Yahoo Lifestyle From Cognac Colognes to Tequila Candles: Why Perfumers Can’t Stop Making Boozy Scents
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People—Gen Z and Millennials in particular—are drinking less alcohol, reflecting a growing health consciousness. We’re more aware of the negative effects of overindulgence and the unpleasantness of hangovers. After all, when was being excessively drunk ever cool?
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But there’s an intriguing paradox going on in the culture. We’re imbibing less booze, but buying more and more niche fragrances—for our bodies and our homes—that smell like liquor. Master perfumers the world over are exploring and reinterpreting these boozy notes in new and innovative ways. While the liquor accords of the past could often smell cheap and sickly sweet, the emergence of these artisanal versions offers scents that feel unique, comforting, and yes, intoxicating—delivering all the appeal of these notes without the hangover.
“There is a reason they are called spirits,” says Dustin Lujan, who’s in charge of curation and operations at the high-end boutique Osswald NYC, one of the Big Apple’s best fragrance stores. “Liquor accords are cheerful, sultry, and fun. Just like ordering your favorite cocktail, these scents give you a style and taste that’s all your own.” These colognes carry an edgy, devil-may-care attitude, and despite their playful connotations, the fragrance world takes liquor accords seriously. They can be rich and gourmand-like, adding a warmth and depth that ranges from woodsy to sweet. Some, like cognac or whiskey, work well in cooler months with coziness and comfort, while notes like gin or tequila add a crisp, refreshing feel to a summer scent. Even champagne or wine innately provides a sharp and robust foundation, a familiar yet distinct aroma.
But fragrance designers say that liquor accords also provide a unique tone when mixed with traditional notes. “Rum is more caramelized with a banana note. It feels tropical. It can be sweet & is very spicy,” says David Moltz, co-founder and perfumer of D.S. & Durga. “Cognac is an actual oil used in the perfumer’s palette. It is deeply fruity & smells the most like alcohol. With woods, it becomes fancy. Champagne has dry, fruity, woody notes.” Carlos Huber, fragrance developer and founder of Arquiste, adds, “Liquors and wines have complex and quirky notes to explore; they go beyond the natural world and talk more about our urban reality.” These accords expand the palette for perfumers to create exemplary, intriguing fragrances.
The rise of niche fragrances reflects our desire to smell as unique as we present ourselves, and a growing shift toward artisanal aromas. Liquor accords, though familiar, are now being utilized to their full potential, adding an unexpected—yet familiar—element to modern fragrances. “I’ve stuck my schnoz in many a whisky barrel, and I can tell you it is one of the world’s best smells—rosy, ambery, deeply woody, and sometimes fruity, sometimes spicy,” Moltz says. Dustin Lujan adds, “There has certainly been a rise in consumption of fragrance with spirited notes. With how exciting and innovative the niche fragrance industry has become, there are no more rules. These notes are being used in the most untraditional ways, and I am here for it.”
The fusion of liquor and fragrances is not a new concept; some brands have made it an integral part of their identity. Kilian Hennessy, a descendant of France’s famous cognac family, creates wildly popular, playful perfumes and colognes with prominent liquor notes. Kilian’s devotees include the likes of Bad Bunny, Beyoncé, and Rihanna. And his scents imbue seduction and elegance, making them distinctive, sometimes divisive, but unmistakably Kilian. He describes one of his popular colognes, Angels’ Share, as “my most personal fragrance creation yet, inspired by my olfactive memory of the Hennessy Cognac cellars that I used to visit as a child.” This fall, Kilian will launch his interpretation of a Scottish whiskey, continuing to blend liquor and luxury in the fragrance world.
It’s not just personal fragrances—home scents also contain elevated liquor accords. In collaboration with Lalo Tequila, for example, Moltz crafted a scent called Jalisco Rain. “For Lalo, I analyzed their pure, specific blanco tequila made with a certain type of blue agave. I made real copies of it, but we wanted to get the smell of drinking tequila in the rain, so I drenched it with soaked earth that complements the gravitas of the tequila.” Cuvee’s new Cabernet Sauvignon candle used a similarly artisanal approach. Instead of a sugary mulled scent, it offers an earthy and mysterious aroma, capturing the essence of the grapes in a new way. Even incense is experimenting with liquor accords, adding another seductive layer of complexity to home scents.
