Olfiction Lab Editions (Pia Long and Nick Gilbert) 2026 + 10th Anniversary Giveaway

 

 Lab Editions by Olfiction

Photo by Oli (who likes to paint sellotape and shoot with it covering the edges of the frame)

Surely, someone, somewhere must have already written words to the effect of “if you can’t properly celebrate yourself on your birthday, then when can you?” And even if they haven’t (they have), it’s this exact sentiment that Olfiction, the UK based perfume studio founded by Art and Olfaction Award winning perfumer Pia Long and creative evaluator Nick Gilbert, are exploring on their 10th Anniversary by releasing their first quartet of Lab Editions.

Having worked with respected niche brands like Beaufort and Zoologist and having launched their own brand Eau de Boujee, these Lab Editions are special  releases that have been made exclusively to mark their company’s milestone. Essentially, they’re “an eclectic collection of limited production fragrances” served up in 15ml bottles, but what they really are, is a flex. An example of the duo’s creative industriousness and persistence that falls neatly, at an accessible price point and gets their artistic point(s) across quickly and potently demonstrating their craft, talent and flair.

Perfumer Pia Long and Nick Gilbert Olfiction

Perfumer Pia Long and Nick Gilbert, the founders and driving forces behind Olfiction

“Lab Editions is our most liberating creative outlet,” Gilbert agrees, by way of an introduction, quoting the absolute freedom to explore concepts “most personal to us from years of developments and experimentation…”

 “I already have so many personal and unfinished starting points for which there was no home in any of our brands or any of our client work,” according to Pia Long, telling of her initial enthusiasm for the project, expressing excitement at the mere thought of finishing these ideas and giving them a wider audience. “There are a few perfumes I have been personally craving and wishing to make for myself, so you’ll see lots of Eau de Colognes and fiction themes cropping up with what we’ve got planned next.”

Olfiction Cologne Orange and Iconic

Olfaction Lab Editions Cologne Orange is an olfactory exploration of the orange tree that revels in using every part of it (the fruit, the flower and the bark and leaves themselves). Last year, when I wrote about Long’s Eau de Boujee Infleurno I noted that it was “awesome to smell someone figuring out a new way to present citrus aromas” and this fragrance definitely bears a bit of passing resemblance to Infleurno in terms of its texture, it’s sharpness and it’s granular spine, but if – like me – you love the classics and constantly crave the lingering tendrils of a [oak]mossy dry down then this perfume is much deeper than it might at first seem. Notes: Bitter orange, Sweet orange, Petitgrain, Bergamot, Rosewood, Neroli, Orange blossom absolute, Rosemary, Coriander seed, Oakmoss absolute, Patchouli, Cedarwood

Olfiction Lab Editions Iconic is the idealised memory of a luxuriant 80s’ face cream. Made impossibly rich and ostentatious, it’s a full-throated luxuriant floral that was previously exhibited (in a slightly different formulation) with the Institute of Art & Olfaction. Sweet, powdery and oh so slightly waxy, this is Olfiction flexing a power floral, full of neroli, violet, orris, rose de mai, tuberose and a hint of vanilla. Notes: Neroli, Violet, Orris, Rose de Mai, Tuberose, Sandalwood, Patchouli, Musk, Vanilla

Olfiction Lab Editions Petrolhead and Salmiakki

Olfiction Lab Editions Petrolhead and Salmiakki

Olfiction Lab Editions Petrolhead exists (in part) to explore the wanton appeal of the smell of petrol. As an aside, tell anybody you randomly meet at a party that you are into making smells and perfumes and they’ll very often (I haven’t done the actual requisite polling to put a percentage on it) offer up that they love either the smell of freshly cut grass or, bizarrely, petrol. I fully get it – it’s the forbidden splash cologne and I always want to tell them that it’s probably because petrol is a smell that’s so chocked full of childhood memories of road trips, those pregnant pauses that ended with bags of sweets and it likely holds some of our formative impressions of our parents who had the grandeur and power to drive the car to all the fun places we adored going. Petrolhead explores those notions – a bit – but it positions itself more in the realm of grit and muscle cars, of polished walnut dashboards and cracked leather seats, made as it was initially, for the motoring festival, Goodwood Festival of Speed. Notes: Rubber, Blue ginger, Timut pepper, Leather, Lavender, Ambrocenide, Oakmoss, Cypriol, Patchouli, Castoreum (synthetic)

