Caffè Macchiato
Note Profile
About
Caffe macchiato is a shot of espresso marked with a small amount of steamed milk or foam. The milk-to-coffee ratio is about 1:2, so the espresso dominates. In perfumery the accord reads as dark roasted coffee with a smoky edge and only a trace of warm milk on top. It sits at the coffee-maximal end of the espresso-and-milk group, next to plain coffee rather than to latte or cappuccino.
Scent Profile
Roasted coffee and cacao lead and hold the whole accord. A smoky roast note runs underneath, measurably stronger in espresso than in any cold brew. Below that sit a dry earthy tone, a light roasted-nut tone and a thin lactonic film from the spoonful of steamed milk. A faint sulphurous roast edge is inherited from the espresso register rather than attested for this drink.
ScentWheel
Read off the wheel, not a label applied to the note.
Origin
An Italian espresso preparation. Hot water is forced through fine roasted grounds under pressure to give a small concentrated shot, then a spoonful of steamed milk or a dollop of foam is added on top. The milk is never mixed through. Coffee Review's glossary calls the milk a mark on the coffee, not a component of it. There is no perfumery material behind this note. It is a reconstruction, built from roasted coffee bases with a small lactonic lift.
Usage in Perfumery
Used as a base accord in gourmand compositions where the coffee must stay bold. It gives the roasted, smoky weight of espresso without the milk volume of a latte accord. It pairs with cacao, tonka, vanilla and dried fruit. Use latte-macchiato instead when the brief wants milk to lead.
Similar Notes
Perfumes featuring Caffè Macchiato
A selection of reviewed perfumes where Caffè Macchiato appears prominently.
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