Seasonal Scents Winter 2022 Smelling Notes

SEASONAL SMELLING NOTES WINTER

WELCOME TO YOUR WINTER

2022 BOX !

We’ve covered a lot of bases in this Winter box, from re-released favourites to brand new fragrances, pocket-friendly to designer to niche, and with a variety of fragrance families too. There is plenty of difference between each scent to test and train your nose. Perhaps get a friend to help you with a blind trial. Close your eyes and ask them to choose a sample at random and give you a spritz.

Can you pick out certain notes? Does not knowing the name or the packaging make you just think about the smell? Are you surprised by your response? Whatever you do, we hope you enjoy this season’s selection.

The Perfume Society theperfumesociety Perfume_Society

GIORGIO ARMANI CODE GIORGIO

ARMANI CODE

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: WOODY

TOP NOTES: lemon, bergamot

HEART NOTES: star anise, olive blossom, guaiac wood

BASE NOTES: leather, tonka bean, tobacco

The always exciting perfumer Antoine Lie created this award-winning composition for Georgio Armani (it scooped the FiFi Award for Fragrance of the Year in the Men’s Luxe category when it launched, but we rather think it’s luscious for any gender suave enough to wear it!) It’s one of those timeless fragrances that just feels ‘so right for right now’, being effortlessly chic yet always wearable. Woody and characterful yet with a clarity that never feels cloying, it hugs you in a sensual trail that lingers longingly.

Combining easy elegance with a signature European simplicity, the designer Giorgio Armani has had a stellar following since the 1970s. And, of course, now there is a wardrobe of fragrance options to play dress-up in, too. From launching his label with just $10,000, he soon became known from dressing all the stars on the red carpets as well as the world’s catwalks. Famous for the sublime textures of his fabrics and their feel on the skin, since 1984 Giorgio Armani has also been delighting another of our senses…

SMELLING NOTES: EXPLORE: GIORGIO ARMANI CODE

• If you could invite ten celebrities to a party, wearing this, who would they be?

• While you smell the scent on your skin, which notes are most prominent, first?

• Smell the fragrance after half an hour, then 60 minutes: how does it change?

• Designing a catwalk collection based on this scent, what would it look like?

• Which three words best sum up Code for you? Classic? Luxe? Sexy? Over to you...

armani beauty giorgioarmaniparfum

BRIONI INTENSE BRIONI INTENSE

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: WOODY

TOP NOTES: Italian tangerine, Calabrian bergamot, pink pepper

HEART NOTES: green apple, patchouli, saffron

BASE NOTES: agarwood (oud), ambroxan, vanilla

Some scents feel like an exquisitely tailored piece of fabric in fragrant form, and the immaculately chic Italian house have achieved this with aplomb for this darker version of their hugely successful original. A lusciously luminous duo of citrus oils beguiles the senses, radiant bergamot and juicy mandarin studded with pink peppercorn in cool opening notes. A deeper plunge into the suave world of this sophisticated fashion house’s aesthetic, Michel Almairac suffuses the base with patchouli, oudh and Ambroxan, threads of suede-like saffron woven with a swoosh of crisp apple, a fragrant flourish akin to the silky moiré that lines their wool jackets.

In 1945 the visionary duo of Nazareno Fonticoli, a Master Tailor, and his business partner Gaetano Savini founded Brioni. They arrived at a time the world was crying out for newness and aesthetic, revolutionising menswear as we knew it and holding the first ever menswear fashion show in 1952 at the opulent Sala Bianca of Palazzo Pitti in Florence. Their sumptuous boutique was a roaring success, attracting a discerning and celebrity clientele; their contemporary fragrances effortlessly echo their ethos – for gentlemen, or any gender seeking stylesavvy scents.

SMELLING NOTES: EXPLORE: BRIONI INTENSE

• Based on this, what material would you select for your bespoke Italian?

• Have you tried the original? Would you say this version is more wintery?

• Imagine yourself wearing this anywhere in the world. Where are you…?

• What do you perceive as ‘Italian style?

• Which three words best sum up Brioni Intense for you? Exceptional? Stylish? Tailored? Over to you...

£110 for 100 ml eau de parfum brioni.com

brioni.official brioni_official

CAROLINA HERRERA GOOD GIRL

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: Gourmand Ambrée

TOP NOTE: almond

HEART NOTES: tuberose, jasmine sambac

BASE NOTES: tonka bean, cocoa

CAROLINA HERRERA GOOD GIRL

The perfect party scent (no matter the season), Givaudan’s brilliant ‘nose’ Louise Turner so-cleverly contrasts elements of light and dark, with decadently delicious notes of roasted cocoa, coffee and toasty, nutty, delectable tonka bean sashaying alongside a special Tuberose Crystal note that’s surprisingly sheer and green. (Even tuberose refuseniks we’ve wafted this at have loved it!) No wonder this has proved a best-seller: dazzling, celebratory, unashamedly FUN. And oh, don’t we all need some of that after the last few years…?