Olfiction Lab Editions Salimakki is the smell of Finnish salt liquorice and I can attest to such a delicacy being described as ‘divisive’. Personally, I love black liquorice, and I very much enjoy the salted versions. Most of my immediate family and friends however, are repulsed by it and are, let’s say… confused by my love of it. Leaning into the liquorice intonations of myrrh is a great way to make the more astringent parts of the fragrance feel cushioned and if you were to prepare your brain to expect the resins and woody notes more than the liquorice, it might even give you a new appreciation of the kind of tones that lie underneath those recognisably medicinal qualities.

Notes: Green anise, Salmiak salt, Black pepper, Liquorice, Immortelle, Rectified cedarwood, Myrrh, Guaiac, Vetiver, Cade, Birch

– Oli Marlow, Senior Contributor

Disclaimer: bottles of the Lab Editions were kindly provided by Olfiction.

All images used courtesy of the brand unless otherwise noted.

Olfiction Lab Editions are issued directly from the studio, here.

Olfiction Lab Editions

Thanks to the generosity of Nick and Pia we have all four at Olfiction Lab Editions available to a registered reader in the US/EU and UK. You must register or your entry will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what sparks your interest based on Oli’s reviews and where you live. Happy 10th to Pia and Nick. Draw closes 3/28/2026

Follow us on Instagram: @cafleurebonofficial @olimarlowsmells @younoseit @olfictionlimited @perfumer.pia @nickrgilbert

This is our Privacy Policy

We announce the winners only on our site and on our Facebook page, so like ÇaFleureBon and use our blog feed… or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume

Like our Facebook page: Çafleurebon and use our blog feed for new updates and articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


30 comments

  • Steve A says:

    My interest was sparked reading of the Salimakki and the smell of Finnish salt liquorice it is supposes to have. US

  • lkali says:

    What sparks my interest most is how personal and experimental these Lab Editions feel—like a window into Pia Long and Nick Gilbert’s creative process rather than just finished products.

    Petrolhead especially caught my attention. I love the idea of translating something as unconventional and memory-loaded as petrol into a wearable scent—it feels nostalgic, a little rebellious, and deeply human. But I’m equally intrigued by Salmiakki for leaning into something so divisive and cultural, and Iconic sounds like a dream for anyone who appreciates rich, vintage-style florals.

    This whole collection feels like a celebration of scent as storytelling, not just composition—and that’s exactly what draws me in.

    I’m based in the United States (Colorado)

  • Sybelle16 says:

    an eclectic mix of scent profiles that channel various olfactive impressions: the smell of a luxurious facial cream from the 80s, the smell of gasoline, the confection of salty, Finnish liquorice, and the phenomenal depth of scent from an orange tree. Four scents that highlight Olfiction’s philosophy of storytellingg through scent.
    CA USA

  • FragranceFrenzyS says:

    Oli’s review of Cologne Orange immediately captured my imagination. The idea of a fragrance that explores “every part of the orange tree the fruit, the flower, and the bark and leaves themselves” is exactly the kind of holistic, botanically-minded perfumery I adore. His description of it as having “that lingering tendrils of a [oak]mossy dry down” beneath the bright citrus is what truly seals it for me. I love a citrus that doesn’t just evaporate into nothing but has real depth and persistence. The comparison to his earlier experience with Infleurno awesome to smell someone figuring out a new way to present citrus aromas” makes me trust that Pia Long and Nick Gilbert aren’t just rehashing old formulas but genuinely innovating. My favourite of the four from reading Oli’s reviews would be Cologne Orange, because I’m always searching for that perfect balance of brightness and grounding, freshness and longevity. EU

  • LindenNoir says:

