Rum and other comforts: fragrance edition

What does comfort smell like for you?

Comfort comes in many guises, and just like fragrance preferences and experiences, is completely unique to you. It has taken me an age to explore and write this feature because I find fragrance itself a comforting pursuit, and feel contentment whenever I spend time discovering and delving into them. To be strict, comfort in fragrance form during the winter months looks, for me, like soft scents that caress like cashmere, boozy hits that warm you up inside (much like a dash of Glenmorangie might), some that are sweet and others that lean toward smoky— the tantalising touch. Just like eating seasonally, certain notes work better in the colder climate and feel more appropriate, sometimes mirroring the ingredients you will be putting on your plate and experiencing in nature at this time of year.

There are plenty of great winter fragrances, but I really wanted to tap into this idea of comfort, touching on personal favourites, recents finds and some I want to experience as soon as I can. I have side-stepped the more obvious and well-covered scents (Maison Margiela’s Replicas, Akro, YSL, etc.) and have whittled my list down and down again, in the hope to bring you new discoveries and inspire you to indulge in your own form of comfort— if you can’t do such a thing at this time of year, when can you?

Warning: there is a mass of musk, torrents of tonka, and an abundance of ambery goodness lying ahead.

Cotton and cashmere

Milk musk EDP by Molton Brown, £140 for 100ml
This is a really interesting fragrance that manages to excite the senses but soften your soul. The top notes are milk and elemi resin— sweet with a slightly lemony scent— which hold beautifully well as the fragrance dries down with soft musks, vanilla and tonka bean. Last year, I purchased a Limoncello Tiramisu candle by DW Home and though it sounds summery, I loved it best when I got in from the cold outside, taking off my outdoor clothes and re-layering myself in jersey and soft knits while the scent of a warm and creamy lemon pudding swirled in the air. Milk musk reminds me of that, but better. The way it balances tartness, milkiness and powderiness without being complex or nuanced is victorious. Like a perfect cashmere blanket, it's a good one for layering if you want to, but I look forward to wrapping myself up in it just as it is.

Les Matières Confidentielles Eau de Coton by Guerlain, £150 for 100ml
It took me some time to locate this particular fragrance, lay flat in a pocket of the Guerlain wall downstairs in Liberty London’s fragrance lounge, but it was worth it. It is remarkably cotton-like, tender and pure, with a delicate deliciousness coming from sweet almond and orange blossom— just enough to lift it up (they do say it ‘illuminates the skin’) without tilting it into floral territory. White musk swaddles each note while they envelope you in their cottony softness. Tender and truly beautiful.

Talco extrait by New Notes, £149 for 50ml
Though there are plenty of florals listed in this (rose, jasmine, iris, ylang ylang), paired with bergamot, vanilla, amber and woods, the talc accord— listed as a top note— dominates from opening through settling, creating an invisible cloud of the powder as it poufs from the bottle when you squeeze it. I tested this on paper and was met with pure talc, failing to pick up anything other than an inkling of iris, ylang ylang and some tonka bean. I wasn’t wholly impressed, and because I use talc powder in my routine, I wouldn’t opt to spend £149 on a fragrance to smell of it. It isn’t a bad scent, it just isn’t for me. However, I also tried Latte di Cherry: sweet, sour and far more appetising. I think it will give Tom Ford a run for his money.

Angel dust by Fugazzi Fragrances, £119 for 100ml
I was desperate to locate this and test it on my skin, but I did not succeed. Created to ‘celebrate the introvert’, it is centred on soft Cashmeran paired with bergamot, pepper, cashmere and white amber crystals. The result is a musky-woody scent, intimate but quietly confident, and will attract attention without any effort. A tempting tale and a good price point to go with it.

La Flaneuse by Beauty Pie, £33 for 50ml, usual retail price £120 according to their website
I am not aquainted with Beauty Pie fragrances (or any of their products in general), but I know that people rate it. La Flaneuse caught my attention for three reasons: top notes of fig and cardamom; heart notes of jasmine and orange flowers; and a triple threat of woods at the base. The beauty of fig paired with cardamom and tonka bean is that it creates a sweetness without being gourmand. I have seen reviews about it leaning towards masculine, so assume it dries down to those woodier notes without loitering too much on the florals. The brand liken it to a cashmere sweater in a bottle, so it had to be included.

