Does the gourmand perfume family have to include only dessert-like confections? In my new article for the Financial Times Magazine’s fragrance column, The Most Delicious Savoury Perfumes, I explain how salty and other savory notes can be used for a surprising effect and discuss a few of my favorite examples.
Most savoury gourmands aim for a subtle illusion – the tangy darkness of olives, the green sharpness of coriander leaves or the musky warmth of basmati rice. Fittingly, the biggest savoury gourmand launch came in 2010 with Womanity (from £38.50 for 30ml, second picture), another Thierry Mugler creation. The composition is built around caviar and fig, the briny nuance pushing against a backdrop of roasted hazelnuts, musk and woods. Like Angel, it provoked polarising reactions, though not the same level of infatuation. Please read the rest by clicking here.
The savory scent I would most love to smell in perfume is that of a baguette. A properly baked baguette, that is–wheaty, with caramelized, hazelnut like notes and creamy aftertaste. I love the hints of wheat in Olivia Giacobetti‘s fragrances like Frédéric Malle En Passant, L’Artisan Parfumeur Jour de Fête, and Le Petit de Guerlain, but the effect is still too subtle for what I have in mind.
Another idea I’d love explored in perfumes is bitter chocolate with crunchy salt crystals, one of my favorite treats.
Do you have favorite savory gourmands or favorite salty notes you would like to smell in perfume?
Photo via FT
117 Comments
Annikky: Great topic! I love saltyness in perfume, but as I don’t see myself as a fan of gourmands, was still surprised to find that I like every perfume mentioned in the article. I’m one of those who really like Womanity and Wood Sage and Sea Salt is one of my easy casual perfumes.
It is not salty, but I also enjoy Ormonde Jayne Champaca with its basmati rice note and another TDC, Tokyo Bloom, has basil and dandelion leaves/sap. May 18, 2015 at 9:32am
orsetta: I’ve recently tried Tokyo Bloom – and it is indeed an interesting one! Diptyque Virgilio has that ‘fresh herbs from the kitchen’ vibe too. (and i truly enjoy Womanity too – i even have a back up bottle…..) May 18, 2015 at 3:33pm
Annikky: So happy to see someone who has tried Tokyo Bloom! I probably talk too much about it, but I really like it and think it’s worth trying. May 18, 2015 at 3:37pm
Cornelia Blimber: ‘fresh herbs from the kitchen’…I remember a basil perfume by Isabella Rossellini. Discontinued, I think. May 18, 2015 at 3:40pm
bregje: Manifesto!
Yep,discontinued. May 18, 2015 at 6:23pm
bregje: Clarins eau ressourcante(i hope i’m spelling that right) has a nice basilnote in it. May 18, 2015 at 6:40pm
Victoria: Sigh… I liked it very much. May 19, 2015 at 12:55pm
Victoria: Virgilio smells like a freshly tossed salad to me. A great perfume on a hot, muggy day, by the way. May 19, 2015 at 12:49pm
Victoria: Same here. Champaca from OJ is one of my top favorites, mostly for the salty rice note. Tokyo Bloom is a little beauty, but unfortunately it lasts for 10 minutes on me. May 19, 2015 at 12:16pm
Daisy: It is a great topic! I recently smelled Eau de Céleri from Mon Sillage; it’s very green and you don’t really get the impact of the celery until the dry down, by whoa momma! I smelled like mirepoix! Kilian’s Smoke for the Soul has a thyme note that makes me think of roast chicken. And finally, I would really love to find a coffee fragrance that really smells of coffee. I’m not sure if coffee counts as savory, but it’s definitely note sweet! May 18, 2015 at 9:58am
Elisa: The only coffee perfume that really reminds me of coffee is By Kilian Intoxicated, but it’s not a pure/straight coffee. Still, it’s delicious. May 18, 2015 at 11:37am
Solanace: Hum, I want to try it! May 18, 2015 at 11:48am
Victoria: Ah, I was just mentioning it to Megan. To me, it’s the best coffee so far, although I really like Tom Ford Cafe Rose. May 19, 2015 at 12:23pm
Victoria: Goodness, your descriptions are mouthwatering, Daisy. I especially want to try Smoke for the Soul.