    Oli’s description of Petrolhead stopped me mid-read. The observation that when you tell people you’re into perfume, they often confess to loving “either the smell of freshly cut grass or, bizarrely, petrol” is so true, and I’ve always been in the second camp. The way he frames petrol as “the forbidden splash cologne,” chock full of “childhood memories of road trips” and “formative impressions of our parents who had the grandeur and power to drive the car to all the fun places we adored going,” is profoundly beautiful and completely accurate. I love that Petrolhead was created for the Goodwood Festival of Speed but positions itself in “the realm of grit and muscle cars, of polished walnut dashboards and cracked leather seats.” The combination of rubber, blue ginger, leather, lavender, and synthetic castoreum sounds like a love letter to automotive nostalgia that I desperately want to experience.
    I am from the EU

  • AromaAdventurer says:

    When I read Oli’s review of Salmiakki, I felt seen. Finally, someone acknowledging the divisive beauty of salt liquorice! His description of leaning “into the liquorice intonations of myrrh” to make “the more astringent parts of the fragrance feel cushioned” is such a clever, artistic approach to a note that many shy away from. I’ve always loved black liquorice, and the salted Finnish versions are a particular obsession, but I’ve rarely found that flavour translated successfully into fragrance. The combination of green anise, salmiak salt, black pepper, immortelle, myrrh, guaiac, vetiver, cade, and birch sounds like a smoky, resinous, slightly medicinal masterpiece. Oli’s note that it might “give you a new appreciation of the kind of tones that lie underneath those recognisably medicinal qualities” suggests this is a fragrance that rewards those willing to step outside their comfort zone.
    EU

  • quietaccord says:

    Petrolhead really captured my attention—the contrast between something industrial and unexpectedly nuanced sounds fascinating. The mention of petrol evoking childhood road trip memories really resonated with me—I’m no exception, and have those long family road trips seared into memory. I love fragrances that evolve and reveal softer facets over time. Based in the US.

  • Chayaruchama says:

    I am absolutely smitten with the description of each!
    I’m a big fan of the famous salty Finnish licorice, as well as Iconic and Orange.
    I purchased Infleurno as soon as it was available and reviewed it posthaste.
    Happy birthday, Pia and Nick!
    Well done, Oli!

    I would be honored to enter the draw.

  • Ensorceler says:

    Happy 10th to Pia and Nick, what a beautiful milestone. Oli’s review makes me so eager to experience Cologne Orange and Iconic, the way he describes the orange tree in radiant bloom and that tender, 80s-inspired floral feels almost cinematic. I can almost imagine how those notes unfold, bright, nostalgic, and full of life, like memories wrapped in scent. There’s something deeply moving about how these Lab Editions bring together emotion, artistry, and a sense of freedom, each one telling a quiet story of creativity and care. Such a graceful and heartfelt way to celebrate a decade of Olfiction.

    – USA –

  • opalbear says:

    Oh wow these all sound amazing. I have not tried anything from this house but they definitely sound like my kind of fragrances and creative inspirations. I’d love to try these especially Iconic and Salmiakk. But they all sound incredible. I am in the U.S.

  • Teresa C says:

    Well, first off, I love that they have this outlet to just go nuts and make whatever they want. The perfume industry is so mostly about making money in the big houses, that the artists rarely get to just make something fun, just for y’know, FUN. Secondly the Salmiak makes me drool. My husband hates licorice, but I adore Salmiak licorice. I definitely would love to try this set! I do live in the US,

  • DuftHochZwei says:

    I like the sellotape photo and its subtle description
    As to the perfume, that’s quite an unusual range. I’m curious on the different citrus approach, but Petrolhead sounds especially tempting to me. I’d like to win this set to Germany, thank you for the draw.

  • Dof1024 says:

    All four have there perks and they seem bright and uplifting. The simplistic bottle has the niche appeal and looks clean, straightforward. I wonder how they wear, not so much the various scents but if they have a heavy aura or if they are more radiant and linger in the air. Either way I would like to see them in my collection and enjoy all year round. From USA.

  • Jos says:

    What a way to celebrate a decade — giving yourselves full creative freedom feels exactly right for a studio that’s spent ten years shaping how others smell.
    Salmiakki has me most intrigued. As someone who grew up in the Netherlands, salty liquorice is practically a birthright, and the idea of leaning into myrrh to cushion the astringency is a genuinely clever move. Oli’s suggestion that it might reframe how you hear those medicinal undertones is the kind of invitation I can’t resist.
    That said, Petrolhead is a close second — the Goodwood connection, the cracked leather, the synthetic castoreum. There’s real poetry in making something that smells like a feeling rather than a material.
    Happy 10th to Pia and Nick. Based in the Netherlands (EU).

