Tonka Impériale Guerlain 2010

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Top 10 in Unisex Perfume

8.7 / 10955 Ratings

Tonka Impériale is a popular perfume by Guerlain for women and men and was released in 2010. The scent is sweet-gourmand. The longevity is above-average. It is still available to purchase. Pronunciation

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Perfumer

Thierry Wasser

Fragrance Notes

Top Notes	Bergamot Almond Rosemary
Heart Notes	Jasmine Tonka bean Tobacco
Base Notes	Frankincense Cedarwood Stone pine wood

Ratings

Scent

8.7955 Ratings

Longevity

8.2780 Ratings

Sillage

7.1780 Ratings

Bottle

8.7731 Ratings

Value for money

6.7185 Ratings

Submitted by Ripieno, last update on 09.05.2022.

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Reviews

04/23/2022

9.5
Scent 8
Longevity 8
Sillage 9
Bottle 8
Pricing

GoLeafsGo7
17 Reviews

GoLeafsGo7

Guerlain's Fascinating Take on Tonka Bean

Tonka Impériale is my go-to tonka bean fragrance. To my nose, it also has prominent accents of honey, gingerbread, almond and tobacco, with an amber-heavy base of benzoin and vanilla. During the scent journey, I detect numerous facets to the fragrance: there is a caramel-like creamy and buttery texture; it also has a marzipan-like quality with tonka bean giving it a baked cherry pie vibe; some green touches from the aromatic rosemary and pine, the smoky incense and the woody cedar harmonize the fragrance and prevent it from going full-on gourmand.

I would categorize it as a unisex fragrance with decent performance on my skin. It is a staple in my fall and winter rotation. Tonka Impériale beautifully captures the essence of Guerlinade and is a must-try for tonka bean and Guerlain aficionados.

02/25/2022

9
Scent 9
Longevity 5
Sillage 9
Bottle 8
Pricing

Oriane
127 Reviews

Oriane

Another Total Triumph for Thierry Wasser and Guerlain

Tonka Imperiale is another seriously beautiful, sophisticated, and elegant perfume from perfumer Thierry Wasser for the legendary House of Guerlain. Wasser's composition does not merely rival but it completely surpasses Spiritueuse Double Vanille by the divine Jean-Paul Guerlain, which is saying a lot as far as I am concerned.

Like SDV, Tonka Imperiale is classified as an amber fragrance, and like SDV, it also borders on gourmand for me but in a much more intoxicating way.. It is beautifully blended. Tonka bean, almond, tobacco, and incense are the standout notes for me, although I do detect a bit of rosemary and a smidge of pine that help to temper the sweetness whilst the jasmine lends just a whisper of floral delicacy to the composition. It has a quite boozy dimension to it as well which I love. I imagine the booziness comes from the tonka and the almond, or perhaps there is a note of a deep, dark rum or cherry brandy that imparts that quality to this fragrance but is not listed in the notes pyramid? It feels somewhat gourmand to me in its top and heart notes, but it is a grownup, semi-gourmand if I may put it that way. It never becomes candy sweet, and it never becomes totally edible. Here Wasser has achieved the most wonderful balance of notes.

This lovely fragrance seems unisex to me although I think more women would be attracted to it than would men. It is elegant and understated in a way that Dior Feve Delicieuse, a true gourmand fragrance to which Tonka Imperiale is often compared, is not. Projection is within arm's length, and sillage is moderate. Longevity is quite good on my skin. It becomes a skin scent on me after about 2-3 hours, but there it lingers for a good 10-12 hours of pure bliss.

Tonka Imperiale melds with my skin in the heart and in the deep dry down in a way that smells so delicious and a bit boozy, but it does so in a very natural way as if my own skin produced the fragrance instead of a perfume. Now, that is sexy! For me, it is definitely full bottle worthy, and I would purchase it again once I use up this bottle. It is a wonderful fragrance for evenings in Autumn and Winter especially, whether at home in front of the fire or going out for a nice supper and a moonlight stroll, but of course I will not restrict myself to wearing this beauty in Autumn and Winter only! Very highly recommended. This is an utter triumph for Wasser and Guerlain. Kudos, M. Wasser! Encore, encore!!! {{{Applause!! Applause!!!}}}

Fragrance: 9/10
Projection: 5/10
Sillage: 6/10
Longevity: 9/10
Presentation: 9/10

11/05/2021

Daniela42

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Daniela42

Cozy days

A very pleasant Oriental , with a delicious scent of almonds, vanilla, a little acidic bergamot and a fine tobacco note of good quality. I also feel jasmine, but I smell it other fruity notes, slightly exotic, but I do not see them listed, maybe it just seems to me ..
Perfect for cold and grey days when you need something calming ❤️

