Maison Tahite Cacao In The Sun Review (Lucien Ferrero) 2022 + a tropical delight giveaway

Maison Tahite Cacao In The Sun

Maison Tahite Cacao in The Sun by Olya Bar©

A tropical paradise escape is always welcome, especially when stuck in a big metropolis (will not apply to anyone enjoying the tropical climates of Florida and similar climates if you are overseas). I have already gotten myself quite addicted to the collection of Maison Tahite and all its gourmand glory, just to fall even harder for the latest release – Cacao in The Sun.

Maison Tahite Cacao in The Sun is like a tasty voyage to a scented elsewhere. A tropical island. A sunny beach, where fruits and flowers walk hand in hand with sweet and enveloping notes. A welcoming whiff of suntan lotion with enchanted flowers you would naturally get greeted with when arriving on a tropical vacation starts of this perfume. It transported me to my recent Costa Rica trip and the cacao plantation excursion I fell in love with. My sensory buds were on overload. Quite an unforgettable experience to the heart of the lush green tropics while the most addictive fumes are coming from the freshly roasted cacao beans. I had the pleasure of making my own chocolate paste from the cacao beans after and it was absolutely delicious!

Cacao plantation in Costa Rica

 Cacao beans in Costa Rica by Olya Bar©

The combination of my skin scent, the rich fragrance of the cacao and whiff of exotic flowers in the air was what you would have smelled in that hut. You get the olfactory picture of the exact place I’m sure by now. A refreshing yet sensual combination of roses and lemon with drops of tart blackcurrant juice. It calls for a bohemian kimono with suede tassels, salt in the hair and bronzed skin. The amber color of the apothecary bottle helps convey the story of a delectable potion inside. The gourmand heart is hidden within and starts to peek through as your taste buds begin to react to the appetizing raspberry accord that is layered upon chocolate for extra depth. This is a floral take on a gourmand composition for those who love traveling with their minds and their noses.

best tropical perfumes

Tropical Island via Unsplash

Being a fan of the Vanille and Cacao lines from Maison Tahite I expected a bit more straightforward take on Cacao. Yet, this particular composition by Lucien Ferrero (who has a collection of his own perfumes as well as being the perfumer behind Maison Tahite VaneXstasy reviewed by yours truly and Floranilla) has been woven with more complexity. It makes you salivate before enjoying the actual dish and makes it much more enjoyable. Perfectly in time with the summer heat, I found Maison Tahiti Cacao In The Sun an easy fragrance for most to enjoy. It doesn’t overwhelm your senses, isn’t overly sweet, and blooms in the heat.

Maison Tahite Cacao In The sun review

MaisonTahite Cacao In The Sun by Olya Bar©

 I often find it difficult to wear many of my favorite gourmand compositions in summer simply because the sugar aspect becomes unbearable and almost cloying. So you can understand my hesitation when it was time to test Cacao In the Sun on skin in the blazing heat and notorious humidity of New York City. However, Maison Tahite Cacao In The Sun and its fruity, ambery DNA has proved to be just perfect; warm and rich, it creates that fantastic feeling of stepping off the plane into full vacation mode in some faraway tropical place. A place of zero worries, deadlines and terrible reception, which does wonderful things for us in the end.

Many flowers bloom in the heart of this perfume, a heady, caramelized orange blossom, soft, and slightly powdery suede like iris, and a delicate lily of the valley adding a touch of wet sappiness to the structure. Finally, the aftertaste of a dessert or in this case a fragrance is a creamy and calming base of sandalwood, white musk and a quite a hefty pinch of vanilla, pulling the entire fleet of fragrance accords together under one umbrella.

Costa Rica beautiful photos

Costa Rica 2022 by Olya©

If you enjoyed some of the previous works by Maison Tahite (and gourmands in general), I urge you to try the latest Cacao In The Sun. It’s fruity, enveloping, and optimistic to the core. It makes you feel good, a perfume that does not require a particular occasion. After all, escaping to the tropics should be that easy. One spritz of Cacao In The Sun and you close your eyes, letting your imagination take you away to your happy place, where rivers and lakes are floating with orange blossom flowers, where desserts are delicious and calorie-free, and where worries do not exist. Does this place really exist? For me, it certainly does.  So you’ll have to find out for yourself.

Notes: Rose, Lemon, Blackcurrant, Raspberry, Chocolate,, Iris, Orange blossom, Lily of the valley, Vanilla, Sandalwood, Woody accord, Musk

The bottle was kindly gifted to me but opinions are always my own.

