As a beauty editor, I research and write about perfume a fair bit. Over the past year or so, I've noticed there has been a marked uptick in interest in gourmand fragrances—so scents with "edible" notes, if you aren't familiar. More specifically, I’ve seen (and smelled) that almond perfumes of varying intensities are having their moment.
Though this impression can be created by notes like tonka bean and heliotrope, for example, there are several best perfume contenders in which almond takes centre stage. It’s very versatile in the context of perfumery; these scents may lean into a marzipan vibe or give off more of a toasted almond aroma. I told you in the headline: cosy.
Perhaps you like to change up their fragrance based on the seasons, or you simply want to treat yourself to a new signature perfume. Ranging from light and floral to rich, gourmand to spicy, here are eight thatI recommend for cosy season and beyond.
1. Prada Infusion d'Amande
This is a great all-rounder for your first foray into almond perfumes. It’s a floral perfume undercut by just the right amount of marzipan and a comforting musky base. The result? A light and elegant scent that lingers.
2. Van Cleef & Arpels Bois d'Amande
I love woody perfumes, so it was no surprise that I got on with Bois d’Amande. It’s delicious. I personally get less of the lemon and more of a juicy berry quality alongside the cosy cedarwood and musk. FYI, this brand is also long-reported to be makers of one of the late Princess Diana’s perfumes.
3. Floral Street Sweet Almond Blossom
This will give you the nutty and slightly woody almond feel and then some. A collaboration with the Van Gogh Museum (hence the beautiful bottle), this scent is sunny, warming, sweet and ever-so-slightly juicy all at once. That said, as is crucial to a good fragrance, none of those qualities are overdone. A must-try.
4. L'Occitane Amber Almond
One for those who like scents that have an evening perfumes vibe (though, to be clear, your favourite perfume can and should be worn at an time of day). Like many amber perfumes this L’Occitane scent is laced with spicy and woody notes without ever feeling too much. It wears down to warming oud that lingers for hours.
5. Kilian Rolling in Love
Rolling In Love is very interesting. Described as a skin musk, you might assume that means it’s a delicate, barely-there affair. In reality, it’s like one of the best skin scents has been taken up a notch. Almond milk gives it that slightly nutty quality while iris and musk compliment each other to give it the slightest powdery quality. I think I’d bathe in it if I could.
6. Unifrom Bliss
Surprisingly, I don’t have many perfume oils in my collection, but they are though to make great long-lasting perfumes due to the way that they’re applied and wear on the skin. Unifrom is a new brand to me and this gorgeous nutty, suede-y scent is a new favourite. A little sweet and spicy, it conjures that time of year when it’s far too cold to go out and the best plan for the evening is hunkering down on the sofa with a hot chocolate.
7. Amouage Love Delight
A solar perfume through and through, I struggled to find a better way to describe Amouage Love Delight than resorting to cliché. Because the thing is, it is a delight and it is like a summer holiday, bottled. Ever so slightly fizzy and sweet, radiant heliotrope and jasmine are complimented by the gourmand and spicy notes without them taking over. It’s the kind of perfume that feels like you’re being soaked by the sun when you spray it
8. Jo Malone London Myrrh and Tonka
Jo Malone London’s Myrrh and Tonka has been in my perfume collection for years and is easily one of my favourite scents from the entire brand. I go back to it time and time again when I want to wear something that’s reliably lovely. It’s warming and ambery with a little hint of almond and vanilla from the tonka bean, and really wafts.
