Season 7 • Episode 38: Barnes Fragrance Fair Recap and What We Can’t Stop Sniffing
Wowie! So many excellent fragrances to get your noses around in this episode, it was difficult to know where to begin. But with so many to explore we started with a recap of the recent barnstorming success of Barnes Fragrance Fair...
We talked through Suzy’s choices for her sold-out talk with Alice du Parcq (and if you couldn’t go or were there but missed any of the talks: never fear! They were all recorded and will eventually be on the Barnes Fragrance Fair YouTube channel when they’re all edited).
It was so tough choosing among so many brilliant fragrances on offer this year, but listen (and read) on to discover what Suzy managed to whittle it down to this year, and hear exactly why she chose them… And of course Nicola has been craving certain scents, so find out which ones she’s wearing on repeat right now…
Suzy chose:
Based in Tunbridge Wells, founder Jay says “Moving from India to the UK in my twenties, I do miss the immersive sensory joys found in everyday Indian culture. Sourcing and working with traditional Indian materials connects me to my childhood—scented trips down memory lane!”
Top notes: red mandarin and grapefruit
Heart notes: jasmine, ylang ylang, green grass and saffron
Base notes: sandalwood, fruity musk, oudh
‘You slip on your fine silk robe, gorgeously patterned with tropical birds, and quietly pad along the hallway to the bathroom. Closing the heavy wooden door with a sigh of relief, you lean over the sparkling slipper bath, slide the plug in and turn both taps on full. Glittering beads of water dance in the diffuse light. You perch your hip on the side of the bath as your ears fill pleasantly with the roar and tumble of the cascading water. Your life is very busy and demanding, and you get few opportunities to indulge yourself. But a long, quiet bath is often what you crave.
Your eyes glance along the rich turquoise tiled shelf as you ponder how to scent your watery sanctuary. Antique crystal jars hold delicately fragrant floral salts—you carefully lift their lids- one by one - and their enchanting perfumes mingle with the steam. But they’re perhaps not exactly what you’re in the mood for.A waxed paper tablet of old-fashioned, handmade soap sits demurely at the end of the shelf. Fresh, brand new and unopened. Your fingertips softly caress the crackling paper as you carefully unwrap it and the dense, creamy pebble drops into your silken lap.
You dip your hands briefly in the warm bath water and rotate the smooth soap in your hands. Rich suds fly into the air, dense but light. Airy and iridescent. Yes, this is what you were looking for.’
‘An independent fragrance brand founded in Scotland in 2019 led by Scottish perfumer Euan McCall. Jorum creates modern, poetic fragrances that capture the beauty of nature with an unconventional spirit. Designing and manufacturing all products in-house, Jorum Studio celebrates the craft of perfumery using only the purest quality materials in truly unique and creative ways.’ (Based in Edinburgh, now with a store in London, too.)
‘Impression: Douglas fir, pear, cypress, mastic, petitgrain, bigarade, carrot, angelica seed.
Fade: nerium oleander, pearwood, olive, neroli, orange flower absolute, ambrette seed.
‘Sculptural sunbeams filter through the breaks in gauzy linen, air is cool, carrying the bittersweet embrace of seasonal citrus and the brightness of soap on fabric and skin. Crisp, clean and radiant. Risso awakens with the cool ambience of majestic Douglas Fir and bracing Cypress oils, evoking the hush of dawn. Pear and Bigarade bring bright clarity, where expressive citrus meets delicious soft-fruit sweetness. The centrepiece: a gilded rush of vibrant Neroli and delicate Orange Flower Absolute, bringing a fusion of enduring luminosity.’
NEUNÉRE When All Things Were Divine
Founded in London 2025 by Alina Rosu. Her path led her from the foundational discipline of the Grasse Institute of Perfumery to a Master's degree in Fragrance Formulation. Alina says: “We live in the moment, just not this one. This perfume is about the bittersweet nature of nostalgia.”
‘It opens with crisp notes of cut grass and green tea, followed by the bitterness of Galbanum Oil. The heart is a soft infusion of Orris Butter and Orange Blossom Absolute. It settles into a dry-down of honey and Benzoin from Laos, contrasted by mossy notes.
Featuring: cut grass, watery notes, green tea, galbanum resinoid, orange flower absolute, orris root butter, philadelphus/mock orange, honey, benzoin siam resinoid, moss, Ambrofix™’
Cécile, entwines luminous bergamot and mandarin with powdery softness atop the warmth of amber and a tingle of clove bud, the rose rippled through with an airy creaminess that wafts beguilingly.