Olya Bar, Editor

Cacao in The Sun Maison Tahite

photo courtesy the brand

Thanks to Maison Tahite, we are offering a 100 ml tester bottle of Maison Tahite Cacao In The Sun for one registered ÇaFleureBon reader in the USA and EU (if you are not sure if you are registered click here.). You must register or your comment will not count. To be eligible, please tell us what you enjoyed  about Olya’s review of Maison Tahite Cacao In The Sun and  where you live. Do you have a favorite from the brand. Draw closes 0720/22

In the USA to test or buy at Indigo Perfumery and Luckyscent

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Please see our 10 Best Tropical Fragrances video

Nicoleta Tomsa’s Review of Vicious Cacao 

Vicious Cacao was a top 10 best of scent 2021 for Nicoleta

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53 comments

  • I am so intrigued that you got to make your own chocolate paste (and was hoping to see some pics lol). Everything about this sounds amazing, but especially the orange blossom and chocolate!

  • WOW Olya I can smell the chocolate through the screen.
    I am really digging summer gourmands
    live in muggy NJ

  • Nikolina_84 says:

    I still haven’t tried anything from the house, but this sounds like my cup of tea, anything gourmand, tropical, sunny is…
    And Olya’s review really makes me want to try it even more! She got me with description “Cacao in The Sun is like a tasty voyage to a scented elsewhere. A tropical island. A sunny beach, where fruits and flowers walk hand in hand with sweet and enveloping notes.”
    Hugs from Croatia, EU. ❤️

  • Olya’s review have me craving chocolate. Summer Gourmands . Love the chance to try this Fragrance. USA

  • brian19869 says:

    Olya’s article is absolutely on point. I just love gourmand fragrances, but NYC weather is never forgiving enough so that one can use gourmands during warmer months. Now, one might talk about controlled environments, but hey, we New Yorkers love to move around and that means a fragrance needs to be enjoyable even though the heat keeps rising. The way this fragrance is described in this article, it gave me a feeling that I was exactly where Olya was and I can smell the wonderful gourmand aroma of chocolate wafting thru the summer breeze. Fantastic description. I’ve never tried anything from this house and definitely looking forward to be able to get my nose on this summer-friendly gourmand.

  • I very love gourmand fragrances. I very love the notes. Those photos are so amazing! Thank you for the chance. I live in Europe.

  • I enjoyed how detailed and beautiful the review was. I live in Poland, EU. I don’t have a favorite from the brand because I never tried any fragrances from this brand. I live in Poland, EU.

  • Giorgia295 says:

    Love this brand, which has good vanilla combination but my favorites form the line are for sire the cacao ones. This sounds interesting because of the combination between cacao and iris.
    Greetings from Italy (EU)

  • Come on guys, I’m on a low-carb diet…. With all the gourmand reviews lately, you’re almost enticed me to eat something sweet , like chocolate bar…bars.
    Cacao In The Sun made by Maison Tahité is cozy kind of fragrance, sweet and inviting. I’m looking for a new tropical-fruity-chocolate experience , and I Cacao In The Sun is absolutely one of the contenders.
    Thanks for the draw
    USA

  • I am not surprised that Maison Tahite Cacao In The Sun turned out to be different than what Olyna initially suspected. The name may lead someone to think it is a gourmand but it has a prominent fruity side to it. I have Carnal Cacao from Maison Tahite and that is also deceptive in the sense that tuberose is the most prominent note in the composition. I am in US.

  • I’m so excited! I am taking a trip to Cleveland on Friday and a visit to Indigo is my main priority. Cacao in the Sun will be on my to-try list. I already have Cacao2 from Maison Tahite. Cacao in the Sun would be its beautiful summery companion. ~Indiana, USA

  • IvanVelikov says:

    Smooth, and up to date chocolate and fruity fragrance , my thoughts on Maison Tahite Cacao In The Sun
    I like the chocolate , and the woody base . For the Winter I can get away with really sweet gourmands, but for the Summer I like the sweetness to be toned down, exactly what Lucien Ferrero did with Cacao In The Sun
    I’m new to the house
    Thank you Olya and Maison Tahite
    USA

  • Review by Olya got me craving chocolate. Summer Gourmands . Love the chance to try this Fragrance, from USA

  • Cacao with exotic flowers, caramelized orange blossom, powdery iris and delicate lily of the valley, fruity, ambery, warm and rich… Oh, Olya described this beautifully! I’m already in love…
    EU

  • Cacao Colection by Maison Tahite is a gourmand olfactory treat, all of them are very easy to wear, joyfull fragrances,Cacao In The Sun seems to fit in line, a true delight! From EU

  • NituNicolae says:

    Calorie-free desert! Sign me up! Who wouldn’t want to smell like Willy Wonka on a tropical vacation. The name says it all, “Cacao in the sun” is more an adventure than a fragrance. Excited for this giveaway. Romania, EU

  • Thank you for the review and story! I was intrigued to see that the notes did not match at all what I had in mind after reading your review. I’d love to try this. Writing from the EU.