Coffee is such a hard perfume note to interpret, because anything too close to the real thing smells like fried meat on skin. Yes, fried meat! No many takers among fragrance brands for such an effect. 🙂 May 19, 2015 at 12:18pm
Daisy: Strangely, now I really want fried meat for lunch 🙂 May 20, 2015 at 10:24am
Victoria: I scrolled through the comments, and as some words jumped at me, I’m now craving a grilled steak with basil. 🙂 May 21, 2015 at 10:40am
Michaela: Very interesting article! And surprising cravings.
I think I would like fenugreek in a perfume.
I know not much about non-sweet gourmands. I adore Eau des Merveilles. I can’t stand Womanity on my skin. I love the salty vetiver of Encre Noire for men. I love spices in oriental perfumes.
I adore tea perfumes but I don’t know if these qualify as gourmands. The same for herbs and citrus in colognes. May 18, 2015 at 10:43am
leathermountain: Have you tried Sables from Annick Goutal? I get the feeling you’d like it. May 18, 2015 at 4:41pm
Michaela: I’d love to! Thank you. May 19, 2015 at 4:13am
Victoria: Another vote for Sables, one of Goutal’s best fragrances. May 19, 2015 at 12:52pm
Victoria: Gourmand usually means a dessert like fragrance, but there have been interesting developments in the savory category. Either way, the perfume has to make your mouth water, and some herbal notes do. I love basil in perfumes, for instance. May 19, 2015 at 12:20pm
Cornelia Blimber: Another great article in the Financial Times!
Although it is fleety on my skin, I like the salty note in Reveal, Calvin Klein.
I like creamy perfumes, like Theorema, or Nu.
(Do you know other ones?
Some years ago I smelled real vanilla (in Artis, the Zoo). It was not so sweet as I expected, very refined. I found the same vanilla in the drydown of the original Dolce Vita, now sadly reformulated. I wish it came back again!
I still have some Douce-Amère, like it but not too often. May 18, 2015 at 10:47am
Victoria: Reveal does have a great salty note, and while it’s not an overly avant-garde perfume, it’s really well-made.
Do you mean creamy as in milky or as in vanilla-like? For instance, Olfactive Studio Lumiere Blanche smells creamy to me. May 19, 2015 at 12:21pm
Cornelia Blimber: Milky, I mean. I must try Olfactive Studio’s perfumes, so often mentioned here! May 19, 2015 at 12:47pm
Victoria: Or L’Artisan Safran Troublant, Kenzo Amour, Love Chloe. Those also smell milky to me. May 19, 2015 at 1:08pm
Cornelia Blimber: Aha! Thank you! May 19, 2015 at 3:45pm
meganinstmaxime: Yes I love salt so would like to try more salty perfumes but I also adore sweet as well. I know I liked Womanity when I tried it but I haven’t bought a bottle although I often think about it. I remember there was a bacon perfume that came out but I can’t remember who that was from but I loooove the smell. Your choices made me think I need to try the Jo Malone and I’ve tried Eau de Celeri as well Daisy – I liked it and I’m not such a huge green fan. I do like olive and have just had a cracker with tapenade – delicious. Something like that may be OK to wear – I’m not quite sure – it would definitely need a bit of sweetness I think. And ditto what Daisy said about coffee. I love coffee and can’t do without it. I’d love some boozy coffee perfumes. May 18, 2015 at 11:02am
Daisy: Your comment reminds me of another perfume that I forgot that has a salty and savory note! Slumberhouse Pear & Olive! May 18, 2015 at 2:14pm
meganinstmaxime: I need to try that. People seem to like it a lot. May 18, 2015 at 3:02pm
leathermountain: Not all people. But it’s worth a smell! May 18, 2015 at 4:42pm
Victoria: I also love the combination of coffee and cognac or rum. Have you tried by Kilian’s Intoxicated? It’s inspired by a cup of cardamom coffee. May 19, 2015 at 12:22pm
Cornelia Blimber: Coffee and whisky (without ice, of course! for ex. Johnny Walker Black Label) is also a good pair (and for me : a cigar, and a spritz of Van Cleef pour Homme). May 19, 2015 at 12:50pm
Victoria: Great image! May 21, 2015 at 10:41am
allgirlmafia: Funny how many of us like salty fragrances. You know, I’m a little amused each time I read the notes and reviews for L’Artisan Timbuktu because while smoke incense and all is mentioned- I get salty skin and vetiver. I love it! It is one from my collection that is so good I can almost taste it. I also find Angel, Traverse du Bosphore, Femme, Mon Parfum Cheri, Cuir Beluga, Santal Carmin, Lipstick Rose and at times Mitsouko all to be delicious. May 18, 2015 at 11:53am
Victoria: I also get lots of salt out of Timbuktu and comparatively little smoke.
