Sultanate of Oman

Definitively spicy, saffron adds an energizing burst to both feminine and masculine fragrances. It’s an endlessly luxurious note of warm, leathery facets. Particularly evocative of smooth suede, saffron evokes an intimate feeling: soft, and yet slightly bitter. As the most expensive spice in the world, saffron is a well-known perfumery ingredient that is also called “red gold”. In ancient times, it was used as a single-ingredient fragrance reserved only for the highest members of society. Although modern perfumers are not reluctant to spotlight its earthy, hay-like, sweet aroma on its own, they are more interested in exploring its partnership with leather, spice, and amber notes. The fragrances that feature saffron are rich, opulent, and enticing, making them perfect special occasion or date night picks.

A must-have in any perfumer’s arsenal, sandalwood forms the base note of countless fragrance compositions. Its milky, suave facets make for a deliciously blendable fixative that has inspired perfumers for millennia. It’s a woody and ambery note with a pervasive warmth that is both velvety-smooth and decadently creamy. Sandalwood’s mystical scent is found everywhere in perfumery. It’s luxurious, milky, tangy, and caramel-sweet aroma infuses a fragrance with deep, exotic accents. Sandalwood can also appear bright and bone-dry, and display its arid, woody side in a gorgeous and austere perfume. Sandalwood’s depth of tone and smooth, polished texture adds elegance, refinement, and mystery to any perfume - it can mimic vanilla’s deliciously sweet, butter-fat heaviness, or fade into cedar’s sharp and bitter feel. It’s also a fantastic and evocative scent on it’s own as well as in a blended fragrance. Sandalwood’s tastefully exotic lusciousness is wearable year-round by either sex, and you could spend a lifetime sampling all the different ways it can be used in perfumery.

Agarwood, or oud, is the most expensive note in a perfumer’s palette. It has been valued for thousands of years and is considered one of the most luxurious ingredients in the world of perfumery. Oud is derived from the dark resin of the Agar tree, which grows in very rare conditions. Although its popularity skyrocketed in the past decade, oud has been known and used by various ancient civilizations in esoteric ceremonies and meditation practices for hundreds of years. Perfect for cold weather, oud has a distinctively woody, slightly animalic, and rich scent. Oud’s warmth adds whole new brevity and depth when combined with floral or spicy notes.

Papyrus