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FRAGRANCES TODAY, particularly for men, are becoming more and more esoteric. Niche fragrances that offer scent profiles beyond your typical masculine, woody musk have burst onto the scene, and stylish guys (especially those on grooming TikTok) are backing the movement while making a case for not smelling like everyone else. Indeed, there’s something about the senses that allow people to get really nerdy; often, it leads to divisive discussion as to which niche fragrance is the best. But first, you may ask . . .
What’s considered a ‘niche fragrance’?
If you’ve seen this term circling around your feed, generally, a ‘niche’ fragrance refers to brands that exclusively make scents which are developed by an in-house nose (someone who is able to portray moods, emotions and concepts into a wearable scent composition). It’s a slow-production approach to an otherwise mass produced market; these brands devote themselves to developing complex and layered scent profiles that are distinct from everything else on offer,
To help you navigate this new scented landscape, with your nose to the wind, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite niche fragrances. We’ve considered what makes for a good niche fragrance, as well as who’s who in the niche scent game. Whether you’re in search for a summer or winter scent, or something spicy or even green, one thing’s for sure: these niche fragrances won’t have you smelling like every other guy. And that’s a good thing.
The best niche fragrances for men
Le Labo Thé Noir 29
Type: Eau de Parfum
Top notes: Fig, bay leaf, bergamot
Middle notes: Cedar, vetiver, musk
Base notes: Tobacco, hay
Le Labo is a popular first foray into the world of niche fragrance. The artisanal and industrial spirit of the brand is embodied in its heavy glass vessels and clinically detailed labels that have been an enviable must have for the past years. And their Thé Noir 29 (or ‘black tea’) potion is an instant classic. Its top scent profile of bergamot and fig lend to a sweetness, balanced with the middle cedar and vetiver for some depth, which Esquire’s features editor wears daily, claiming it reminds her of summer, which is exactly why it’s best worn in winter. Spritz for a sense of warm, balmy nostalgia.
Frédéric Malle Carnal Flower
Type: Eau de Parfum
Top notes: Bergamot, melon
Middle notes: Tuberose, ylang-ylang, jasmine
Base notes: Musk, tuberose absolute, coconut
Another hallmark of a niche fragrance is that it contains a world of olfactive contrasts. Carnal Flower by famed French perfumer Frédéric Malle is one such world: the innocence of its cool, green melon in the top notes is offset with a fleshy musk. Balancing the fresh scents with something harder is a difficult feat without one profile taking over the other, but this niche fragrance strikes a perfect balance.
Stora Skuggan Fantôme de Maules
Type: Eau de Parfum
Top notes: Galbanum, green leaves, lemon
Middle notes: Coriander, cardamom, forest flowers
Base notes: Sandalwood, oakmoss
The bottles from Stockholm-based niche fragrance brand Stora Skuggan are otherwordly. Their spherical lids look like mythical orbs while the illustrations on the bottles give off a quirky, Scandi-vibe. Fantôme de Maules (or ‘Ghost of Maules’) is a light herbal and woody scent, balanced from the galbanum and oakmoss.
Maison Crivelli Absinthe Boréale
Type: Eau de Parfum
Top notes: Juniper berries essential oil, eucalyptus essential oil
Middle notes: Lavender essential oil
Base notes: Musk and mugwort essential oil
Absinthe was the drink of choice for artists in late-nineteenth to early-twentieth century Paris – Degas, Picasso, Toulousse-Lautrec – the addictive elixir was said to transport drinkers to deeper psychological realms. French perfumer Maison Crivelli was able to distill this artistic sentiment into Absinthe Boréale, a niche fragrance that evokes drinking absinthe under the Northern Lights: icy musk undercut by botanical aromas.
Maison Louis Marie No.03 L’Etang Noir
Type: Perfume oil
Top notes: Nutmeg, tobacco blossom, anise
Middle notes: Cloves, vanilla, ginger
Base notes: Vanilla, benzoin and tonka bean
An amber spicy one, No.03 L’Etang Noir by Maison Louis Marie is composed as a perfume oil with a roll-on applicator, a format that’s becoming increasingly popular in the fragrance world. The spice comes from the top notes of nutmeg and tobacco, while vanilla in the middle and base notes provide a clean scent profile.
Penhaligon’s The Inimitable William Penhaligon
Type: Eau de Parfum
Top notes: Bergamot, jasmine
Middle notes: Vetiver, cedar, incense
Base notes: Sandalwood, ambroxan
Another hallmark of a niche fragrance? Niche packaging. Bottles from British house Penhaligon are ornamental, with The Inimitable William Penhaligon featuring a ram’s head – how much more decadent can fragrance receptacles come? With a woody amber scent profile, this fragrance evokes traversing a haze in the fresh, earthy countryside. Why not transport yourself to where you’d rather be?
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Gentle Fluidity Silver
Type: Eau de Parfum
Top notes: Nutmeg, amber woods
Middle notes: Juniper berry
Base notes: Dry nutmeg
French perfumer Maison Francis Kurkdjian has been making waves recently for its timeless and instant classic scents, which – as online commentators have labelled – smell like . . . money. Indeed, the price of a niche fragrances tend to be higher than chemist pick ups, but it’s the rigorous and complex research that goes into these scents, plus the small batch factor (few niche scents are mass produced at the level of, say, David Beckham’s Amber Breeze) that factors into the price tag. Gentle Fluidity Silver is a unisex scent that will bring an aromatic, fresh spicy profile into your rotation.
Nasomatto Black Afgano
Type: Parfum
Top notes: Cannabis, green leaves
Middle notes: Resin, tobacco, coffee
Base notes: Oud, incense
A rich a dark woody scent, Black Afgano from Italian perfumer Nasomatto packs an air of mystery for winter. It’s the smokiest on this list. Top notes of cannabis and green leaves are herbaceous and intoxicating, undercut with depth from resin, tobacco, coffee and oud. And with a parfum being the most concentrated form of fragrance, Black Afgano is one to develop slowly throughout the day. No need for constant reapplication here.
Orto Parisi Terroni
Type: Parfum
Top notes: Raspberry
Middle notes: Birch, amber, benzoin
Base notes: Vetiver, guaiac wood, cedar, patchouli, musk, moss, tonka, vanilla
Another powerful parfum fragrance, if you were considering something for winter, Terroni by Italian Orto Parisi is a rich earthy scent. And if the colour of the concoction hasn’t given it away, it’s inspired by the roots and the land around Italian somma-stratovolcano Mt. Vesuvius, evoking the sensuality of raspberry with earthly profiles of vetiver, amber, and patchouli.
Parfums de Marly Herod
Type: Eau de Parfum
Top notes: Cinnamon, pepper wood
Middle notes: Osmanthus, tobacco leaf, labdanum, incense
Base notes: Vanilla, cedar, vetiver, patchouli, cypriol, musk
This one’s a beast for winter. The seventh fragrance from French Parfums de Marly, Herod’s strength is owed to its base of dark, rich notes. But it’s the cinnamon and tonka bean that balances it out, to give a leathery tobacco warmth.
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