Good Enough To Eat: 12 Gourmand Fragrances To Whet Your Appetite

Gourmand scents are not one of the original olfactory groups devised when categorising fragrances unlike, say, woody or floral. And yet they have come to the fore through the decades to encapsulate fragrances with the creamy, sweet, sugary notes more often found in desserts. Think chocolate, vanilla, praline, pistachio, tonka and caramel, gourmand fragrances can have an addictive, moreish feel to them and yet are often be dismissed as sickly and cloying. However, when blended with notes to lift them like white florals, or darker more savoury notes of sandalwood and amber, we’d argue that they can balance out to be neck-nuzzlingly good. Decadent, classic and like your favourite cashmere sweater.

Main image: Dior

Here Are 12 Of Our Favourites

Beauty Pie

Vanille Nue, Members price £28


A modern take on a classic vanilla scent profile with top notes of fresh bergamot and rum absolute, heliotrope and jasmine - all on a bed of musk. Addictive.

DS & Durga

Pistachio, £155


Pistachio perfumes have garnered 11.4m views on TikTok, with Pistachio by DS & Durga at the heart of the scent maelstrom. With pistachio, cardamom, roasted almond and vanilla crème, it has all the makings of a delicious dessert, but worn on the skin it dries down to an intriguing mix of sweet and green freshness.

Dior

Vanilla Diorama, £125


As you might expect from the house of Dior, Vanilla Diorama exudes elegance – without a cupcake in sight. The semi-sweet scent has impressive longevity, with spicy cardamom, amber, bitter cocoa and orange zest to complete the well-rounded, rich fragrance.

Les Senteurs Gourmandes

Vanille Chocolat, €37


It may sound like a French patisserie, but Les Senteurs Gourmandes’ Vanille Chocolat scent has bitter chocolate balanced with the sweetness of honey and spices of cumin and anise. With lighter notes of bergamot and citron, it lands just on the right side of sickly and is decadently moreish.

Floral Street

Wild Vanilla Orchid, £29


A long-lasting vanilla fragrance that doesn’t smell of home baking can be hard to find. This sweet vanilla is offset with tart cassis and vibrant citrus notes with a sandalwood depth to give it that staying power.

Byredo

Rouge Chaotique, £280


Oud and gourmand notes aren’t immediately obvious bedfellows, but the hypnotic blend of spicy oud and saffron with syrupy plum and nutty praline clings to skin sensuously.

Diptyque

Eau Duelle, £153


The sweet sugary bourbon vanilla notes are met with smoky incense and spicy pink peppercorn for an intense gourmand hit.

L’Artisan Parfumeur

Bana Banana, £170


Amber and candied bananas – weird right? Hear us out. This creamy scent smells decadent on the skin without a hint of milkshake – instead, notes of iris, violet, tonka and nutmeg create a cosy, sweet and rich blend that is undoubtedly addictive.

Tom Ford

Vanilla Sex, £290


There is nothing boring about Tom Ford’s Vanilla Sex scent profile. It is warm, sexy with hints of amaretto and sandalwood to give it the perfect balance of sweet and spicy.

Jo Malone

Myrrh & Tonka, £150


From the Cologne Intense range, this resinous scent lingers long into the night, with intoxicating notes of warm almond, vanilla and tonka. The perfect date night scent.

Sol de Janeiro

Cheriosa ’62, £24


Pistachio, almond and salted caramel, mixed with the scent of salty skin, jasmine and sunshine. Brazilian summer in a bottle.

Boy Smells

Italian Kush, £105


Sicily in a spritz: expect notes of sweet pistachio, patchouli, sandalwood and limoncello.