Hey Perfume Posse People! Portia from Australian Perfume Junkies back and today you are trying a newish gourmand with me. There has been so much dislike aimed at today’s fragrance that I admit my interest was tweaked. I have read that it’s too synthetic, cheap smelling, not enough chocolate, next to no orange and a disgrace to the house that brought it out. More than one blogger has dissed it and torn it to shreds. On the flipside, our own Patty and a couple of the less well known to me bloggers found it wearable, fun, yummy and praised it enough to make me very curious. So what do we do when we’re curious? I, for one, get my “I Wonder” hat on and that brings us to today.
Sorriso by Profumum Roma 2013
Photo Stolen Profumum Roma
Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Dark chocolate, bitter orange, vanilla, exotic woods
Big boozy vanilla on the first heady swoosh of fragrance, the vanilla smells like the vanilla they use to flavour expensive teas. Not the cheapy stuff that clogs your vision it’s so nasty, the pricey teas where they use vanilla as a soft focus additive rather than the main event. Yes, I get orange chocolate but not like the smell more like the taste in your mouth after eating a Terry’s Chocolate Orange wedge 10 minutes ago, milky chocolate orange. With a kind of fur scent wafting through, a funky, musky, fur feeling.
Photo Stolen WikiMedia
Then it turns all car air freshener, like one of those 3 for $2 hanging felt things that cab drivers and grandfathers have. Often in the shape of elves, farm animals or houses, and in the gaudiest intense pastel colours. Maybe it’s an Australian specific smell. It doesn’t stay like that for long but it was a surprise.
I decided I needed a respritz, now that I’ve been wearing Sorriso for a couple of hours I wanted to see if it’s opening was in fact bitter orange and I think it may be, kind of, but a citrus more than a bitter orange. An amorphous, citrusy something that is quite pithy and fuzzy rather than skin or flesh. People complain bitterly about how synthetic Sorriso is, and I can understand that they are wanting something else but I don’t find the artificiality annoying. I get a powdery, musky, vanilla that is not a big flamboyant fragrance.
Photo Stolen Flickr
The complaints of Sorriso being a bit generic, unformed and as an underperformer are all valid if you are a dedicated perfumista. I also feel that at this pricepoint I want something that will make my eyes roll in the back of my head before it does the can can, washes the dishes and gently fellates me. What I get is a soft, powdery vanilla that would be excellent at a MUCH lower cost but at $265/100ml from LuckyScent I think I’ll give it a pass.
My advice if you’re after a Choc Orange explosion is go to Surrender To Chance: California Chocolate by Olympic Orchids, 1270 by Frapin or Bitter Orange & Chocolate by Jo Malone,
Do you have a Chocolate Orange favourite you’d like to share with me? I am loving most of them sick right now.
Portia xx
If the perfume just did the dishes at that price point, I might consider it! (You have also made me very very curious about Interlude Man 🙂 ). I have not tried any of the chocolate orange perfumes you mentioned. I do, however, like OO Seattle Chocolate very much so I am much more open to the idea of chocolate in perfume (and this is coming from someone who hasn’t tried many gourmands). I’ll have to look for some new samples, thanks for the inspiration and humor!
Hi there Nemo,
Seattle Chocolate is one I don’t think I’ve tried from Olympic Orchids, it must be almost the ONLY one. I will rectify.
Yes, anything to get the dishes done, you are so right.
Interlude Man, OMG!
Portia x
Wonderful review! And you WILL give us a quick review if you do find a ‘fume that fills your requirements for that price point, won’t you?? 😉 I needed a laugh. As for chocolate orange, I know of none in perfume form and will have to stick with the edibles, which I am craving something fierce right now. I rarely meet a gourmand that really does it for me, but I think I want one for when I have that itch. Are there some gourmands you just can’t live without?
