Cacao is a dark, bittersweet note based on the roasted beans of the cacao tree, Theobroma cacao. It smells of cocoa powder and dark chocolate, with earthy, slightly dusty and roasted facets rather than sweetness. In perfumery it belongs to the gourmand family and is prized for adding depth to vanilla, patchouli and woody compositions.
What does Cacao smell like?
Cacao smells rich, bitter and roasted, like a spoonful of unsweetened cocoa powder, with dusty, earthy, sometimes slightly fruity or smoky facets. It is drier and less sweet than chocolate notes, which are usually softened with vanillin, milk and sugar. Cocoa absolute is dark and intensely roasted; CO2 extract is fresher and closer to raw cocoa nibs.
Where Cacao comes from
Cacao beans come from pods that grow directly on the trunk of the tree. The beans are fermented, dried and roasted, which develops the aroma. For perfumery, roasted beans or cocoa are extracted with solvents to make cocoa absolute, or with supercritical CO2 to make CO2 extract. Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana grow most of the world's cocoa.
- Also known as: Cocoa, cocoa bean, Theobroma cacao
- Fragrance family: Gourmand
- Type: Natural and synthetic
- Main origins: Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Ecuador, Indonesia, Nigeria, Cameroon
- How it's obtained: Solvent extraction (absolute) or CO2 extraction of fermented, roasted beans
- Key aroma molecules: Pyrazines (such as tetramethylpyrazine), 3-methylbutanal, phenylacetaldehyde
Cacao in perfume history
Cacao was cultivated in Mesoamerica for thousands of years and was consumed by the Maya and Aztecs as a bitter, often spiced drink. Linnaeus named the tree Theobroma, meaning "food of the gods". Cocoa entered perfumery much later, gaining prominence through the gourmand movement and dark, earthy perfumes such as Serge Lutens Borneo 1834 (2005), which paired cocoa with patchouli.
Cacao in modern perfumery
Cacao is valued by niche perfumers as a way to add a sophisticated bitterness to gourmand and woody compositions. The price and supply of cocoa have become volatile in recent years because of disease and weather problems in West Africa, which affects natural extracts.
How Cacao wears and what it pairs with
Cacao is a heart-to-base note with good longevity. It pairs with patchouli, vanilla, tobacco, coffee, orange and mandarin, chilli and pink pepper, and vetiver.
Fragrances featuring Cacao
- Serge Lutens Borneo 1834 (2005)
- Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille (2007)
