* Chanel Egoiste starts with an explosion of citrus and spicy wood. The citrus is hard to discern, as I think it’s a mix of neroli, bergamot, orange, and tangerine.
* Egoiste is a bit mischievious, as it has different characters. Sometime it goes a little soapy on me, with the spicy wood fighting to keep it manly. Other times the top goes very sweet on me – where the citrus turns more gourmand, like candied/sugared fruits rather than crisp citrus.
* Colors starts out, well, colorful with a bright and fresh citrus opening. Lemon and bergamot is on top with a light floral mix in the blend.
* The top notes feel clean, but not in the current boring laundry way. If it didn’t project so loudly, this would be a great sports scent.
* Pour Monsieur starts off as a classic men’s cologne – a mix of citrus and lavender. It’s fresh, but has depth with some green woodsy notes filling it out.
* The Concentree version that I am reviewing is available in the U.S. and is a tan-colored liquid. The non-concentree version is only available in Europe and is a completely different scent.
* Douce Amere kicks off with licorice and a boozy note, like an orange liqueur. Although these are sweet notes, they aren’t candied or cloyingly sweet.
* The top notes project loudly for at least an hour on my skin. Be sure to test how they last on your skin before wearing in close quarters.
* The licorice note stays present throughout the development and acts as a haze over the cinnamon, spice, and dark cocoa that come through (as the booze wears off).
* Douce Amere means bittersweet in English which is an apt description of the scent. Most of the notes are sweet confections but are balanced in such a way that it reads mature rather than childlike.
* The base comes across differently when I wear it. The licorice cloud is always there, sometimes I get caramel and sandalwood while other times I get resin and vanilla.
Summary: Douce Amere could be called an oriental gourmand, yet with all the foody notes, I don’t consider it edible. There is a real seductive, mature vibe to it. At no point is it overly sweet, which it could easily become. This is definitely a night fragrance and not for the office. The base notes last on me until I shower it off. Originally, Douce Amere was part of the export collection for Serge Lutens and available everywhere. Though it was pulled from the export line and is only available through the Paris store, I often see bottles left at Serge Lutens counters in other stores. If you like Lolita Lempicka Au Masculin and want a more mature take on licorice, this would be a great one to try.