Aroma Concepts notes: every note in the 44 scents, explained

Citrus

Bergamot

Grown mainly in Calabria in southern Italy, this citrus fruit gives a peel oil that smells bright, fresh and faintly bitter, with a floral edge.

Listed by 16 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with bergamot

Mandarin

Pressed from the peel of a small, loose-skinned citrus fruit, mandarin oil smells sweet, juicy and gentler than lemon or grapefruit.

Listed by 13 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with mandarin

Lemon

Sharp, zesty and clean, lemon peel oil is one of the most recognisable fresh smells in perfumery.

Listed by 5 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with lemon

Orange

Orange oil comes from the peel of the sweet orange and smells juicy, sunny and sweet, with only a hint of bitterness.

Listed by 4 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with orange

Blood orange

Blood orange has the sweetness of ordinary orange with a darker, berry-like tang, juicy and a little tart.

Listed in Sapphire Avri (top).

Citrus fruits

As an umbrella term, citrus fruits names a group of peels such as lemon, orange or mandarin, not one material, and usually stands for a fresh, zesty, juicy effect.

Listed in Jawhari (top).

Grapefruit

Tart, juicy and slightly bitter, grapefruit peel oil gives a vivid citrus smell with a sparkling edge.

Listed in Entangle (top).

Lemongrass

Lemongrass is a tall tropical grass whose oil smells lemony, green and slightly herbal, fresh without being sharp.

Listed in Coco Love (top).

Fruit

Apple

Crisp, juicy and fresh, the apple note can lean green and tart or round and sweet, depending on the variety it suggests.

Listed by 7 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with apple

Pear

Lightly sweet and juicy, pear has a gentle, watery fruit smell with a slightly green freshness.

Listed by 7 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with pear

Coconut

Creamy, sweet and softly nutty, coconut gives a tropical, milky note drawn from the white flesh of the nut.

Listed by 6 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with coconut

Blackcurrant

The dark berry of a shrub also known as cassis, blackcurrant smells tart, juicy and a little green.

Listed by 5 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with blackcurrant

Raspberry

A sweet and tart red berry smell with a faint violet-like floral facet, built from aroma molecules rather than extracted from the fruit.

Listed by 4 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with raspberry

Pineapple

Tropical, juicy and sweet with a tangy, slightly sharp edge, pineapple brings a sunny fruit note to a blend.

Listed by 3 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with pineapple

Plum

Plum smells juicy, soft and slightly tart, with a deep, jammy sweetness that is darker than apricot or peach.

Listed by 3 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with plum

Strawberry

A sweet, juicy berry note with a creamy, faintly caramel-like facet, recreated from aroma molecules because the fruit gives no usable oil.

Listed by 3 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with strawberry

Fruity notes

A collective term for an accord of several fruits that the listing does not name one by one, often juicy and sweet.

Listed in Bubble Yum (base) and Echelon Privé (top).

Passion fruit

A tropical fruit with a tart, juicy and slightly sulphurous sweetness; the note is recreated with aroma molecules rather than extracted.

Listed in Entangle (top) and Exotic Isobar (top).

Peach

Velvety, sweet and juicy, peach has a soft fruit smell with a creamy, slightly floral side.

Listed in Left Peachless (top) and Unsung (top).

Blackberry

A dark, juicy berry note, sweet and slightly tart with a hint of green stalk, recreated from aroma molecules rather than extracted from the fruit.

Listed in Silken Spell (top).

Blueberry

Blueberry is a reconstructed fruit note, sweet and jammy with a soft, slightly tart edge; it is made with aroma materials rather than pressed from the berry.

Listed in Sapphire Avri (top).

Cherry

Cherry in perfumery usually recalls the sweet, juicy fruit with a hint of almond-like bitterness from the stone, and is often built from aroma materials rather than extracted from the fruit.

Listed in Lush Layal Intense (top).

Exotic fruits

A collective term for juicy tropical fruit accords such as mango, papaya and passion fruit, used for a bright, sunny sweetness.

Listed in Entangle (heart).

Gooseberry

Gooseberry smells tart, green and juicy, with a sour-sweet freshness that sits well in an opening.

Listed in Unsung (top).

Lychee

A pale, translucent fruit with a sweet, juicy and slightly floral smell that recalls rose and grape, usually reconstructed from aroma molecules.

Listed in Jewel Avri (top).

Mango

A tropical fruit note, sweet, creamy and a little resinous, recalling the ripe flesh of the fruit and built from aroma molecules.

Listed in Exotic Isobar (top).