Glancing at your list, I see that we have lots of favorites in common. 🙂 May 19, 2015 at 12:24pm
Solanace: Fils de Dieu is outstanding, with its steamed rice note. Interesting article, makes me want to revisit the merveilles line. May 18, 2015 at 11:54am
leathermountain: A perfumista recommended that one to me when I was going on and on about this Thai soup with lemongrass, galangal, keffir lime leaves, all these ingredients that smell like perfumes unto themselves. I’d love to try it!
Then I did some note searching and also turned up a Demeter called something like Curry or Fiery Curry. The soup is nothing like curry, but the notes seemed relevant. Anyone know that Demeter scent? May 18, 2015 at 4:45pm
solanace: The soup sounds very good, I love Thai food. May 19, 2015 at 7:18am
Victoria: Sounds curious! I haven’t tried it, but usually Demeter does these kind of concepts really well. If anyone smelled it, I’d love to hear their thoughts. May 19, 2015 at 12:53pm
Victoria: It’s a such a good collection, even the flankers which are rarely that interesting in other lines. May 19, 2015 at 12:25pm
Patricia: Along with salty flavors, I really like rice in my perfume. Equistrius has rice and chocolate, and Safran Troublant is yummy saffron rice garnished with rose petals. May 18, 2015 at 12:22pm
Victoria: Cooking basmati rice is already a thrill for me because of the scent. So, I’m always looking for interesting rice perfumes or fragrances with rice notes. The ones you mentioned are great examples. May 19, 2015 at 12:26pm
Figuier: I have Rose Oud, which I love for its rose-saffron combo, but I recently visited my sister, who wears Safran Troublant, and couldn’t stop remarking on her gorgeous sillage. It’s definitely in the ‘sweet’ gourmand category, but such a classic. Almost want to go and buy myself a bottle now… May 19, 2015 at 2:38pm
Victoria: I don’t carry it that well, but once I was at a perfume boutique and a woman came in and sprayed herself. I could have followed her around just for that gorgeous sillage. May 19, 2015 at 3:44pm
Danaki: Ooh…one I thought about recently as my better half was taking out the focaccia he baked from the oven, and he had specked it with Maldon salt and rosemary.
So for a fragrance, I think I’d like a toasted bread note, rosemary as the main character, and salt. I think lavender would work well with it at the stop, maybe some amber and sandalwood in the base?
It will be a nice cozy Autumn type perfume.
hmm… May 18, 2015 at 12:44pm
Karen: Wow – that sounds really good! May 18, 2015 at 1:29pm
leathermountain: It does! I can’t figure out why there aren’t more prominent rosemary notes out there. That’s another culinary ingredient I would wear. May 18, 2015 at 4:46pm
bregje: Un jardin en mediterranee has rosemary in it.
And there are probably more .
