We may earn a commission when you buy from links on our site, including the eBay Partner Network and Amazon.

VII: L'Heure Défendue 2010

7.8 / 10 143 Ratings
A popular perfume by Cartier for women and men, released in 2010. The scent is gourmand-earthy. The longevity is above-average. It is still in production.
Pronunciation Compare
Similar fragrances
We may earn a commission when you buy from links on our site, including the eBay Partner Network and Amazon.

Main accords

Gourmand
Earthy
Spicy
Sweet
Woody

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes Top Notes
LiqueurLiqueur
Heart Notes Heart Notes
CocoaCocoa PatchouliPatchouli Tolu balmTolu balm WoodsWoods
Base Notes Base Notes
MuskMusk SandalwoodSandalwood AmberAmber LeatherLeather VanillaVanilla

Perfumer

Ratings
Scent
7.8143 Ratings
Longevity
8.2112 Ratings
Sillage
7.3115 Ratings
Bottle
8.3109 Ratings
Value for money
5.412 Ratings
Submitted by Kankuro · last update on 10/26/2024.
Source-backed & verified
Interesting Facts
The fragrance is part of the Les Heures de Parfum collection.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to
04 Musc Maori by Pierre Guillaume
04 Musc Maori
Roja Dove Haute Parfumerie (2019) by Roja Parfums
Roja Dove Haute Parfumerie (2019)
Bornéo 1834 by Serge Lutens
Bornéo 1834
Veilleur de Nuit by Serge Lutens
Veilleur de Nuit
Ambrosia Chocolat / Ambrosia by Sarawen
Ambrosia Chocolat
Chocolate Greedy by Montale
Chocolate Greedy

Reviews

8 in-depth fragrance descriptions
Fluxit

83 Reviews
Fluxit
Fluxit
Helpful Review 3  
Cocoa in the Catacombs
Ooh, this scent had me on my toes for quite a while! Spotted in the Forum, chased in the souks, yet in vain: Sometimes the sample couldn't been found by the trading members, sometimes it was kept after some initial hesitation because one had found a growing pleasure from the pricey chocolate. Then a sharing, which I resisted because - let's face it - this fragrance is quite on the expensive side and for me too risky for a blind decant-sized buy. Of course, one could wonder why I even test high-priced perfumes then anyway, but the souk is always a trusted resource that keeps these doubts away. And it's always fun to test for curiousity, the, uh, socially acceptable term for "addition" ;)

Since this is my first review on the English part of the site, let me state that while I have no extensive background in perfumes, I did a decent exploration on chocolate scents within the last months. Some of the known niche ("Chocolate Greedy", "Sorriso", "Nerocacao", "Ore, "Musc Maori No.04", "Pardon", ...), others from obscure indie creations purchased on Etsy & Co, not even listed on Parfumo. So I do believe that I can evaluate L'Heure Defendue comparably well.

For some scents - and I find this often holds true especially for the chocolatey ones - I don't recognize the notes from the pyramid very well, so I approached my sprayed wrist optimistically, yet critically. However, what hits me with a brutely delicious force is hot chocolate that defies every scepticism! A dream of cocoa, and yes, it stings a bit, but it's the same welcomed sting that a shot of Amaretto brings into a yummy winter chocolate.
Niiice. Somewhat clumsy how the calorie-rich drink is spilled onto a wooden board, but what do I care? I'd lick it right off!
Unfortunately, this climax lasts for minutes only and goes south from there. The beautifully smudgy woodchocolatecup is brought into the cellar, heck, into the crypt even. Earthy, musty disturbance. Patchouli, you miserable guest! Almost mouldy, it sits down with me, agnostic of my frantic waving to keep it at bay.
Even the shy clatter of some vanilla orchids in the corner won't save the cocoa party for the next hours, until they are present enough to get my focus. But the spell is broken, in acceptable balance again, but fallen from grace.

Retrospectively, I find it understandable that the gourmandy top note doesn't make it into the heart or even base, that could be wearisome. But the earthy patchouli is an unworthy successor for my nose.
Then again: For 250 bucks, I could get quite some real chocolate ;)
________
Appendix for this .net review: I wrote my review on .de to bring my new perspective to the other existing comments. There's plenty of praise from fellow parfumo members for this scent, so take my words with a grain of salt. One other review mentioned the visit into the crypt, yet she fully recovered and enjoyed her hot chocolate with a top score of 10.0; your mileage may vary.
0 Comments
Profumo

288 Reviews
Translated · Show originalShow translation
Profumo
Profumo
Top Review 35  
The Most Beautiful of Its Kind
First of all: I did not expect to like this fragrance, but I do - and how!
For I am truly not a big fan of sweet gourmand scents; I do not like to smell like cocoa, chocolate, coffee, or freshly baked cake. I don’t enjoy it, but I don’t necessarily find it bothersome on others - as long as they don’t smell like the entire candy department of a department store...

