New Niche Fragrance Review: KEROSENE’s Unknown Pleasures-Nouveau Gourmand + Magically Delicious Sample Set Draw

cafleurebon KEROSENE UP promo

John Pegg aka Kerosene

Gourmand means (according to the OED) “one who is fond of eating”. In its adjectival form, the word means “delicious, rich and good enough to be appreciated by the gourmet”. KEROSENE has just released his first gourmand fragrance, and it is most definitely yummy! After the release of Fields of Rubus, last year, and how he captured raspberries in a new and different way; this news was very intriguing to me. Often times, many gourmand perfumes can come off too saccharine or just plain weird, or they have food notes in them blended with other things like flowers. Unknown Pleasures contains nothing but delicious foodstuffs (and drinks) and creates one of the most interesting gourmand vanilla scents I have had the pleasure of sniffing in a long time.

cafleurebon KEROSENE UP peeledlemon

Peeled Lemon by Michael Lynn Adams

This perfume goes on with a big burst of lemon, a bit cold and sharp, and that citric quality sticks around for a while. The addition of bergamot makes smooth the lemon’s zesty edge and reins it in somewhat. The sour lemon and the bitter bergamot create a fresh and cleanly clear fusion that is neither off-putting nor too astringent. It is shortly after applying this that a warm silken vanilla mist begins to rise, yet the citric notes and a smooth warm Earl Grey tea note continue to develop. “Citrus AND vanilla?” you say. It sounds bizarre, but it works! As it lingers on the skin, it begins to get a scent not unlike sugar being scorched and browned on a crème brulee. Somehow though, it never really smells burnt or sickeningly sweet.

cafleurebon KEROSENE UP caramelwafflecone

As the crisp citruses and warm tea are taken over by the richer and fuller notes, a downright mouthwatering aroma begins to emerge. Here and there the citruses continue to peek out, keeping this balanced and from plunging headlong into an overly candied scent. It is rife with notes that fit perfectly together and create something that’s as soft and comfortable as it is rich and exquisite. Tonka gives this a soft luxurious feeling while the honeycomb note fleshes it out, adding both depth and body. A slightly salted caramel note drips languidly over a waffle cone and the whisper of the vanilla, teasing you since the opening, becomes fully realized. The description of this stage may make some recoil; yet this concoction, that sounds like it should induce a cavity at first sniff, comes off as extremely elegant.

cafleurebon KEROSENE UP vanilla

Vanilla most definitely takes center stage in the ultimate finish of this perfume, yet it never completely dominates it as the other supporting cast members of this edible ensemble add their own magic to the production. Many vanilla-based perfumes can end up smelling like vanilla extract and little more; this shows the versatility of the note itself, and the skill of perfumer ,as it slides from slightly smoky to supple and leathery to sweet and enticing. Each one of the notes and ingredients in this juice are balanced, so that each one brings a little more out of all the others. The result, truly, is something that smells good enough to eat!   

cafleurebon KEROSENE UP honey&citrus

I am not the biggest fan of gourmand fragrances, I have to be in the mood to wear them. Unknown Pleasures is something I wore the night it arrived…and for the next few days. One day I wore it to my work, a natural café, and was asked by patrons what smelled so good in the kitchen or what was baking back there that smelled so delicious. It is not often, as many of us know, that we receive multiple comments on our fragrances from non-perfumistas. This got not only praise but smiles from almost everyone who smelled it. From the first unusual spray through its interesting development to its finish that still lingers decadently on skin the following morning, this really is unique and despite all its sweet and dessert-like notes manages to remain utterly unisex and smells just as good on a man as it does on a woman. Kudos, KEROSENE! Sillage: very good. Longevity: excellent.

Disclosure: Review is based on a 15 ml bottle sent to me by KEROSENE Fragrances.

Courtesy of KEROSENE Fragrances we have a draw for two sample sets of all eight KEROSENE Fragrances. To be eligible leave comment naming your favorite magically delicious gourmand note. The draw will end on February 2, 2013.

We announce the winners only onsite and on our Facebook page, so Like CaFleureBon and use our RSS option…..or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume.

-John Reasinger, Editor

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79 comments

  • magically delicious gourmand note? I really like nutty notes, like almond. This may sound silly, but I have a pistachio vanilla bubble bath from Bath and Body Works that I kind of love too. So yeah, I’ll say nuts. Although I do love me some berries, too… hmmm.

  • Vanilla or caramel, when used deftly, can both bring something gorgeous to a scent. If I had to choose between them, though, vanilla would be the one…which means I’m DYING to try this fragrance!

  • My favorite gourmand note is tonka. Especially combined with vanilla it’s absolutely delicious.

    I would love to try all the Kerosene fragrances. This last edition sounds really great.

  • Almond and vanilla are my two favorite gourmand notes. I’ve yet to try any of the Kerosene fragrances, but have heard so many praises for them.