While some of these fragrant products use actual liquor accords, many create a vibe using molecules that mimic booze instead. They transport us to the smoky aroma of a lounge with cognac in hand, relaxing by the fireplace with wine or lounging poolside with a margarita. Perfumers use synthetic and natural accords to create a spirited aroma, taking artistic liberty to realize their fragrant cocktail. “They are also mini compositions: a gin martini, a whiskey on the rocks, or sweet vermouth offers a beautiful array of notes to play with-botanical, green, woody, spicy, or sweet,” Huber says. “They add a touch of storytelling and even nostalgia to the game.”
While liquor notes are trending, it’s important to remember that classics never go out of style. Just like a beautiful topcoat remains timeless, so do traditional scents—citrus for summer, vetiver for spring, and woods or oud for fall and winter. But the list of boozy new personal and home fragrances below exemplify olfactory artistry—like a bartender crafting a cocktail—to create complex, intoxicating aromas, and are an excellent starting point to explore liquor accords. In times like these, a touch of warmth and a bit of fun might be just what we need.
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Navitus XO Brandy at Osswald NYC | Accord: Brandy
XO Brandy by luxury fragrance house Navitus is a seductive scent as rich and alluring as the distilled spirit itself. It doesn’t just smell exquisite; its hue and design mimic a lux decanter or liquor bottle. Rare notes such as Indian Davana, African Coffee Absolute, Indonesian Patchouli, and, of course, brandy create a complex and captivating aroma.
Buy Now on Osswald NYC:
Arquiste for J. Crew No. 57 Whiskey On The Rocks | Accord: Whiskey
This collaboration between Award Winning Fragrance House Arquiste and J. Crew was inspired by the curved wooden walls of Peggy Guggenheim’s gallery. Carlos Huber states, “We wanted the perfume to be as stimulating as the art gallery that inspired it, so we drew on Peggy’s favorite drink, a whiskey on the rocks, to add comfort, warmth, and sizzle to the composition.” With notes of whiskey, vanilla, labdanum, and oakwood, this cologne is warm, woody, and spicy—perfect for the fall evenings ahead.
Buy Now on Arquiste:
D.S. & Durga x Lalo Jalisco Rain | Accord: Tequila
This collaboration with renowned indie fragrance house D.S. & Durga and Lalo Tequila is anything but ordinary. Yes, there is a tequila note, but I consider this more an earthy gourmand that could even be lit around the holidays. Agave and tequila accords are rounded about by rose and Jima wood, giving this candle an ethereal scent. Grab this one while it lasts.
Buy Now on D.S. & Durga:
Frederic Malle Monsieur | Accord: Rum
Monsieur by Frédéric Malle is one of my go-to cool-weather scents. I have an affinity for refined patchouli, but Malle creates something unexpected with a rum note that adds sweet warmth. This fragrance is sophisticated, refined rock ‘n’ roll regality; you won’t be able to stop smelling it on your tweed topcoat or cashmere turtleneck sweater.
Buy Now on Frederic Malle:
Kilian Paris Vodka on the Rocks | Accord: Vodka
Kilian is one of the few who could interpret the olfactory idea of vodka—a polarizing, alcohol-heavy scent—into a chic and very wearable fragrance. Top notes of aldehydes (for the vodka effect) are grounded by cardamom and oakmoss, creating a refreshing spritzer that captures the cold steam essence of ice cubes and a splash of vodka.
Buy Now on Kilian:
Born to Stand Out Drunk Saffron | Accord: Cognac
Drunk Saffron by Borntostandout, an exciting new fragrance brand from Seoul, Korea, is making waves. This rich fragrance is a go-to for nighttime adventures when you want to be a bit debaucherous. Top cognac notes blend with saffron and leather over a base of patchouli, vanilla, and musk for a heady, unique aroma.
