What's new

Understanding Fragrance Groups

What is the purpose of this Guide?

This guide will help you find what groups popular fragrances belong to. The world of fragrances is huge. There are many brands and scents to be explored. By understanding the basic groups that fragrances belong to you can search out similar fragrances.

What are fragrance groups?

Designed in 1983 by Michael Edwards, the groups are most commonly known as the Fragrance Wheel. It is designed to allow the retailers of fragrances place fragrances into groups to allow consumers to easily associate fragrances with their compostition. It is important to note that fragrance groups are not by any means an exact science. They are often debated and discussed. The goal of the groups is to classify the fragrances by their main accord (the combination of individual notes that forms a singular scent). For example, if a fragrance is classified as Floral will contain other notes with Floral will be the main scent.

Why bother classifying scents at all?

So why bother classifying scents at all? One answer is to help you discover what fragrances you might like. Since everyones nose is different and our sense of smell is different we end up with an endless discussion of notes and scents. Where one person may smell a strong vanilla scent another may smell a spicy scent. Whether you agree with the system or not, group classifications can help educate you in notes and guide you to trying fragrances you might like.

The groups

The groups are governed by four main accords: Floral, Oriental, Woody and Fresh.
The groups are: Floral, Soft Floral, Floral Oriental, Soft Oriental, Oriental, Woody Oriental, Woods, Mossy Woods, Dry Woods, Aromatic, Citrus, Water, Green, Fruity.
The groups lead from one into the next. See the diagram below for how they flow.


What does all this mean to you? Well lets have a look at the Oriental notes and Woody notes and how they interact.

Oriental notes are grouped by Soft Oriental, Oriental and Woody Oriental. Oriental is broadly described as exotic, spicy or sensual fragrances. Common notes include amber, vanilla, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, musk and other similar scents. Soft Oriental to include floral notes and be less spicy, Oriental to be full on Oriental as described previously and Woody Oriental presents a more wood base with notes of sandalwood, cedar, etc.

As we move through the groups we move from one main accord to the next. Introducing more woody notes to Oriental will lead us out of Oriental notes and into the Woody notes. Woody fragrances contain the sandalwood and cedar type notes at the base and can contain the same warm exotic spiciness of the Oriental fragrances. The star of the show however will always be woody notes. Moving through the groups we find woods which are mainly woody notes, Mossy Woods which contain notes like oakmoss and are reminiscent of a forest. Chypre scents are included in the Mossy Woods group Dry Woods begins to incorporate more of the dry notes of tobacco and leather.

If you really liked a fragrance that was in the Oriental group you could then search out other fragrances in that same group. Since the groups blend and move in a circular pattern from one to the next, you can also find fragrances that are in neighbouring groups to increase your range of available scents.

Traditional Fragrance Groups

NameDescription
Single FloralA scent with a single, dominant floral, eg., rose
Floral BoquetComplex fragance of multiple, complementary floral notes, eg., Dior Eau Sauvage
Amber/OrientalOriginally named from ambergris, can include tonka bean, vanilla, labdanum, and patchouli, eg., Guerlain Heritage
WoodyPine, cedar, sandlawood and the like. Lalique Encre Noire is an example.
LeatherThink saddles, but also honey and tobacco notes: Maison Margiela Jazz Club.
ChypreFrom french for Cyprus; oakmoss is the prominent note; Chanel Pour Monsieur is the standard.
FougèreFrench for fern; a herbaceous and woody scent. Brut being a classic example.

Modern Fragrance Groups

NameDescription
GreenA lighter take on the chypre, like Ralph Lauren's Polo.
AcquaticReminiscent of ocean; Chanel's Allure Homme Sport.
CitrusSynthetics have enabled the turbo charging of these previously less stable scents. Acqua Di Parma Colonia is a good example.
FruityBerries, figs, and other staples of the sideboard. Versace's Eros a case in point.
GourmandWhen you wish to smell like a chocolate cake... A Men by Thierry Mugler.

This page has been seen 5,175 times.

Recent Activity

Icon Legend

  • Normal page
  • Color code

    • Content has new updates
    • Content has no updates

Share This Page

Top Bottom