Annette Neuffer
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
Bitter orange and clementine crackle against galbanum's green, slightly metallic edge, whilst Indian bay leaf adds a subtle spiced warmth. The citrus feels bracing and incisive—almost tart—and you'd be forgiven for thinking this might be a cheerful daylight fragrance.
Coffee blossom's honeyed, slightly waxy character emerges, intertwining with champaca's orchid-like creaminess and tuberose's indolic floral depth. Here lies the fragrance's soul: coffee becomes perfumed, florals become grounded. The frangipani adds a creamy tropical note whilst ylang ylang smooths the transition toward sweetness, though the coffee absolute never truly retreats, maintaining an earthy counterpoise.
Bourbon vanilla and cocoa rise gently, meeting balsamic notes' subtle, resinous amber-like warmth. Patchouli and woody accords create a soft, skin-scent close that remains faintly floral and faintly caffeinated, lingering with a powdery-gourmand whisper rather than projection.
Flor de Café presents itself as a peculiar collision between the perfumer's garden and the espresso bar—a fragrance that refuses to choose between florals and coffee, instead forcing them into an uneasy, fascinating conversation. The opening bristles with sharp citrus and galbanum's green bite, but these are merely the doorway. What captivates is the heart's audacious pairing of coffee blossom absolute with champaca and tuberose, creating an effect that's simultaneously creamy and slightly bitter, reminiscent of inhaling the steam from a cappuccino whilst surrounded by jasmine-laden air.
This is not a comfort fragrance masquerading as sophistication. Rather, it's genuinely conflicted—the coffee absolute lends an almost savoury earthiness that prevents the florals from becoming saccharine, whilst the tuberose and ylang ylang ensure the composition never descends into pure café-noir austerity. The base's bourbon vanilla and cocoa add a soft warmth, though balsamic notes and patchouli keep things grounded and slightly smoky, preventing any hint of cheap gourmand excess.
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3.9/5 (80)