Celebrating different notes in the perfumery | thescentbase.com

The Olfactory Library

Welcome to the building blocks of the invisible art. If a perfume is a symphony, then these are the individual notes on the sheet music—the singular elements that the perfumer arranges to create a melody that lingers on your skin.


Whether you are here to understand why you adore Vetiver but detest Patchouli, or simply to find out what "Iso E Super" actually is, this library is your guide.

Florals

The undisputed heart of perfumery, ranging from the innocent whisper of a spring muguet to the narcotic, carnal shout of a tuberose. These notes provide the romance and the texture, proving that flowers are far too complex to be considered merely 'pretty'.

Lime (Linden) Blossom note image

Lime (Linden) Blossom

Tilia. It smells distinctively of honey, hay, and lemon. A warm, sunny floral.

Hoary Stock note image

Hoary Stock

Matthiola incana. It smells spicy, clove-like, and sweet.

Guava Blossom note image

Guava Blossom

A lighter, floral version of the heavy fruit scent.

Bird cherry note image

Bird cherry

A flowering tree with a scent that is sweet, almond-like, and heady. It smells intense and slightly balsamic.

Althaea note image

Althaea

A soft, musky floral scent that is related to hibiscus. It feels gentle and slightly powdery on the skin.

Alyssum note image

Alyssum

A honey-sweet flower scent that can be quite powerful. It smells like warm summer air filled with nectar.

Iris Pallida note image

Iris Pallida

The finest variety of iris. It is softer, sweeter, and more chocolatey than other types.

Buttercup note image

Buttercup

A mild meadow flower that smells fresh and slightly green. It doesn't actually smell like butter.

Crinum Lily note image

Crinum Lily

A large lily with a strong, clean fragrance. It smells soapy and fresh.

Abelia note image

Abelia

A delicate and honeyed floral note that feels like a summer garden party. It has a soft, white-flower sweetness without being terribly shouting about it.

Blue Lilies note image

Blue Lilies

Also known as Blue Lotus, it smells floral, aquatic, and slightly spicy. It has a sacred, tranquil quality.

Butomus Umbellatus note image

Butomus Umbellatus

Flowering Rush, smelling slightly floral and aquatic. It is a subtle wetland scent.

Acerola Blossom note image

Acerola Blossom

A light, airy floral note with subtle fruity undertones. It bridges the gap between the tart fruit and a soft, petal-like texture.

Bread Flower note image

Bread Flower

A flower that reputedly smells like baking bread or boiled rice. A rare botanical oddity.

Grevillea note image

Grevillea

Spider Flower. It smells honeyed and nectar-rich.

Carambola Blossom note image

Carambola Blossom

The flower of the starfruit tree. It smells small, pink, and subtly fruity.

Christmas Tree or Flame Tree note image

Christmas Tree or Flame Tree

Nuytsia floribunda. It has a honeyed, rooty scent.

Freesia note image

Freesia

Peppery and fresh. It adds a sparkling, high-pitched floral energy.

Inula note image

Inula

A wildflower smelling of honey and camphor. It is sweet but medicinal.

Belladona note image

Belladona

The deadly nightshade, smelling distinctively herbal and slightly medicinal. It adds a dark, poisonous allure to a scent.

View All Florals Notes

Fruits, Nuts & Savoury Notes

This is the scent of the orchard and the vegetable patch rather than the patisserie, capturing the crisp snap of an apple or the earthy grit of a carrot. These notes add a mouth-watering texture and vitality, bringing a sense of abundance and natural realism that prevents a fragrance from feeling too abstract.

Musk, Amber, Animalic Smells

These are the sensual heavyweights that linger on the skin long after the citrus has fled, providing warmth, depth, and a certain human intimacy. From the cozy, golden glow of amber to the primitive, purring growl of civet, these notes transform a simple scent into a living, breathing entity.

Daim note image

Daim

The French term for suede; it smells softer and more velvety than full leather. It evokes the inside of a luxury handbag.

Bacon note image

Bacon

Smoky, salty, and meaty—a novelty note for the brave. It adds a savory, breakfast-time shock to a composition.

