Last updated: May 2026 · Written by Katie Johnson, founder of The Fragrance World
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There are roughly 200 commonly-used perfume notes, grouped into 8 families: florals (rose, jasmine, tuberose, ylang ylang), woods (sandalwood, cedar, vetiver, oud), citrus (bergamot, lemon, grapefruit, neroli), fruits (apple, pear, fig, plum, blackcurrant), spices (saffron, cardamom, cinnamon, pepper), aromatics (lavender, rosemary, sage), gourmands (vanilla, chocolate, coffee, caramel), and animalics (musk, civet, ambergris, oud). Most fragrances combine 15-30 specific notes from across these families.
Florals
The largest family in perfumery. Most florals are now reproduced with synthetics for cost and consistency.
| Note | Smells like | Example fragrance |
|---|---|---|
| Rose | Soft, slightly powdery, slightly tart | Frédéric Malle Portrait of a Lady |
| Jasmine | Heady, slightly indolic, sensual | Tom Ford Black Orchid |
| Tuberose | Creamy, slightly mentholated, narcotic | Robert Piguet Fracas |
| Ylang ylang | Banana-creamy, slightly fruity | Chanel No. 5 |
| Gardenia | Buttery, lush, summer rain | Marc Jacobs Daisy |
| Lily of the valley | Crisp, green-floral, fresh | Diorissimo |
| Violet | Powdery, slightly sweet, almost candy | Guerlain L’Heure Bleue |
| Iris | Buttery, powdery, expensive | Dior Homme |
| Orange blossom | Sweet, slightly green, weddings | Jo Malone Orange Blossom |
| Neroli | Brighter than orange blossom, citrus-floral | Acqua di Parma Colonia |
Woods
The base of most fragrances. Provide longevity and depth.
| Note | Smells like | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Sandalwood | Creamy, milky, soft | Le Labo Santal 33 |
| Cedar | Sharp, pencil-shaving, dry | Tom Ford Italian Cypress |
| Vetiver | Earthy, smoky-grassy | Guerlain Vetiver |
| Oud (agarwood) | Smoky, leathery, animalic | Initio Oud for Greatness — see /notes/oud/ |
| Patchouli | Earthy, slightly sweet, hippy | TFW Pomegranate — see /notes/patchouli/ |
| Pine | Crisp, fresh, Christmas tree | Comme des Garçons Hinoki |
| Birch tar | Smoky, leathery, campfire | Bond No. 9 New Haarlem |
| Cypress | Green, slightly woody | Tom Ford Italian Cypress |
Citrus
Top notes — they’re what you smell first, fade in 15-60 minutes.
| Note | Smells like | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Bergamot | Slightly bitter Earl Grey lemon | Almost everything — see /notes/bergamot/ |
| Lemon | Sharp, clean, kitchen | 4711 |
| Lime | Bright, zesty, slightly bitter | Tom Ford Neroli Portofino |
| Grapefruit | Tart, slightly sulphurous, refreshing | Hermès Eau d’Orange Verte |
| Mandarin | Sweeter than orange, slightly powdery | Atelier Cologne Orange Sanguine |
| Yuzu | Japanese citrus, complex | Diptyque L’Ombre dans l’Eau |
| Petitgrain | Bitter orange leaves, green-citrus | Hermès Concentré d’Orange Verte |
| Neroli | Orange blossom water, soft floral-citrus | Acqua di Parma Colonia |
Fruits
Heart notes — sweet, juicy, often the personality.
| Note | Smells like | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | Crisp, slightly green | DKNY Be Delicious |
| Pear | Soft, slightly powdery | Marc Jacobs Daisy |
| Fig | Milky-green, lactonic | Diptyque Philosykos |
| Plum | Dark, slightly winey | Tom Ford Plum Japonais |
| Blackcurrant | Tart, slightly leathery | Creed Aventus |
| Pineapple | Tropical, slightly green-tart | Creed Aventus |
| Cherry | Sweet, almond-tinged | Tom Ford Lost Cherry |
| Pomegranate | Tart-sweet, slightly woody | Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir — TFW Pomegranate |
| Peach | Velvety, sweet, summer | Mitsouko |
Spices
Heart and base notes — add warmth and complexity.
