Byredo Bal d’Afrique — Absolu de Parfum 100ml

The Scent

I thought I knew Bal d’Afrique. Ten years of wearing the original, convinced nothing could improve on that sun-drenched opening. Then the praline hit. Bergamot, lemon, and blackcurrant are still there — brighter, even — but the heart is where everything changes. A warm, sweet, gently nutty praline accord arrives where violet and cyclamen used to float, and suddenly this isn’t the daytime dance I remembered. It’s an evening embrace. Cedarwood, vetiver, and black amber in the base turn the whole thing richer, deeper, more grounded. The joy is still there — Ben Gorham’s 1920s Paris-meets-African-art concept is intact — but now it lingers.

The Collection + Performance

Jérôme Epinette revisiting his own 2009 masterpiece for the 2025 Absolu Collection — 100ml of bergamot, lemon, blackcurrant, neroli, praline, violet, cyclamen, jasmine, cedarwood, vetiver, black amber, and musk in a richer concentration that lasts well beyond the original’s modest performance.

Who It’s For

Bal d’Afrique loyalists who craved more presence. Newcomers who want to understand the hype but need more longevity. Purists be warned: the praline is a genuine departure — approach with curiosity, not expectation.

Epinette revisiting his own masterpiece — composed without compromise for the Absolu collection.