Habanolide® note image

Habanolide®

A synthetic musk with a metallic, hot-iron undertone. It smells clean and waxy.

Civettone note image

Civettone

A synthetic musk that replicates the warmth of civet without the cruelty or fecal edge. It is velvety and smooth.

Ambrostar note image

Ambrostar

A modern captive molecule that offers a dry, vibrant woody-amber effect. It helps a fragrance lift off the skin and sparkle.

Exaltolide® note image

Exaltolide®

A refined, elegant musk. It adds a subtle animalic radiance and polish.

Goat's Milk note image

Goat's Milk

Creamy but slightly tart and animalic. A funky milky note.

Sylkolide note image

Sylkolide

A refined musk. Fruity and powdery.

Ambertonic™ (IFF) note image

Ambertonic™ (IFF)

A modern molecule that is deep, musky, and woody with a dry heat. It gives a fragrance a contemporary, vibrating trail.

Muscone note image

Muscone

The main component of natural deer musk. Smells warm, erotic, and radiant.

Oysters note image

Oysters

Salt water and minerals. A raw marine scent.

Truffle note image

Truffle

Fungus not chocolate. Earthy, musky, and savory.

Leather note image

Leather

Tanned hide, birch tar, and smoke. Whether harsh or soft, it adds a distinct skin-like toughness.

Skin note image

Skin

Salty, warm, and musky. The smell of a human being.

Ambrarome note image

Ambrarome

An absolute that smells leathery, tar-like, and animalic with amber undertones. It adds a vintage, masculine grit to the base.

Beeswax note image

Beeswax

Sweet, animalic, and sticky, with hints of honey and pollen. It adds a natural, waxy richness to the base.

Castoreum note image

Castoreum

Intensely leathery and animalic, smelling of ink and musk. It provides a dark, vintage sensuality that is certainly not for the faint of heart.

Skatole note image

Skatole

Fecal in high concentration, floral (white flower) in low. Essential for realistic jasmine.

Kyphi note image

Kyphi

Ancient Egyptian incense recipe. Smells of wine, raisins, honey, and resins.

Akashic Acord note image

Akashic Acord

A fantasy concept note meant to evoke the ether or spiritual archives. Usually smells airy, mineral, and impossible to pin down.

View All Musk, Amber, Animalic Smells Notes

Beverages

Whether it is the effervescent joy of champagne, the roasted bitterness of espresso, or the warming embrace of a good cognac, these notes add a distinct 'flavour' to the air. They invoke specific moods and social rituals, taking the wearer from a morning café to a dimly lit jazz bar in a single spritz.

Lemonade note image

Lemonade

Sugary lemon water. It is sweet rather than sour.

Buttered Rum note image

Buttered Rum

Hot rum with butter and spices. It is rich, oily, and intoxicatingly warm.

Batida note image

Batida

A Brazilian cocktail made with cachaça and fruit juice. It smells sweet, boozy, and tropical—a party in a bottle.

Cream Liqueur note image

Cream Liqueur

Alcohol and dairy. Sweet, heavy, and warming.

Calvados Drink note image

Calvados Drink

French apple brandy. It smells of warm, fermented apples and oak barrels.

Ouzo note image

Ouzo

Greek anise liqueur. Smells like licorice and alcohol.

Wine Lees note image

Wine Lees

Fermentation sediment. Yeasty and fruity.

Cocktail Fruits note image

Cocktail Fruits

Canned fruit salad. Syrupy, mixed fruitiness.

Aperol note image

Aperol

Bittersweet orange, gentian, and rhubarb notes typical of the Italian aperitif. It brings a sunny, spritz-like joy to the opening.

Liquor note image

Liquor

Generic alcohol note. Sharp, volatile, and warming.

Blackcurrant Juice note image

Blackcurrant Juice

Sweet, syrupy, and intensely fruity. It smells like Ribena, bringing a nostalgic, thirst-quenching vibe.

Gin note image

Gin

Juniper berries and alcohol. Sharp, piney, and clean.

Vinegar note image

Vinegar

Acetic acid. Sour and pungent.