But your list of toast,lavender etc.. does sound really good May 18, 2015 at 6:27pm
bregje: sorry,i meant sur le toit 😉
And Jicky,of course May 18, 2015 at 6:36pm
Victoria: It tends to be too camphorous to be used prominently, without being softened by something else or diluted with citrus. May 19, 2015 at 12:53pm
Victoria: I’d love that perfume, Danaki! It sounds great from all aspects. May 19, 2015 at 12:26pm
Aurora: A brilliant article! Like many I enjoy the Merveilles very much, especially the elixir which is almost sticky on the skin and love its effect of salt and sugar encrusted driftwood. Liz Earle No 15 has an almost edible quality with its pepper and something that registers as carrot to me, and I like the rice note in Kenzo Amour. I would love to smell a pimento chocolate perfume. May 18, 2015 at 1:01pm
Victoria: Thank you! I find the topic intriguing, and I’m always pushing my perfumer acquaintances to try something salty and savory. It’s amazing how many perfumers have such accords in their collections–from toasted bread to focaccia with herbs to picholine olives. I’m with you on pimento and chocolate. Now, that’s a great combo. May 19, 2015 at 12:43pm
spe: I like herbs – Aramis 900 is my favorite (more feminine than Aromatics Elixir, to my nose). It’s tough to find. May 18, 2015 at 1:08pm
Victoria: A very good perfume, and I also wish it could be more available. May 19, 2015 at 12:43pm
limegreen: What a fun article, made me hungry more than anything. 🙂 I’ve come to notice and love the wheat note in En Passant more and more. I didn’t notice it much with my initial sampling and wondered why reviews mentioned it! So my nose must have adjusted.
I recently rediscovered Bois Farine — so bready and doughy, not savory in a salty crystal way but to my surprise, I love it more and more. It’s not fresh baked baguette though! May 18, 2015 at 1:12pm
Victoria: All of the comments made me hungry! 🙂
Thank you for reminding me of Bois Farine. It’s another fragrance I’d classify as a savory gourmand. It smells of Chinese steamed peanut dumplings to me. May 19, 2015 at 12:44pm
limegreen: That’s exactly it! I couldn’t quite place what it reminded me of — YUM. May 19, 2015 at 3:03pm
Karen: Very timely reading, as I sat down with my lunch of olives, feta cheese, artichoke hearts and really yummy pickles! Have not tried any of the fragrances you mention, Victoria, but will have to give a try to one or two! May 18, 2015 at 1:31pm
Victoria: Your lunch sounds wonderful, and I’m now craving the same thing. May 19, 2015 at 12:45pm
Chilloften: I don’t know or have any savory gourmands but maybe I can find Womaninity around here to try. Sounds interesting. May 18, 2015 at 1:59pm
Victoria: Do try it, if only for the curious salty note. It can be a challenging perfume to wear, but if it sits well on you, it can be such a revelation. Name aside, it also smells great on men. May 19, 2015 at 12:46pm
Domestic Goblin: I quite like the smell of rice in perfumes, it’s very comforting. For example, Love Chloe and Kenzo Amour 🙂 May 18, 2015 at 2:02pm
Victoria: Two of my favorites–comforting and yet sensual. May 19, 2015 at 12:46pm
Austenfan: Reading this I instantly thought of 2 Diptyques; Virgilio and L’Autre. Both not really gourmand but taking their inspiration from the kitchen in a way. Another interesting savoury perfume I like is Love Coco. Have you ever tried that one?
You know, I’ve never tried Womanity, have to remedy that. And I’m always glad to see a mention of Fils de Dieu. May 18, 2015 at 2:14pm
Victoria: I haven’t. Who makes it?
You know me and my love for Fils de Dieu. I find it addictive. May 19, 2015 at 12:47pm
Austenfan: Love Coco was one of the 3 Honoré des Prés scents that were launched in I think 2012? The others were Love les Carottes and Vamp à New York. All 3 were authored by Giacobetti. I didn’t love the Coco but I thought it was very interesting. May 19, 2015 at 1:13pm
Victoria: A reader sent me a sample of Vamp a New York recently, and I really liked it. I remember liking Carottes ok, but I probably never even tried Coco. May 19, 2015 at 1:23pm
Austenfan: Out of the 3 Vamp was the clear winner for me, although I like Carottes enough to get a bottle of it when I could do so when it was on sale.
