Beauty
For the bold perfume lover.
While every individual has their own perception of what makes a fragrance seductively luxurious, one thing is for certain: bourbon-filled perfumes make a serious statement. If that doesn’t sound appealing to you, know that they smell less like a sticky college bar, and more like those heady cocktail lounges where its patrons sport oversized fur coats and ultra-sharp stilettos.
Bourbon Oozes Seduction
In traditional perfumery, bourbon fragrance notes are considered to be quite heavy and bold, and in turn, have mostly been featured in masculine-leaning aromas. While the industry is still quite gendered, many are realizing that scent isn’t innately feminine or masculine at all.
Bourbon actually adds depth and long-lastingness to any aroma. What’s more, it can enhance the scents around it — making a cinnamon note more spiced, or a vanilla smell even more decadently sweet.
In other words, bourbon-heavy perfumes are the epitome of the “loud luxury” aesthetic, hitting those around you with its sultry signature that lingers long after its wearer has left.
12 Bourbon Fragrances
Whether you’re on the hunt for a statement-making scent, or simply want to add a bit of luxe to your fragranced wardrobe — below, find 12 boozy bourbon perfumes that are sure to bring the heat.
1The Cherry-Spiked Pick
Black Opium Over Red, a new iteration of a classic scent, is defined by its uniquely sweet fruity notes — namely, cherry — made all the more impactful with the aromas of invigorating coffee, full-bodied white florals, and the warmth of vanilla bourbon.
2The Bold Bourbon Scent
With a bold bourbon note at centerstage, Dawn empowers its wearer as the scents of elegant iris petals, heated amber, earthy vanilla, and decadent raspberries unfold.
3The Speakeasy-Inspired Fragrance
Inspired by the lounges of the Prohibition Era, Speakeasy smells of smoky incense, heated saffron, and resinous licorice, which are all layered on top of a blend of patchouli, bourbon, and dark chocolate.
4The Ultimate Cabincore Perfume
APRÈS, a perfume inspired by crisp alpine air, awakens the senses with its aromas of juicy juniper berries, nostalgic evergreens, warm cedarwood, and bourbon-spiked praline.
5The Sugar-Spiked Bourbon Scent
While it’s a gourmand fragrance, Miel Bourbon brings the heat to its sweetness with notes of bitter orange, honey nectar, vanilla orchid, and smoky bourbon.
6The “Mob Wife” Aesthetic Buy
Bottled in a luxurious stiletto that stuns on any vanity, Very Good Girl Glam sparkles with notes of cherry, almond, rose, vetiver, and vanilla bourbon.
7The Sweet Summertime Scent
Kayali’s UTOPIA VANILLA COCO | 21 features a blend of creamy coconut, regal jasmine flower, and a vanilla bourbon aroma — trust that it’ll make you want to just keep spritzing.
8The Black Opium Dupe
If you’ve had your eyes on the OG YSL Black Opium perfume, consider this one from Dossier: It’s brimming with notes of cedarwood, coffee, licorice, and patchouli, which all melt together for a boozy, bourbon-like effect.
9The Sensually Spiced Bourbon Pick
Althaïr’s seductive fragrance explores the warmth of bourbon by pairing the note with spicy cinnamon, bright orange blossom petals, rich guaiac wood, and sugar-sweet musk.
10The Rich & Smoky Fragrance
Housed in a deeply luxurious bottle, Loubicroc embodies the energy of Egypt’s Nile as notes of heady vanilla bourbon, creamy sandalwood, smokey myrrh, and smooth papyrus swirl around your senses.
11The Layer-Friendly Spritzer
Add a sweet, boozy quality to any fragrance combo with a spritz of this layer-friendly scent, which blends the aromas of whiskey bourbon, fresh cream, and caramel.
12The “Loud Luxury” Vanilla Perfume
An elegant perfume that’s inspired by vanilla-laden Parisian desserts, Vanilla Diorama contrasts its sweetness with hints of citrusy orange and boozy rum.
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