Melon

Melon is a watery, green and slightly sweet fruit note, used for a light and juicy freshness.

Listed in Scentrail Whisper Nox (top).

Nectarine

Nectarine is a juicy, lightly sunny stone fruit note, a smoother and slightly tarter relative of peach.

Listed in Left Peachless (top).

Rhubarb

A tart garden stalk that is cooked like a fruit, rhubarb smells crisp, green and a little sour.

Listed in Scentrail Hayyan Absolu (top).

Tart cherry

A tart cherry accord smells juicy, bright and slightly sour, with the dark fruit sweetness of a ripe cherry.

Listed in Rubi Avri (top).

Watermelon

Watermelon is a watery, crisp and slightly sweet fruit note that gives a perfume a cooling, juicy character.

Listed in Batikh Watermelon (heart).

Flowers

Jasmine

Small white jasmine flowers are picked for their heady fragrance, which is rich, warm and honeyed, with a touch of fruit and a faintly animal warmth.

Listed by 15 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with jasmine

Rose

The petals of the rose give a classic floral smell that can be fresh and dewy, honeyed and rich, or slightly peppery, depending on the variety.

Listed by 10 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with rose

White flowers

Jasmine, tuberose, gardenia, orange blossom and ylang-ylang are the creamy, often indolic blossoms this collective term points at, not a single flower.

Listed in Coco Love (heart), Echelon Soleil (heart), Entangle (heart), Lush Layal Intense (heart), Pearfect Match (heart) and Shahrazada (heart).

Lily of the valley

Fresh, green and softly floral, lily of the valley, also called muguet, smells of a spring garden after rain, with a dewy lightness.

Listed by 4 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with lily of the valley

Orange blossom

The white flower of the orange tree gives a note that is honeyed, fresh and soft, with a slightly citrusy, green edge.

Listed by 4 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with orange blossom

Violet

Soft, sweet and powdery, violet has a cool floral smell with a green, leafy side and a faint hint of fruit.

Listed by 4 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with violet

Ylang-ylang

Ylang-ylang flowers come from a tropical tree and give a creamy, sweet and heady smell, with a banana-like fruitiness and a jasmine-like richness.

Listed by 4 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with ylang-ylang

Freesia

Freesia is a delicate flower that smells fresh, light and slightly peppery, with a soft, clean floral sweetness and a hint of citrus and green.

Listed by 3 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with freesia

Gardenia

A creamy white floral note with green, mushroomy and coconut-like facets, recreated with aroma molecules because the blossom cannot be extracted well.

Listed in Pearfect Match (heart) and Scentrail Majestic Monet (heart).

Geranium

The leaves of the scented pelargonium give an oil that smells green, rosy and slightly minty, with a lemony freshness.

Listed in Scentrail Hayyan Absolu (heart) and Scentrail Urban Pulse (heart).

Cyclamen

Cyclamen gives no usable oil, so perfumers recreate it: a cool, watery and slightly green floral note.

Listed in Caffe Aroma Chai (top).

Frangipani

Frangipani, also called plumeria, is a tropical white flower with a creamy, sweet and slightly fruity smell, close to gardenia and tiare.

Listed in Exotic Isobar (heart).

Hibiscus

Hibiscus gives a tart, fruity and slightly floral impression, as in a cold infusion of the flower.

Listed in Scentrail Crimson Bloom (heart).

Iris

The dried root of the iris plant gives the note usually called orris, which is cool, powdery and slightly earthy, with a buttery floral softness.

Listed in Scentrail Paris Pursuit (heart).

Lotus

Lotus is a water flower; its scent is recreated by perfumers from soft, green and slightly watery floral materials, because the blossom gives no usable oil.

Listed in Eshal Musk (top).

Neroli

Distilled from the blossom of the bitter orange tree, neroli oil smells fresh, floral and gently bitter, with a hint of citrus and green.

Listed in Scentrail Luxe Eclat (top).

Orchid

Orchid blossoms hold little extractable oil, so the note is a composed accord, usually soft, creamy and floral with a faint vanilla-like or chocolatey sweetness.

Listed in Heaven Vale (heart).

Osmanthus

The small flowers of the osmanthus shrub give an absolute that smells of apricot and leather, with a floral, tea-like sweetness.

Listed in Unsung (heart).

Peony

Soft, rosy and lightly fresh, peony gives a fluffy, watery floral smell with a delicate green and slightly fruity side.

Listed in Pearfect Match (heart).

Tuberose

Tuberose is a white flower with a rich, creamy and heady scent, combining sweet floral notes with a green, slightly rubbery and spicy edge.