That some do indeed smell like that, we owe to Thierry Mugler and his brilliant ‘Angel’. There were times when one felt more reminded of the aforementioned candy department or a Christmas market with cotton candy, roasted almonds, and chocolate-covered fruit while rummaging through the bargain bins of a Scandinavian textile chain...
But well, that’s just how trends go - in the 80s, ‘Poison’ and ‘Kouros’ devastated entire regions, and in the 90s, it was ‘Cool Water’, ‘Le Mâle’, and of course ‘Angel’.
But as I said: as much as we were fed up with all that sweet stuff, there was a brilliant idea behind it (as is usually the case with all bestsellers), and in this case, it was the combination of patchouli and chocolate, or cocoa.

That others would soon jump on this bandwagon was foreseeable, but it took years for this theme to fully bloom under the hands of true masters: in 2005 came Serge Lutens’ ‘Bornéo 1834’ (Christopher Sheldrake), in 2007 Chanel’s ‘Coromandel’ (Jacques Polge), and in 2010 Cartier’s ‘L’Heure Défendue’ (Mathilde Laurent).
While ‘Bornéo 1834’ was still a heavy, dark elixir with a powerful, earthy foundation (and by no means as lavishly opulent as some Lutens creations...), ‘Coromandel’ is its aestheticized, refined, and airy variant. In a way, it’s the soufflé of ‘Bornéo 1834’.
‘L’Heure Défendue’, on the other hand, gives the impression that the legendary Jacques Guerlain has risen again and once more proven what can come from a brilliant idea when a truly genius perfumer takes it on (even if the original idea doesn’t necessarily have to be his own - see Chypre/Mitsouko or Emeraude/Shalimar).
Yes, this fragrance is thoroughly Guerlain, yet unmistakably Mathilde Laurent, that one might want to bite all available behinds at the house of Guerlain for letting this perfumer, so familiar with the house's refinements, slip away. But now she shows under a new flag that she was not only Jean-Paul Guerlain’s best but also most teachable student (after all, she was his assistant for 11 years!).

And indeed, ‘L’Heure Défendue’ contains more Guerlain than the last creations of the house combined (with ‘Arsène Lupin Dandy’ being the exception).
This also applies to the other ‘Heure’ fragrances, but particularly to this one, especially because the great idea of combining gnarly, woody patchouli with earthy and warm cocoa is realized here in an environment of the finest ‘Guerlinade’. That ‘Guerlinade’, which has always been famous for being an indecipherable mélange of herb-spicy, and only slightly sweet notes, with the finest animalistic nuances; it forms, so to speak, the firmament on which the two fixed stars, the darkest chocolate imaginable and the finest Indonesian patchouli, shine particularly bright and impressively.
But other notes also lounge on this Guerlinade bed: subtle, well-integrated leather, as well as polished woods, and the usual suspects for an oriental: vanilla, musk, and sweet-resinous amber. Yet they are also so perfectly proportioned, seamlessly woven, and excellently calibrated that one can only marvel at such skill.

It is almost unnecessary to mention that the fragrance has a good, but fortunately not overly offensive projection/sillage, and furthermore excellent longevity - Mathilde Laurent, indeed.
So, all in all, ‘L’Heure Défendue’ is for me not the most original, but undoubtedly the most beautiful fragrance of its kind. Despite ‘Bornéo 1834’ and ‘Coromandel’, both of which are equally wonderful, but are surpassed by ‘L’Heure Défendue’.

PS: I don’t even want to lament about the price anymore - it is and remains simply outrageous.
6 Comments
Meggi

1018 Reviews
Translated · Show originalShow translation
Meggi
Meggi
Top Review 44  
Chocolat aphrodisiac
Madame Cartier had thoroughly ensured that all preparations were to her satisfaction. She turned down the wick of the oil lamp with a small wheel and closed a tall curtain made of red chiffon. Immediately, the remaining room was bathed in a dim, reddish light. Everything was now ready.