  • The rich fragrance of the cacao and whiff of exotic flowers makes it perfect for a summer night! All this tropical scenes makes it perfect for a summer night. From EU.

  • I like this quiet, respectful review. So this Cacao in the Sun is not a game changer, but a comfortable scent – not more, not less. I had the pleasure of smelling the raw material of cacao absolue and immediately liked it. I have yet to find a cacao based perfume that I equally like, most are too sweet for my taste. I’d love to give this one a chance, I didn’t smell anything from this house before. So I’d love to win this to Germany, thank you for the draw!

  • RiccardoC says:

    First of all, I love Maison Thaitè because is an italian brand.
    I very well know Lucien Ferrero (expecially his brand) and I think his perfumery is amazing, and this perfume seem to be no exception.
    Very nice review from Olya, who was able to highlight all the aspects of the fragrance, and expecially how it can be sweet but also suitable for the summer heat…All the wonderful flower must play a key rose.
    Love it, hope to be able to try it.
    Riccardo, Italy EU

  • “Voyage to scented elsewhere” – I just love this line, Olya! It sums up so well why I love to travel. Is conjures this feeling of restlessnesses when you simply know you have to go somewhere, when you just need to go to “scented elsewhere” And when you cannot go perfumes like Maison Tahite Cacao in the sun can take you there with a perfect evocative ingredients and notes list.
    I’m in eu

  • Wow, this sounds perfect for me. I love a gourmand scent and right now a beach,warm, gourmand would be ideal. Thank you for introducing me to this house. In maryland

  • Nice review Olya! I agree with you with my dearest gourmand scents in this torrid summer we are having in south Europe ( ard 40º everyday). I am far from them, and citrus ones are more present. So I love this new Maison Tahite composition. I lived in northern state of Bahia in Brazil for 14 year: a land of cacao plantations and I got used to drink cacao juice made with the mucilage, the pulp surrounding the cacao, and it is so refreshing with sweet and sour flavour with tropical notes of flowers, lychee and peach. This is how I imagine Maison Tahiti Cacao In The Sun. Mr. Ferrero uses a sensual combination of roses and lemon and tart blackcurrant juice to replicate this tart floral taste of the juice. To end an approach to the cocoa we know as a dessert with a creamy base of sandalwood, white musk and vanilla (Maison Tahiti does one of the best Vanilla perfumes too). A paradise far from our reheated streets of Madrid. I live in Spain, EU.

  • I’ve tried a few different vanillas from the Maison Tahite line but not any from the cacao line. It smells like they use really high quality ingredients which is a plus, especially with gourmands; a rarer find. Caramelized orange blossom is the most appealing note here to me; sounds totally my speed. The allusion to stepping off the place at the start of a vacation was a fun touch! And yes…terrible reception can actually be a good thing! I am from New England, USA.

  • I like how Olya describes how and why this can be used in high heat, as it is a little warm in Vegas right now! I have not smelled anything from Maison Tahite yet. NV, USA.

  • olgAPOISON says:

    I enjoyed the description beacuse this Sounds Like a fantasy, summery cacao. I am just a sucker for the cacao perfumes and the notes seem perfect. I live in the EU

  • Thank you for the review Olya. It might be the imagery but this review evoked Los Kjarkas’ Llorando Se Fue and thus took me to Bolivia 🙂 I’ve not yet tried anything from Maison Tahite and would love to start with Cacao In The Sun. I’m in USA

  • I love sweet perfumes which don’t give a toothache, and Cacao in the Sun sounds exactly like that! As Olya describes it, it seems to have a nice fruity and flowery, breezy touch of rose, lemon and berries coating the cocoa core with a soft, creamy presence which manages to satisfy the wish of wearing a sweet fragrance during a hot summer day, which is quite rare.
    I live in the EU.
    Thanks!

