Fragrance Note Glossary
Deepen your understanding of scent with our fragrance note glossary. Discover the origins, nuances, and profiles of the notes that describe fragrances. Get ready to elevate your candle scent game and impress your friends (maybe?) with your newfound knowledge!
A B C D E F G H I J K L M
N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
V
vanilla
Description:
warm, aromatic, gourmand, sweet, rich, comforting
Olfactive Profile:
Vanilla has a rich, sweet, and gourmand aroma that's familiar and comforting, with cocooning notes of caramel.
Facts:
Vanilla is the only edible fruit of the orchid family, the largest family of flowering plants in the world.
verbena
Description:
lemon, fresh, citrusy, floral, green
Olfactive Profile:
Verbena's aroma is fresh and citrusy, with lemon-like and floral undertones.
Facts:
When the leaves of the verbena plant are crushed, they release a burst of fragrance reminiscent of lemon.
vetiver
Description:
woody, earthy, rooty, smoky, nutty, powdery
Olfactive Profile:
Vetiver has an earthy, smoky, and powdery character. It's often used in compositions to enhance woody and leathery notes, but is also a fantastic complement to marine/ozonic, green, and citrus fragrances.
Facts:
Vetiver oil is made from the roots of the vetiver plant, a type of perennial grass native to India. The roots of vetiver are known for their strength and depth and are often used in soil conservation and land rehabilitation projects.
violet
Description:
floral, powdery, soft, romantic, feminine, fresh
Olfactive Profile:
Violet flowers smell soft, sweet, and powdery. This note is often used to add a fresh and romantic character to fragrances.
Facts:
Ionone, the compound responsible for violet's natural scent, activates our scent receptors but then binds to them and renders them inactive, meaning we can only briefly perceive violet's scent. Moments later, the scent resurfaces as a new stimulus since the brain did not perceive it moments earlier, so each encounter with violet feels like the first time.
vodka
Description:
alcohol, sweet, fruity, dry, sharp
Olfactive Profile:
When served neat or in cocktails, vodka can have a subtle alcoholic scent that's slightly sweet or fruity. In fragrances, vodka notes help differentiate beverage scents and convey the feeling of enjoying a cocktail.
Facts:
Though grains like wheat, rye, barley, and corn are the most common sources of vodka, it can also be distilled from potatoes, grapes, and molasses.