Top notes: bergamot, mandarin
Heart notes: rose absolute
Base notes: amber, clove bud
Suzy especially loves the matching fragrantly nourishing Satin Body Oil spray – one of THE best you’ll ever try, no matter which scent you choose, and you could easily wear any of them instead of a fragrance! Made using organic argan oil extract, this quick-drying formula leaves skin luminous and delicately scented.
Beaufort London Fathom V Director’s Cut
‘To commemorate a decade of Fathom V we have produced a limited edition ‘Directors Cut’ EXTRAIT version of the scent: the ‘big green beast’ reimagined in an ultra-strong variant at a 150% higher oil inclusion. This ‘extended’ version brings to life the more muted aspects of the original and is incredibly powerful and extremely long-lasting.
Each all-black bottle is individually numbered, with the edition running to only 1000 pieces worldwide. Each box contains a hand-signed note of authenticity.
Top notes: juniper, blackcurrant, green leaves, aquatic
crisp green cut stem brightness open, darkened with earth.
Heart notes: lily, jasmine, cumin
Lush white flowers bloom at the heart.
Base notes: vetiver, moss, salt, Atlas cedar
Salted woods, moss and vetiver leave a deep mineral resonance.
(Perfumer: Julie Marlowe).’
Rather greedily, Suzy really wanted to choose Maya Njie Aethi Opum because she’s been utterly obsessed with it since smelling Jo’s bottle, but Alice had chosen that. AND she wanted to choose Olfiction ICONIC, but Alice had chosen that, too. So... they compromised and both spoke about those incredible scents. We’ll discuss them properly on the pod when the talks are up (and when Nicola’s had a chance to get her nose on them.)
Nicola’s been falling in love with wearing Juliette Has a Gun Not a Perfume all over again, for its pleasing, easy-to-wear character when worn alone, and for its ability to coax beguiling intricacies from other scents while also boosting their longevity.
Another new launch Suzy’s obsessed by is Essential Parfums Ambre Latte
by Jordi Fernández
“I envisioned Ambre Latte as a highly addictive overdose of my favourite amber woods wrapped in a delicious swirl of almond milk. Infused with caramel, tonka, vanilla, and benzoin, this creamy haze lends the amber structure an irresistible and unforgettable signature. A fragrance that draws you in… and keeps you close."
‘With Ambre Latte, Jordi Fernandez offers a unique and exquisitely refined take on indulgence. The fragrance unfolds in a vaporous cloud of almond milk, delicately infused with roasted tonka bean. Indulgence settles in — irresistible yet perfectly controlled — as a luscious dulce de leche caramel melts into the enveloping softness of vanilla, benzoin and white musks.
Very soon, the fragrance reveals its duality. Beneath the milky caress emerges an intensely addictive woody-amber alchemy. Ambrofix, Georgywood, Akigalawood and white sandalwood structure the composition, infusing it with depth, sophistication and modernity. They extend the trail with sensual richness, leaving an unforgettable imprint — the perfect balance between gourmandise and addiction.’
Escentric Molecules Cologne One
Suzy described this as feeling like a Cologne that’s been whizzed up in a Soda Stream machine! The brand says: ‘Cologne One captures the freshness of a gin and tonic in a single, sparkling gesture: effervescent, bright, unmistakably clean.
The fragrance lives in its top notes: juniper for the gin, lime and citrus for lift, a touch of bergamot and mandarin, a whisper of ginger for a delicate spiciness, and a hint of cucumber’s neutrality to enhance the crispness without becoming literal. It is freshness concentrated, transparent, and immediate.
The heart remains understated: iris, rose, and hedione offer just enough structure to support the top note, allowing the bright citrus and juniper to linger. The dry down is linear, calm, and unobtrusive: Ambroxan, Iso E Super, and a trace of musk. Nothing competes, nothing distracts.
“We have a very different approach to fragrance, so our first cologne captures the very unique and wonderful freshness of a gin and tonic. I think it's quite new with that sort of freshness. It's the idea of the sparkling, effervescent gin and tonic first scent, this sort of your nose in the drink,” says perfumer Geza Schoen. Cologne One is a cologne reimagined by Escentric Molecules: 15% concentration for lasting freshness without leaving an overwhelmingly fragrant impression. It is refreshing, refined, and gender-neutral. A modern, minimalist, endlessly fresh ode to the very idea of a gin and tonic.’
Meanwhile, Nicola’s been leaning into the sunshine-filled holiday vibes of Jo Loves With Love From Capri, which features luminous top notes of bergamot, lemon, and bitter orange, balanced by a warm heart of orange leaves, ginger, magnolia, and myrrh.