Listed in Scentrail Majestic Monet (heart).

Tulip

Tulip is a light, green and slightly watery floral note, fresh and soft rather than sweet.

Listed in Caffe Aroma Chai (heart).

Spices, herbs and tea

Cinnamon

Cinnamon comes from the dried inner bark of a tropical tree and smells warm, sweet and spicy, with a faintly woody edge.

Listed by 7 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with cinnamon

Lavender

Lavender is a purple-flowered Mediterranean herb whose oil smells fresh, herbal and floral, with a slightly camphor-like edge.

Listed by 7 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with lavender

Cardamom

The seed pods of a plant related to ginger give cardamom its smell, which is spicy, aromatic and slightly sweet, with a cool, eucalyptus-like freshness.

Listed by 5 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with cardamom

Ginger

The knobbly root of a tropical plant, ginger smells warm, peppery and zesty, with a fresh, slightly lemony sparkle.

Listed by 5 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with ginger

Saffron

Saffron consists of the dried stigmas of a crocus flower, and it smells dry, warm and leathery, with a honeyed, slightly metallic edge.

Listed by 4 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with saffron

Pink pepper

Despite the name, pink pepper comes from the dried berries of the Peruvian pepper tree and smells fresh, lightly peppery and a little rosy and citrusy.

Listed by 3 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with pink pepper

Juniper berry

Juniper berry gives a fresh, piney and slightly peppery oil, best known as the flavour of gin.

Listed in Echelon Privé (heart) and Midnight Era (heart).

Nutmeg

The seed of a tropical evergreen tree, nutmeg smells warm, sweet and slightly nutty, with a soft, woody spice.

Listed in Ginger Babe (top) and Haya Gold Intense (heart).

Clary sage

Clary sage is an aromatic herb that smells herbal, slightly sweet and musky, with green, tea-like and hay-like facets and a soft, warm depth.

Listed in Scentrail Urban Pulse (heart).

Cumin

Warm, earthy and savoury, cumin is the seed of a small herb, with a dry, slightly animal edge.

Listed in Coco Love (top).

Herbal notes

A collective term for green, aromatic herbs such as basil, sage or thyme, not named one by one.

Listed in Scentrail Suede Trace (top).

Pepper

Dry, sharp and warm, pepper comes from the dried berries of a climbing vine, and has a woody side with a touch of citrus.

Listed in Scentrail Imperial Dawn (top).

Peppermint

Peppermint smells cool, sharp and sweet, a quick burst of freshness mostly found in an opening.

Listed in Scentrail Crimson Bloom (top).

Rosemary

Rosemary is a woody Mediterranean herb whose leaves give a camphor-like, green and resinous aroma.

Listed in Scentrail Aqua Crest (heart).

Tea

Tea notes come from extracts of tea leaves or accords built to match them, and smell green, slightly smoky, dry and lightly floral.

Listed in Caffe Aroma Chai (base).

Woods and moss

Sandalwood

The heartwood of the sandalwood tree gives a creamy, soft and slightly milky woody smell with a faint sweetness.

Listed by 11 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with sandalwood

Patchouli

The leaves of a tropical herb give patchouli its smell, which is earthy, dark and woody, with a damp, sweet and slightly camphor-like side.

Listed by 9 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with patchouli

Cedarwood

Dry, clean and lightly resinous, cedarwood has the scent of freshly sharpened pencils, with a warm woody sweetness underneath.

Listed by 8 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with cedarwood

Woody notes

An umbrella term for a group, not one material, woody notes stands for the dry, warm or creamy smells of woods such as cedar or sandalwood.

Listed in Caffe Aroma Chai (base), Pearfect Match (base), Scentrail Golden Layal (base), Scentrail Imperial Dawn (base), Scentrail Luxe Eclat (heart), Scentrail Suede Trace (base) and Scentrail Tonka Ember (base).

Oakmoss

A pale lichen that grows on oak trees, oakmoss smells earthy, damp and mossy, with a sweet, slightly leathery forest-floor depth.

Listed by 6 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with oakmoss

Cypress

A tall evergreen conifer, cypress gives a fresh, green and resinous smell that is woody, slightly piney and aromatic.

Listed in Echelon Privé (heart) and Scentrail Aqua Crest (base).

Vetiver

Extracted from the roots of a tall tropical grass, vetiver smells earthy, smoky and woody, with a green, slightly bitter freshness.

Listed in Echelon Privé (heart) and Echelon Soleil (base).

