Guerlain Tonka Imperiale ~ new fragrance

Guerlain Tonka Imperiale

Tonka Impériale, launching this month, will be the seventh fragrance in Guerlain’s L’Art et la Matière line.

The new scent was developed by Guerlain house perfumer Thierry Wasser. The notes for the gourmand oriental include rosemary, tonka bean, honey, spices, almond, vanilla, woods, tobacco and amber. Sylvaine Delacourte of Guerlain describes it as “between gingerbread and chocolate”.

Guerlain Tonka Impériale will be available in 75 ml Eau de Parfum. (via osmoz.fr, espritdeparfum)

Update: see a review of Guerlain Tonka Impériale.

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60 Comments

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  1. Posted on 12 February 2010

    This sounds great! Guerlains niche are so far away from me, literally, but I pla a trip to Duesseldorf just to visit the Schnitzler perfumery who has the only counter with Les Exclusifs in Germany.

    • Robin
      Posted on 12 February 2010

      It does sound nice. Hope it is not as sweet as the Iris Ganache.

    • parfumliefhebber
      Posted on 12 February 2010

      Such a pity it is only available in Düsseldorf. Do you think they will fill little vials of the perfume, as Douglas is not allowed to do that anymore?

      • Posted on 12 February 2010

        I am pleased that they are available anywhere in Germany. Are there any stockists in Britain? I have always assumed not. : – (

    • Indre
      Posted on 15 February 2010

      thank you for this tip! I am going to Dusseldorf in two weeks so I will check this out :-)

  2. Daisy
    Posted on 12 February 2010

    I totally missed the split on this one…..so now I’m frothing at the mouth for a bottle. I can hardly wait!!!!!
    lemm, lemm, lemm, lemm, lemm….ad infinitum

  3. cjordan
    Posted on 12 February 2010

    That sounds so nice!

  4. lovethescents
    Posted on 12 February 2010

    This sounds so wonderful but I’m holding out on any blind buying til I hit the Spa de Guerlain for a sample first (being semi good for a change!)

  5. OperaFan
    Posted on 12 February 2010

    Is this the one Denyse was praising on Grain de Musc? I’m also feeling the lemming….

    • Robin
      Posted on 12 February 2010

      I think so! I need to go read that.

    • Posted on 12 February 2010

      I think it is. Review was very complimentary.

      At the same time, any suggestion of “chocolate” makes me shudder.

      • Posted on 12 February 2010

        Yes, I did review it very positively. It does have a chocolate-like richness but it doesn’t actually smell of it. There’s a rosemary note that cuts through the almond/hay note of the tonka bean and keep it from being too cloying. I’ve been wearing quite a lot of my decant, and I’m not much of a gourmand lover.

  6. parfumliefhebber
    Posted on 12 February 2010

    Oh oh, this sounds really great.

  7. RusticDove
    Posted on 12 February 2010

    Sounds like a winner. Will be keeping my eye open for a split… ;-) The bottle is quite handsome too.

    • Daisy
      Posted on 12 February 2010

      ;-)

    • miss kitty v.
      Posted on 12 February 2010

      Me, too! Just wait until after I get everything squared away from having my bank account hacked into. THEN you can do the split!

      • boojum
        Posted on 12 February 2010

        Uh oh. Do we need to hold off on OJ? I was going to order tomorrow (having ALSO been recently hacked, I need to do it on a day when I’m home so the fraud alert folks can reach me and let the tx through). :O grrrr.

        • Daisy
          Posted on 12 February 2010

          they get a little protective after an “incident” –been there, hated that——try calling just before you place the charge to alert them and answer all their questions about your great grandmother’s blood type.

          Oh—you all know that this’ll be split as soon as it’s available….la,la, la ,la la…..

        • miss kitty v.
          Posted on 12 February 2010

          Oh, no, E. Forge ahead!

          • RusticDove
            Posted on 12 February 2010

            I second that ‘go ahead’ E!! :-) Oh & goody that Daisy saw my comment about a split on this GTI. My plan worked. *Rubbing hands together* hehe

          • Daisy
            Posted on 12 February 2010

            sigh, it’s true….I”m so easy.

  8. Joe
    Posted on 12 February 2010

    This is really nice. I have a small decant, and I think it’s more my taste than SDV, even though SDV is lovely.

    I don’t find it too sweet at all. Robin, I’m wondering if you’ve revisited a vial of Iris Ganache recently? I was expecting it to be a sugary hot mess, but I find it very woody and slightly sweet, but no sweeter than Bois Farine. This will sound crazy, but there’s also something in the top notes that reminds me of latex wall paint, which I find enjoyable. I’d gladly own a bottle if this Guerlain series wasn’t so expensive.

    • boojum
      Posted on 12 February 2010

      Grrrr. Thanks a lot, Joe. I’ve been easily resisting these because “I don’t like Guerlain”. Except, of course, SDV.

