Musc Maori is fragrance no. 4 in the Parfumerie Generale line up. The notes are bergamot, Cumaru wood, coffee tree blossom, white musk, cocoa bean, abstract flower accord, tonka bean, vanilla scented musk and amber.

Musc Maori starts with, as promised, bergamot, wood, and coffee, but I don't notice them as separate entities. It has a fizzy quality about it, and for about 10 minutes, it is very reminiscent of an old fashioned New York Egg Cream, that fantastic concoction of milk, chocolate syrup, and seltzer water that is mysteriously hard to find these days, even in the city. I am not a huge fan of chocolate fragrances, whether sophisticated (Serge Lutens Borneo) or just fun (Serendipitous), but those 10 minutes were a real kick. Recently I read an article that suggested that foody fragrances might actually contribute to overeating, and I can certainly vouch for the fact that this fragrance inspired a tremendous longing for a real Egg Cream.

After that, it is a soft, milky vanilla musk with a very subtle chocolate woods undertone. It is sweet, but not as heavy as it sounds. A slight hint of something fizzy lingers on for the first hour, then fades into a velvety, lightly powdered finish. It is very nicely done, and more sophisticated than the Egg Cream part, but I was sorry to see the Egg Cream part go. Recommended for fans of vanilla musk fragrances.

For buying information, see the listing for Parfumerie Generale under Perfume Houses.

Tomorrow: Bvlgari Eau Parfumée au Thé Rouge.