Vamp is probably my most worn tuberose. Such a cheerful rendition, of that note. May 19, 2015 at 1:33pm
Victoria: Yes! Very easy to wear and easy to enjoy. Unlike many other tuberoses, it’s not too sweet or too coconut-like. I drained my sample.
(Kat, if you’re reading it, a big thank you!) May 19, 2015 at 3:19pm
rosarita: Interesting article, thanks! I really liked the salty fig in Womanity but it was almost immediately buried under an avalanche of sugar, boo. I would like to smell more nuttiness in perfume, like the scent of roasted pistachios or cashews or – especially! – pecans. There’s a toasty bit of walnut in Bulgari Au The Rouge but I have to really concentrate to find it. May 18, 2015 at 3:04pm
Victoria: I understand that the earlier versions of Womanity were much saltier, but the final result is on the sweet side. I still get lots of salty, briny notes, but like you, I wish the sugar was less prominent. Still, an interesting fragrance.
Serge Lutens Chypre Rouge has a rich walnut note. Have you tried it? May 19, 2015 at 12:48pm
rainboweyes: My favourite savoury gourmand is Sienne d’Hiver by Eau d’Italie with its notes of roasted chestnuts, black olives and truffles wrapped in frankincense and iris. May 18, 2015 at 3:36pm
bregje: That sounds yummy!Love truffles.
Guess i’m going to have to try that one. May 18, 2015 at 6:50pm
Victoria: Sienne d’Hiver is one of the most intriguing perfumes.
Tom Ford Black Orchid also has a truffle note, but the floral part is a bit too sweet. Another perfume with a truffle note is LILY by Stella MacCartney. May 19, 2015 at 12:50pm
Figuier: Yes, great idea, savoury gourmands should be a much bigger category than it is at present! I really like Womanity, though like the other Mugler classics it’s almost too powerful to wear. I’m not familiar with those Diptyque Eaux, but Jubilation 25 has a wonderful tarragon note that’s very appealing – Mitsouko with kitchen herbs added 🙂 May 18, 2015 at 4:17pm
Victoria: Mitsouko with kitchen herbs added is a great way to describe it. I can almost imagine a well-coiffed, Mitsouko hostess decorating a plate of salad with herbs from her window garden. 🙂 May 19, 2015 at 12:51pm
Karen: Now I’m inspired! Will put on some Mitsouko this evening and go pick herbs and lettuce for our dinner! May 19, 2015 at 2:53pm
Victoria: Glamorous! 🙂 May 19, 2015 at 3:43pm
Karen: Well I just got some highlights in my hair and a rather elegant ear cuff so I’m feeling pretty glamorous! (ok, here’s the reality check – had to get highlights to correct my home dye job, as I was somewhat channeling Mortician Adams and the very chic ear cuff came from Claire’s! – but in all honesty, they are a great source of inexpensive treasures that when combined with decent clothes, you’d never believe came from a shop that caters to 12 year olds…..) May 19, 2015 at 5:29pm
Victoria: I could never pass by Claire’s without stopping by. I love that store.
You’re elegant! May 21, 2015 at 10:45am
Ditie: My first post, but I’ve been lurking all year! 🙂 The other day, when I was in a department store, I sprayed YSL Babydoll onto a piece of cardboard. It smelled distinctly savoury. Taking the cardboard home with me and smelling it some more, I realised it smelled like Chinese food. I haven’t tried it on my skin. May 18, 2015 at 4:51pm
Victoria: Welcome, Ditie! I’m glad that you joined us. 🙂
I’d be curious to hear how Babydoll smells on your skin. It has lots of grapefruit and rhubarb, which is why it probably smelled savory to you. May 19, 2015 at 12:54pm
Anka: If I remember correctly Baby Doll is from the same perfumer who created Fils de Dieu (Ralf Schwieger). May 20, 2015 at 4:09am
Victoria: Yes, you’re right. I used to wear it too. May 21, 2015 at 10:46am
bregje: Who doesn’t like the smell of fresh baked bread?