      • Joe
        Posted on 12 February 2010

        I’m always happy to help. But even fraternal scent twins sometimes have differences of taste, so there’s hope. ;)

        • boojum
          Posted on 12 February 2010

          Right, but my point was that NOW I actually have to try them, instead of happily ignoring them altogether.

    • Robin
      Posted on 12 February 2010

      Joe, I haven’t. But found it a scrubber the first time around, sorry to say.

  9. miss kitty v.
    Posted on 12 February 2010

    I thought maybe someone was using a jackhammer outside my office, but then realized, no, that’s the sound of my heart beating frantically. I want!!!!! Tonka bean? Honey? Tobacco? Sign me up!!

    • Daisy
      Posted on 12 February 2010

      …handing Kitty a paper bag….breathe, breathe..it’ll be ok….

    • boojum
      Posted on 12 February 2010

      You’re channeling. There’s construction right outside MY office, and has been all week. Ugh.

    • Robin
      Posted on 12 February 2010

      LOL!

    • lemonprint
      Posted on 12 February 2010

      I’m with you! this baby might get bought unsniffed. it’s calling me!

    • Posted on 14 February 2010

      Lemm lemm lemm – but did I hear almond? Almond is a no go. On the other hand, Cologne de 68 has this touch of chocolate I cannot resist. Something similar without the cologne… mmmh.

  10. SmokeyToes
    Posted on 12 February 2010

    This sounds yummy! I must smell it when it comes out.

    So far, the only one from the L’AMatière line that was full-bottle worthy was Angelique Noir. I loved that juice-so warm and womanly, and it lasted forever on skin.

    • Robin
      Posted on 12 February 2010

      I really liked Bois d’Armenie. And haven’t even tried Cruel Gardenia.

      • SmokeyToes
        Posted on 12 February 2010

        I don’t think I’ve tried Cruel Gardenia either, now that you mention it. I liked Rose Barbare, but have LA’s Voleur de Roses. Didn’t see the need to have both. Gardenia does funny things on me so it’s a must try several times before buying-especially at that price!

        I didn’t keep the Angelique Noir very long, my mom fell in love with it so I gave her my bottle….. I get to spritz when I’m visiting though, so I can’t complain.

  11. Absolute Scentualist
    Posted on 12 February 2010

    Oh, wantidy want want! I loved Iris Ganache and had to spring for an fb of SDV. Tonka, honey, tobacco, almond and vanilla? Egads! It sounds lovely! Be still, my racing heart…

  12. hotlanta linda
    Posted on 12 February 2010

    OK, all, DEEP breathing, very slowly, and when you pulse is `normal`, calmly alert your bank and make the purchase; it is MUCH better for your overall health to spend on a Guerlain than to pay hospital emergency room bills! :-)

    • Daisy
      Posted on 12 February 2010

      oooooo— you’re good! :-) I’m going to use that.

    • Robin
      Posted on 12 February 2010

      You guys are easily stirred up, LOL…

    • SmokeyToes
      Posted on 12 February 2010

      I like the way you think…. how about hospital bills for husband when he sees the bill??

  13. aimiliona
    Posted on 12 February 2010

    Rosemary and spices and amber? Like gingerbread? Yes!

    Harry Turtledove wrote a series of novels about alien invaders for whom ginger is addictive. I might be distantly related to the Race.

    • Robin
      Posted on 12 February 2010

      I love anything gingery too :-)

      • boojum
        Posted on 12 February 2010

        That caught my attention, but Joe did me in.

  14. maggiecat
    Posted on 12 February 2010

    Oh dear…I see at the very least another decant in my future. DH will not be happy….

    • Robin
      Posted on 12 February 2010

      Happier than he’d be if you bought the bottle though :-)

  15. CynthiaW
    Posted on 12 February 2010

    It’s funny that it’s listed as a gourmand because I don’t find it too sweet at all – there is a smokiness to it that cuts the tonka. It’s not as sweet at Iris Ganache and nowhere near as sweet as SDV, which was vile on me. I suppose if anything it’s gourmand in that non-edible gourmand manner. I adore it – if I buy an FB of anything in this line, this will be it.

    • RusticDove
      Posted on 12 February 2010

      Oooh – lucky girl – you’ve tried it already! Your feedback has me lemming even more now. ;-)

      • CynthiaW
        Posted on 12 February 2010

        Fortunately, someone was able to talk a friend who was going to Paris into bringing some back, so I was able to get a nice decant. It’s fabulous – it’s one of those scents that makes me think that I could be a signature scent girl (and then I remember the other 10 scents that make me feel that way and remember why I’m *not* a signature scent girl).

        • RusticDove
          Posted on 12 February 2010

          Wow – that’s quite an endorsement Cyn! I’m so excited about this one.

    • Robin
      Posted on 12 February 2010

      Sounds wonderful, thanks!

  16. prism
    Posted on 14 February 2010

    oh, this sounds delicious… i LOVE tonka bean! :D

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