  • I’m so not a gourmand person but vanilla kind of gets through my filters – though usually in a compositions you couldn’t blame for being too gourmandy, like the rubbery Bvlgari Black or churchy-incensy Josef Statkus (Juozas Statkevicius). Haven’t tried any of the Kerosene fragrances yet but so eager to do that!

  • I’ve discovered caramel in a really big way: Xerjoff Casamorati Lira. Unknown Pleasures sounds really yummy too.

  • Coffee is my magically delicious note. And maple syrup (I swear I smell both in Tilda Swinton Like This). So what if I smell like a pancake house 🙂 Am eager to try Kerosene’s line – fingers crossed!

  • Perfumes that have vanilla and chocolate notes always seem good enough to eat, so I would say these are my magical gourmand notes :).

  • My favourite gourmand notes are caramel (think Prada Candy) and chocolate (think 1969 by Histoires de Parfums)

  • I very much enjoy vanilla in fragrances. Add a rum note and some smokiness, a la Spiritueuse Double Vanille, and I am in heaven. Thanks for the draw!

  • Actually raspberries, strawberries and vanilla, so I am so wanting to try that Kerosene Rubus! Berries I like that come to mind are: Briar Rose Ineke, which is also a berry/patch combo which is quite nice, Lady Million, yep, a good raspberry imo. And there is the good ol’ Miss Dior Cherie for some berry goodness. And I do really like Pleasures Delight by EL for some strawberries. Freddie Malle has that Portrait of a Lady which is also a good berry/patch combo. I also like anise for some sweet spice..like a bit of Lolita Lempicka. But one of my faves is Chocolovers for gourmand..choco+pepper:).

  • My favourite gourmand notes are: vanilla, white chocolate and almonds. But I llike this notes not too very sweet, when they are mixed with tobacco or cold spices I like them more… Ahhh! And tonka when it’s a male fragance!

  • Man, I just can’t resist caramel in a fragrance. I don’t know why.. Also, anything with honey in it will make me swoon.. John’s new release sounds incredible!

  • vanilla with a small dose of immortelle and beeswax for that touch of honey! I also love licorice notes (thanks to Reglisse Noire which is my all time favorite gourmand).
    This new release of Kerosene’s sounds divine….I need some comforting vanilla to make it through this cold winter!

  • I would have to say that vanilla and almond are
    my favorite gourmand notes. I also love lemon,
    so this scent sounds divine!
    Thanks for the draw!

  • I like nut and spice notes, Mechant Loup is one that I´ve worn in autumn and winter. This sounds delicious and I´d love to try, thanks for the draw!

  • I am finding that I love a vanilla note, but that it has to be done right and not too sweet, like Guerlain’s Spirituese Double Vanille. Thanks for the draw!

  • I never think of myself as a gourmand lover, but I do find that I really like vanilla in certain scents. Also, much to my surprise, I love the raspberry in Tauer’s Une Rose Vermeille.

  • Christine B says:

    Vanilla , vanilla, vanilla and vanilla. I am always interested in new vanilla fragrances, and of course I love it in food as well.

  • Vanilla by a large margin judging by what I wear/own, but also honey, candied/sweet citrus, nuts, and creamy/milky notes…also spices and teas. Lann-Ael, Perlier Vaniglia, L’Artisan Tea for Two, Frapin 1270….

    Unknown Pleasures sounds kind of perfext,,,

  • I like almond, nutty,but not too vanilla. Cocoa, dark, combined with a mysterious floral or incense.
    The skill of the perfumer is to make us want to wear it but not eat it!

  • Vanilla is my all time favorite. It is so flexible, malleable, congenial, and plays well with others. It is an all around wonderful note.
    I have been very curious about the Kerosene fragrances and would love to sample all of them.
    Thank you for the post and draw! I love the story behind this house.

  • I adore Coffee and tea notes. The waffle cone in Unknown Pleasures is MAGICAL on my skin!!! GREAT review John!!!

  • I could say that, I’m not fond of gourmand fragrances, especially not that typical marsmallow-cotton candy-like saccharin sweet perfumes. But if I have to name my magic-gourmand notes, I would say, my absolute favorit is combination of honey with cardamom and dates, also nutty notes, like almond and nuts in every form, like peanut, hazelnut and tonka. Oh, and something, what is to die for to me: marriage of vanilla with suede..:)
    I keep an eye on Kerosene perfumes long time,but I’ve never had opportunity to try them.Thanks for the great review, and for the draw!

  • Most probably the fav gourmand note is almond. Tonka as well.
    Great draw. Thank you.

    Very tempting review.

  • I like a lot of foodie scents in perfume. It’s prob my #1 type of scent. But to narrow it down: Almond, Coffee or Caramel. nom nom!

