Madagascar Le Baume Vanille • Parfum d'Empire

House Parfum d'Empire
Released 2025
Perfumer Marc Antoine Corticchiato
Fragrance Family Classic Resinous
Notes rum, black and pink pepper, cloves, cinnamon, cacao, cedarwood, coconut, vanilla, musk

Description A balm for the heart, which distills the treasures of the vegetation of Madagascar where Marc-Antoine Corticchiato spent countless stays between bush and crops.

A drinkable balm, an olfactory imprint of blond vanilla scents forever etched in the perfumer's memory. The memory of a fabulous beverage created by a young Malagasy woman, reinvented here as a generous fragrance trail.

A vanilla balm, the opulent flesh of a plump, oily pod, split open to release its fragrant black seeds, is expressed in Madagascar through three natural extracts: vanilla tincture, CO2 extract, and absolute. From top notes to base, these rich materials unfold balsamic, animalic aromas that evoke the pod's richness, enriched with hints of wood, leather, hay, and tobacco.

To remain true to this recipe of vanilla pods infused with the heady aroma of rum, Marc-Antoine Corticchiato drew upon the sumptuous palette of Madagascar. Peppercorns, cloves, and cinnamon sticks combine with the earthy depth of cocoa beans. A burst of milky whiteness in this amber elixir, freshly grated coconut flesh enhances its creamy texture.

Particularly rich in balms, oils, and resins, the Malagasy formula requires a traditional craft for its preparation, a skill almost entirely lost today. And, a rare luxury as well, the long maceration process allows each ingredient to fully express its properties.

"It is an unforgettable beverage that I sought to recreate in this vanilla balm. At the time when I spent long periods in Madagascar with my longtime partner Lucien Acquarone, the very friendly and jovial daughter of one of our Malagasy partners once offered me a drink that she concocted herself from natural ingredients of the country, including an impressive bunch of vanilla pods ripened for a long time in the sun. The whole thing macerated for weeks in very old rum, eventually resulting in a unique elixir of profound richness. Even today, the thought of it makes my mouth water!" - Marc-Antoine Corticchiato