Chanel Coromandel Decant

Coromandel is from Les Exclusifs, Chanel's quieter and considerably more interesting line, and it has the most devoted following of the lot. It is built on patchouli — not the hippie oil kind, but a refined, almost chocolatey patchouli that has had every earthy edge polished off. Frankincense adds a dry smokiness and a white chocolate accord in the base makes it faintly gourmand without ever becoming a dessert.

It is rich, dark, extremely smooth and it lasts. Eight to ten hours is typical and it leaves a trail. Coromandel is also one of the very few fragrances that is convincingly unisex at this level of intensity — it is worn about equally by men and women and smells expensive on both.

At Les Exclusifs prices a bottle is a serious purchase, and the fragrance is distinctive enough that you should be certain. This is a 5 ml decant if there ever was one.