  • My favorite gourmand notes are citrus, vanilla, and tea, especially Earl Grey tea, which makes me think that Unknown Pleasures has my name on it! Thanks so much for the generous draw.

  • My favourite gourmands are mostly the savory ones, like saffron, cardamom, and nutmeg. I also love milky notes, vegetal notes such as carrot and tomato leaf. A boozy vanilla is hard to beat. I wish my boyfriend’s Sunday waffles could be replicated in a fragrance! Though I’d probably put on weight just sniffing that. 🙂 Thanks for the draw and intro to this line.

  • I am most intrigued by the Kerosene line. I have my fingers crossed to win the gorgeous sample set.

    My favourite gourmand notes are vanilla, coffee and nougat.

    Thanks for the draw!

  • t’s funny, I don’t consider myself a gourmand person but my most recent acquisitions are all gourmand. I love dark chocolate, Carmel & honey. These scents bring me to a peaceful place.

  • My favorite gourmand note is tonka bean! I love it and I am dreading of the new regulations!!! Thank you for the draw!!

  • This sounds positively delicious. I love a caramel note done right, lots of salt and not too much butter. And licorice, but not necessarily at the same time. Thanks for the draw!

  • Great draw because I’ve wanting to try the Kerosene line. I love to experience an entire line all together to see its progression. I am fascinated by the idea of a gourmand from Kerosene. I do like vanilla and I often like gourmands when I first spray them on, but once they’re on my skin for a bit they get sweeter and sweeter until I’m scrubbing away at my arm. I have a feeling Kerosene might do a gourmand just right. I’m excited to try this one.

  • I think I will have to go with the majority on this one and say vanilla. A really versatile note that is beautiful when done right (which in my optionen usually means staying away from the sticky sweet and tweaking it with leather, smoke and rum).

  • Unable to narrow it down to just one gourmand note. Love vanilla, rum, tea, and honey!
    Excited for the Kerosene draw, Haven’t tried any even though I have read great reviews and interviews with John Pegg ( a Michigan Guy!). Copper Skies has been on my to-try list for a long time.

  • My favourite gourmand notes are caramel,candied fruits,vanilla,сhocolate and milk with honey.
    Thank you for the draw!

  • The gourmand notes that I like are: vanilla (my favourite), tonka, and coffee. I sometimes like chocolate, dates, almonds and honey. But I dislike caramel and crème bûlée.

  • My favorite gourmand notes are vanilla, citrus, peaches, apricots, berries, tonka bean. I would love to try Unknown Pleasures…cool name too!

  • My favorite gourmand note is vanilla- not very original I know! I would love to try Kerosene’s scents so thanks for this draw!

  • I never would have thought that this note would be the one perfumery note I can’t get enough of, but licorice is such a unique smell that although I loathe the taste I can’t get enough of the scent.

  • Amaretto! But what challenges me is the peach note – I still haven’t found the perfume with the big juicy peach in it! Not creamy, not white-flower disguised, not overly sweet and sticky! Just pure sunny peach nectar…

  • Absolutely favorite gourmand notes are all tea-based, specifically notes like those found in L’Artisan’s Tea for Two or Gucci Pour Homme II. Tea notes are not only soothing, but also give off a classy vibe, in my opinion, that may be lacking in many gourmands that are cloying sweet.

  • My favorite gourmand note is honey. I really like that creamy, rich quality that honey gives to a fragrance (not to mention, sweet). The fruity notes can be nice, too, if they’re not loud and in-your-face. It is a nice surprise to catch a whiff of peach or pear in an otherwise spicy, dry perfume. Thank you for the draw.

  • My favorite gourmand note for a while has been vanilla, but only when it is used well, not too sweet, or like you said, vanilla extract-y. I also like dates and figs in perfumery. Thank you for this draw!

  • Wow, these scents are making me drool!:) Although I love the smell of caramel, vanilla, apple pie and desserts in general, I can’t say I’m a fan of these smells in perfume unless they are abstracted and subtle and well-made. Thank you for the draw.

  • My favorite gourmand notes are almond, heliotrope (kind of gourmand-ish), and vanilla because they go so well together. Thanks for the draw!

  • I really enjoy grapefruit and tea notes in my gourmand scents they can add crispness and depth to a fragrance.

  • Vanilla, (of course), but I love the addition of contrasting notes to cut the sweetness. Coffee, non-sweet cacao, and bitter almond come to mind.

  • I love to eat sweet licorice and I love the smell of it in fragrances, especially if combined with vanilla.

  • John, I love your description. It makes me want to try it immediately. The description reminds me slightly of my bottle of L’Eau d Shalimar, which I love much more than the plain Shalimar. I love many gourmand notes, but my favorite may be praline, if it is done right and not overly sweet. I especially llike praline and roses.

  • Favorite magically delicious gourmand note: Vanilla! Notes like vanilla extract, smoky vanilla, leathery vanilla. Like em all.

    Would love to finally try these.