Kir Royal note image

Kir Royal

Champagne and crème de cassis. Fizzy, berry-sweet, and chic.

Soju note image

Soju

Korean spirit. Clean alcohol scent.

Tonic Water note image

Tonic Water

Quinine water. Bitter and fizzy.

Masala Chai note image

Masala Chai

Spiced milky tea. Ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, and black tea.

Amarula note image

Amarula

A creamy liqueur note from the Marula fruit, smelling of caramel and fruit. It is milky and exotic, evocative of an African sunset.

Goldwasser note image

Goldwasser

A herbal liqueur with gold flakes. Smells of anise, caraway, and citrus.

Rice Water note image

Rice Water

Starchy water. Mild and skin-soothing.

View All Beverages Notes

Molecules, Minerals & Curiosities

This is the avant-garde laboratory of the perfumer, featuring everything from the smell of hot rain on asphalt to the invisible radiance of Iso E Super. These notes are often less about a specific 'smell' and more about a texture, a feeling, or an atmospheric vibration that gives modern fragrances their edge.

Camphor note image

Camphor

Cool, mothball-like, and medicinal. It clears the sinuses and adds a freezing effect.

Factor X note image

Factor X

A marketing fantasy note. Usually implies pheromones or something mysterious.

Helvetolide note image

Helvetolide

A modern musk that smells of pears and ambrette. It feels fruity and soft.

Aluminum note image

Aluminum

A cold, metallic fantasy note that smells sharp and industrial. It evokes the feeling of cool technology or a modern skyscraper.

Ambreine note image

Ambreine

The heart of labdanum, smelling warm, balsamic, and slightly spicy. It creates the classic oriental feel found in many masterpieces.

New Magazine note image

New Magazine

Glossy paper and ink. A specific chemical sweetness.

Tonalide® note image

Tonalide®

A musk fixative. Clean and diffusive.

Motor Oil note image

Motor Oil

Petroleum and grease. Dirty, mechanical, and heavy.

Rose Oxide note image

Rose Oxide

Metallic rose molecule. Sharp, green, and bloody.

Silver note image

Silver

Metallic and cold. A fantasy ore scent.

Scent Trek® note image

Scent Trek®

Givaudan's headspace technology. Captures realistic smells.

Gold note image

Gold

A fantasy concept. Usually represented by bright aldehydes, amber, and solar notes.

Pepperwood™ note image

Pepperwood™

A Givaudan molecule. Spicy, peppery, and fresh like linalool.

Hexyl Acetate note image

Hexyl Acetate

A chemical smelling of pear and apple. Fruity and solvent-like.

Evernyl note image

Evernyl

A synthetic oakmoss substitute. It smells mossy, dry, and mineral, essential for modern chypres.

Tennis Ball note image

Tennis Ball

Rubber and felt. A specific industrial smell.

Sinfonide note image

Sinfonide

A musk with amber and woody tones. Radiant.

Priest’s Clothes note image

Priest’s Clothes

Incense, old fabric, and cold stone walls. Atmospheric.

Suntan Lotion note image

Suntan Lotion

Same as above. Retro summer scent.

Shamama Attar note image

Shamama Attar

Complex Indian blend. Herbal, spicy, and woody.

View All Molecules, Minerals & Curiosities Notes

Gourmand

An unapologetically hedonistic category dedicated to the pleasures of the patisserie, featuring dripping caramel, fluffy cotton candy, and rich chocolate. While purists may scoff, there is a profound, primal comfort in these sugary notes that bypasses the brain and goes straight to the stomach—and the heart.

Salted Caramel Fudge note image

Salted Caramel Fudge

Buttery, salty sugar. Extremely rich.

Condensed Milk note image

Condensed Milk

Thick, sugary, caramelized milk. Intensely sweet and lactonic.

Cacao Butter note image

Cacao Butter

The fatty richness of white chocolate. It smells creamy, oily, and vanilla-like.

Cherry Milk note image

Cherry Milk

Creamy fruit scent. It softens the tart cherry with lactonic notes.

