Fischersund Building, Reykjavik, Iceland ©

I had the great fortune of visiting Reykjavik, Iceland at the beginning of June. Having never been there before, and being so obsessed with fragrance, I searched the internet to see if there were any perfume houses from Iceland. I came across the perfume house Fischersund. Their Flagship shop was only 2 blocks from where I’d be staying. When I learned Michelyn Camen, Editor-in-Chief of ÇaFleureBon knew this Icelandic house, I was so excited. Michelyn coordinated with Vanessa Dabich, Fischersund General Manager, along with Lilja Birgisdottir, one of the owners, for me to experience a scented tour at their shop during my trip.

Fischersund Perfume Organ Diana (far right) with Lilja Birgisdottir

The shop is located on the street of Fischersund, right in the heart of downtown Reykjavik. It is the oldest house in Reykjavik (established in 1874).  At one period, it was the original recording studio for Jonsi  (Jón Þór “Jónsi” Birgisson) of Sigur Rós, a world-renowned Icelandic post-rock band, adding to its cultural and artistic significance. Once you step inside, you are transported into a mystical, almost magical place that feels like an avant-garde art museum. While small, it has a big personality, yet serene vibe. Everything is rustic and true to its original construction. The wood beams and molding are painted black, giving it a bit of a gothic feel. All the walls are covered in dried moss. Right at the entrance is a unique display of tiny bottles on an old wooden organ. It looks like a vintage pharmacy apothecary. It’s an art installation created out of a vintage organ and transformed it into a representation of the union between music and perfume. Like music, perfumes have different “notes”. And like music, perfume has such strong emotional connections to memories. Described by Fischersund, “An antique instrument, transformed into a perfume organ. Just like we would play the notes of an organ, we categorize scents into low, middle and high notes. These notes can compose the most beautiful music.”

Introduction to Fischersund

When I arrived, I was given the warmest greeting from Lilja. She is one of four siblings who own the company, along with their father and mother. Fischersund was founded in 2017. Each family member contributes each of their own artistic gifts to create formulations, concepts, poetry and music for each fragrance. It IS both a perfume house and art collaborative. It’s far more than just sampling beautiful scents. It is an entire sensory journey that is immersive, including ethereal music softly playing in the background. There is fascinating information on their website about each of the siblings. They are all so incredibly talented.

Icelandic Schnapps.

I was offered homemade Icelandic Schnapps or Icelandic tea – both made with locally sourced Icelandic herbs of birch, creeping thyme, sweet cicely, red clover and arctic root. Lilja tells me they use this blend as a medicine for all sorts of ailments or just to improve immunity. I chose Schnapps.  As we toasted our glasses, she exclaimed, Skál (pronounced “sk-owl”), which is Icelandic for “cheers”.

The Tour of the Fragrances

 Main Line of Fragrances

The core line of fragrances is simply identified by numbers – with No. 23 being their very first creation. There are four in this collection – No. 8, No. 23, No 54, and No. 101. Each one of these four fragrances represent some part of their childhood memories intertwined with the beautiful Iceland landscape. Lilja is so colorful at explaining the concept of each scent. With each fragrance, they’ve written a wistful poem. As you smell the paper strip of the scent with eyes closed, she recites the poem.   As you inhale deep breaths of the beautiful perfume, you are brought through a meditative journey; her soothing voice takes you to a dream-like state that resonates deep into your soul.

All Fischersund fragrances are unisex and share a delicate DNA that is both herbaceous and resinous that encapsulates the essence of Reykjavik. There are subtle differences that distinguish each perfume with certain notes to make each one unique. The blending of the locally sourced Icelandic herbs and plants is so exquisite, it’s difficult to detect each individual note. They all harmoniously intertwine. Any of the fragrances can easily be layered together. I particularly enjoy layering a perfume oil with a different EdP. The quality of the compositions is like nothing I’ve ever encountered.  They are exceptionally pure and organic. The rich notes of leather, tar, patchouli and resins wore so delicately on my skin. They take great pride in using ingredients all sourced from Iceland and distilled in Icelandic water. All the raw materials used are organically certified and environmentally friendly.  Throughout the scent tour, I would smell a particular fragrance and think to myself “Oh! This is beautiful! This one is my favorite!” But then we’d move on to the next scent, and I’d think “Oh, wait! THIS one is my favorite!” And do you know what? They ALL are my favorite. I could not choose just one.

