Tonka Bean Perfume – coumarin, hay and almond

Tonka bean in perfumery: the seed that smells of cut hay

An Amazonian seed, not a bean

The name is misleading: the tonka bean has nothing to do with a vegetable. It is the seed of Dipteryx odorata, a thirty-metre tree growing in Venezuela, Brazil and Nigeria. The fruit looks like a large almond; inside is a wrinkled black seed that smells of almost nothing when fresh. Everything happens next: it is dried, then cured in alcohol or water, and it is during that stage that coumarin crystallises on its surface as a fine white down. Perfumery draws an absolute from it, today one of the most widely used natural ingredients in the world.

What does tonka bean smell like?

Of cut hay drying in the sun, first of all. Then, as it settles, of almond, blond caramel, tobacco and a hint of rum. There is also a discreet bitterness, almost a bark note, that keeps it from turning sugary. That is what sets it apart from vanilla, with which it is often confused: tonka is drier, more powdery, less milky. On skin it takes half an hour to unfold and then lasts a very long time, staying close to the body.

Tonka bean perfumes at Soleil d'Or

Soleil Tonka by Chambre52, signed by Jean-Christophe Hérault, gives the most direct reading: the material is the subject, sunlit and warm. Velvet Tonka by BDK Parfums takes it towards woody velvet, and Gris Charnel, from the same house, pairs it with black tea and fig. Ambre Latte by Essential Parfums, composed by Jordi Fernández, melts it into a milky amber. Darker, Naxos by Xerjoff marries it to honey and tobacco.

Tonka bean accords and fragrance families

Tonka is the founding note of fougere perfumes: the coumarin it carries made possible, in 1882, the creation of Fougère Royale and of the whole family that followed. Paired with lavender and oakmoss, it forms the aromatic accord that still structures men's perfumery today. With vanilla and caramel it tips towards gourmand perfumes; with leather and immortelle, towards dry, smoky compositions. Finally it serves as a discreet binder in a great many woody perfumes, where it rounds things off without showing itself.

Who is it for, and when?

Tonka is unisex, and one of the easiest notes to wear: it offends no one, stays close to the body and gives an impression of comfort rather than display. Its warmth points it towards autumn and winter, where it comes into its own on a jumper or a scarf, but the dry powdery readings work very well in between seasons. One thing worth knowing: tonka amplifies a great deal on warm skin, and it is regulated — perfumes contain it in capped doses, which is why some older compositions have been reformulated.

How to choose your tonka bean perfume

The first thing to settle is whether you are after the hay-and-almond side or the caramel-and-rum side: the same word covers two very different directions. Try it on skin and wait thirty minutes — tonka shows almost nothing on spraying. The bespoke discovery box brings together five 2 mL samples composed by hand, each to be worn for a full day. To get your bearings, compare a sunlit gourmand tonka such as Soleil Tonka with a tonka melted into a woody base such as Velvet Tonka.

Tonka bean at Soleil d'Or, a Lille perfumery since 1953

Founded in 1953 by Jeanne Muyllaert on the Grand'Place in Lille, Soleil d'Or is an independent perfumery passed down from one generation to the next. Hubert Maës (third generation) turned it into a reference for niche perfumery; today his daughters Victorine and Apolline Maës (fourth generation) uphold the same standards at 22 rue de la Clef, Lille (59800). Our team will let you smell the tonka bean perfumes in the catalogue, with expert advice and guided trials, and can point you in the right direction using our guide to fragrance families.

Delivery & free in-store collection in Lille

Within mainland France, Colissimo delivery is free from €49 to a pickup point and from €59 to your door. Within Europe, it is free from €99 to a pickup point and from €149 to your door, depending on the destination; we also ship worldwide. Live in Lille or the surrounding area? Free in-store collection at 22 rue de la Clef is the fastest and most economical option. Full terms on our shipping page.