Canelé note image

Canelé

A Bordeaux pastry with rum and vanilla. It smells caramelized, custardy, and boozy.

Cherry Syrup note image

Cherry Syrup

Medicinal and sugary. Often smells like cough syrup.

Cake note image

Cake

A generic vanilla sponge scent. It represents celebration and sugary comfort.

Dates note image

Dates

Sticky, honeyed fruit with a dense, sugary profile. It evokes the warmth and richness of the Middle East.

Chantilly Cream note image

Chantilly Cream

Sweet whipped cream. It adds a fluffy, airy vanilla sweetness.

Confetti (Sugared Almonds) note image

Confetti (Sugared Almonds)

Hard sugar shell over almond. Smells like an Italian wedding.

Cone Waffle note image

Cone Waffle

The smell of an ice cream cone. Baked, vanilla-scented batter.

Dorayaki note image

Dorayaki

A Japanese pancake filled with red bean paste. It smells sweet, cake-like, and slightly earthy.

Acetyl Furan note image

Acetyl Furan

A powerful synthetic that smells remarkably like balsamic vinegar and burnt sugar. It provides that caramelized, toasted crunch to gourmand scents.

Pretzel note image

Pretzel

Baked dough and coarse salt. Savory and distinct.

Sugar Syrup note image

Sugar Syrup

Liquid glucose. Sticky.

Tropézienne Tarte note image

Tropézienne Tarte

Brioche and cream. French dessert scent.

White Chocolate Truffle note image

White Chocolate Truffle

Rich confection.

Cosmofruit™ (IFF) note image

Cosmofruit™ (IFF)

A synthetic fruity note smelling of quince and pear. It is diffusive and sweet.

Honeycomb note image

Honeycomb

Honey plus beeswax. It adds a waxy texture to the sweetness.

Brown Sugar note image

Brown Sugar

Sweetness with a molasses depth. It smells darker and more caramelized than white sugar.

View All Gourmand Notes

Woods & Earth

The stoic backbone of fragrance, grounding the flightier notes with the scent of ancient trunks, dry bark, and the damp, shadowed floor of the forest. Ranging from the creamy spirituality of sandalwood to the dry, pencil-shaving snap of cedar, these notes provide structure, longevity, and a timeless elegance.

Peach Tree note image

Peach Tree

Woody and slightly sappy.

Amburana Wood note image

Amburana Wood

Similar to the bark but woodier, maintaining that rich tonka-bean sweetness. It feels cozy and exotic, like a tropical cabinet maker's shop.

Blackwood note image

Blackwood

Also known as Mpingo, it is dense and dry. It provides a solemn, dark woodiness to the base.

Eucalyptus note image

Eucalyptus

Cool, camphorous, and medicinal. It clears the head and smells like a spa steam room.

Coconut Tree note image

Coconut Tree

The woody trunk scent. Dry, fibrous, and slightly salty.

Chinese Oud note image

Chinese Oud

Agarwood from China, often medicinal and spicy. It can be sharper than other ouds.

Dark Patchouli note image

Dark Patchouli

Aged and intense, smelling of wet earth, camphor, and dark cellars. It is the heavy, hippie-chic version of the leaf.

Australian Oud note image

Australian Oud

Sourced from Australian botanicals, this oud is often cleaner and greener. It lacks the barnyard funk of traditional agarwood.

Blonde Woods note image

Blonde Woods

A term for soft, light woods like cashmere wood or cedar. They are smooth, creamy, and unobtrusive.

Chypre Notes note image

Chypre Notes

The classic accord of bergamot, labdanum, and oakmoss. It smells elegant, mossy, and abstract.

Mango Tree note image

Mango Tree

Woody and green.

Ditax wood note image

Ditax wood

A rare wood from Senegal. It smells dry and slightly fruity.

Buddha Wood note image

Buddha Wood

An Australian wood also known as False Sandalwood. It smells woody, smoky, and rose-like.

Carob Tree note image

Carob Tree

Woody and slightly chocolate-like. It adds a dry, sweet earthy nuance.

Palisander Rosewood note image

Palisander Rosewood

A high-quality wood smelling floral, spicy, and woody.

