Scents of Escapism

Words By Nasreen Osman


We can practically smell the holidays on the horizon. There's so much to see (and so little time), so we've put together a list of the world's most delicious juices for you so you can gallivant the globe via the journey of scent.


Through the transportive power of spritz, you'll go for a dip in the Mediterranean, whizz to the Pacific and zip to South America; explore vast pine forests in Scandinavia, discover precious ingredients in the Middle East, and head to Africa to stroll across sun baked sands - all before settling down in Britain with a steaming cup of English Breakfast tea. We're calling it escential travel. So, whether you're matching your perfume to far-flung destinations, or you're embarking on a city sojourn, your spraycation starts now with our edit of the finest summer holiday fragrances according to your wish list destination. Bon voyage!

The Caribbean: Beachy Perfumes

What says ‘Caribbean getaway’ more than a liberal misting of sweet, creamy coconut milk and tangy ylang ylang? Maison Margiela’s eau de toilette is literally called ‘Beach Walk’ and it certainly delivers its promise. Spray for sunny wafts of lemon drops, sprinkled with pink pepper and zingy bergamot. Finish your ocean-side stroll with the olfactory equivalent of a piña colada - Estée Lauder's famed and original Bronze Goddess is the epitome of beach days.


Citrus fragrance is a firm favourite Caribbean flavour, and the world’s most famous lime and basil perfume, Jo Malone London Lime, Basil & Mandarin Cologne, was created to evoke “a Caribbean breeze”. Lastly, Penhaligon’s Solaris eau de parfum is reminiscent of that unmistakable feeling you get only on holiday – notes of citrus beam and vanilla make for the ultimate beach-inspired fragrance.

"A great scent is a world you can return to over and over – a keyhole into another realm."


David Seth Moltz, co-founder of D.S. & Durga


South America: Espresso Aromas

Get ready to stamp your olfactory passport in South America. From the valleys of the Andes to the sprawling arms of the Amazon, Latin America offers myriad scents. Start your adventure with a cup of hot, nutty coffee – Columbia is home to some of the highest quality coffee in the world, and Brazilian coffee is known for its intense sweetness with caramel and chocolate notes. We recommend Replica's Coffee Break eau de toilette for its aromatic and warm notes of coffee, cedarwood and vetiver. Also you must try Montale’s Intense Café brew. It's creamy, it’s soft, and it comforts you with vanilla, white musk and coffee bean notes.


Fancy trekking through South America's lush Amazon rainforest? Try balsam-based perfumes – Peruvian balsam is a colossal tree native in El Salvador and comes from the thick brown resin of trees in the Cordillera del Bálsamo mountain range. The ingredient is renowned for its rich, sweet qualities – much like Tom Ford’s balsam-based Black Orchid eau de parfum, infused with vanilla, dark chocolate and sandalwood.

The Middle East: Musky Scents

Middle Eastern fragrances are steeped in ancient tradition and showcase the region’s precious raw ingredients. Oud is derived from the tropical agar tree and can be found naturally growing in the Middle East, and Roja Parfums Amber Aoud Pure Perfume is packed with the extremely rare oil, as well as succulent fig (native to the Middle East) and sought-after saffron.


If you’re a fan of spicy vanilla fragrance, Carolina Herrera Amethyst Haze is like a sweet, warm meander around a souk for your senses. Adore rose perfume? Kayali Sweet Diamond Pink Pepper Eau de Parfum was created by Huda Kattan and her sister Mona to reflect the elegance and sophistication of their Middle Eastern heritage – the Bulgarian rose is the superstar note. For something intense and captivating, Les Eaux Primordiales Ambre Superfluide is spicy, woody and musky all at once, with notes of rich vanilla. Another vanilla hero, the Vanille Leather Eau de Parfum from BDK Parfums is less musky more fruity, and infused with jasmine absolute from Egypt.

Africa: Earthly Perfumes

African-inspired perfumes bring diverse wonders of nature – such as sunbaked sands and fragrant oases – straight to your nose. Head straight for Morocco via Aerin Tangier Vanille Eau de Parfum, a vanilla perfume with soft musk notes and a smooth sandalwood finish. It’s a desert sunset in scent form.