The boozy touch
How many people will find bold and boozy scents a source of comfort, I do not know, but I love to cosy on down with something rich and sumptuous on my skin. Without wanting to get too *deep*, I think one of the main reasons is because they have a certain kind of confidence (I say this as if they were a person) that I myself do not (I’m working on it), and it is comforting to be in the presence of something that is sure of itself.

Narcotic delight by Initio Parfums, £245 for 90ml (sorry)
This was my favourite unexpected sample find in 2024. It is thrilling and delicious, opening with bold cherry and golden cognac that enrapture the senses. Lively black and pink pepper disperse in the air around you, before a rush of vanilla comes through, dousing itself in the brandy and amplifying the fruits. A really elegant wisp of tobacco rises as it dries. Deep and provocative, but not as overwhelming as you might expect. If you get the chance to try it, please do.

Gourmand by Olfactive O, £65 for 30ml (that’s better)
This could have been included in the sweeter section below, however it boasts a fantastic combination of rum and honey that serenade the senses and elevate it from what could be too ‘bakery’ into something mature and engaging. Described as a fragrance for ‘the bon vivant, the pleasure seeker, the one who appreciates the delight of good coffee and a batch of warm cakes. You’ll find Gourmand in the cafes of Vienna and patisseries of Paris. It is deep velvet, the glow of the fire, memories of good times…’ I approached this fragrance with a lot of hesitation when I met the brand earlier this year, but I was wrong to do so. It is a delicious jammy fig, littered with biscuit crumbs (it has malted milk as a heart note), sweet tonka and chocolate chips. The rum and honey play their part splendidly here, before patchouli, amber and vanilla bean work to hold it down on the skin. Indulgent without overdoing it. A gem.

Harvest mouse by Zoologist, £175 for 60ml
Unusually, the boozy note in Harvest mouse is beer, and even more unusually, I want to try it. It is described as a countryside bathed in sweet sunlight, comprising wheat fields and grasses that billow in the wind, their husks rattling a ‘soft prairie lullaby’ while tiny mice gather nuts and fruits around them; the sun sets beneath the horizon. It combines chamomile, clove and orange blossom at the top, two florals that carry a yellowy sweetness. At the centre is beer, hay and benzoin, a light and yeasty woodiness, accompanied by rose oil— another unexpected inclusion here but one that will bring a nature-forward feel to the fragrance and will help with longevity. The base includes fir balsam, woods and vanilla. ‘Cosy up in a warm nest of homespun scent’— it sounds good to me.

Atelier des Fleurs Orchidée de Minuit by Chloe, £176 for 150ml
Part of a newer cohort of fragrances by Chloe, Orchidée de Minuit has all the ingredients required for an all-encompassing fragrance, but is unexpectedly lighter in sillage and projection over time, serving to wrap you up in its trail rather than weighing you down as if a blanket. Orchid, rum and clove sit at the top, a beautiful white flower juxtaposed with the bitterness of the clove. Resinous styrax, the slightly-floral resin of benzoin, and the stronger white floral of jasmine form at the heart, before vanilla, patchouli and musk round it out: slightly sweet, powdery and grounding.

Spiritcask by Jorum Studio, £89 for 30ml (extrait)
Invoking the empty barrels at Queen’s Dock in Glasgow, Spiritcask, from the niche Scottish brand Jorum Studio, promises to intoxicate you with fresh and boozy brilliance: pear, chamomile, malt, cognac, jasmine and rum absolute invite you in, before settling you down with leather, cocoa, maple, cedarwood, whisky and vanilla, to name a few. Another curious mix of fresh and floral with dirtier, ‘masculine’ notes, and one that is well worth hunting down.