Coffee Tree note image

Coffee Tree

The wood of the plant. Mildly woody with no roasted notes.

Malaysian Oud note image

Malaysian Oud

Often sweeter and spicier than Indian oud. Can have cola nuances.

Chalood Bark note image

Chalood Bark

A Thai bark used in perfumes. It smells woody, sweet, and spicy.

Araucaria note image

Araucaria

Also known as the Monkey Puzzle tree, its wood smells resinous and piney. It is a rare note that adds an ancient, coniferous feel.

Brazilian Rosewood note image

Brazilian Rosewood

Also known as Bois de Rose, it smells sweet, woody, and floral. It is elegant and highly endangered, so often synthetic now.

View All Woods & Earth Notes

White Flowers

A distinct league of floral powerhouses including Tuberose, Jasmine, and Gardenia, known for their creamy, narcotic heaviness that often intensifies as the sun goes down. Unlike their shy daylight cousins, these blooms possess a carnal, indolic undertone—a whisper of animalic warmth amidst the sweetness—that makes them unapologetically sensual and dominating.

Belanis note image

Belanis

A synthetic molecule that smells of anise and white florals. It bridges the gap between spice and petal.

Tuberose note image

Tuberose

Carnal, creamy, and loud. It smells of flesh, bubblegum, and green stems.

White Tobacco note image

White Tobacco

Nicotiana flower. Sweet and jasmine-like.

Moon Flower note image

Moon Flower

Ipomoea alba. A night-blooming vine smelling sweet and musky.

Tiare Flower note image

Tiare Flower

Tahitian Gardenia. Creamy, tropical, and sweet.

Frangipani note image

Frangipani

Plumeria. Thick, creamy, and tropical, smelling of almonds and fruit. It is the scent of a holiday.

White Flowers note image

White Flowers

A genre (Jasmine, Tuberose, Gardenia). Indolic, creamy, and heady.

Datura note image

Datura

A poisonous flower with a narcotic, almond-like floral scent. It smells dangerous, heavy, and hypnotic.

Lily note image

Lily

Spicy, waxy, and heady. It smells regal and sometimes slightly salty/meaty.

Syringa note image

Syringa

Lilac. Sweet and fresh.

Karo-Karounde note image

Karo-Karounde

An African flower smelling of jasmine, chocolate, and spices. It is rich and dark.

Boronia note image

Boronia

A rare Australian flower with a complex scent of fruit, wood, and violet. It is expensive and highly prized.

Black Locust note image

Black Locust

A tree with white flowers that smell intensely sweet and honeyed, similar to orange blossom but heavier.

Lemon Blossom note image

Lemon Blossom

Waxy white floral with a citrus edge. Fresh and pretty.

Mock Orange note image

Mock Orange

Philadelphus. Smells intensely like orange blossom but sweeter.

Stephanotis note image

Stephanotis

Madagascar Jasmine. Waxy, sweet, and bridal.

Gardenia note image

Gardenia

Heady, creamy white floral with a distinct mushroomy or blue cheese undertone. It is lush and narcotic.

Honeysuckle note image

Honeysuckle

Nectar-heavy, sunny, and sweet. It captures the smell of warm summer evenings perfectly.

Night Blooming Cereus note image

Night Blooming Cereus

A cactus flower. Vanilla-scented and spicy.

Grapefruit Blossom note image

Grapefruit Blossom

Like neroli but sharper. Floral with a bitter citrus edge.

View All White Flowers Notes

Botanicals & Aromatics

This is the scent of the apothecary’s garden and the gentleman’s barber, full of crushed leaves, bracing mint, and the calming herbaceousness of lavender. These notes cut through heat and heaviness with a savory, green clarity that feels restorative, intelligent, and famously spirited.

Spices

These ingredients bring the heat and the vibration, adding a three-dimensional hum to a composition that tickles the nose and wakes up the palate. From the cooling, camphorous touch of cardamom to the fiery crackle of black pepper, spices prevent a fragrance from ever feeling flat or boring.

