World Whisky Day-Inspired Scents

Hot-topic cocktail bars and bartenders have been celebrating amber spirits over the past couple of years. No wonder then that fragrances inspired by whisky are being explored by today’s A-list perfumers.

Warm, sexy, indulgent, cozy: works for fragrance lovers and foodies alike. Now we’ve got another reason to speculate on our love of amber: Tomorrow is World Whisky Day.

Of course, whisky isn’t exactly what you think of when you’re preparing for summer’s first long weekend, but we say, why not. The whisky-note perfume trend transcends seasons.

Perfumery’s whisky love reflects the changing North American consumer palate. As a people, we’re developing greater interest in rich spices, deep flavours and culinary surprises. Those experimenting are also open to the unusual, the unexpected. That’s where whisky comes in. And it should be noted, that these amber spirit-inspired perfumes, unlike the actual bar spirit, allow one to indulge without the dreaded morning-after fallout.

So head to today’s cocktail bar of fragrances and order up something new. Who knows, you might have a taste for it!

1. Demeter Fragrances Whiskey Tobacco, $40 (120 ml), www.demeterfragrances.com
Known for their simple fragrances with minimal notes, Demeter Fragrances was bound to have an alcohol-inspired scent. Its Whiskey Tobacco is a nod to grandfathers everywhere. Be warned—this one has kick.

2. A*MEN by Thierry Mugler Pure Malt, $89 (100 ml), www.muglerusa.com
This smoky and sensual scent combines the original A*MEN character with Scottish spirits and uses traditional whisky techniques of aging in oak casks to add a woody, peaty essence.

3. Penhalgion Tralala, $220 (100 ml), www.etiket.ca
Whisky is combined with aldehydes, saffron and violet leaf absolute for an opulent scent that is as sensual as it is fresh and indulgent.

4. Commodity Whisky, $120 (100 ml), www.sephora.com
Whisky is part of Commodity’s Black collection, which features complex, intense and moody scents. Its Whisky spritz is full of flavour—oak, sage cinnamon and eucalyptus—and aims at the tastes of both men and women.

5. D.S. & Durga Spirit of the Glen, $120 (50 ml), www.dsanddurga.com
Spirit of the Glen is what resulted when Glenlivit asked D.S. & Durga to collaborate. “Perfume and whisky are both transportive liquids,” says David Moltz of the perfume house. The resulting scent aims to capture the spirit of a smooth, 18-year-old Glenlivit.

6. Portland General Store Whiskey, $98 (60 ml), www.portlandgeneralstore.com
Whiskey, the first scent from Portland General Store, a small apothecary based in Portland, ME, was not intended to smell like the drink. Instead the name is inspired by the spirit’s small-batch method of production. By happy coincidence, the fragrance does smell like whiskey. It’s a warm, masculine scent that bites at first sniff, but becomes warm and smooth upon drying down.

7. Arquiste for J.Crew No. 57, $78 (50 ml), www.jcrew.com
This scent centres on whisky, a favourite cocktail of the late Peggy Guggenheim, in combination with oakwood, cedarwood, cinnamon and vanilla. The resulting fragrance channels the famed soirées of the iconic art gallery owner and philanthropist, evenings where Manhattans were liberally enjoyed.