Guaiac wood

Guaiac wood oil is distilled from the wood of a South American tree and smells smoky, sweet and slightly tea-like, with a soft rosy tone.

Listed in Scentrail Golden Layal (base).

Oud

Formed in agarwood trees as a reaction to a fungal infection, oud is a dark, resinous wood that smells deep, smoky and slightly animalic.

Listed in Haya Gold Intense (base).

Truffle

Truffle is an earthy, slightly animalic and savoury note, used in tiny amounts to give a base a dark, damp depth.

Listed in Heaven Vale (top).

Amber, resins and incense

Amber

Not a single material but a warm, sweet accord, amber is typically built from resins such as labdanum and benzoin, with a soft, powdery, vanilla-like glow.

Listed by 12 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with amber

Benzoin

Warm, soft and vanilla-like, benzoin is a sweet balsamic resin from trees of South-East Asia, with a hint of cinnamon.

Listed by 3 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with benzoin

Incense

Incense comes from the dried resin of Boswellia trees, also called olibanum or frankincense, and smells smoky, dry and resinous, with a faint lemony freshness.

Listed in Scentrail Imperial Dawn (heart) and Scentrail Majestic Monet (top).

Resin

A collective term for warm, balsamic tree resins such as benzoin, labdanum or myrrh, which give a sticky, ambery depth to a base.

Listed in Scentrail Suede Trace (base) and Scentrail Urban Pulse (base).

Balsamic notes

A collective term for the warm, sweet and slightly resinous side of balsams and resins, often found in the base.

Listed in Coco Love (base).

Fir resin

Fir resin smells green, balsamic and slightly sharp, like the sap of a conifer, and adds a dry, woody brightness.

Listed in Scentrail Sapphire Rouge (heart).

Labdanum

Gathered from the rock-rose shrub as a sticky resin, labdanum smells warm, ambery and sweet, with leathery, slightly animal and honeyed tones.

Listed in Lush Layal Intense (base).

Mastic

Mastic is a resin from a Mediterranean tree that smells fresh, green and slightly pine-like, with a clean balsamic edge.

Listed in Scentrail Aqua Crest (heart).

Peru balsam

Peru balsam is a resin that smells sweet, warm and vanilla-like with a hint of cinnamon, and is often used in the base.

Listed in Scentrail Hayyan Absolu (base).

Leather and tobacco

Leather

Built from smoky, resinous and tarry ingredients rather than real hide, the leather note smells dry, warm and slightly animalic.

Listed in Scentrail Crimson Bloom (base) and Scentrail Suede Trace (base).

Suede

Softer and smoother than leather, the suede note is a powdery, velvety accord that feels warm, dry and slightly sweet.

Listed in Scentrail Suede Trace (heart).

Vanilla and sweet notes

Vanilla

Cured pods of a climbing orchid give vanilla its smell, which is sweet, creamy, warm and comforting, with a soft, slightly smoky depth.

Listed by 29 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with vanilla

Caramel

Based on the smell of cooked sugar, the caramel note is sweet, toasty and buttery, with a faint burnt edge.

Listed by 14 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with caramel

Tonka bean

The seed of a South American tree, tonka bean smells sweet and warm, like a mix of vanilla, almond and freshly cut hay.

Listed by 12 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with tonka bean

Sugar

Sugar notes are accords built from caramel-like molecules such as maltol and furaneol, smelling sweet, warm and slightly toasty, like melted or brown sugar.

Listed by 7 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with sugar

Chocolate

A gourmand note that smells of cocoa, milk and sugar, built in perfumery from cocoa absolute or from sweet and slightly bitter aroma molecules.

Listed by 4 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with chocolate

Cream

A soft, smooth accord that suggests whipped cream or milk skin: rounded, sweet and without sharp edges.

Listed by 3 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with cream

Milk

Milk is a creamy note that smells soft, smooth and slightly sweet, with a warm, lactonic and gently fatty quality.

Listed by 3 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with milk

Praline

Praline smells of caramelised nuts and sugar, with a sweet, roasted, buttery and slightly creamy gourmand character, much like a confectioner's nut paste.

Listed by 3 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with praline

Cocoa

Cocoa smells darker and drier than chocolate: slightly bitter, powdery and warm, with a roasted edge.

Listed in Dubai Chocolate Delight (heart) and Scentrail Monarch Aura (heart).

Honey

Honey notes come from beeswax absolute, honeycomb accords and molecules such as phenylacetic acid, smelling sweet, waxy, floral and slightly animalic.

Listed in Jawhari (heart) and Shahrazada (heart).