We’ll also make a pitstop for Tom Ford Soleil Brûlant Eau de Parfum, a sophisticated take on a suncream perfume. Do you know the scents that hit you like that first swipe of sunscreen on a hot summer day? This is that, with added mandarin and bergamot to cut through the warmth. Finally, let’s take a safari adventure; the source of inspiration for the Maison Crivelli Nasimba Eau du Parfum scent, which has aromas of wild orange blossom along with a fresh, floral finish.

The Far East: Exotic Scents

Floral, woody, fresh, smoky – Far Eastern-inspired fragrances are as varied as the region itself. Begin with a woody floral perfume such as Xerjoff Alexandria III Pure Perfume, an oud fragrance that combines Thai and Laotian oud with Bulgarian rose and spicy cinnamon. Next, it's Bulgari's luxurious scent inspired by saffron. The Le Gemme Azaran Eau de Parfum combines its star of the show, saffron, with leathery and bergamot aromas for an intoxicatingly exotic fragrance. Last but not least, for an exotic twist on a summer scent, Tom Ford’s Soleil de Feu Eau de Parfum fuses tuberose accord, warm ambers and sandalwood for a rich and woody finish.

The Mediterranean: Citrus Juices

There’s something about a subtle squeeze of lemon and crisp citrus peel that conjures up images of a holiday. Known as ‘the prince of citrus’, bergamot is refreshing, rounded, and found in Diptyque’s Ilio Eau de Toilette and Maison Crivelli's Citrus Batikanga Eau de Parfum. If you’re into savoury bergamot scents, Parfums de Marly Greenley Eau de Parfum is a wood perfume with a flourish of Italian bergamot for levity.


And if you're going down the fruit route, Frederic Malle Lys Mediterranee Eau de Parfum submerges fresh lilies in sea water with orange blossom and musk notes acting as a fragrant sundowner. Equally fresh and fruity is Loewe’s Aire Anthesis Eau de Parfum. A warmer weather delight, it’s inspired by a wildflower native to Spain and is packed with fruity notes of pear and rhubarb.

Scandinavian Scents: Warming Pine Vibes

There’s an abundance of pine trees in Sweden, in fact, about 40% of the country’s forests are made up of pine trees. Combine pine notes with a Stockholm-based brand, and you’ve got the ultimate Scandivanian spray. Byredo has stormed the Scandi scent scene since it launched in 2006, and its now-iconic Gypsy Water smells like wintry woodlands, juniper berries and incense. The 05 Escentric Molecules Eau de Toilette is another fragrance favouring pine scents, wrapped up in a woody, musky finish. And if you have a nose for forest fragrances, give Serge Lutens’ Parole d'Eau Eau de Parfum a whiff-minty eucalyptus leaves and Siberian pine needles make it a calming and subtle spritz.

Staycation: British Fragrance

We’ve come full circle on our fragrance voyage and landed back in Britain, but we promise that exciting scent discoveries still await. Where better to start than our Knightsbridge store itself? There are treasures such as Escentric Molecules H01 eau de parfum that blends wood, leather and musk reminiscent of the famous halls. Harrods is the muse behind Robert Piguet Knightsbridge – an exclusive rose fragrance that brings some of the most cherished ingredients in perfume to the fore. Orris, derived from the bulbs of the iris plant, is at its heart and is sought after since it takes up to four years to mature before it develops its powdery sweet scent.


Also paying homage to Harrods is Ex Nihilo Brompton Immortals Extrait de Parfum. The spicy vanilla perfume fuses old and new in terms of fragrance notes – like Harrods itself. You’ll notice the distinctive Harrods logo illustrated in all of its glory on the front of Acqua di Parma's new and exclusive Zafferano, it's aptly infused with the world's most precious spice, saffron, and embodies our Knightsbridge store's grandeur and opulence.


We’ll end our world tour with a trip to rural England at dusk in the form of Burberry Signatures Midnight Journey Eau de Parfum. Notes of thyme, lavender and rose mingle with enigmatic myrrh and black amber to evoke a shadowy pastoral evening. Finally, soak up the best of the British Highlands courtesy of Jo Malone London’s woody Highland Heather Cologne infused with English lavender.

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