Fischersund Joklalykt (Glacier Scent)

There was, however, one stand-out fragrance that made such a powerful, emotional impact on me. The fragrance is called Jöklalykt (Glacier Scent). A collaboration with the Icelandic clothing company, 66°North, it was released in November 2023 as a limited edition. Jöklalykt is inspired by the haunting nature of glaciers, these ancient figures in the Icelandic landscape which are now quickly disappearing. The scent celebrates the unique smell that can only be experienced when long-dormant earth and all the things that have been buried beneath the ice come into contact with the fresh, cold air. This limited-edition perfume is inspired by the intricacies of changing nature, climate, and the delicate balance that we face as we look to the future.

As Lilja proceeded to recite the poem for the fragrance, an odd thing happened. At that very moment, the shop seemed to become silent. All I could hear was Lilja’s voice and the ambient music playing in the background. It felt trance-like. I found myself becoming both physically and emotionally affected by what I was smelling, hearing and feeling. The feeling was beautiful yet sorrowful. I became so overcome with emotions; I couldn’t talk. I have never experienced anything at all like this in my life. My throat tightened, as I fought back tears from exploding out of me. For a minute or so, I had to take deep breaths to regain my composure. Lilja was quite moved and flattered by my raw, unfiltered emotions for this scent. After all, isn’t that every artist’s desire to evoke a fervent response to their creations?

And there is more…

Flotholt Survival Kit

There are several other stand-alone fragrances offered by Fischersund; notably Flotholt. Flotholt debuted in 2022 to celebrate the Sigur Rós World Tour. The name Flotholt comes from the Icelandic word for a round lifeguard ring used for rescuing people from drowning. This mysterious aquatic, smoky scent is inspired by the boundless ocean, particularly its cold, dark, and wild expanse. Flotholt serves as a ritual of hope in challenging times.

Jón Þór “Jónsi” Birgisson, the master perfumer of Fischersund, is the lead musician for Sigur Rós. He spent 17 years teaching himself about perfume oils, often bringing them with him on tour. He not only formulates all the Fischersund fragrances, but he also is the creator of all the magnificent musical compositions for each scent. You can enjoy the music on their website and on Spotify.

Art in a Bottle

I love how elegant and simple the bottles are; matte black glass with the scent’s name enameled in glossy black onto the bottle. Each perfume is handmade and hand poured by Fischersund Co-Founder and sibling, Ingibjorg Birgisdottir. She also created the artwork for the cotton bandanas used to wrap each of the fragrances. They are so mindful of the environment and wanted no wasteful packaging.   There is a unique illustration and fabric color for every scent. The bandanas have become quite collectible, so they are also sold individually on their website and in the store.  For the four main fragrances (No. 8, 23, 54 and 101), they also offer the scents in solid perfumes, perfume oils, room sprays, incense and candles. The same concentration of perfume in their eau de parfums is what is used in their candles, solid perfumes and perfume oils. I have not purchased any candles yet. However, I do own all four perfume oils and two solid perfumes. I find the depth of the notes to be even more pronounced in this form. I wear them most often.

3D Art in Wall

Hidden Treasures

Once the scent tour concluded, I was shown around the shop to discover other Fischersund “hidden treasures” In the front part of the shop, there is a ladder that appears to go up to nowhere. That is, until you get to the top and see a small hole in the wall. As you peer in, a gorgeous video of original floral artwork is projected onto a mirror to create a 3D effect. There is the gentlest movement of each petal, leaf, and stem. It is quite mesmerizing.

 Fischersund Faux Flora Collection

The building has a rustic basement with low ceilings. Each imperfect stone slab step guides you down to the main area displaying magnificent artwork projected on the wall. A lit art installation displayed in the corner is a showcase for their new 50 ml bottle design for No. 1 Birth eau de parfum from the Faux Flora collection. It is clear glass with intricately carved glass glaciers inside at the bottom of the bottle. The estimated release date is sometime in January 2026 and will be available in limited quantities. Currently, Faux Flora is available as a discovery set of 5 fragrances in 10 ml sprays. Faux Flora comprises five scents that represent each stage of life (birth, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and death) and how it parallels the five cycles of a plant’s life (birth, growth, flowering, seed formation, and death).