Marshmallow

A sweet, airy and slightly powdery gourmand accord that recalls soft sugar confectionery.

Listed in Bubble Yum (top) and Khair Confection (base).

Rum

Rum smells of a sweet, warm, boozy spirit, with notes of molasses, dark sugar and a faint wooden, vanilla-like depth.

Listed in Scentrail Paris Pursuit (heart) and Strawberry Almanac (heart).

Bubble gum

A playful accord that recalls pink chewing gum: sweet, fruity and slightly sticky, built from fruity and sugary aroma materials.

Listed in Bubble Yum (heart).

Coffee

Coffee notes come from roasted bean extracts and accords, smelling dark, roasted, bitter and slightly sweet, sometimes with a smoky or cocoa-like edge.

Listed in Jawhari (heart).

Hazelnut

A warm, nutty note recreated with aroma molecules, smelling of roasted hazelnuts with a sweet, buttery and slightly woody character.

Listed in Ginger Babe (heart).

Jellybean

A confectionery accord: sweet, fruity and slightly waxy, like small fruit-flavoured sweets.

Listed in Bubble Yum (heart).

Licorice

Licorice smells sweet, dark and anise-like, a gourmand note with a slightly medicinal edge.

Listed in Sapphire Avri (heart).

Passionfruit liqueur

A boozy fruit accord that suggests a passion fruit liqueur: tropical, sweet and slightly tart.

Listed in Exotic Isobar (heart).

Pistachio

Pistachio is a nutty gourmand note, creamy and slightly salty, softer than hazelnut or almond.

Listed in Dubai Chocolate Delight (top).

Sweet notes

Gourmand effects such as sugar, vanilla or caramel fall under sweet notes, a broad umbrella term that names a feel and not one single material.

Listed in Coco Love (heart).

Musk and aroma molecules

Musk

Synthetic molecules supply most musk today, and the note smells soft, smooth and skin-like, from clean and powdery to warm and slightly sweet.

Listed by 23 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with musk

Ambergris

A waxy substance produced in sperm whales and matured by the sea, ambergris smells sweet, marine and skin-like, with a soft, earthy warmth.

Listed by 5 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with ambergris

Ambroxan

Warm, dry and slightly salty, ambroxan is a modern woody-ambery aroma molecule with a smooth, skin-like mineral quality.

Listed by 5 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with ambroxan

Cashmeran

A synthetic aroma molecule that smells woody, musky and warm, with spicy, powdery and slightly fruity facets and a soft, velvety feel.

Listed by 4 scents. All Aroma Concepts perfumes with cashmeran

Aldehydes

Aldehydes are airy, slightly soapy and sparkling aroma molecules, used to give an opening a clean, fizzy lift.

Listed in Scentrail Paris Pursuit (top) and Scentrail Urban Pulse (top).

Ambrette

Ambrette comes from the seed of a musk mallow plant and smells soft, warm and slightly pear-like, with a skin-like musky facet.

Listed in Scentrail Crimson Bloom (base).

Powdery notes

Powdery notes are an umbrella term for a soft, dry effect like face powder, given by materials such as iris, violet or musk.

Listed in Lush Layal Intense (heart).

Marine and mineral notes

Marine notes

A collective term for the effect of sea air rather than one material, marine notes stands for fresh, salty, watery and slightly mineral smells.

Listed in Batikh Watermelon (top), Scentrail Aqua Crest (top), Scentrail Hayyan Absolu (top) and Scentrail Whisper Nox (top).

Mineral notes

A collective term for cool, dry, stone-like impressions, such as wet rock or salt, used to give a fragrance a clean, airy base.

Listed in Scentrail Aqua Crest (base).

Sea salt

Suggesting sea spray, the sea salt note is mineral, airy and faintly salty, with a clean, bright effect.

Listed in Scentrail Hayyan Absolu (heart).

Solar notes

A collective term for warm, sunny facets that suggest skin in the sun, usually built from salicylates and soft floral materials.

Listed in Left Peachless (heart).

Notes and families

A note list tells you what a perfume is built from; the family tells you where it is heading. The range is sorted both ways: see Aroma Concepts perfumes by scent family.

Top, heart and base

Top notes are what you smell straight after spraying. Heart notes follow once those have faded. Base notes stay the longest. A note list tells you what a perfume is built from, not how it will smell on your skin; for that there is no substitute for trying it.

Collective terms such as woody notes, spices or powdery notes are in the glossary as well. They name an effect or a group without naming one material, so this guide does not count them when it compares two scents.