  • goknitintheocean says:

    Hi there,

    All four of these blends seem well-thought-out and yet provocative and fun! Thank you for sharing them with us. It seems there’s something for everyone in these four, but I have to say that my love for BREATH OF GOD from Lush leads me to believe that PETROLHEAD might just be the most magical, for me, of all of them.

    Hooray for storytelling!

    Thank you.
    Deborah
    NYC/USA

  • Sonbahia says:

    It’s fabulous how much freedom the talented Pia and Nick enjoy with their brand, allowing them to create perfumes that reflect their own desires. In a world of marketing-driven decisions, for a perfumer to create the fragrance they want for themselves is a true achievement. Orange is a cousin of Infleurno (which has the best citrus opening I’ve ever smelled) with a mossy undertone covering the citrus trees. Iconic is a rich, powdery floral, while Petrolhead is an ode to the petroleum/gasoline we all have ingrained in our olfactory memory, presented as a vintage car race. Salimakki explores the Nordic countries’ passion for salt-filled licorice: so strange to us Latinos, yet captivating upon tasting. I live in Spain, EU

  • Euglena says:

    Wow, love both Zoologist and BeauFort London. Salimakki caught my interest the most, the notes reminds me of our national candy “Haslerka”, which is a combination of 4 herbs – anise, melissa, planatin and menthol, together, gives an impression of a licorice presence. They are pretty strong and herbal, which I love 🙂 I am based in Czechia.

  • mleenstra says:

    I love Nick and Pia’s creations!
    My favourites from Bougie Boujees are verdant and Infleurno. It’s great they are bringing these experimental colognes to express their artistic vision. Especially Iconic and Salmiakki sound great. I love the 80s and licorice. Marit EU

  • crownroyale47 says:

    Learning about new fragrances is the same for me as eating at a new restaurant, I’m drawn to creativity, bold concepts, and that sense of discovery. I like how Olfiction treats these Lab Editions like a playground, pushing ideas without limits while still making them accessible. The mix of nostalgia, artistry, and risk especially Petrolhead and Salmiakki really pulls me in. I live in New Jersey, USA

  • Jeremi says:

    Petrolhead sparks my interest most – Oli’s description of it as a “forbidden splash cologne” evoking gritty muscle cars, cracked leather, and childhood road-trip memories feels brilliantly nostalgic and unexpected. The whole Lab Editions quartet sounds like pure creative freedom from Pia & Nick. I live in Poland, EU.

  • Amaziz89 says:

    Olfiction Lab Editions Petrolhead exists (in part) to explore the wanton appeal of the smell of petrol. As an aside, tell anybody you randomly meet at a party that you are into making smells and perfumes and they’ll very often (I haven’t done the actual requisite polling to put a percentage on it) offer up that they love either the smell of freshly cut grass or, bizarrely, petrol. I fully get it – it’s the forbidden splash cologne and I always want to tell them that it’s probably because petrol is a smell that’s so chocked full of childhood memories of road trips, those pregnant pauses that ended with bags of sweets and it likely holds some of our formative impressions of our parents who had the grandeur and power to drive the car to all the fun places we adored going. Petrolhead explores those notions – a bit – but it positions itself more in the realm of grit and muscle cars, of polished walnut dashboards and cracked leather seats, made as it was initially, for the motoring festival, Goodwood Festival of Speed. Notes: Rubber, Blue ginger, Timut pepper, Leather, Lavender, Ambrocenide, Oakmoss, Cypriol, Patchouli, Castoreum (synthetic). I am really intrigued by petrolhead because of the nostalgic trips and childhood memories. Thanks a million from the UK

  • Ozzyaziz says:

