The following terms are essential vocabulary for any fragrance student:

Accord
A blend of two or more notes creating something entirely new — a third smell that transcends its components. The chord rather than the individual notes.

Animalic
Notes evoking animal warmth, skin, fur or biological presence. Musk, civet, castoreum, ambergris. In small doses, animalic notes make fragrances feel alive and intimate.

Chypre
Pronounced ‘sheep-ruh.’ A foundational accord of citrus, labdanum and oakmoss — simultaneously fresh and earthy. One of the most important structures in perfumery.

Coumarin
The aromatic molecule in tonka bean, sweet clover and new-mown hay. Smells of warm almonds, vanilla and freshly cut grass. The defining molecule of the fougère family.

Decant
A small portion of fragrance (1–10ml) transferred for sampling. The most sensible way to evaluate expensive fragrances before committing to a full bottle.

Drydown
The final stage of a fragrance — what it smells like after top and middle notes have evaporated and base notes have settled. The drydown is the true character. Buy for the drydown.

Evolution
The journey a fragrance takes from opening through drydown. The finest fragrances evolve continuously — revealing new aspects over hours of wear. Linear fragrances smell the same throughout.

Fougère
Pronounced ‘foo-ZHAIR.’ French for fern. The backbone of classic masculine perfumery, built on lavender, oakmoss and coumarin.

IFRA
International Fragrance Association — the industry body regulating aromatic materials based on safety research. IFRA restrictions on oakmoss have fundamentally changed the character of classic chypre fragrances.

Indole
A naturally occurring compound in jasmine and animal waste. In small amounts, it creates warmth and animalic depth. In larger concentrations, it produces the urinous quality sometimes detected in vetiver and white florals.

Labdanum
A resin from cistus rockrose, used in perfumery since ancient Egypt. Warm, ambery, slightly animalic. The heart of the chypre accord and ubiquitous in dark orientals.

Maceration
The process by which fragrance molecules marry and integrate over time in the bottle. Fresh bottles often have harsh openings that smooth after 4–8 weeks. Patience in fragrance collecting is almost always rewarded.

Note
A single aromatic ingredient in a fragrance — one thing with its own distinct smell. Notes are the individual instruments; accords are the chords they form together.

Patchouli
A herb from the mint family, native to tropical Asia. Dark, earthy, slightly sweet when aged. One of the most versatile and important base note ingredients in perfumery. Improves dramatically with age.

Sillage
Pronounced ‘see-YAZH.’ The trail a fragrance leaves in air as you move. Sometimes called the ‘wake.’ Strong sillage is detectable at a distance; skin scents have minimal sillage.

Skin Scent
A fragrance projecting only within intimate distance — inches rather than feet. Not weakness but intentional intimacy. All fragrances eventually become skin scents as they evolve.

Terroir
Borrowed from wine: the way the same ingredient smells differently depending on its origin. Haitian vetiver is darker and smokier than Indonesian Java vetiver. Indian sandalwood creamier than Australian.

Vetiver
A grass native to India, grown primarily in Haiti, Indonesia and Réunion. The fragrance comes from the roots. Smells earthy, smoky, rooty, slightly animalic. Haitian vetiver is darkest; Java lighter and greener; Indian (Khus) most refined. One of the most rewarding ingredients in perfumery to develop a relationship with.