Choc
Pierre Cardin (1981)

I am grateful to have found a bottle of this marvelous citrus floral chypre where the top notes have nearly no degradation over time (dumb luck, I tell you) and that is where the magic of Choc begins: in its top notes of lemon and bergamot, with sheer green undertones. Francoise Caron definitely knows her way around citruses, as evidenced in the classic Hermes Eau d'Orange Verte.

However, she really is a master of exalting mossy notes. After all, she is responsible for the infinitely dense oakmoss bomb R de Capucci, and the iconic Le 3e Homme de Caron. Here, with Choc, the moss is in swaths, punctuated by a cool iris, and only reined in by aromatic florals in its heart. Civet isn't necessarily salacious here; it colors the moss with just a bit of animal vivacity, buttered with sandalwood in the dry down.

There is this restraint to Choc that sets it apart from many chypres of its time: it wants not to knock anyone over, it has come hither stares and invitations to lean in. There is no discord, which can't be said for the deluge of chypre attempts that overwhelm the market today. It's all harmonics, an elegant consonance that violates all modern conventions of what is truly "haute parfumerie" (who knows what that really is anyhow).

Now here is a perfume with attitude. I have never smelled anything that is even slightly similar to Choc. It is very well balanced, fruity yet dry, assertive yet classy. The middle floral notes are not overpowering while the chypre base is not too dark nor too hard. Choc has this crips clean feel to it that is rather rare in women's perfume. It has not been available here for many years and I truly miss it. I wish I could find a man EDT that would remind me of this wonderful fragrance.

Wow, this was a surprise... not floral, not spicy, not really fruity. Oh I know... It's Z-14 pour femme! Very unusual, to say the least.

I haven't smelled Choc for 2 decades and yet when I sniffed Knize Sec it all came back to me.First there is a waft of mango, exotic fruit, very ripe and sunny, then it darkens and gets edgy and rough, raspy, deep and strange. The basenotes are heavy: if I remember well, patchouli and amber.The sillage was wonderful and everlasting; it even stayed in my memory during all these years.I remember smelling it on a friend and wearing it afterwards. She drove a Datsun Cherry (which she tended herself) and was a chain smoker, cute as a doll, smart and reckless. Like Choc.This scent is a stunner, and so loveable.