Patchouli is a deeply spiced, thickly herbal and immediately recognizable note - it’s “dirty hippie” reputation doesn’t do it justice. Patchouli’s scent lies somewhere between cumin’s sharp and acrid tang and nutmeg’s smooth, sweet warmth, and it can carry a fragrance or blend easily with other, spicier notes. It is ideal in heated, spicy perfumes that feature leather, smoke, resins, and lighter aromatic notes like lavender and geranium. Patchouli’s exotic strength can be an acquired taste in perfume, but it’s many moods and blends make it an endlessly fascinating note to explore in the spicy end of the scent spectrum.

A sunny, joyful scent that pops in top notes with a citrus vibrancy. This lively note has a fuller character than bergamot and dances delightfully alongside citrus notes. It is tangy yet soft and adds an acidic sparkle to hesperidic accords.

Bergamot’s sheer, dry, citrusy feel is one of the most popular perfume notes, especially in mens’ cologne. It’s a Mediterranean fruit grown mainly in Calabria, Italy, and its aroma and taste is slightly between grapefruit and orange. Bergamot is a year-round pleasure to wear, and will blend well with any other note, making bergamot fragrances versatile and a sophisticated option for citrus fragrance fans.

A spritz of petitgrain entices with spritely citrus facets. It’s lively and a bit bitter, and blends boldly in Eau de Colognes. Petitgrain balances floral notes with deeply green facets in an accord that is unmistakably fresh.