Ginger note image

Ginger

Fresh, spicy, and lemony. It adds a fizzy, energetic heat to the top notes.

Anise note image

Anise

Sweet, spicy, and licorice-like. It adds a polarizing aromatic sweetness that cuts through warmer notes with a cool edge.

Curcuma (Turmeric) note image

Curcuma (Turmeric)

Earthy, dusty, and slightly ginger-like. It adds a dry yellow spice note.

Wasabi note image

Wasabi

Horseradish-like heat. Pungent and green.

Ultravanil™ note image

Ultravanil™

High-impact vanilla synthetic. Non-edible vanilla.

Pink Pepper note image

Pink Pepper

Not a true pepper, but a berry. It smells rosy, sparkling, and like gin.

Spiked Pepper note image

Spiked Pepper

Piper aduncum. Spicy and woody.

Cardamom note image

Cardamom

A duality of cool camphor and warm spice. It’s sophisticated and aromatic, often making a fragrance feel effortlessly expensive.

Sumac note image

Sumac

Sour red spice. Lemon-like and earthy.

Wan Sao Lhong note image

Wan Sao Lhong

Thai herb. Spicy and aromatic.

Timur note image

Timur

Nepalese pepper. Smells of grapefruit and passionfruit.

Mace note image

Mace

The outer covering of nutmeg. Smells similar but sweeter and softer.

Curry note image

Curry

A blend of spices (cumin, fenugreek). It smells savory and warm.

Cassia note image

Cassia

Chinese cinnamon. It smells hotter, sharper, and woodier than true cinnamon.

Bengal Pepper note image

Bengal Pepper

Also known as Long Pepper, it is hotter and sweeter than black pepper. It has a complex, spicy-sweet aroma.

Green Coffee note image

Green Coffee

Unroasted beans. They smell vegetal, pea-like, and grassy.

Pimento note image

Pimento

Allspice berry. Clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg rolled into one.

Saffron note image

Saffron

Red gold. It smells leathery, metallic, and medicinal. The most expensive spice in the world.

Caraway note image

Caraway

Spicy, anise-like seeds often found in rye bread. It adds a savory, sharp aromatic quality.

Cacao Pod note image

Cacao Pod

The raw bean smell—bitter, dusty, and earthy. It is chocolate before the sugar is added.

View All Spices Notes

Resins And Balsams

The ancient tears of trees, these materials have been burned in rituals for millennia and bring a sacred, meditative smoke to perfumery. They are thick, sticky, and profoundly complex, offering a sweet, leathery darkness that feels like a protective cloak against the cold.

Olibanum Sacra Resin Green note image

Olibanum Sacra Resin Green

High-grade green frankincense. Smells brighter and more citrusy.

Styrax note image

Styrax

Sweet, spicy, and leather-like resin. Smells of plastic and balsam.

Mastic or Lentisque note image

Mastic or Lentisque

A resin from the Mediterranean. Smells distinctively green, piney, and crisp.

Myrrh note image

Myrrh

A resin that smells of mushrooms, licorice, and earth. It is darker and stranger than frankincense.

Olibanum (Frankincense) note image

Olibanum (Frankincense)

Lemony, piney, and cold. It smells of high church mass and ancient rituals.

Labdanum note image

Labdanum

The cornerstone of amber accords. It smells leathery, sweet, dirty, and warm all at once.

Gurjun Balsam note image

Gurjun Balsam

A resin smelling woody, peppery, and dry. Often used to adulterate patchouli, but lovely on its own.

Balsamic Notes note image

Balsamic Notes

A group of resinous materials like benzoin and myrrh that smell warm, sweet, and thick. They wrap a fragrance in a cozy amber blanket.

Tea Tree Oil note image

Tea Tree Oil

Medicinal and antiseptic. Sharp and clean.

Bakhoor note image

Bakhoor

Wood chips soaked in perfume oil and burned, creating a smoky, fragrant cloud. It smells traditional, Middle Eastern, and welcoming.

Nag Champa note image

Nag Champa

Incense sticks. Sandalwood and Frangipani. Sweet and hippie.