| Note | Smells like | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Saffron | Leathery-metallic, expensive | MFK Baccarat Rouge 540 — see /notes/saffron/ |
| Cardamom | Bright, slightly fresh, mysterious | Le Labo Santal 33 |
| Cinnamon | Sweet, warm, edible | Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille |
| Black pepper | Sharp, dry, almost sneeze-y | Comme des Garçons Series 8 Pepper |
| Pink pepper | Softer, sweeter than black | Viktor & Rolf Spicebomb |
| Clove | Dental, sweet-medicinal | Caron Coup de Fouet |
| Ginger | Crisp, fresh, slightly sharp | LV Imagination |
| Nutmeg | Warm, slightly bitter, kitchen | Frédéric Malle Le Parfum de Thérèse |
Aromatics (herbs)
| Note | Smells like | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Lavender | Powdery, herbal, classic | Caron Pour Un Homme — see /notes/lavender/ |
| Rosemary | Sharp, piney, fresh | 4711 |
| Sage | Soft, slightly sweet, herbal | Penhaligon’s Sartorial |
| Basil | Bright, slightly aniseed | Acqua di Parma Colonia Essenza |
| Mint | Cooling, fresh | Frédéric Malle Geranium Pour Monsieur |
| Thyme | Earthy, slightly resinous | Tom Ford Italian Cypress |
Gourmands
Sweet edible notes — popular since 2010.
| Note | Smells like | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Vanilla | Sweet, warm, comforting | Guerlain Shalimar |
| Coffee | Roasted, slightly bitter | YSL Black Opium |
| Chocolate | Cocoa, slightly bitter | Mugler A*Men |
| Caramel | Sweet, sticky, butterscotch | Killian Love Don’t Be Shy |
| Honey | Floral-sweet, slightly waxy | Guerlain L’Heure Bleue |
| Marshmallow | Soft, fluffy-sweet | Killian Love Don’t Be Shy |
| Tonka | Vanilla-tobacco-almond | Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille |
Animalics and ambers
Base notes — provide longevity and skin warmth.
| Note | Smells like | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Musk (white) | Clean, soft, skin-like | Narciso Rodriguez For Her — see What Is Musk in Perfume? |
| Musk (animalic) | Warm, sensual, skin | Frédéric Malle Musc Ravageur |
| Ambergris | Marine-sweet, salty, animalic | Roja Dove Diaghilev — see What Is Ambergris? |
| Ambroxan | Bright, mineral, modern | Dior Sauvage |
| Civet (synthetic) | Dirty-sweet, slightly faecal | Old Chanel No. 5 |
| Castoreum | Leathery, smoky, slightly bodily | Knize Ten |
| Labdanum | Sweet-resinous, ambery | Many ambers |
| Benzoin | Vanilla-balsamic, sweet | Guerlain Shalimar |
FAQ
How many perfume notes are there? There are roughly 200 commonly-used perfume notes in modern perfumery, grouped into 8 main families: florals, woods, citrus, fruits, spices, aromatics (herbs), gourmands, and animalics/ambers. Most fragrances combine 15-30 specific notes.
What are the main perfume scents? The 8 main families: florals (rose, jasmine), woods (sandalwood, oud), citrus (bergamot, lemon), fruits (apple, blackcurrant), spices (saffron, cardamom), aromatics (lavender, rosemary), gourmands (vanilla, coffee), and animalics (musk, ambergris).
What is a top, heart, and base note? Perfumes evaporate in three stages. Top notes (citrus, light florals, light spices) appear in the first 0-30 minutes. Heart notes (heavier florals, fruits, spices) appear at 30 minutes – 2 hours. Base notes (woods, vanilla, musk, amber) appear at 2 hours and last for the rest of the wear time.
What perfume notes go well together? Common winning combinations: rose + oud, jasmine + sandalwood, vanilla + tobacco, bergamot + cedar, lavender + vanilla (the fougère structure), saffron + rose + amber.
What’s the most expensive perfume note? Real oud (agarwood) at £30,000-£100,000 per kg, real ambergris at £20,000-£40,000 per kg, iris butter at £30,000-£60,000 per kg, and Bulgarian rose otto at £8,000-£15,000 per kg are the most expensive natural materials.
Sources & references
This article draws on industry standards (IFRA), perfumery reference works (Perfumes: The A-Z Guide by Turin & Sanchez), the Fragrantica community fragrance database, the Good Scents Company chemistry database, and The Fragrance World’s own product testing notes. Where specific named studies or proprietary data are cited inline, please verify against the original source before reuse.