The workshop is in the back area where all the magic happens. This is where ideas are created, and new scents are born.  Lilja pointed at a sheet of plywood that covers up what once was a window. She told me that during prohibition of alcohol, they discreetly sold spirits through this window. I’m fascinated by how every nook and cranny of this building has a story to tell.

My Most Worn Scent

Fischersund No. 8

At the completion of my tour, I left with several fragrances.  I returned the following day, and again, on my last day in Reykjavik, and purchased even more. I now own every scent in one form or another.  This may seem overindulgent or impulsive, but I genuinely fell in love with all their scents. Because there are only a handful of different offerings, I yearned to have them all. As I sit here writing this article, I am wearing No. 8 in both the eau de parfum and the perfume oil. I have worn each of their scents every day since returning from this most memorable trip. Even on some of the hottest days this past month, the fragrances wore delicately. I have never been so moved by scents in this way. When I wear them, I feel peaceful and centered.

While I love all of Fischersund’s offerings, I find myself wearing No. 8 most often because it works so well as a summer scent.  It has this wonderful blend of herbs, sweetness, and a pinch of smokiness that is both soothing and invigorating.

“Fischersund No. 8 is inspired by memories of our childhood growing up in a small village called Mosfellssveit just outside the city. This fresh scent channels the feeling of endless days spent outdoors, riding bikes, and exploring nature with all the freedom of childhood, along with the anticipation of the delivery of baked goods our grandmother would bring weekly.  

Brand new sneakers, crushing fresh flower stalks
against hot asphalt.
Mouth full of lemon candy and
fingers sticky with motor oil.
Stolen rhubarb from a neighbours garden, peeled, slathered in honey and chewed on.
Orange cake crumble in the pocket of
freshly washed clothes.
Arctic wind blowing through hair in a damp pine forest.” -A note from the brand

Top Notes – Rhubarb, Grapefruit, Petitgrain; Middle Notes – Sitka Spruce, Birch Leaf, Base Notes – Balsam Fir, Amber, Asphalt

Fischersund’s magic of capturing the spirit and essence of Iceland in their evocative fragrances, feels like I’ve taken home a piece of Reykjavik. The entire experience has permanently imprinted the energy of the city on my soul. Every time I spray one of the perfumes on me, I am instantly transported back to my trip. I never knew just how much joy fragrances could give me.

Lilja Birgisdóttir  (right) and Diana

My deepest gratitude to Lilja Birgisdóttir  for her enormous hospitality and generosity, as well as Svava, who assisted me when I returned to the shop two more times. Both women are so charming! I learned an Icelandic word they both used often – já. It is pronounced YOW and means YES!  Whenever they got excited about something I said or asked about, they‘d exclaim já!! The way they draw out and emphasize the word (YOWWWW) is adorable. Without realizing, I now find myself using the word quite a bit.

Thank you to both Michelyn Camen, CaFleureBon Editor-in-Chief, and Vanessa Dabich, Fischersund General Manager, for making this scent tour happen.

Address: Fischersund 3
101 Reykjavík
Iceland

Phone – +354 8606662

Contact: info@fischersund.com

Website: https://www.fischersund.com/en-us

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fischersund

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1bgRMYvqTqb7PLS7Sd2gFd

–Diana Devlin, Guest Contributor and CaFleureBon reader

– Brian O’Halloran – photo credits unless noted otherwise

Disclosure: Lilja graciously gifted me several items at the conclusion of my tour. With my own money (after a generous 20% discount for each transaction ), I purchased $842 of several eau de parfums and perfume oils.

courtesy of the brand

Thanks to the generosity of Fischersund, we have a giveaway for a 50 ml eau de parfum spray of No. 8 and solid perfume to a registered ÇaFleureBon reader in the USA, Canada, UK, EU. To be eligible you must register. Please leave a comment on what you enjoyed about Diana’s visit to Fischersund. Have you ever been to Iceland? Are you familiar with Fischersund and/or the music of Sigur Rós? Draw closes 8/20/2025

Editor Note: Read Lilja’s scent poem for No. 8 here

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