Hey there Elena,
That depends on your definition of Gourmand. If gourmand means it smells of some foods, rather than only smelling of bakery and baking, then yes. Shalimar is an orange vanilla ice cream swirl, Liberte by Cacharel is BarBQ oranges, Bombay Bling by Nella Vermeire is a fruit basket at Mardi Gras, Wild Ginger Chai by SOIVOHLE is even better than the real thing and Kashmir Spice by Ava Luxe is as named. ALL Of these I cannot live without. As for a bakery gourmand, Spiritueuse Double Vanille by Guerlain is the only one I groan for so far.
Portia xx
Thanks! I really like Shalimar and love Bombay Bling so I will definitely have to check out your other recommendations. Wild Ginger Chai sounds delicious.
I am still chuckling at my desk here at work over that line : ) Thank you for bringing a much-needed smile today.
p.s. I bought Neela Vermeire’s discovery set after your review – can’t wait to get it. Thanks for that review!!
Hey Sandy,
If you get even one tenth the amount of enjoyment out of Neela Vermeire’s work that I do you will DEFINITELY have the eye roll experience. My first spray of Mohur I had to go and sit down, completely overwhelmed.
Bombay Bling I liked but didn’t really understand till my partner Jin wore it and Trayee (which is a Christopher Chong of Amouage named masterpiece in his Top 10 frags of all time) is becoming more and more a favourite as I get to spend time with it and understanding its complexities.
Portia xx
I am a choco junkie but I’ve actually never smelled one in a perfume. On your rec I’m going to add the 2 mentioned at the end of your excellent review to my list of 18,000 at STC ;-). Oh and I feel a trip to the Brit food store coming on for a choc-orange…
Oh SallyM
I can hear you about the STC list. ME TOO!
Portia xx
I nearly choked on my lunch when I read your line,( I’m paraphrasing), my eyes roll in the back of my head, washes the dishes and gently fellates me. Brilliant! When you find that fragrance I want some too. Cheers!
SORRY Bevfred,
As soon as I find it I’ll let you know but for a less modest price I found Interlude Man by Amouage did enough of those things to make it something I can only wear around the house because I can not concentrate on ANYTHING ELSE.
Portia xx
It is hard to find a really good gourmand because they either smell too nasty or it plain doesn’t work. I think in my world, I prefer to smell my food when cooking and eating it as opposed to perfume form. The exception thus far is Frapin’s 1270 even though it can be so boozy that I don’t wear it often.
Yes, Frapin is GOOD at booze. I love that naughty, coming home tipsy, getting a bit sexy vibe with them. Yes I like the smell of cognac though I rarely drink it.
Portia xx
Hey Portia,
Now you’re talking 🙂 I’m a gourmand fiend and was lucky enough to snag a FB of Jo Malone’s Bitter Orange and Chocolate before it became crazy hard to find. I also like her Blue Agave and Cacao, although to me it smells less like chocolate and more like yellow birthday cake. Supposedly there was a Yves Rocher chocolate and orange Fruits de Noel thingy a couple of years ago but that is also impossible to find (it’s on my holy grail list 🙂 ). Favorite chocolates include Montale’s Chocolate Greedy ( Cocoa Puffs!) and when I’m feeling elegant nothing beats Noir de Noir, probably in my top ten of favorite perfumes, ever. Both the Hilde Soliani Ciocco’s are good, especially Ciocco Spezzissimo which has a chocolate/tomato stem accord that makes perfect sense to me – kind of like the perfume equivalent of always wanting chocolate after I eat pizza. Body Made Luminous by Alex is amazing chocolate with tremendous longevity, I spray it on at bedtime and can still smell it in the morning. I’m looking forward to trying the Olympic Orchids you mentioned! Great post!
Heya Lynne Marie,
Yep, gourmands can be VERY DELICIOUS! I have heard of the Yves Rocher one but can’t remember its name. Smell Bent also has some FABULOUS gourmands through the Santa Season. I always try to grab at least one of his oils each yesr. Excellent and very price reasonable.
Portia xx
I love Vanitas, confetto, ambra aurea and fiore D’ambra from this line so much!! Non of them contain chocolate. Hilde Soliani makes some delicious perfumes also. What is it about Italians? Are they naturally attuned to delicious frags?
