Aroma M Perfumes Ceremonial Matcha (Maria McElroy) 2025 + Happy 30th Anniversary Giveaway

Aroma M Ceremonial Matcha

Aroma M Perfumes Ceremonial Matcha

“My perfumes are echoes of my memories and the art of my becoming.” ~ Maria McElroy, perfumer and creative director for Aroma M Perfumes

Maria mixing matcha tea with chasen (ceremonial bamboo whisk)

Maria mixing matcha tea with chasen (ceremonial bamboo whisk)

February 14th marked artisanal perfumer Maria McElroy of Aroma M Perfumes’ 30th year as a perfumer – no mean feat. Many brands have come and gone since 1995, when Maria first launched her perfume O-Cha at Bergdorf Goodman’s in NYC: O-Cha was a green tea fragrance comprised of tonic clary sage, delicate sweet orange, palisander and vanilla. In order to celebrate Aroma M’s three decade achievement, Aroma M Ceremonial Matcha was created. It commemorates Maria’s beginnings with this limited-edition green tea-inspired scent: embroidered with florals and grounded in a wisp of Arabian oud which the perfumer acquired during her many travels. A bamboo accord echoes the whisk used to prepare matcha tea – the chasen.

Aroma M Ceremonial Matcha

Matcha bowl, whisk, and lacquer tea container courtesy of Aroma M

“If a man has no tea in him, he is incapable of understanding truth and beauty.” ~ Japanese proverb

Maria’s ongoing love affair with Japan began when she spent many years there studying tea ceremony and Japanese culture; she married a Japanese chef. With her inherent highly developed aesthetic sense and love of art, this should not come as a surprise. As a matter of fact, a few years back she hosted tea for myself and two friends in her apartment – an experience which is etched in fond memory; it was illuminating. What is matcha tea’s significance? For one, it is a central part of Japanese tea ceremonies, and possesses spiritual import: in Zen Buddhism, the preparation and consumption of matcha is believed to cultivate and foster a calm mind as it elevates one’s spirit.

 

Maria McElroy of Aroma M

Maria McElroy in Morocco courtesy of the perfumer

Ceremonial Matcha incorporates other elements dear to the perfumer’s heart. Maria’s tea accord entwines blissfully with the powdery elegance of mimosa and the voluptuous indolic nature of gardenia – both of which are native to both Japan and Morocco (in Morocco, the climate conditions need to be maintained in a certain range). I bring this to light because Maria has spent a great deal of time in Morocco (her brother has a home there) and has explored Arabian countries – hence, the grounding base note of oud which she had encountered in many souks during her travels. Additional verdancy arrives in the form of a bamboo accord – cool, lush, and a perfect accent, as it nods to Japan’s soothing natural environment.

Ceremonial Matcha is an extremely reassuring fragrance, as many of Maria’s tend to be. It murmurs of serenity, the loveliness to be found in perfumes which are restful and versatile – fragrances which meld Eastern and Western sensibilities in a seamless fashion. It is a perfume which is beautiful for beauty’s sake, with no other agenda but its own charm. I am a bit sad that Ceremonial Matcha will be a limited edition, because I can see it being a loved staple in anyone’s perfume pantheon. Perhaps we can convince Maria to make it a permanent addition to her line.

Notes: green tea accord, gardenia accord, Moroccan mimosa, bamboo accord, Saudi oud

Sample kindly provided by the perfumer – many thanks! My nose is my own…

~ Ida Meister, Deputy and Natural Perfumery Editor

 

Ceremonial Matcha by Aroma M

Aroma M Ceremonial Matcha

Thanks to Maria we have a draw for a sample of Aroma M Ceremonial Matcha edp for one registered reader in the USA. To be eligible please leave a comment about what appealed to you in Ida’s review of Ceremonial Matcha and  that you live in the USA. Draw closes 2/20/2025

Please read Maria McElroy’s Profile in American Perfumery here, Ida’s review of Aroma M Geisha Botan (2018), Senior Editor Emeritus Robert Herrmann (RIP) review of Desert Flower for American Perfumer©. Here we celebrate the brand’s 22nd anniversary.

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15 comments

  • meldot says:

    One of the only combinations I have not smelled. Matcha and oud. Aesthetically they seem so far apart. It would be great to have experienced this during the tea ceremony. Thank you for the trip in words. I am in the USA in Washington DC

  • Kensolfactoryodyssey says:

    The idea of a perfect heart of matcha tea followed by a hint of Saudi oud sounds delectable … im in california USA.