At almost forty years old, she was no longer young, certainly not by the standards of her profession. But no one came to her for a youthful body; such things were offered by streetwalkers for a few centimes. No, her clients appreciated her because she could elicit certain physical reactions from them with unobtrusive finesse, which - partly due to age, partly due to lifestyle - had almost completely lost their strength and fire. Even those men who needed all conceivable help could feel like potent lovers of a woman of class in her presence.

Tonight she was expecting a particularly demanding client in every respect. A visit from the Duc de Berluscon always included a sturdy leather whip and a large wooden board with metal cuffs as part of the setup. If the high gentleman needed that to get at least somewhat in the mood…. The truly princely fee that the next hour would bring was worth a stripe or two on her back. Moreover, she would provide him with the same service and be less squeamish than he. The actual act would not take long; after all, the corpulent body of the Duc had long before succumbed to too much alcohol and overly gluttonous feasts. Literally down to the smallest corner.

A crucial role in her "forbidden hours," as she called them, was played by her "Chocolat aphrodisiac," the shared enjoyment of which was part of the careful staging. Essentially, it was a surprisingly simple recipe: deep dark, unsweetened hot chocolate, almost dusty in its bitterness. However, the drink was elevated by some additional aphrodisiac ingredients and a splash of liqueur into the subtly wicked. The finished mixture had, alongside the strong smell and taste of almost concentrated chocolate, an earthy-animal-leathery hint that undoubtedly had an erotic effect. She herself could hardly escape this effect.

She stirred the contents of the pot one last time and took a deep breath of the heavy, intoxicatingly intense vapors. Then she placed the vessel back on its rechaud.

The bell struck seven o'clock.
23 Comments
Adhira

12 Reviews
Translated · Show originalShow translation
Adhira
Adhira
Top Review 18  
The Forbidden Hour with the Queen of Patchouli Scents
I find it hard to add anything to Profumo's comment. I read it when I first tested the fragrance, and I can say: Every single word in his description is accurate.

I stumbled upon Cartier's "Les Heures de Parfum" collection quite by chance while browsing through the fragrance department of a luxury department store. "Oh - exclusive fragrances from Cartier, I haven't heard of those," I thought to myself, and immediately became curious. I grabbed the card that described the ingredients and selected the scents I wanted to try - and I got stuck on No. VII right from the first round. The saleswoman sprayed it on a test strip (what a waste), and I literally swooned with delight.

So, it had to go straight onto my skin, and the fragrance delivered exactly what the test strip promised in the top notes: Dark, viscous, unsweetened chocolate liqueur with at least 80% cocoa content wafts into my nose and transports me to a euphoria I haven't felt with a fragrance in a long time. "Dreamy, fairy-tale-like, brilliant, please stay like this," I think to myself, already mentally reaching for my credit card.

But then - the disappointment is initially great - the dark liqueur fades away and bids farewell in favor of the patchouli note.
Patchouli almost always goes musty on my skin, so I am almost ready to give up. €239 for a basement scent? I can get that cheaper.
And my suspicion is confirmed: After a few minutes, the patchouli becomes stronger, and my mood sinks, so I smile politely and tell the nice saleswoman that I need to let the fragrance settle on me for a bit.

One floor up in the department store, I sniff again - and what is this? The dark cocoa pushes its way to the forefront and holds the patchouli at bay, but always just at the edge, so that it is still clearly noticeable. The balance between the two notes is absolutely perfect; it couldn't be better. If even a nuance of the patchouli were to dominate, it would become unpleasantly musty on my skin, but the cocoa remains equally present.
And it gets even better - after an hour, other patchouli tamers like amber and vanilla come into play, making the fragrance increasingly soft and herb-chocolatey without ever allowing sweetness.

In the end, the softest, closest, and most brilliant noble cocoa veil remains on my skin that I have ever encountered. Mathilde Laurent is truly a great perfumer. The perfume is a work of art that I can get excited about. I would almost say that 100% is not enough for the rating this time. For me personally, this is the queen of patchouli scents.

Anyone who has the opportunity should test it and let it work on them. The fragrance is suitable for both men and women, and I can imagine that it develops differently for each gender - more robust or more delicate.

And: If I were to encounter a man who smells this forbidden good, I might consider stalking him for the first time in my life.
4 Comments
Leimbacher

2873 Reviews
Translated · Show originalShow translation
Leimbacher
Leimbacher
Top Review 17  
The Hour of Truth
A few weeks ago, when I received a tip from a nice colleague here to take a closer look at the new, exclusive, and outrageously expensive Cartiers while I was once again heading to Düsseldorf, I had no information about the fragrances. I approached the task with zero expectations and far too much haste, casually testing all the perfumes from this 12-part Hour series available on the Kö. Most of them did not appeal to me, they were shamelessly uninspired and dull, even without knowing the price. With that knowledge, one felt dizzy, and one quickly forgot this line voluntarily.

