My Favorite Niche Tea Perfumes, Part 1
Given that I am currently working on the curriculum for the Tea and Olfaction workshops I will be co-leading at the Institute for Art and Olfaction this fall, I found myself intensely curious to see how niche perfumers interpret tea in their creations.
Recently, I spent a late morning exploring The Scent Room in Larchmont (142 1/2 N Larchmont Blvd, Los Angeles), working my way through dozens of tea-inspired fragrances. I left with seven standout samples, bringing them home to evaluate alongside a very special bottle I brought back from my trip to Taipei this past March.
I sat with my labeled scent strips and observed the initial top notes all the way through to the settled dry-downs. Here are my impressions of these eight remarkable olfactory interpretations of tea.
Ylop by Sora Dora
When I first sprayed Ylop, I was hit by an almost syrupy, sweet, and fruity rush. It definitely has a cherry note that leans slightly medicinal—thanks to the almond—which I love. There is something fresh and balsamic in the heart, and I picked up a woody vetiver base early on. But what really captivated me was the dry-down. Even after it breathed on the strip, that juicy fruitiness and prominent cherry-almond note held strong, anchored by a rich, dark vanilla. The black tea note is there, acting more as a structural backbone. To me, this is a very spicy, enveloping gourmand that is going to be perfect for the winter months. I will be purchasing this.
Top Notes: Roasted Apricot, Tea, Apple
Heart Notes: Osmanthus Absolute, Rosemary Essence, Almond
Base Notes: Black Sesame, Black Vanilla Absolute, Haitian Vetiver
Sahara Song by ROAN Fragrances
This one opens so beautifully fresh, with a bright, green Moroccan mint tea front and center. It has an airy, luminous quality that slowly progresses into something softer and sweeter. I picked up some minty facets from the cardamom in the heart, which perfectly bridged the fresh opening into a warm, creamy floral. In the dry-down, it becomes incredibly balsamic and very musky. The finish is very enveloping. This is beautiful and I might purchase it.
Top Notes: Moroccan Mint Tea, Coffee Bean, Coconut Milk, Plum, Cardamom, Pink Pepper
Heart Notes: Rose, Vanilla Orchid, Jasmine
Base Notes: Cedarwood, Vetiver, Musk
Taiwanese Tea Perfume by P.Seven
This is the very special bottle I brought back from Taipei. It opens very dry and balsamic, heavy with Hinoki cypress and cedar. Then, you get these beautiful facets of a vibrant, greener oolong tea. As it settles, it develops a hyper-realistic note of dry calligraphy ink on paper. Smelling this dry-down is profoundly meditative—it is exactly like sitting inside a very old wooden tea house, practicing calligraphy with a cup of oolong by your side. Glad this is already in my collection.
Top Notes: Hinoki Cypress, Cedar, Frankincense
Heart Notes: Taiwanese Oolong Tea
Base Notes: Borneol, Spikenard, Patchouli, Musk, Tonka Bean
Culot Thé by Versatile Paris
This fragrance subverts the classic peach-and-tea pairing with a zesty, savory edge. It opens with the velvety texture of apricot skin—juicy, green, and vibrant, but entirely lacking in sugary sweetness. The secret here is a sharp bite of wasabi that holds its ground surprisingly well as the perfume evolves. A prominent jasmine note provides a lush floral lift, blending seamlessly with the black tea to create a modern, unconventional, and highly addictive aroma. In the dry-down, it remains juicy and floral without ever becoming sweet. I will be purchasing a full size of this, it is addictive and unconventional.
Top Notes: Bergamot, Mandora, Ginger, Pink Pepper, Wasabi
Heart Notes: Jasmine, Black Tea, Osmanthus, Apricot
Base Notes: Musk, Amyris, Vetiver, Sesame
Mountain Memories by ROAN Fragrances
A burst of spicy pink pepper immediately greets the nose, quickly giving way to a structured oolong tea. As it transitions, the fragrance blooms into an opulent, heady arrangement of white florals. In the dry-down, the tea acts as a necessary frame, keeping those lush white florals in check before melting into a complex, resinous finish.
Top Notes: Oolong Tea, Pink Pepper, Black Currant Bud
Heart Notes: Jasmine, Narcissus
Base Notes: Patchouli, Leather, Guaiac Wood, Oakmoss
195 a.C. by Agatho Parfum
This is less of a cup of tea and more of a sweeping landscape. The opening is fiercely green and sappy, dominated by fig leaf and evocative of wild Mediterranean shrubs like myrtle baking in the sun. A tart, juicy pomegranate bridges the shrubs and fig leaf to a dry, tannic black tea base. In the dry-down, the tea merges with a rich undercurrent of smoky incense and resins, perfectly anchoring that sun-baked coastal imagery all the way to the end. I will be purchasing this for my husband.
Top Notes: Fig Leaf, Pomegranate, Bergamot, Mint, Lemon
Heart Notes: Fig, Cardamom, Jasmine
Base Notes: Black Tea, Cashmere Wood, Cedarwood, Patchouli, Incense, Oud, Leather, Styrax
Chai Fleur by Belnu
A true tea-adjacent comfort scent. While it entirely omits the astringency of tea leaves, it perfectly captures the velvet creaminess of milk and chai spices. The green cardamom is immediately front and center, supported by a warm, balsamic sharpness. It leaves behind a remarkably fresh, milky combination of cardamom and heavy vanilla. It is sweet, but never syrupy.
Top Notes: Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Green Cardamom
Heart Notes: Lavender, Cistus, Violet
Base Notes: Vanilla Bean, Cypriol, Cedarwood, Sandalwood
Dear Polly by Vilhelm Parfumerie
This is my absolute favorite, I kept the best for last. It is perfection. It immediately brought back a sensory memory from my childhood: hot Italian summers where I would get a sweetened lemon iced tea. The soft, bright citrus notes of bergamot and apple create a refreshing effect, while a pure, tannic Ceylon black tea remains front and center the entire time. It never turns sickly sweet; instead, it somehow feels like an iced or cold tea that settles into a comforting, velvety musk. It feels deeply familiar and endlessly refreshing. Needless to say, I will be purchasing this.
Top Notes: Bergamot, Apple
Heart Notes: Ceylon Black Tea
Base Notes: Oakmoss, Musk, Black Amber
Have you explored any tea-focused fragrances recently, or do you have a signature scent that perfectly captures your favorite tea? I would love to hear your recommendations in the comments below as I start gathering samples for Part 2.
Until next time,
Anna
This post is not sponsored. I purchased the fragrance samples and was not asked to review them by the store nor the brands. Opinions and photos are my own.