  • opalbear says:

    Oooh I just love a tea fragrance but a matcha is divine and gardenia is the perfect floral to pair with it. I think mimosa would be a note of interest as would the oud. Anchors in a way. I’m really keen to try this. I am in the U.S. thank you for the giveaway. Great review Ida!

  • goknitintheocean says:

    Hi there,

    Always a fan of Aroma M since early in their launch, and what has grown alongside that is an obsession with all things Matcha. I just adore the ritual of the preparation and the enjoyment of it; I’d expect the serenity which you so nicely describe here would be very, very fitting for me during these cold, long, and confusing days. Thanks very much for this profile! I live in NYC/USA.

    Deborah

  • Regis Monkton says:

    I would like to sample this limited release from Aroma M. I haven’t tried anything from them yet, and this is the first time I’ve ever heard of them. I can like tea fragrances, and Ceremonial Matcha sounds like an interesting one. It could help me better familiarize myself with matcha. I’d like to see how the tea accord pairs with the florals and the oud. I live in MD, USA.

  • Carrie Hardison says:

    I love that Ida describes this as being “beautiful for beauty’s sake, with no other agenda but it’s own charm”. Some of my most favorite fragrances are the ones that don’t “try too hard”.

    I live in Michigan, in the USA.

  • Sherin Thomas says:

    I just adore the ritual of the preparation and the enjoyment of it; I’d expect the serenity which you so nicely describe here would be very, very fitting for me during these cold, long, and confusing days. From PA,USA

  • Ramses Perez says:

    I have had many matchas in my life, but I can tell you it is not this. The sugary, highly processed and full of chemicals marchas sold everywhere have nothing to do with the authentic and original matcha tea being described by Ida. I was aware of the significance of the matcha tea but not of the conditions needed to actually cultivate it (you can really only get true matcha from Japan). Ceremonial Matcha seems to be a straightforward matcha scent for those who love matcha. I’d certainly get ny hands on a bottle before the limited edition release evaporates. I’m located in the USA.

  • Catherine says:

    I felt the zen upon reading Ida’s review. The sound of running water with bamboo chimes swinging with the gentle breeze was surreal. This has got to be one of the most unique scents out there. My green heart is calling. Much love from California, USA.

  • Christie says:

    I really enjoyed hearing about matcha’s significance in the culture. The blend of notes in Ceremonial Matcha sounds beautiful. I am curious about the oud with the tea. I would love to win this one. Thanks for the chance. In the USA.

  • wallygator88 says:

    Thanks for the great writeup

    Ceremonial Matcha evokes a calming, yet intriguing atmosphere. It opens with the grassy, subtly bitter notes of matcha, presented in a refined, nuanced way. The presence of citruses also adds a unique and powerful punch making this perfume pop while these key ingredients all truly blossom out of one another. There’s then also something to be added about the added white florals as the overall addition just adds quality through this entire piece and just create this high experience to create it. Hints of incense, create an earthy element, with incense then mixing in with these elements to craft even something a little more deeper to be built. The slightly sweet base creates balance and the use of the wood provides these powerful impacts of the final end smell and touch with that perfume that it builds. This aroma helps in giving this element to elevate the balance and the power within and what it builds within itself. This perfume is a subtle yet evocative piece that captures a true authentic fragrance from every corner.

    Cheers from WI, USA

  • mmerline says:

    I haven’t tried any of Maria’s fragrances, but I’ve noticed her brand in the American Perfumer catalogue, and I’ve always admired those distinctly printed bottles. Ceremonial Matcha is a really cool design—the tea, table setting, and environment all in one. I’m intrigued by the way the tea, bamboo, and oud accords play off each other, especially with the gardenia in the mix. Ceremonial Matcha sounds like a beautiful, calming wear.

    I’m in the USA.

  • libangeddy says:

    I’ve always wanted a matcha scent to be paired with oud the ones I’ve tried were too flimsy. USA

  • foreverscents says:

    I am a big fan of Camellia and Perfume Rouge from Aroma M. I love the aesthetic of this house. Ceremonial Matcha sounds beautiful. I used to do the tea ceremony when I lived in Japan, so I am eager to try a fragrance that brings back memories of the serene and lovely ceremony. I am very interested in the bamboo accordant the oud note.
    I live in the USA.