So it happens that a modern masterpiece like the Hour 7 tested here can be overlooked and cannot ignite a spark. What a stroke of luck that today I was reminded with a sample not to curse and forget any fragrance, let alone a collection, too quickly. Today the spark jumped over, so intensely that I am now very curious about this line again. It can happen so quickly. But no matter how much this dark patchouli goddess twists my nose - I am not willing to pay the official retail price.

My additions to the perfect comments of the predecessors:
Patchouli, so dark and pure. Cocoa powder, or rather cocoa beans. Smooth vanilla, as even Guerlain cannot achieve better. A gourmand with a melancholic shadow on its back. Balsamic liqueur at the beginning, balsamic leather later - balsam wherever the eye rolls. One is overwhelmed by the elegance and class that is reflected in every millimeter of the fragrance. A gourmand for true Inca and Maya kings. It should have been released on December 21, 2012, because the scent fits best in winter; after that, the world could have ended peacefully.

Bottle: A little toast and memories of old, noble Cartier times.
Sillage: an evening outing fragrance with poise.
Longevity: still good the next morning - 12 hours.

The highlight of the Cartier L'Heure series? Yes, if it goes by my taste, it cannot be topped. Or can it? Nah, that would have to be with the devil.
0 Comments
More reviews

Statements

32 short views on the fragrance
Dark chocolate with patchouli. Very well balanced not really sweet gourmand which stays with you the whole day and behaves delicate
0 Comments
22
19
I usually don't like chocolate in fragrances
But these rum balls
For rolling around
This bittersweet cocoa dream
On soft-powdery amber
Has something special
Translated · Show originalShow translation
19 Comments
23
3
Delightfully dry-ambered patchouli with a lovely, realistic cocoa butter note without generic sweetness. Subtly bitter and refined!
Translated · Show originalShow translation
3 Comments
21
16
A visit to the cellar vault of a wine merchant.
Someone next to me is nibbling on expensive dark chocolate.
My mouth is watering.
Translated · Show originalShow translation
16 Comments
20
16
By the warm fireplace
Sitting in the armchair
I need warmth
I take a glass of liqueur
Cocoa powder is a must
& dark bitter chocolate bar
Translated · Show originalShow translation
16 Comments
15
6
A rather bitter chocolate served in a dark, cold cellar. Undoubtedly well-made, but it leaves me rather indifferent.
Translated · Show originalShow translation
6 Comments
13
5
Finest chocolate chips, delicate and bitter,
merge with fine liqueur, nice, neat.
- But FORBIDDEN hour?
Habanita grins, Taboo laughs.
Translated · Show originalShow translation
5 Comments
13
10
To me, it smells like a damp, cold cellar. The remaining notes come across as very restless. Nothing that excites me right now.
Translated · Show originalShow translation
10 Comments
14
2
You sit in garden soil after a rain shower and open a box of chocolates.
Box paper, dark chocolate, cocoa & lots of patch! Wow
Translated · Show originalShow translation
2 Comments
9 years ago
13
1
Ah, why did this have to happen to me again... A beautifully delicate chocolate patchouli scent!!!!
Translated · Show originalShow translation
1 Comment
More statements

Charts

This is how the community classifies the fragrance.
Pie Chart Radar Chart

Images

3 fragrance photos of the community

Popular by Cartier

Déclaration (Eau de Toilette) by Cartier Pasha de Cartier Parfum by Cartier Must de Cartier (Parfum) by Cartier Baiser Volé (Eau de Parfum) by Cartier Must de Cartier (Eau de Toilette) by Cartier L'Envol (Eau de Parfum) by Cartier Santos (Eau de Toilette) by Cartier La Panthère (Eau de Parfum) by Cartier Déclaration d'Un Soir by Cartier Déclaration Parfum by Cartier Le Baiser du Dragon (Eau de Parfum) by Cartier Santos (Eau de Toilette Concentrée) by Cartier Panthère de Cartier (Parfum) by Cartier Oud & Ambre by Cartier Pasha de Cartier (Eau de Toilette) by Cartier Eau de Cartier (Eau de Toilette) by Cartier X: L'Heure Folle by Cartier Oud & Oud by Cartier Pasha de Cartier Édition Noire (Eau de Toilette) by Cartier So Pretty (Eau de Parfum) by Cartier La Panthère Parfum by Cartier