    Petrolhead explores those notions – a bit – but it positions itself more in the realm of grit and muscle cars, of polished walnut dashboards and cracked leather seats, made as it was initially, for the motoring festival, Goodwood Festival of Speed. Notes: Rubber, Blue ginger, Timut pepper, Leather, Lavender, Ambrocenide, Oakmoss, Cypriol, Patchouli, Castoreum (synthetic. Petrolhead explores those notions – a bit – but it positions itself more in the realm of grit and muscle cars, of polished walnut dashboards and cracked leather seats, made as it was initially, for the motoring festival, Goodwood Festival of Speed. Notes: Rubber, Blue ginger, Timut pepper, Leather, Lavender, Ambrocenide, Oakmoss, Cypriol, Patchouli, Castoreum (synthetic. Petrolhead explores those notions – a bit – but it positions itself more in the realm of grit and muscle cars, of polished walnut dashboards and cracked leather seats, made as it was initially, for the motoring festival, Goodwood Festival of Speed. Notes: Rubber, Blue ginger, Timut pepper, Leather, Lavender, Ambrocenide, Oakmoss, Cypriol, Patchouli, Castoreum (synthetic The smell of petrol (gasoline) is a powerful, sharp scent that often triggers intense nostalgia, typically linked to childhood memories and feelings of safety or adventure. This is really a hit for me. Thanks a lot from the UK

  • Sorohan Adriana says:

    Happy 10th to Pia and Nick!
    My choice is Olfiction Lab Editions Iconic because I love tuberose!
    I am from EU

  • malkahweiss says:

    I love that this is an opportunity for Pia Ling and Nick Gilbert to embrace their creativity and explore some really strange and wonderful scents. I’m especially interested in Cologne Orange and Salmiakki, I’m interested in how they might reinterpret Orange and licorice.
    I live in OH, USA

  • billymccallum says:

    I would be so excited to try Cologne: Orange. The mix of oakmoss and orange sounds so beautiful. As an aspiring perfumer, this has really piqued my interest. Writing from the South coast of England!

  • Trinity33 says:

    From Oli’s review, the Olfiction Lab Editions collection is certainly eclectic and seems designed to elicit specific memories based on olfactory cues. The scent of petrol and black licorice brings up very clear thoughts of childhood and young adulthood for me. The notes for the Iconic fragrance made me smile because I remember my Mom using something similar that reminded me of a garden party. These all seem very creative and I would love to try them. USA

  • foreverscents says:

    The concepts of the Lab Editions sound very creative and unlike anything on the market. I love when perfumers get creative and experimental. As a person who loves the smell of gasoline–see, I’m not the only one–Petrolhead stands out to me. I also like the idea of Iconic. I am very curious to know which 80’s face cream inspired this. I love salted licorice, so I definitely want to try Salimakki. And as a big fan of oak moss-heavy perfumes, Cologne Orange sounds interesting.
    I live in the USA.

  • mmerline says:

    These Lab Editions fragrances sound like a lot of fun and a great opportunity for Long and Gilbert to take compelling risks. I’m intrigued by the “fiction themes” Pia hinted at, in particular. “I fully get it – it’s the forbidden splash cologne and I always want to tell them that it’s probably because petrol is a smell that’s so chocked full of childhood memories of road trips, those pregnant pauses that ended with bags of sweets and it likely holds some of our formative impressions of our parents who had the grandeur and power to drive the car to all the fun places we adored going.” I love this take; fragrance activates memory even when you can’t quite put your finger on what it reminds you of. Of these, I’m most intrigued by Salimakki, having been introduced to these candies recently. I love the interplay of contrasting notes that range from medicinal to candy-sweet.

    I’m in WI, USA.

  • London says:

    I’m so interested to see how Orange Cologne can do something different and how Salimakki could be palatable to someone who hates licorice! I love the smell of face cream and petrol so I can’t wait for those as well. I am in the uk.

  • wallygator88 says:

    Thanks for the vivid and personality-packed review, Oli! There’s something really appealing about a quartet that refuses to stay in one lane — Cologne Orange exploring the full anatomy of the orange tree down to an oakmoss-laced drydown, then pivoting to the unapologetic opulence of Iconic, the asphalt nostalgia of Petrolhead, and the salty medicinal bite of Salmiakki. It reads less like a collection and more like four short films by the same director, each in a completely different genre. Petrolhead and Cologne Orange pull me in the most — one for the polished-dashboard-and-cracked-leather romanticism, the other for the promise of a citrus that actually has somewhere to go. Happy 10th to Pia and Nick! I’d love to try them. Cheers from WI, USA