- Origin
- an accord composed by the perfumer
- Raw materials
- cool, “spirity” and grain-citrus notes
- Extraction
- synthesis
- Olfactory group
- fresh, “boozy”
- Position in the pyramid
- top note
- Synthetic substitutes
- aldehydes, mineral and “icy” molecules
The vodka note is an accord that conveys the impression of a clear, ice-cold spirit. There is no real vodka in perfume “for the smell”: the perfumer builds a sense of transparency, cold and a light grainy dryness from separate notes.
How it smells: cool, clean and sharp: a transparent “spirity” chill, a light grainy dryness, a faintly citrusy and mineral spark. Vodka sounds minimalist and invigorating, like frost on glass.
Unlike rum, cognac or whisky, vodka is not aged in barrels, so it has no vanilla, oak or dried fruit. This very “emptiness” is what the perfumer values: the note adds cleanness and cold freshness without sweetness.
What it pairs with: with lemon and lime — cocktail freshness, with blackcurrant and berries — a “berry cocktail”, with pepper — sharp modern fragrances, with musk — clean transparent compositions, with woods — a dry evening base.
Good to know: in perfume alcohol is the basis of almost every fragrance, but it evaporates within minutes. So the perfumer creates a longer-lasting vodka note with other, more tenacious molecules.