Isn’t it used to sell houses?
So i’m with you on the baquette 🙂
I don’t know how exactly to explain this but besides the wheat-scent i also like the baked yeast-smell in bread.And the water and the salt.
And that perfume would be even more fun if we could combine it every other day with the smell of butter and/or homemade jam.
Now i’m hungry…
So maybe it’s not such a good idea after all.
I mean i could use a few extra pounds but the government says that most people are overweight and if we were wearing perfume that makes us hungry all day…
Sorry ,my imagination got away with me there 😉 May 18, 2015 at 7:03pm
Victoria: In the US, they use the scent of chocolate chip cookies, but I’d fall for anything smelling of freshly baked bread. Whenever I pass by one of those old-fashioned bakeries that still emit their exhaust into the street, I swoon. You rarely smell it in Brussels though (probably because few bakeries still bake on premises), but a local branch of Pizza Hut has started doing it.
I’m starving now. 🙂 May 19, 2015 at 12:57pm
Brian Shea: Yes, yeast would definitely be part of the fresh-baked-bread scent, in fact, I think it’s the primary thing you smell in that odor.
And yes, some butter notes would be absolutely delish….. May 26, 2015 at 8:16pm
Hannah: I briefly tried Womanity and I liked it, so I keep meaning to try it again but I always forget!
A Quiet Morning by Miller et Bertaux is another, with rice and spices. I enjoy it but I do think it could be better. May 18, 2015 at 8:53pm
Victoria: A Quiet Morning is a very nice idea, but it lacked a punch or something to me. I need to revisit it again, though. May 19, 2015 at 12:58pm
Irina: My favorites are by Diptyque: Virgilio for the peppery scent of fresh herbs and the new Florabellio which smells of coffee, apple blossoms, and salt to me. I know Florabellio is getting mixed reviews, but as someone who grew up at the seaside, I am swept away by the memories.
A true baguette scent would be so lovely. May 18, 2015 at 9:02pm
Victoria: I’m going to try Florabellio, so I will keep your comment in mind. The combination sounds so appealing. May 19, 2015 at 12:58pm
The Blue Squid: Nice to see a shout out for Oriental Lounge in your article, Victoria! I think the curry leaf makes it herby, spicy, radiant and lovely. I got a bottle for cheap a while ago, and I get a lot of wear out of it. As for a new savoury note, maybe pungent herbs like rosemary and oregano. If they don’t end up being too Sunday roast-like… May 19, 2015 at 7:45am
Victoria: Without that punchy note, the perfume wouldn’t have been the same. Glad to meet another fan. May 19, 2015 at 1:00pm
Karen: In the name of research and trying new types of scents, I gave Jo Malone’s Sea Salt and Sage a test run, but it disappeared so quickly on me! Got a second opinion from a SA at another store to make sure it wasn’t my imagination – but just a tiny trace remained after 1/2 hour. Fortunately, it was not one I loved loved loved or I would have been very disappointed. May 19, 2015 at 2:58pm
Victoria: Oh well… Those Jo Malones are notorious for being fleeting, although it also depends on your skin. A friend wears it, and I smell it all day long on her when we spend time together. But it also doesn’t last terribly well on me. May 19, 2015 at 3:43pm
Karen: It’s really strange – I’m not sure if I’m just supposed to carry around travel atomizers to spritz if I’m away from home for a few hours. But some fragrances have such great lasting power – Carnal Flower, pretty much any of my Guerlains, A la Nuit…. Body chemistry is such an amazing thing! May 19, 2015 at 5:33pm
Victoria: I hardly ever touch up my perfume. I’d rather put on something else later. I guess, I’m also a little lazy in this regard. May 21, 2015 at 10:47am
Jessica: This is my first time posting on your blog. You have such an ellequant way of capturing the essence of fragrances. To me the ultimate gourmand with a “bread” note is Serge Lutens Jeaux de peau. It reminds me of roasted Indian spices and freshly baked bread. I also agree that Bois Farine has a similar feel (and is much more versatile). May 19, 2015 at 9:04pm
Victoria: Thank you very much, Jessica! And thank you for joining in.