Carolina Herrera de Báez (Carolina Jr) joined her mother’s empire in 1996. Vogue editor Diana Vreeland had endorsed the debut collection of her mother, a then little-known designer, at New York’s Metropolitan Club in 1981, the fashion world suddenly sat up and noticed. As Carolina (the mother) once said: "For me, to wear a perfume is the most important invisible accessory that a woman can have. And the most important, for me, for the success of a perfume is what is in the bottle." Oh wow, but what wonderful bottles they are, too! Truly, the whole perfumed package.

SMELLING NOTES:

EXPLORE: CAROLINA HERRERA GOOD GIRL

• Scent your party inspired by this perfume: what’s the soundtrack?

• When it warms on your skin, at what point do you smell the cocoa?

• Would you normally wear white florals? How does this differ to others?

• Do you collect perfume bottles? Which would line your dream shelves?

• Which three words best sum up Good Girl for you? Fun? Flirty? Vivacious? Over to you...

£132 for 150 ml eau de parfum carolinaherrera.com

carolinaherreraNY carolinaherrera

MALIN+GOETZ

CANNABIS

MALIN+GOETZ CANNABIS

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: Woody Aromatic

TOP NOTES: bergamot, black pepper, orange

HEART NOTES: magnolia, cannabis accord, muguet

BASE NOTES: cedarwood, patchouli, sandalwood

Forget all you think you know about this note and ditch the fear it may leave you smelling like a university dorm room party, for this gender free perfume is beautifully rich and herbaceous, with soft, floral notes of muguet and magnolia, on a lullingly soft yet earthy base of cedarwood, patchouli and sandalwood. Rather than causing riots in the streets or people fainting clean away at the smell of it, the fragrance is far more sophisticated than that, we are sure you’ll agree.

When Malin+Goetz launched Cannabis in 2014, it still seemed quite shocking, and eyebrows were raised – but for a house who delight in shaking the status quo and using ground-breaking ingredients for their skincare and fragrance lines, it was merely a ripple. The maverick duo began in New York, in 2004. Their skincare rapidly became a ‘cult’ favourite, but at The Perfume Society, what got us really excited was their move to fragrance – we applaud their exploration of unusual notes and diversity of equally easy to wear fragrant profiles.

SMELLING NOTES: EXPLORE: MALIN+GOETZ CANNABIS

• Do you think this smells illicit, or more surprising than you’d imagined?

• We adore the delicacy within the richness – when do you sense it?

• What is the longest-lasting note on your own skin?

• Did you try their skincare first, or one of the fragrances?

• Which three words best sum up Cannabis for you? Intriguing? Soothing? Herbaceous? Over to you...

£130 for 100 ml eau de parfum malinandgoetz.co.uk

MALINandGOETZ malinandgoetz

MANOS GERAKINIS METHEXIS

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: Gourmand

TOP NOTES: fig, dried fruits, blackcurrant

HEART NOTES: cacao, honey, cinnamon, cedar

BASE NOTES: vanilla, benzoin, musk, amber, vetiver

MANOS GERAKINIS METHEXIS

The name Methexis derives from ancient Greek, roughly translating as ‘the communication between the divine and the human’. A feast for the senses, addictive cocoa and honey luxuriously swathe fig –one of the most important and traditional symbols of Greece, where Manos the founder is so-proudly from – while blackcurrant ensures the perfect balance of sweetness, swirled into the reassuring woodiness of cedar. A sprinkle of cinnamon ensures this so-sophisticated, intoxicating indulgence of a scent is seasoned to perfection. Oh yes, we think you’ll agree, it’s divine, indeed!

From an early age, Manos Gerakinis knew that "… every bottle is more than a mere perfume; it is a living olfactory experience, unique and mysterious." Inspired by childhood memories of Kavala, Greece, embracing his family’s heritage in Istanbul, and the intertwining of art, history, and philosophy; Manos Gerakinis Parfums is, amazingly, the first niche luxury Greek perfume house, and the fragrances truly radiate the diversity and passion of their founder. Wearing a Manos Gerakinis fragrance, we absolutely echo his sentiments, "… allows the true beauty of the individual to emerge."

SMELLING NOTES: EXPLORE: MANOS GERAKINIS METHEXIS

• If you’ve visited Greece, what are your smell memories?

• Shaking a cocktail based on this scent, what ingredients would you add?

• We think the honey adds a grown-up sweetness, do you agree?

• How long does it take for the cinnamon to sizzle on your skin?

• Which three words best sum up Methexis for you? Indulgent? Balanced? Sensual? Over to you...

