Top 10 Perfumes 2024 Karl and Rachel K. Ng

What a surprise 2024 has been for fragrance enthusiasts with a plethora of new releases the industry shows no sign of abating and is growing by the day. There is something for everyone from affordable designer perfumes to luxury non-commercial scents. In my search for the best olfactive experience I found that just as the seasons change, so does my taste. As someone who loves great ambers, I found myself gravitating to other fragrance families, barbershop fougeres to smoky chypres. As for the greatest trend, 2024 is the year of Extraits. Brands have brought new twists to original creations. For my Top 10 Perfumes 2024 I have chosen by season rather than an ad hoc list. Here are the perfumes which tickled my nose and brought me the most joy.-Karl Topham, Senior Editor

Karl’s Top 10 Perfumes 2024

 

Top 10 Perfumes 2024 Spring

Initio Parfums Prives Oud For Greatness Neo: Back in 2018 I first experienced the original Oud For Greatness and purchased it on the spot. Then it was quite revolutionary in fusing an east meets west approach. My only annoyance was that I found it impossible to wear it all year round, especially in the warmer months. Enter this year’s Oud For Greatness Neo. With its overdose of bergamot blending beautifully with Lavender Opur Oud For Greatness Neo brings a sparkling bright aura which the original lacks. This opening lasts for hours on my skin and this surge of energy makes me smile. Originally Harrods’ exclusive collaboration with ‘H’ Society, Oud For Greatness Neo still keeps to the original’s oud-fougere accord but incorporates such bright and aromatic ingredients that it is even more crowd pleasing and truly memorable. @initioparfumsprives

Ex Nihilo The Hedonist Extrait de Parfum (Jordi Fernandez): A lavish interpretation of the original, The Hedonist Extrait is a refreshing and zingy fruity chypre with serious pizazz. The opening of citrus and spices is effervescent whilst the true star of the show comes in the form of lychee in the heart of the fragrance. This sumptuous blend combined with a sweet and woody base makes it the perfect accompaniment to a bright and crisp sprig morning. The synthetic notes of Akigalawood and Amberwood give this creation a serious projection and longevity. Tonka bean and vetiver anchor the scent providing depth. @exnihiloparis @jordi_perfumer

Amouage Guidance 46 (Quentin Bisch): Dessert like with a sticky rose; Amouage Guidance 46 has been tuned-up up to epic proportions. Powerful is how I would describe it. One could link it to the Afro-House movement in musical terms, it is a mixture of synthesized elements and organic materials heightened to 160 rpm. Addictive and unctuous it is a strong, fluid scent which is deliciously saturated with lashings of hazelnut whipped cream and vanilla. For those wanting to grab attention, this is your scent and a star in my Top 10 Perfumes 2024.@amouageofficial @quentinbischperfumer

 Top 10 Perfumes 2024 Summer.

Éveìlleur parfums, DSCVR Me (Olivier Cresp): Described as the heartbeat of the Croatian coast, DSCVR Me brings the freshness of a sea breeze and aromatic herbs. A juxtaposition of wildness and tranquility it opens with a fresh crispness courtesy of eucalyptus. However, quickly transitioning with the introduction of immortelle. This is the core of DSCVR me and within this complex floral lies its beauty. This is the resinous scent of the maquis combined with lentisque which are unique. Witness a subtle saltiness referring to the Mediterranean heat by the sea. The use of immortelle also adds a soft animalic touch whilst ambroxan and oakmoss gives this perfume structure and strength. Like being within the eye of the storm. Truly mesmeric. @eveilleurparfums @oliviercresp

Kilian Paris Sunkissed Goddess (Calice Becker): The ultimate beachy holiday vacation scent. Sunkissed Goddess is a whirl of white florals underpinned by Tiare flower, ylang-ylang and coconut. It’s effortless, silky smoothness is reminiscent of an ultra-luxurious sunscreen lotion. The fragrance has a perfect balance of floral, gourmand and lactonic notes for those sunny days. The neroli is not animalic in the slightest and the zing of bergamot also makes it very refreshing to wear. For the scent of this kind, it has fantastic staying power and is one to ensure you have packed your suitcase for summertime. @kilianparis @calicebecker

Iconofly Personne (Alexandre Helwani): Based on the plants mentioned in the chapters of Homer’s Odyssey, Personne portrays that of a personal journey of Ulysses. The name comes from “personne” (nobody) becoming a “personne” somebody. The sensation it brings is that of experience, slightly sweaty courtesy of cumin, animalic with jasmine, sweet from the use of liatris. There are woods used to signify energy and an interesting interpretation of an “anointing accord” referring to the sensation Ulysses may have felt when meeting Nausikka conveying both masculine and feminine traits. It is a perfume to experience and study rather than impressing with, more self-expression less external validation. @iconofly @theperfumechronicles