Your reminder of Jeau de Peau inspired me to wear it the other day. You’re right, it has a delicious bread note. May 21, 2015 at 10:48am
Areej: I have eau claire des merveilles and I love how soft, salty and airy it is. More suitable for hotter locations. I absolutely adore Jo Malone Blue Agava and Cacao. I would love to see an in depth review from you Victoria. Also, I recently came across a couple of people mentioning that blue agava and cacao might be discontinued soon. Does anyone know if it carries any merit? May 20, 2015 at 1:28am
Victoria: I don’t have a sample for a proper review, but I will try to get one. It’s such a good perfume, and I’d hate to see it disappear. May 21, 2015 at 10:49am
Aisha: Blue Agava & Cacao is my favorite Jo Malone fragrance. My mom usually sends me samples, so I have yet to purchase a bottle. I plan to one day though. 😉
I don’t know if it’s spicy, but I do enjoy Mandarine Baslic — a lot. It’s the one I gravitate toward in the summer as an everyday fragrance.
I would love a warm gourmand-y fragrance that evokes the smells of a campfire the way lapsang souchong tea does. If one already exists, let me know. 🙂 May 20, 2015 at 9:48am
Victoria: I can’t think of one, although if you haven’t tried Comme des Garcons Black, I recommend you sampling it. It has dark roasted tea notes, along with rum, gingerbread and dark woods. A strange rubbery start, but the drydown is delicious. May 21, 2015 at 10:50am
Peppermoon: CB I HATE PERFUME has a very smoky tea scent called Russian Caravan Tea. Not Lapsang Souchong but close. May 24, 2015 at 10:23pm
Rebecca: How about Dune? I find can smell salt and … is that thyme? Strangely irresistible. May 20, 2015 at 2:04pm
Victoria: And the combination of all this with salty ambergris is striking. There is also a subtle immortelle note in the heart. May 21, 2015 at 10:51am
Katy McReynolds: Yatagan smells powerfully of caraway to my nose and when I wear it I imagine it smells of a wonderful Mediterranean kitchen with dried herbs hanging from the ceiling…. May 20, 2015 at 2:33pm
Austenfan: I only tried Yatagan once, I was very impressed. Those 3 older male Carons are such gems anyway. May 20, 2015 at 4:46pm
Victoria: I agree with Austenfan, Caron’s older masculine fragrances are treasures. Yatagan and Third Man are my favorites. May 21, 2015 at 10:52am
Soraya: Pandan and wheat! 😉 May 21, 2015 at 4:46am
Victoria: Oh, yes! Or pandan and rice. Or pandan and gardenias. I’m crazy about this ingredient.
In fact, I’d love a perfume line inspired by the Malaysian kuih. These Chinese-Malay desserts not only look like jewels, they’re delicious too. May 21, 2015 at 10:55am
Nicole: I’d love a scent that evokes an almond croissant or mango with coconut cream sticky rice. When I think of gourmande, it’s the amazing Badgley Mischka- elegant boozy fruit
Salad. May 21, 2015 at 9:28pm
Victoria: That perfume was one of my favorite gourmands. Fun, bubbly and yet complex. May 23, 2015 at 2:29pm
Amer: What I’d love to smell in perfume is what I inhale when I am lying on a woven straw beach mat. The straw, the hot sand, the drying seaweed, the musky perspiration of a body washed in saltwater… perhaps even a distant scent of salicylates laden sunscreen. A salty fantasy I’d gladly sniff any time but especially needed during winter! If any accompliced perfumer would like to give it a try please let me know! May 25, 2015 at 4:56am
Tulsi: Feu d’Issey is very savory to me, it smells of focaccia. Weird but interesting. June 1, 2015 at 3:23pm
Victoria: I agree! It’s strange but compelling. June 2, 2015 at 1:08pm