I also tested Dark rum by Malin+Goetz, and all I can say is hmmm. I tested this on paper so I don’t know if I am missing a trick, but it failed to excite me in any shape or form. I don’t really know my rums, so can’t make a taste comparison, but this felt watered down and not the deep rich hit that it seems to promise. Has anybody tried it? Was I too incensed from testing other rums?

Sweeter things

Tonka sesame by Experimental Perfume Club, £115 for 50ml
I ventured to Covent Garden on a Saturday in late November for this, and was truly vexed to find it shut for an hour with a private client, with little time on my watch to hang around. I have real FOMO about this fragrance, as it promises to be a sensationally nutty scent that I know will work beautifully on so many people. Sesame is joined by green hazelnuts (light and fresh), almonds, tonka beans and heliotrope to bolster the sweetness, grounded by earthy patchouli and cedarwood. Tasty and toasty— a killer duo for comfort.

Turmeric latte by Lush, £60 for 100ml
A couple of weeks ago, I had my first introduction to Lush fragrances and found myself drawn to this one. I tested it after I had experienced the bakery-bomb that was Chelsea morning (not for me), so I felt that I hadn’t been able to give it the attention it may need. Again, I really enjoyed it. It is a soft milky-sweet, swirling with vanilla and tender tonka bean. It has the gingery warmth of turmeric and other spices, but treads softly as if they are being mixed into warming milk rather than dry crushed or peppery. It is rich but cosy, and has enough gumption to capture the attention of the people standing next to you. A very good price for what could be far more costly from a nicher brand.

Frosted vanilla by Marks & Spencer, £10 for 100ml
I never thought I would genuinely appreciate a high street vanilla eau de toilette, but M&S have done it. Combining vanilla with juicy pear and jasmine, it is sweet without being heavy or too perfumed, and warms up softly as it settles. I tested this on my skin (to really put it through its paces) and it managed to stay away from feeling sticky or cheap, despite the price. It lasted for hours too, a pleasant surprise indeed. I read somewhere that it is a dupe for Burberry Goddess and I can tell you this, it absolutely isn’t. It is simpler, softer and doesn’t carry the inkling of sensuality that Burberry does. Approach it as an EDT, and like me, you will be very happy indeed. I also tested their Warm fig after

Emma Gunavardhana

raved about it, but it failed to capture me (sorry!). It is fruit forward, but heavy on the cassis rather than the fig. It holds well on the skin but doesn’t have a journey like the frosted vanilla. It’s penned as a dupe for Phlur Father Figure, but again, doesn’t live up to it. Nice if you like a berry!

Soufflot by Miller Harris, £180 for 100ml
Easily my favourite fragrance of the year, and one I have written about here. I fall in love with it more every time I wear it.

Final additions

Velvet coffee by Maison Tahite, £90 for 100ml
Another one I have failed to get my nose on thus far, but high on my list. ‘As comforting as the soft, warming aroma of coffee…an enveloping voluptuous fragrance’. Cardamom, cocoa, coffee, resins, plenty of oils and absolutes, oakmoss and leatherwood. There are a number of greener notes in this, so it will be spicy and fresh, like young beans rather than a creamy latte. The base of sandalwood oil, leatherwood and patchouli will create a woodier note, and help with longevity. It is a curious mix, and one that will need to be skin-tested before purchasing, but if they pull it off well, good it will be. I imagine it to be perfect layered with something sweet or leathery.

Babycat by Yves Saint Laurent, £180 for 75ml
You all know I love a bit of leopard print, and if you don’t know, now you do. This fragrance is inspired by YSL’s first leopard print coat, an ode to the bold and timeless pattern that is sultry, sophisticated (disclaimer: depending who and how it is worn) and deliciously daring. The fragrance captures this so well. Straight away you find a soft and woody suede surrounded by black and pink pepper plus elemi accord which brings a real fluffiness (fur-like!) to it. It then rounds out with an uncomplex vanilla, combined with spices and strong leather, which it ends up leaning towards. I don’t think this will be high on other people’s comfort list, but I like it. It constantly sells out, so I am not the only one.

If you made it this far, thank you so much for doing so. I would love to know if you are going to hunt any of these down, or have a go-to comfort of your own?