- Origin
- an accord composed by the perfumer
- Raw materials
- birch tar, cade (juniper tar), guaiac wood, frankincense, lapsang tea, guaiacol
- Olfactory group
- woody, leather (smoky)
- Position in the pyramid
- heart and base
- Synthetic substitutes
- guaiacol, cresols, smoky bases
The smoke note is an accord that conveys the smell of a campfire, a fireplace, smouldering incense or smoked foods. The perfumer builds it from smoky natural materials — birch and juniper tar, guaiac wood, frankincense — and special molecules.
How it smells: from a soft “warm fireplace” to a dry campfire and sharp smoked-meat smoke. Smoke makes a fragrance dramatic, mysterious and very long-lasting, adding a nocturnal character.
Smoky notes need balance: a few drops make a composition deep and atmospheric, while too much turns it into the smell of an ashtray. So smoke is usually paired with warm, sweet or floral notes that soften it.
What it pairs with: with incense — “temple” smoke, with leather and tobacco — classic evening compositions, with vanilla — “marshmallows by the campfire”, with rose — a dark smoked rose, with tea — smoky lapsang.
Good to know: the smoky smell of Lapsang Souchong tea appears because its leaves are dried over a fire of pine wood — and this tea is often used as a smoky note too.