£165 for 100 ml eau de parfum shymimosa.co.uk

ManosGerakinis manos_gerakinis

MAYA

NJIE

NORDIC CEDAR

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: Woody

TOP NOTE: cardamom

HEART NOTES: patchouli, cedar wood

BASE NOTES: musk, ambergris

MAYA NJIE NORDIC CEDAR

A mesmerising blend of warm and cooler notes, this wraps around you and feels familiar in the sense of ‘ahh, I’m home’ yet manages to feel utterly unlike any other cedar fragrance we’ve ever worn. Perhaps you have never have visited the Swedish forest it was inspired by, but we feel a sense of towering trees, the reassuring comfort of cedar and earthy patchouli enclosing us as cardamom gifts brightness, while ambergris adds a swirl of mist –the droplets caressing skin as the aroma molecules meld to your own body chemistry.

Maya Njie (pronounced 'Maia N-Jai') brilliantly brings people, places and photographs to life in 3D within her eponymous house. Putting the art back into ‘artisanal’, they each explore the allure of diverse roots, family albums, colours, landscapes and emotional connections. Having graduated from the University of the Arts in London, she wove these threads together via the medium of the senses, using smell alongside visual mediums; creating new scent memories for us all to enjoy. Here, we experience a Scandinavian idyll, combined with the soul of her esoteric Gambian heritage.

SMELLING NOTES:

EXPLORE: MAYA NJIE NORDIC CEDAR

• Do you have a precious photo you’d base a scent on? What would it smell of?

• If this scent were a colour, what would it be?

• Wearing this, close your eyes: do you sense the forest around you?

• Do you sense the juxtaposition of cool and warm tones within this?

• Which three words best sum up Nordic Cedar for you? Evocative? Poignant? Grounding? Over to you...

Maya Njie

Perfumes maya.njie.perfumes

OBVIOUS

UN

BOIS OBVIOUS UN BOIS

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: Woody

TOP NOTES: Italian bergamot, black pepper

HEART NOTES: ambroxan, Virginian cedar wood

BASE NOTES: Indian papyrus, Malaysian gurjum, Haitian vetiver essence

Using fresh but ultra-dry wood filled with a modern, utterly addictive heart of Ambroxan, Obvious says "Un Bois vibrates like a 'Fender' or 'Gibson' in full release…" Cleverly playing the brightness and sparkle of bergamot against the shadowy (yet still fresh) depths of vetiver, it does indeed feel like a harmony, that resonant thrum of a just-plucked guitar string (and a super long-lasting note that moves around you for hours after you first spray, too.)

David Frossard’s family business was selling perfumes and cosmetics in Africa before his own fragrant journey began. Starting as Head of Exports at L’Artisan Parfumeur (whom many have called ‘the first niche fragrance house’) and followed by many years of experience aiding indie perfume houses. Amélie Bourgeois and Anne-Sophie Behaghel are two talented noses, and fellow entrepreneurs, who formed FLAIR PARIS, and have composed for many of the world’s leading fragrance houses. Together, Obvious prides itself on being a luxury perfume house that ‘combines simplicity with elegance, and elegance with respect.’

SMELLING NOTES: EXPLORE: OBVIOUS UN BOIS

• Where in its development does Ambroxan become apparent for you?

• Do you feel a guitar being played, or what other instrument’s evoked?

• What time of day does this scent suggest to you?

• How many hours does it last on your skin?

• Which three words best sum up Une Bois for you? Powerful? Modern? Unifying? Over to you...

Obvious Parfums obviousparfums

YARDLEY FREESIA & BERGAMOT

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: Floral

TOP NOTES: bergamot, lemon, mandarin orange, cypress

HEART NOTES: freesia, ginger, pepper, lily of the valley

BASE NOTES: musk, sandalwood, amber

YARDLEY FREESIA & BERGAMOT

Containing 90% naturally derived ingredients and a vegetable derived alcohol base, and also being cruelty-free and suitable for vegans, this forms part of their ‘Classics’ collection, yet feels completely contemporary to wear. Vibrantly aromatic, it’s a swathe of wildflowers gathered into a charming bouquet before the tingle of ginger sets the senses alive. We picture a party in the woodland of a private estate – the kind where royalty have stayed, leaving traces of their heritage, but the house still throbs with the energy of bright young things. Wear this to dance while holding a glass of fizz, laughing with friends and any time you want to feel happy.

Not many perfume houses can lay claim to 250 years of history. However, whispers of Yardley London‘s heritage go all the way back to the reign of King Charles I, when a young man with the Yardley name paid the king a large sum for the concession to supply all the soap for the City of London. Proudly putting fine fragrance within the reach of everyone, yet using leading perfumers to compose them, we will always have a bottle of Yardley London at hand.

SMELLING NOTES: EXPLORE: YARDLEY FREESIA & BERGAMOT

• Painting the scene of this scent, what would you use –watercolours or oils?

• Thinking of your dearest friends, which of them is most reminiscent of this?

• Does the ginger show itself all the way through, or reveal itself slowly?

• Which are your favourite floral notes here, and why?

• Which three words best sum up Freesia & Bergamot for you? Pretty? Refreshing? Energising? Over to you...

Yardley London yardleylondonuk