  • Olya Bar created a lovely imagery of a vacation in a tropical island with her review of Maison Tahite Cacao In The Sun. We experienced the same delight of making chocolate from cacao beans, but in Honduras. It is great to hear that Maison Tahite Cacao In The Sun does not have the sickening, cloying feel of gourmand perfumes, but instead transports to a heaven where “rivers and lakes are floating with orange blossom flowers, where desserts are delicious and calorie-free, and where worries do not exist.” I am sold 🙂 Unfortunately I haven’t tried this brand, so no favorites, yet. Thanks for the draw and a happy review of a happy perfume. From the USA.

  • Thank you Olya for a review. I really enjoy how complex very and illustrative it was. Perhaps as complex as the fragrance is. Gourmand composition with summer vibe sound really interesting. I’m wondering how the cocoa accords work with the flower notes. I’d love to have opportunity to try it. I live in Poland EU.

  • What I most enjoyed about this evocative review was Olya’s emphasis on its wearability. Just judging from the list of notes, it would be hard to tell whether or not it might be overbearing. But it sounds like it isn’t. A not-too-sweet, summer-appropriate gourmand is very appealing, especially in the middle of another 100°F + week where I live! I’ve heard very good things about this entire line, but I haven’t had a chance to try any of them. I’m in Oklahoma, USA. Thanks, as always for the draw!

  • Uncle1979 says:

    Olya Bar take on Maison Tahite Cacao reminded me of making Chocolate and Cassis Ganache Cake, with fresh strawberries on top, and eating it while in Costa Rica.
    I like how Olya learned to make her own Chocolate paste in Costa Rica, I know the feeling.
    In my fragrance collection gourmands are over 80% , I wear them all year round.
    Appreciate the review, and the giveaway campaign
    USA

  • GennyLeigh says:

    A trip to a cacao plantation on a tropical vacation sounds delightful and delicious. The combination of the roasting cacao beans with orange blossom, iris and assorted fruits just sounds good and I can imagine would put a smile on almost anyone’s face. Love the bottle too! I haven’t tried anything from Maison Tahite but must rectify that soon. I’m from MD, USA.

  • Olya!!!
    ❤️❤️❤️ Love your review!! This fragrance does make me think of Costa Rica, too!
    My favorite Maison Tahite scent remains Sel Vanille, but Cacao in the Sun sounds gorgeous! It is difficult to find a gourmand that blooms and really fits the hot summer weather. I’m definitely intrigued. Thank you for this amazing opportunity! ❤️❤️ USS

  • Luca Maffei creation called Vicious Cacao i tried, and bought because of Nicoleta Tomsa review here, on Cafleurebon. My favorite Maison Tahite
    Cacao In The Sun is another guilty pleasure fragrance, Olay made me think of Kir Royale with Creme de Cassis , served on a plate with grapes , nuts and chocolate , why not on some private beach in Costa Rica ?
    Thank you for the opportunity
    USA

  • As I have worked 7 days a week for some time now, I enjoyed reading this and having it take me on vacation! I look forward to sampling this with the vivid way you described how it seems to be able to transport you to the islands. Never have tried the line. Thanks.
    Tennessee, USA

  • wandering_nose says:

    Thank you Olya! A very tasteful and tasty review! I would love to have an opportunity to make my own chocolate paste, I bet the experience is something truly special. I have been wishing to try a nice gourmand for a while but the idea of the sweetness becoming cloying and possibly headache – inducing in higher temperatures has kept me hesitant. Cacao In The Sun sounds like the perfect marriage of the gourmand heart with fruits, flowers and some warm, ambery depth. I love that it doesn’t overwhelm the senses, isn’t overly sweet, and blooms in the heat, bringing to mind exotic landscapes. I haven’t had the opportunity to try an of the Maison Tahite fragrances as of yet. Based in EU

  • Laurentiu says:

    This house sounds very fun and I like the concept around which was built on.
    Never tried anything from them, but would love to start with Cacao in the Sun.
    Thank you! Europe

  • This fragrance sounds like a perfect smell for these hot days of summer. A fruity (but not too sweet), floral and cacao. Warm and rich and a reminder for the tropics and overall beauty that it convenes. I have not tried any maison tahite fragrances yet.
    Maryland, US

  • A tropical gourmand just sounds like everything I was needing in a fragrance! The notes, the mix of flower, the fruitness, everything blends into something unique and something I really hope to try soon.
    I really wish to try this fragrance for the uniqueness of it.
    USA here.

