back story about the convent and the perfume fits perfectly. It does smell like walking the halls of a hundreds year old sanctuary while the nuns are cooking and the scent blows through. It is such a treasure of masterful blending that I could wear it everyday and never grow tired of it.
Update: My FB arrived from Arquiste this week, and I have been enjoying the spicy rich perfume. I loved the sample, but I must admit that being able to spray adds a whole new dimension. It starts with a powerful almost heated blend of spices that reminds me of cooking in a hot kitchen. My mouth actually waters from the delicious aroma, although it is not a food smell but rather a subconscious reaction from cinnamon and vanilla. The drydown is a sophisticated subtle accord. Individual notes are able to be identified, but the whole is a scent that gives you a burst of delight each time you notice it.
Anima Dulcis has a timeless quality. It doesn’t make you think vintage or contemporary, but rather a masterpiece that is good for any age. Because of the cinnamon and spices, it reminds me of autumn and winter.
Sillage is moderate, which for this type of scent is a benefit. It would be overpowering if it wasn’t. Longevity on my skin is tremendous. I can still smell hints of it after 12 hours. This is a truly beautiful perfume.
FERZIYEVLER – :
I love it! Softspicy Vanilla, rather skinclose. Not sugarsweet. Very grown-up and deep, rich vanilla with an airy cinnamon.
Jag älskar den! Mjukkryddig vanilj som är ganska hudnära. Inte sockersöt. Otroligt vuxen, djup och rik vanilj med en luftig kanel.
olha – :
This was love at first smell. I finally found a place where I live that does niche fragrances. I came, I stayed, it concquered me…
I had not read anything about this fragrance on fragrantica and trying about 10 frags, I did a selection, 6 become 4, 4 became 2 and 2 became one.
The last two I decided would be mine.
Which ones were they? Anima Dulcis and FM Portrait of a Lady. When I smelled Anima Dulcis I wanted to cry with joy, I don’t know why and how but this fragrance smells like me. It is how my home smells like when I come back from a long weekend. It has cinnamon, chilies, it has chocolate and there is vanilla.
The most curious thing is that, without knowing I also bought a fragrance which name in latin, means my name in greek. When I curiously googled it I just stared at the screen in disbelief. What a wonderful coincidence. This will be a cherished, precious item in my collection. The bottle is to die for, the colour is of my beloved Irish Whiskey, and the name? The name is me 🙂
Longevity:
This baby lasts. I have it on for 8 hours, it’s a very close scent now but I have lost count of how many times I have sniffed myself since the last spray. Closing my eyes and inhaling deeply.
4.5/5
Sillage:
Not that much. I get wafts here and there.
4/5
Projection:
Moderate, this is not a sexbomb, this is a kind, good soul, she will look after you and cuddle you and love you in a tender, sweet way
4/5
I have such a massive crush on this perfume it’s not even funny.
PS: I just looked up the maker of this perfume. I have a crush on him as well 🙂
Galii_tania – :
Dry cinnamon, warm vanilla and a piquant pinch of chilli .
The texture is smooth, thick and waxy, with a raw, slightly animalic earthiness, that stops it from veering into Yankee candle territory.
Potent and long lasting, but linear and a bit over-priced.
dimka77 – :
Although the accords look similar to Xocoatl, I don’t think the fragrances smell anything alike. Xocoatl is more chocolates with milk and rum whereas Anima Dulces topside is vanilla heavy. In my opinion, I think this fragrance is more related to 7 billion hearts by CB I hate perfume(not in fragrantica’s database). Both fragrances share that same dirty dark vanilla quality that people tend to love. A masculine vanilla fragrance? Yeah, I think so. You can thank the spices for that. After the 10hr mark, some of the notes are barely recognizable. Way, way, deep in the drydown, Anima starts to smell a little like Jaipur Boucheron(which is a elegant vanilla frag).
elumen – :
I have to say I was really skeptical about this one as I usually despise most incarnations of vanilla. This vanilla, however, was nice and dry and didn’t, mercifully, have that caramel or burnt sugar smell. The is a gorgeous piece of artistry. The cocoa is so good, and with the cinnamon, it’s utterly exquisite. This is FB worthy for. On my list for the next trip to Osswald.
Kentanaesty – :
can anyone compare this with Xocoatl by Fueguia 1833?
Любовь1212 – :
Like others I sprayed this on my arm and thought ok…I’ll walk around for a bit and see how it wears. Went and had a cup of coffee sat on a patio and could not stop smelling my arm. This is a very beautiful interpretation of mexican chocolate. I’m from Arizona originally and we have the most gorgeous restaurant there called Poca Cosa. They serve a mexican inspired chocolate mousse and this scent reminds me of that decadent desert. Beautiful deep dark chocolate infused with bone dry cinnamon & gorgeous mexican vanillin with just a hint of chile thrown in for some heat.