Hin Katherine,
I am madly in love with Hilde Soliani’s work too. Particularly 24.9.11 but there are others I enjoy too. If you like the Italians then you need to try the Pineider series of fragrances because they are exquisitely created and a joy to wear.
Portia xx
Thank you so much for the tip. I will seek them out.
I have tried several of the Profumum Roma’s gourmand fragrances and I really like them a lot (Acqua e Zucchero, Dulcis in Fundo, Dolce Acqua – and Battito d’Ali, which I love but isn’t a gourmand). I haven’t tried this one but a fragrance friend has and she loves it, so it’s on my list! I wanted to add that I love Hilde Soliani fragrances as well – Vani Choc being a particular favorite 🙂 I have not heard of the Pineider series, but will definitely look them up, and thank you!!
Hey Shuvanidev,
YAY! Another Hilde Soliani fan. I will look out my Hilde gear and do a review of one in the near future for you all.
Portia xx
Fantastic!
I’m not a gourmand lover, or even a liker, but I really appreciated your thorough, complete review of this scent. Thanks for giving it such careful consideration. The humor was enjoyable, too!
Hey DinaC,
You are sweet to drop in and say hi.
I am sad a bit when I don’t love things, but I am disappointed and especially when there is some excellent Choc Orange going around right now at a much more reasonable price.
Having said that, it may just not work on my skin and be a dream on someone else.
Portia xx
I like Musc Maori for a chocolate perfume. Some people get orange out of it, too. I’ve never worn it out of the house, but it’s nice to wear on a snowy Sunday morning. If I want to do anything besides snuggle on the couch in pjs, I have to wash it off. I feel lazy and sluggish and happy just thinking about it…
I have worn Musc Moari, I think I may even have blogged about the experience and enjoyed wearing it. Do you think I can remember a damn thing about how it smells. I wonder if I have the sample/decant still?
Portia xx
I like Musc Maori as well – milk chocolate on me – very nice…..
LOL! I would rather eat a bug than go the Chocolate in Perfume route and since you didn’t even get fellated a leeetle bit, I have no problem ay-tawl, passing on this one.
btw – Bruno is home, sending love and hugs to you. He’s already figuring out how to navigate the house, which is great. The meds are a whole different story.
xoxoxoA
Hey Pretty Lady,
Ha Ha ha! Eat a bug, HA HA HA!
So glad Bruno is home. Big hug to you my buddy.
Portia xx
Yay, Bruno’s home, that’s good news.
You guys! thanks! he’s doing okay! xoxoox
so glad Bruno is home
Hi Musette! I’m so glad Bruno’s home. Did they figure out what’s wrong? Is the blindness permanent?
(Sorry Portia for this here but I’ve been thinking about Bruno and M since I heard and I didn’t know how else to ask about him).
Doh! In my haste to find out I didn’t see your reply already in the original post. Keeping everything crossed that the meds will get rid of the blindness and they can figure it all out. xx
Hooray that Bruno’s home — so happy to hear this! Fun post, Portia!
Thanks for the review, Portia. I am not a gourmand lover, not even a liker, so I probably won’t work too hard to sniff this perfume. Now, if I could find a perfume that washes the dishes, let alone provide sexual gratification, I’d be all over it. Or, it would be all over me. Something along those lines.
Hi Martha,
I quite like gourmand, Shalimar being my al;l time fave frag put me firmly on the road to Gourmandisia.
And yes, if only fragrance could perform those tasks, they do make the tasks easier and funner though when you smell amazing and have clean dishes.
Portia xx
I despise chocolate in my perfume (though not in my mouth, yum), so this is far far off my radar screen, but I was really amused at your list of requirements for a fragrance this expensive. Mwah.
YAY! Nice to see you MalsNano86,
I love reading your updates at Muse In Wooden Shoes. You’ve been wearing Lyric and Cuir de Lancome. We are scent twins some days.
Portia xx