  • The survey of tropical fragrances you shared last week has me pulling out samples that include sweet nectars, boozy notes, and fragrant island flowers. The smell of freshly roasted cacao beans hadn’t come to mind, but now that I’ve read Olya’s review of Cacao in the Sun, they’re getting added to that list of notes. The addition of raspberry accord, lemon, and blackurrent juice also make Cacao in the Sun seem wonderfully varied, and I’m intrigued to hear it doesn’t read as heavy and unbearably sweet as most gourmands (especially in warm weather). This perfume sounds delightful, transportive, and unique.

    I’m in the midwest USA, and I haven’t tried any Maison Tahite fragrances. I’d love to try this one.

  • Michael Prince says:

    I loved Olya’s review of Maison Tahite Cacao In The Sun is how she related this fragrance and Cacao Beans to her recent summer trip to Costa Rica. I’m a huge fan of gourmand fragrances and Cacao in the Sun with fruity and floral touches. I’ve heard so many great things for Maison Tahite. I haven’t tried anything from the brand yet, so I don’t have a favorite. I am from the USA.

  • safegotem says:

    These seems to be a sexy semi gourmand fragrance. Would love to try it.
    Martinsville, Virginia USA
    Instagram: @safegotem

  • foreverscents says:

    I definitely got a sense of optimism and of escape when I read Olya’s review of Cacao in the Sun. I always love a fragrance with chocolate and flowers. The raspberry note in this scent appeals to me. I would love to wear this fragrance when I need an instant escape.
    I haven’t tried anything from Maison Tahite.
    I live in the USA.

  • Like Olya, I have also really enjoyed Maison Tahite’s offerings. The experience of making your own chocolate paste from the Costa Rican cacao beans does sound delicious! I agree that Cacao in the Sun is a floral gourmand and the notes all come together very well. As Olya points out, it does bloom in the heat but I also think it will smell equally as delicious during the other seasons. The combination of fruits, flowers, and chocolate works well anytime (at least in my opinion). It is an optimistic and feel-good perfume and I completely agree with everything Olya wrote in her review. I really enjoy Maison Tahite and like many of their offerings, such as Cacao2 and Vicious Cacao. Cacao in the Sun is easily one of my favorites, as well. Thank you, Olya, for the great review, and thank you to Maison Tahite for the giveaway. I would love to own a bottle! I am located in the USA.

  • WaltherP99 says:

    I smelled both the Vanilla, and the Cacao Collections, and i like all , but one .
    If I have to rate my favorite ones:
    1. Vicious Cacao
    2. Cacao 2
    3. Vanextasy
    Cacao in The Sun I think is comforting new Summer gourmand with chocolate, raspberries and iris , well suited for the season deliciousness.

    “Yet, this particular composition by Lucien Ferrero (who has a collection of his own perfumes as well as being the perfumer behind Maison Tahite VaneXstasy”

    And also the two , almost hidden gems , Itasca and Vetiver by Lubin.
    I mentioned the fact already, still… other than Laboratorio Olfattivo and Maison Tahité , under the KAON umbrella there’s one really underrated house called Jacques Zolty, in my opinion you should introduce the brand to all Cafleurebon subscribers. I’m a fan of Cubata, it’s actually my scent of the day.
    All profiles I already follow , i also follow @jacqueszolty @waltherp99bg
    Thanks a lot
    USA

  • patrick_348 says:

    I have never tried anything from Maison Tahite, so I can’t list a favorite, but this scent seems like a good place to start. I like the way Olya has found a way to talk about the subtleties of a fragrance that sounds like it is not at all loud or extreme, but rather is nuanced and balanced. I live in North Carolina in the USA.

  • petergigov says:

    I have no experience with Maison Tahite, Cacao In The Sun is delicious chocolate fruity fragrance , appropriate not just for the Winter , but all year round.
    The iris and raspberries are nice additions to a chocolate perfume , it’s made by successful perfumer like Lucien Ferrero , I’m in.
    Nice giveaway, USA
    Regards

  • Regis Monkton says:

    This fragrance sounds very good to me. I’m interested to try it for multiple reasons, e.g. I like when Olya describes it as “a floral take on a gourmand composition”. I want to try the high-quality use of vanilla that this company is known for. I haven’t tried anything from them yet. I live in the U.S.A.

  • This sounds really luscious! I always worry about gourmands in the high heat, but this one sounds like it was built for it. A little bit of floral, and I think the iris is a different touch to pair with it. Since I’m not going anywhere far away this summer, I’m relying on my fragrances to give me that vacation vibe this year!
    I live in the USA. Thanks for the giveaway!

  • wallygator88 says:

    Always a fan of this house! They have the most interesting interpretations of gourmands.

    Cheers from WI, USA