1 Reply

10/08/2021

10
Scent 8
Longevity 6
Sillage

Vikita

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Vikita

Cozy, peaceful skin scent

Curious to test these expensive fragrances arrived months ago a bottling of TI.
Strange was the first impression. So woody, sweet but somehow not, such a low H/S, which left me speechless.
Then I tested it again, again and again and now this is probably the most beautiful fragrance out there.
The top note right after spraying on is herbaceous, right after that woody and sweet comes across, but so natural and absolutely not artificial at all. After minutes it's so comforting, cozy, but I don't smell it throughout. There's always a hint coming up and I think less is more with this scent. The other person has to get really close to smell one, but it smells delicious! And I find just this H/S so beautifully familiar and just right. It's mysterious and intimate, because I determine who can smell me ;-).
Absolutely terrific art and I look forward to the further fragrances of this series and think that I then one day unfortunately have to spend quite a lot of money on this.
But for this beautiful feeling of being at peace with yourself and the world in the moment is absolutely breathtaking.
I think I just needed to 'understand' the fragrance, or I've gone completely mad ???♀️?

4 Replies

08/08/2021

9
Scent 8
Longevity 7
Sillage

Paris91

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Paris91

Top Review 28

Tonka Impériale vs. Fève Délicieuse

Incentive

Fève Délicieuse has been in my possession for a while now. However, I've always found Guerlain's L'Art et la Matière interesting. Especially when Cuir Beluga joined my collection and Spiritueuse Double Vanille came under my nose, I was hooked.

Tonka Impériale I wanted to have then also absolutely, read however often that he Fève Délicieuse would be so extremely similar. Unfortunately, I then never had the opportunity in Corona times to test somewhere. So thing checked off... But so really he has not let me go of course, so's not with me :D

For those who don't feel like reading to the end: For ME, are TI and FD despite sticking out tonka bean no fragrance twins. So who -like me at first- has concerns that they could smell the same: No, they don't! For that, I didn't even have to spray FD on myself for comparison during the first test of TI. What I did, however, for accurate analysis.

Tonka Impériale

TI comes directly with a sweet marzipan note, but becomes spicier after a few minutes by the rosemary. Directly rausriechen I can not, however. Is me also right so. The sweetness of the beginning then withdraws after a few minutes. The light marzipan note remains on my skin until the end. Tobacco I do not smell out directly.

To all those who are afraid of tobacco notes: Tobacco as a fragrance note does not always have to smell like cigarettes / cigarillo -as in Amouage's Sunshine Woman- (sorry but I found that too much...) Sometimes tobacco just supports the spice or even makes it a little sensual as here with incense. TI doesn't go through a great evolution on my skin. To me, Tonka Impériale doesn't smell Christmasy despite the sweetness and woody notes. However, definitely a scent for the colder days compared to FD, which can be worn in slightly warmer temperatures. As for the longevity and sillage, I must say that for the price, it did disappoint me a bit. The shelf life is about 6-7 hours and the fragrance does not have an extremely good sillage either. After about 1-2 hours I have to hold my wrist to my nose to smell it better. I have the same problem with Cuir Beluga. The holds however still worse at me ;(
Unisex? Definitely. 50:50!

Fève Délicieuse

Already when spraying on the wrist I notice the difference. FD starts balsamic powdery. The balsamic has what of a nice spicy body oil. It stays that way for a while until a slight lipstick note emerges and the scent becomes slightly sweet-chocolatey (but only very subtly). Gourmand sweet? On my skin, no. If I had to describe it, it would be more spicy-powdery with a hint of sweetness. As far as longevity goes, this one is way ahead. It lasts the whole working day on my skin. I find the sillage to be pleasant. Not too extreme, but also not too weak. Find for the price you should also expect a certain presence. Is indeed a ladies fragrance but could also be worn well by men. If I had to determine now, I would say but rather feminine.

@!Conclusion*

Tonka Impériale and Fève Délicieuse are for me two beautiful fragrances that go in a similar direction, but do not smell the same. Who is considering a purchase of both, but I would still advise to test both, not to mention that blind purchases in the price segment can already hurt a lot if they do not like.

This was not meant to be a professional analysis, because I'm not an expert on that.
This review should simply be helpful for people who, like me, are interested in both fragrances and would like to know in advance which because rather fit or whether it's maybe both :)

6 Replies

08/03/2021

10
Scent 8
Longevity 7
Sillage 10
Bottle 8
Pricing

Loo

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Loo

My December scent

I had already heard so many positive things about these fragrances and had not found a store in my area that carries these scents....until a few weeks ago...all I can say is they are so incredibly good...I bought 4 bottles right away because they are so different and wonderful that I just could not decide.