Buy Now on Osswald NYC:
Liquides Imaginaires Dom Rosa – Eaux Sanguine | Accord: Champagne
The champagne accord in this fragrance is not too sweet or dry; it is vibrant and wearable- a sparkling artistic interpretation. Top notes of champagne and pear intermingle with clove and incense, resting on a cedar and guaiac wood base. If you love unexpected woodsy scents, this one is worth a sniff. For New Year’s Eve, it’s a no-brainer.
Buy Now on Aedes:
Les Bains Guerbois 1978 Les Bains Douches | Accord: Whiskey
Inspired by a 1978 Paris nightclub, this whiskey-infused scent transports you to a dance floor filled with smoke and spirits. It features a blend of bitter orange, whiskey, and clary sage on top of rose, tobacco, myrrh, amber, and patchouli. This fragrance is a sophisticated liquor and tobacco masterclass.
Buy Now on LuckyScent:
Cuvee Candles Cabernet Sauvignon | Accord: Red Wine
When Aedes showed me this new candle, I loved the hue but was skeptical of the scent. Cabernet in a candle? I was, however, pleasantly surprised and couldn’t stop taking whiffs. Earthy cabernet notes via redcurrant, pepper, and cedarwood make for a comforting, woodsy, beautifully pungent aroma. Burn this one on a chilly fall day for ultimate comfort.
Buy Now on Aedes:
Perfumehead La La Love | Accord: Cognac
Perfumehead’s multifaceted, unique, and fantastic-smelling colognes tell an olfactory story with cinematic notes from the spritz to the dry down. Their latest scent, “La La Love,” is a rich gourmand with notes of cognac, vanilla, and smoked amber — an opulent fragrance for the L.A. scenester who was out all night via a booze-soaked adventure and still smells amazing the morning after.
Buy Now on Perfumehead:
Ranger Station Old Fashioned Candle | Accord: Whiskey
Nashville-based niche fragrance house Ranger Station describes its Old-Fashioned candle as a love letter to the classic cocktail. Charred oak, sweet demerara sugar, and citrus lemon notes recreate the aromatic process. Bonus: The wax is hand-poured into actual cocktail glasses, allowing you to pour yourself a real Old Fashioned using the glass vessel after enjoying the candle.
Buy Now on Ranger Station:
L’Objet Oh Mon Dieu No. 69 Incense | Accord: Cognac
L’Objet is known for amazing home fragrances. Their Japanese incense showcases how these scented sticks with curated scent pyramids are now becoming as artisanal as candles. Oh Mon Dieu is a tranquil, mysterious aroma with a top note of cognac and coriander, middle notes of rose and blackcurrant, and base notes of leather and oakmoss.
Buy Now on L'Objet:
Penhaligon’s Juniper Sling | Accord: Gin
Juniper Sling invokes a fresh, crisp, chilled cocktail- a regal scent reminiscent of a soirée during the Roaring 20s. Juniper berries and orange notes are refreshing and sweet, while vetiver, black pepper, amber, and cardamom ground the cologne with warm spice. Wear this one for holiday parties.
Buy Now on Penhaligon's:
Akro Haze Eau De Parfum | Accord: Absinthe
Absinthe adds an herbaceous note to this composition by London-based perfumery connoisseurs Akron. This fresh yet smoky scent features absinthe with eucalyptus and spearmint over a base of clary sage. It’s a chic, sophisticated spritzer that works particularly well in warmer weather.
Buy Now on Aedes:
Maison Solis Añejo | Accord: Rum
Luxury barware brand Maison Solís recently launched an agave-inspired fragrance collection. Añejo boasts a heart of rum, top notes of hibiscus and orange, and a base of smoke, patchouli, and oud. It’s like stepping into a sultry jazz club while sipping tequila—you can sense the rich woods and smoky allure with one whiff.
Buy Now on Maison Solis:
Fragrance Du Bois Oud Orange Intense | Accord: Bourbon
This luxurious scent by the in-the-know fragrance house Fragrance Du Bois unites opposing notes with a vanilla bourbon base. Top orange and citrus tones sit atop musk and oud. But the sweet vanilla bourbon note unites these aromas, creating a rich, warm, intoxicating cologne.
