I love perfume and I love chocolate, so discovering ways to bring the two together through meaningful pairings, tastings, or rituals is a sublime feat.
One of my adventures during the week spent in Milan for Esxence was all about fragrance and chocolate. I visited Pasticceria Rapisardi, a Milan store owned by Marcello Rapisardi, pastry chef and candy maker with an interest in combining confection with scent.
Marcello collaborated with US-based artisan perfumer Bri Beyer of Damask Haus to design a delicious sensorial ritual that paired tasting fine dark chocolate with sniffing a fragrance called La Petit Mort Au Chocolat.
The project was launched a few months ago in the form of a beautifully hand-painted chocolate Easter egg, a tradition that began in Turin, Italy in the 1700s. Italian chocolate Easter eggs are typically hollow and contain a surprise, and in Marcello’s egg, the surprise was a sample of Bri’s La Petit Mort Au Chocolat.
The steps to enjoy the chocolate-fragrance tasting are listed below but everyone should enjoy the experience as they wish:
My favorite way to sample this was to take a bite of chocolate, spritz the fragrance and enjoy it, then take another bite and indulge even more. I did this several times and also shared the experience with friends and family members!
After applying the fragrance on my wrist, I instantly detect dark and dry cacao, followed by the bold complexity of tobacco, resins, and woods mingling with the natural sweetness of vanilla and the dry, nutty essence of tonka bean. I detect an herbal component and a hint of honey, but it’s the raw kind of honey, which is far from cloying and suffocating. This delectable scent perfectly complements the bittersweet, roasted taste of the chocolate and its earthy yet smooth texture. Learn more about the fragrance here.
I thank Marcello for this beautiful gift alongside jellies infused with Hibiscus Love by Amouage—another feast for both taste and olfaction.
I thank my friend Claudia for going on this adventure with me!
Artisan creativity knows no bounds, and I look forward to more projects and collaborations of this kind. I encourage everyone to visit Marcello’s store and sample Bri’s fragrances.
Enjoy my experience at Esxence here.
