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 be on the Barnes Fragrance Fair YouTube channel when they’re all edited. We’ll let you know when they’re up, but meanwhile you can watch last year’s talks there, including the ‘Top of the morning’ show we so loved doing.)

Suzy chose:

Shloksha Soapy Heart

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!”

Opening 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.”

Jorum Studio Risso

‘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™’

To the Fairest Cécile

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....