Anima Dulcis by Arquiste

Let’s start by listing the notes appearing on the Arquiste website: Top notes: Sesame seed, cinnamon, and oregano. Heart notes: Clove, cumin, night jasmine, and smoked chilli infusion (anchovies, guajillo, and chipotle). Base notes: Mexican vanilla, cacao absolute, and chypre-oriental accord. The cacao note is present from start to finish, so starting from that base, I will try to convey the main differences I noticed in its evolution. The opening is the most spiced and spicy part of its development. The cacao is felt alongside the cinnamon and the spicy touch of the chilli infusion. It would be something like a hot cacao drink, with spicy spices and pieces of dark chocolate on top. While it is true that it lists oregano as a top note, I did not detect any herbal nuance. Gradually, the spicy and peppery effect fades and a smoky smell similar to incense gains presence, making its way without making much noise. After a few hours, the perfume smells of dark chocolate but without detaching from that smoky tone below. The spices are quite diluted, although that spicy nuance can still be appreciated occasionally. In the final dry-down, after several hours, the perfume becomes slightly sweeter, with the vanilla being more noticeable here but never reaching the protagonist role. The cacao and smoke remain present, but it’s as if a pinch of sugar and vanilla had been added to the spicy hot drink of the beginning. It is not a drastic change; rather, I would say that from the second phase until the end, the perfume becomes quite linear, but I can perceive that slight difference. Good performance. It can easily last eight hours on the skin and be worn without issues. At first, it gives the impression that it won’t be overly powerful, but it doesn’t fall short either. Better for cold climates, and I see it more as a night perfume. It seems more masculine to me. That spicy, dark, chocolatey smell with the smoke seems more suited to male skin. But as I always say, that is very personal. Personal opinion: although I liked it, it didn’t steal my heart, to put it some way. I believe the perfume is undoubtedly good; I perceive the notes as quality and the performance is good, but the main problem is that I have already smelled similar (not identical) perfumes before, such as California Chocolate and Seattle Chocolate by Olympic Orchids, Belgian Choco Truffle by Dua Fragrances, or Ore by Slumberhouse. The scent itself is original, and I recommend it totally to those who like the smell of dark chocolate, but personally, having already smelled something similar, it becomes a bit tiresome. Also, it seems too linear for much of its development, and smelling that chocolatey scent for so many hours also ends up tiring me a bit. A good perfume? Yes. But not for me.

This perfume was a hit by the developers of l’Arquiste; they didn’t go looking for complications or the holy grail of olfaction, simply taking an idea that already works, a sensual spiced chocolate drink, and turning it into a fragrance. Just by the choice of ingredients, success is assured: cacao, paprika, cinnamon, and a little vanilla (in that specific order), who doesn’t like this? According to the advertising, Anima Dulcis is based on a drink served at the Real Convento de Jesús María in Mexico City in the late 17th century, along with the convent’s own aromas. For me, Arquiste delivers on its promise; this fragrance is a revitalising scent, a cacao elixir that gives you strength and spirit to get through the day. Its scent is not that of the typical sugary, childish gourmand perfume; it is quite dark, with total predominance of dark semi-sweet cacao mixed with paprika which accents the note very well but only tingles slightly in its dry-down; the cinnamon is felt in the background and very lightly, and we have the vanilla at the end. At first, some spices or herbs similar to basil are felt. It is totally unisex and well-designed to attract attention, but with style and a mature feel, obviously for cold seasons; the sweat of warm days would surely spoil the fragrance, apart from being very heavy. The longevity is long-lasting: around 9 hours, and I am also satisfied with the trail, which is noticeable but not overwhelming. Its price is around €165 for 55ml, so it must be loved to purchase it, but if you are crazy about the cacao notes, I think it is worth the effort because surely Anima Dulcis will not disappoint; personally, I found it excellent.