This just gets better and better. The dry down is pure delight. If you love chocolate with a hint of spice I highly suggest a taste of this!!! That day I went right back and bought a full bottle. The Arquiste line has some very beautiful offerings!!!
serega161288 – :
Received a sample of this a few days ago and sprayed it on my husband’s chest . . . oh, my!! All I can say is DELISCIOSO!!!!!!!! Wow. If I could afford a full bottle, I would SO be running out right now to buy one!! lol
What interested me initially was the backstory (see their website – the art is beautiful and so evocative). My husband is from Mexico, and the first time we visited about 16 years ago, his abuelita (grandmother) brought out a platter of pan dulce (sweet breads) and a large pot of chocolate, which was made with fresh milk and stirred with that wooden mixer that you put between two palms and “swirl” (can’t think of the name off the top of my head, but we own one now, too!) . . . anyway, Mexican chocolate is nothing like the hot cocoa we buy in the US. It is so rich and flavorful – it’s heavenly, really. So, my initial interest was for a gourmand scent that would evoke these lovely memories . . . but, again – Wow! Yes, the rich cocoa wafts in and out (but not *too* much – it stays just long enough and then it disappears before just peeking through a bit here and there – perfect), and then you add that beautiful combination of the chilles, cinnamon, vanilla . . . it’s just blended so well so as to form it’s own unique scent, and I must say that scent just had me alternating between deep inhales, big smiles, and . . .
<3
Needless to say, I would *highly* recommend this for men. For now we will savor this sample and start a savings fund for a full bottle (my husband agrees! *wink*)
Temiwrare – :
As a gourmand affecianata, I have wanted so desperately to love this. It is easily liked, but something is off the mark with it. There is a kind of lightness and oddity in this scent 30-90 minutes in, after which it goes back to being just what it ought to be–perhaps a representation of the fermented cacao beans? Chili is apparent around the edges of the aroma, something you feel when you pull your nose away. Sillage is weak, longevity is there, but for the high price, I am determined to find something else.
Compared to Jo Malone’s Blue Agava & Cacao, this is creamier and has that odd fruit escapade in it, and, of course, greater longevity.
EDIT: I have come to a peace with the odd sweetness, which I am now positive is the fermentation of cacao beans. Definitely the sweetness of the cocoa butter is present, and the warmth radiating off the top from the chili. I keep getting whiffs of this as I go through my day, every time thinking, “My goodness, what is that beautiful scent?” Just when I think it’s gone, it continues to radiate with greater sillage than I had originally assessed. I think I love it. It is not a masterpiece, but is an interesting and unusual foray into familiar ingredients that I am slowly coming to adore. The drydown IS Mexican chocolate, bearing in mind that Mexican chocolate is creamier and less burdened and dark than its American cousin. Cozy and quiet and satiated, gourmand lovers really ought to treat themselves to try this… perhaps a few times. 🙂
spoonsnake – :
How could I not love all these notes swirled together?? It sounded like true Mexican hot chocolate (very thick and unlike American watery hot chocolate). This started out with some mysterious heavy floral…like an anchor on my wrist. 20 min in, I got a hint of a dry crushed cinnamon chili powder, without any deliciousness. 1 hour later it started taking on a fermented fruit scent. What should have been a guaranteed winner turned into a head-scratching puzzle of “What went wrong here?”
Marffa – :
This is probably the best option out of the Arquste’s line of fragrances. A modernized oriental built around a cocoa-vanilla accord that’s old-fashioned and extremely contemporary at the same time. Dark sugary undertones paired with a supporting paprika note provide interesting twists while cinnamon reinforces the overall oriental vibe.
Not as overpowering or heavy as you would expect from this type of fragrances and surely head and shoulders above the average quality of todays niche offerings. If you like Parfumerie Generale style you’ll probably dig this…
Rating: 7.5-8/10
Sophia_fromAC – :
This fragrance does very well, the cinammon is distinct, but also complements the vanilla and cocoa, the paprika adds a kick of spice. A well rounded rich gourmand!
poppppppoppp – :
Just received my sample today. I’m reading the notes in this fragrance: Cinnamon, Cocoa, Vanilla, Chili. YES, they’re all there. Very warm & sweet scent, unfortunately too sweet, I smell like a girl… This won’t do.
koks888 – :
It has enchanted me absolutely. I haven’t experinced the atmosphere of old monasteries in Mexico but I’ve visited old Spanish convents at summer. This great spiritual mix of Sun, sandy earth, spicy shrubs in garden and nearby. And this chocolate alchemy – real scent from the Kingdom of Heaven! Brilliant balance of notes, opulent sillage with a note of fresh subtle light breeze from the window (or from Heaven). Very sunny as if all this chocolate magic takes place in the monastery yard! All my female colleagues in office say in chorus: real masculine.
JJDavid – :
finally fragrance is added to the directory. this is the stand out in my opinion of the first release of fragrances from arquiste. it is a real gourmand. the cocoa and the chili is prominent. it has excellent longevity on me, at least 7-8hrs, with moderate projection for the first 3-4. people around me love this scent, it is really edible. this is a must try for fragrance lovers and for gourmand lovers it is a buy. when i first smelled this i instantly wanted it but needed to see if it lasted and projected, and it was up to my expectations. the others on the arquiste line are also well blended but this one is my favorite of the line. its a pricey bottle but for me it was worth it.
GGGLion – :
At first time i hate this one… But something happends that i have to go back to Saks 24 hrs later and try it again…
Indont know why but i loved it.
Some hours later (5 or 6) it was still there.
An speciall aura was around me; an absoult gourmad.
One week later i bough it. You can love it or hate it, but the true is that this one is a “having” an oppinion.
If you can, smell this one.