One of the best gourmands and tonka bean scents I know! The fragrance is sweet, smells like marzipan and is for me indispensable in the cold season. Especially around Christmas time, no scent is more apt than this one! The sillage is quiet and just as reflective as the Christmas season. I also find it wonderful for bedtime.

Who likes Tonka will love Tonka Impériale!

2 Replies

05/12/2021

10
Scent 8
Longevity 8
Sillage 9
Bottle

Jasminroedig

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Jasminroedig

Very helpful Review 32

The Last of the 4 Musketeers

You know when you sniff a fragrance for the first time and your head fills with thoughts of disappointment? All the opinions and descriptions that appealed to you so much, made you request the fragrance, you can't understand. I felt the same way about Tonka Imperiale, in addition to Angelique Noire. Unlike Cuir Beluga and Spiritueuse Double Vanille, this one challenged my nose a bit. This nutty-warm-smoky character was like a milestone I reached in my journey through the fragrance world through Tonka. Even the second test triggered next to nothing in me. From 5ml became 4ml, from 4 became 3... and then - without warning

it was love.
There's this heartwarming tobacco that has a presence to knock down. There's also an almond note that rounds out the scent in a full and rich way, without giving the scent too much of a marzipan character.
And not to forget -tonka bean, which I was not even in the culinary arts a term. It suddenly wandered into every biscuit, shortbread and porridge.
Everywhere in my household it appeared, be it body lotion or perfume. Regrettably, at this point of enlightenment, there was only 2ml left in the atomizer. Can you imagine how that feels?
There you test a fragrance with enormous prominence and popularity over and over again and find no access to it. And then you fall in love... like back in school, the one boy who went to the parallel class. For years you knew nothing of his existence, his charisma to others, his charming ways. You simply didn't notice him. And then one day you happen to be standing in the same group in the playground. And then you feel it, this feeling of intimate connection. You feel comfortable in his presence and want him to surround you wherever you go. You want all the people to notice that you are no longer strangers to each other, but that you know each other and are in harmony with each other. You want to be seen with him and share with him your most beautiful moments in life...oh how beautiful those thoughts suppressed by realism were...

I feel the same way about Tonka Imperiale.
I want everyone to know that I smell like this perfume. I want to feel the scent on my clothes and on my skin.... yes I would go so far as to say I would marry the scent ;) If only that were possible. Anyway, I want to wear it, for better or for worse, until death do us part.

So I am pleased to announce that it is Tonka Imperiale the last of my 4 Musketeers.
They all share the collection, so of course the wonderful house of Guerlain, and yet they are so unique, with their own individual strengths

5 Replies

04/15/2021

MrLimuzin
21 Reviews

MrLimuzin

.....

So.. I tried this one today. Good gravy!, this one is good. There almost seems to be a boozy quality to it without even having booze as a note. At some point it dawned on me, this kinda reminds me of Roja Parfums Enigma Parfum Pour Homme.

Being an owner of Roja Parfums of a long while ago, I was surprised by the similarities. I hardly reach for Enigma for some reason, would probably reach for Guerlain Tonka Imperiale far more and would dare to say it's superior.

If comparing fragrances to words on paper, Geurlain Tonka Imperiale is letters in bold while Roja Enigma Pour Homme is regular. Geurlain Tonka Imperiale has more depth, has an opacity that Roja Enigma lacks.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say Tonka Imperiale is the idea used by Roja Parfums for their Enigma Pour Homme fragrance. Call it.... inspiration

If I could go back in time, I would without hesitation take Tonka Imperiale over Enigma. May even consider trading my nearly full Enigma for Tonka Imperiale. It really is that good. Geurlain: 1, Roja Parfums:0

01/26/2021

ScentedFawn
16 Reviews

ScentedFawn

The scent of an Angel

I think this is a perfume that has captured tonka bean in the purest way possible.

I get a spicy-smoky vanilla and also some heliotrope quality, like a vanillic powder cloud. The almond is not that obvious for me, maybe it adds some nuttiness but I get more of the incense part than the almond. I also get something boozy, but that might be the tonka absolute (which derives from soaking the tonka bean into alcohol, rum usually). Somewhere at the background I also get the pine, in the most soothing and not "green" way possible.

I get something extraordinary, elegant and pure, its like the essence of a dream, unreal and floating. Could be the scent of an angel I think.