Mopane note image

Mopane

African Balsam. Smells turpentine-like and woody.

Surf Wax note image

Surf Wax

Coconut and paraffin. Beachy.

Benzoin note image

Benzoin

A comforting balsamic resin that smells of vanilla and cinnamon. It gives fragrances a cozy, almost edible warmth without being overly sugary.

Choya Ral note image

Choya Ral

Roasted Sal tree resin. It smells leathery, smoky, and woody.

Choya Loban note image

Choya Loban

Frankincense destructively distilled. It smells intensely smoky and resinous.

Estoraque note image

Estoraque

Liquidambar. It smells balsamic, cinnamic, and styrax-like.

Birch Tar note image

Birch Tar

The concentrated essence of smoke and leather derived from birch. It is intensely phenolic, smelling like a bonfire.

Copaiba Balm note image

Copaiba Balm

A Brazilian resin that is sweet, woody, and slightly peppery. It acts as a fixative.

Pine Tar note image

Pine Tar

Smoky, leathery, and dark. Smells of campfires and ships.

View All Resins And Balsams Notes

Citrus

The sunshine of the fragrance world, these volatile oils provide the sparkling opening act that greets you the moment the mist hits the air. While they are fleeting by nature, their zesty, sour-sweet optimism is essential for lifting the heavier materials and preventing a perfume from feeling like a lead weight.

Lemon Balm note image

Lemon Balm

Melissa. It smells like lemon mixed with mint and herbs.

Hatkora Lemon note image

Hatkora Lemon

A citrus used in Bengal. The thick rind smells incredibly oily and zest-heavy.

Grapefruit Peel note image

Grapefruit Peel

The oil from the rind. It contains the sulfurous, sparkly character of the fruit.

Sudachi citrus note image

Sudachi citrus

Japanese citrus. Sour and spicy like lime.

Mandarin Orange note image

Mandarin Orange

Sweeter and less acidic than orange. It smells candy-like and joyous.

Lime note image

Lime

Sharper, drier, and more tropical than lemon. It has a distinct 'cola' nuance.

Lemon Verbena note image

Lemon Verbena

Verveine. Herbal, fresh, and distinctly lemony without the acid.

Kaffir Lime note image

Kaffir Lime

Makrut lime. The leaves smell intensely sharp, green, and uniquely Thai cuisine-like.

Shiikuwasha note image

Shiikuwasha

Okinawa Lime. Sour and tangerine-like.

Green Tangerine note image

Green Tangerine

Unripe tangerine. It smells more zesty and bitter than the ripe fruit.

Bergamot note image

Bergamot

The finest of citruses, famous for giving Earl Grey tea its distinct aroma. It’s bitter, tart, and floral all at once—the perfect opening act.

Lemon note image

Lemon

Bright, acidic, and sunny. It can smell like fresh zest or cleaning fluid depending on the quality.

Citrus Water note image

Citrus Water

Diluted citrus scent. It smells faint, clean, and splashy.

Mandora note image

Mandora

A cross between mandarin and orange. Juicy and sweet.

Grapefruit note image

Grapefruit

Bitter, zesty, and slightly sulfurous. It is uplifting and distinctly modern.

Petitgrain note image

Petitgrain

Distilled twigs of the bitter orange tree. Green, woody, and sharp—a cologne staple.

Quenepa note image

Quenepa

Spanish Lime. Sour and jelly-like fruit.

Methyl Pamplemousse note image

Methyl Pamplemousse

A synthetic grapefruit. Bitter, fresh, and slightly floral.

Blood Orange note image

Blood Orange

Juicier, sweeter, and redder than standard orange, with raspberry nuances. It feels lush and Mediterranean.

Chen Pi note image

Chen Pi

Sun-dried tangerine peel. It smells citrusy but aged and slightly medicinal.

View All Citrus Notes

Assorted

A curated cabinet of curiosities for the notes that defy our desire for neat little boxes, yet remain absolutely essential to the perfumer's palette. Here you will find the outliers and the individualists, ingredients that possess a character so distinct they refuse to sit quietly with the flowers or the fruits.