Only downside: its sillage. Its more of a skin scent although I think that if it had more presence it would lose some of the above mentioned characteristics that make it what it is. My first thought was, why spend so much money if this wont get noticed also its not something bizarre smelling and unprecedented as in the use of notes. But what is unprecedented and unique is the way it's made. It proves that simple is better.

An exceptionally well made fragrance!

01/11/2021

8.5
Scent 8
Longevity 6
Sillage 10
Bottle

4ajbukoshka
1 Review

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4ajbukoshka

Helpful Review 12

"I would say to the moment: stay, you are so beautiful!"

Now it has nevertheless actually still carried away me to a comment, this Christmas cookie scent!

Do you know when you have baked and still have the smell of dough on your hair the next day? (Tonka Impériale says hello.)
Pretty uncool, of course, if you have fried fish shortly before your date - and the other is a vegetarian with a passion.
But back to the beginning...

I've tested Tonka Impériale several times now, for the first time in 2017 on paper and searching for "my" fragrance, which, as it turned out within a split second, was supposed to be Cuir Béluga.
At first, it smelled kind of stale to me, almost omahaft. The purple, noble-looking test paper with the golden letters I nevertheless took home on principle - simply because it looked so beautiful.
Later arrived at home I found him then no longer bad, no, he smelled really delicious and pleasant, cuddly, Christmasy, but not toouuu kitschy-sweet, no, somehow adult, smoky, wicked.
And so Tonka Impériale fell into oblivion for years.
Only when a good friend asked me for advice about a perfume for his girlfriend (I should go with him to "my" perfumery and help him test, after all, I'm a woman and know roughly what the girlfriend likes), Tonka Impériale came back to my mind, because said friend finds my Cuir Béluga pretty in the bottle and good on me, but it smells too sweet and too "soft-washed" for her personally (that's what she said).
So then came the lockdown and if there's one thing I don't like, it's spending oodles of money on blind buys based on pretty bottles.
So a solution was needed!
In our case, it was to canvass the circle of acquaintances and ask for their favorites - to exclude those if there are multiple names among them (yep, we really put some thought and effort into it), but also to possibly get hold of bottlings and sample bottles through that.
No sooner said than done.
So we could exclude for example Si, furthermore La Vie Est Belle and some more.
Well... About various portals, including here, I then got a few more samples and bottlings. But this one would probably have been enough.
After we had tested Tonka Impériale on paper, clothes and on me and my good friend, it was clear: she gets to try. Better safe than sorry.
To get a perfume as a gift for a special birthday that you don't like - and from your own partner at that - would have been kind of sad. Now all that was left was to arrange everything inconspicuously. So while said friend was with me, helping me with a few odds and ends for the upcoming move, I left the strips of test paper (labeled with initials of the fragrances) on my desk.
And she, curious as she is, fell into the trap. So I sprayed Tonka Impériale on her and her boyfriend and I were eager to see her reaction. Later, when she messaged me on WhatsApp asking what perfume it was, I rubbed my fingers like Mister Burns and innocently wrote back that I didn't know. And that she would have to try it again sometime soon.
She was a little disappointed, but as a good friend, at least she didn't show me that she would hold it against me, and since she knows even less about perfume than I do, she couldn't describe how or what the thing smelled like.
So I was off the hook, and her delight was all the greater when she recently received Tonka Impériale as a birthday present.
Her first reaction was probably a slightly contorted face (I wasn't there, her boyfriend reported), because she knew Cuir Béluga and probably thought that would be the contents of the beautiful-looking bottle - unfortunately without a "pfft-pfft-thing" (pump atomizer, you know).
But she would have loved after the first Aufsprüher probably bathed in it.
I do not, but delicious is the already!

But now to the headline:
"Stay, you're so beautiful!" - also I would wish for Tonka Impériale a little more sillage and durability.
The former is after about an hour virtually no longer present and you have to bite the wrist felt or hold the nose very close to still have something of this fragrance. Looks both stupid.
The durability unfortunately also leaves something to be desired, BUT.... sometime after I wrote my statement, I was showering. And after the shower and still the next day, the base note sticks to my wrist, plus I imagine I can still perceive the clay note in it. A small consolation patch so.
Because otherwise Tonka Impériale is gone as quickly as a perceived beautiful moment - or the delicious cookie dough, from which you supposedly get a stomach ache, if you eat it so (I can not confirm this to this day).
I find it a bit too spicy and smoky to bite into, but I've heard that there are people who eat pine cones, chestnuts and such
- so: waaaruuum not actually?

2 Replies

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