Top 10 Perfumes 2024 Autumn

Astrophil & Stella In Extremis (Meo Fusciuni): A contrast of rawness and refinement, In Extremis is both a daring and delicate perfume. It juxtaposes light and dark in an authentic and unconventional way which reflects both its perfumer and inspiration. Natural raw materials are used to create a smoky leathery, resinous yet slightly floral fragrance that bucks the recent trend of overly synthetic amber bombs. In Extremis is best experienced when one has the time and solitude to truly delve into its deep complexity. @astrophilstellaperfume @meofusciuni_parfums

BDK Parfums Rouge Smoking Extrait (Amelie Bourgeois and Margaux Le Paigh Guerin): Parisian chic in a bottle. Rouge Smoking Extrait takes the original and adds a rich and decadent roundness creating both intrigue and enhanced sensuality. The transparent scarlet red flacon and jet-black cap based on the rooftops of the Palais Royale perfectly give a visual interpretation of the scent. The opening is a sparkling sumptuous cherry this dries down to a semi-gourmand of almond and rum liquor accord. The base is a treat of deep seductive resins. A perfect date night scent.@bdkparfumsparis @margaux.le.paigh.guerin @ame_lie_bourgeois

Top 10 Perfumes 2024 Winter

Matière Premiere Encens Suave Extrait (Aurelien Guichard: Olibanum and benzoin are front and centre in this reimagination of the original. The extrait is stronger and the amplified concentration with darker and resinous constituents far more dominant. Perfect for wintertime, the Encens Suave Extrait is warmer, more balsamic and less vanillic than the original. Amazing for a more mature crowd, this is a sensational incense perfume with incredible longevity.@matierepremiereparfums @aurelienguichard

Frederic Malle Hope. Dominique Ropion: An extremely oud and wood dominant perfume which completes the Desert Gems collection. Originally a Harrods Exclusive, this dry and luxurious creation exudes a complex amalgamation of middle eastern ingredients crafted for a discernible western crowd. There is a lighter touch in comparison to The Night and Promise. Hope is more relaxed and more balsamic, less citrus heavy or animalic. Hope shines in the cooler weather when its heavy  woody aura can be fully appreciated. @fredericmalle @dominiqueropionparfumeur

And two more Top 10 Perfumes 2024

Arquiste, A Grove By The Sea (Rodrigo Flores-Roux): Transformative and mood-boosting, A Grove By The Sea has a classic green / marine structure. However, it offers a wealth of little surprises which keep one’s attention glued to it. I am welcomed by a bracing freshness done in a natural way. Inspired by the coastal regions of Croatia, A Grove By The Sea reflects the air, sea and soil. No individual note dominates and as such this is a wonderful fragrant experience, fennel, thyme and fig notes have been managed with dexterity and subtlety. The fir balsam, pine needles and cypress intertwine effortlessly delivering the super smooth wear. It is not the biggest projector or performing perfume, nor is that the intention of it. @arquiste @rodrigofloreroux

Noème Paris, Kalahari Extrême: An amplification of the original Kalahari, Kalahari Extreme is a gourmand, spicy amber fragrance which reflects the dunes of the middle east and the souks where both rich spices and fruits can be purchased. There is a sunny warmth to this aroma and a juiciness making one salivate. Pear, anise and orange mingle with myrrh, nutmeg, cardamom and pink berries. To my nose there is a sizeable dose of vanilla, not mentioned in the note breakdown. As it lingers on the skin the resins come to the fore courtesy of incense and labdanum. It is a mystical and marvellous creation. @noeme_paris

–Karl Topham, Senior Editor

2024 has blossomed into a stimulating abundance of independent and artisanal fragrances whose community, as French philosophers Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari describe, is rhizomatic. Root-based structures, or rhizomes, offer a mapping of interconnected lines and planes rather than a vertical hierarchy. As the philosophers demonstrate, a rhizomatic group “is composed not of units but of dimensions, or rather directions in motion. It has neither beginning nor end, but always a milieu from which it grows and which it overspills.” While exploring the world of independent, niche, and artisanal perfumery can seem overwhelming at times, we are living through a golden era of quality, creativity and choice. The only thing to do is celebrate and explore. The fragrances that most stimulated the mind and body made my top 10 perfumes of 2024.-Rachel K. Ng, Senior Contributor

Rachel K. Ng’s Top 10 Perfumes 2024

Arquiste Venice Rococo (Rodrigo Flores Roux) is an extraordinarily skillful take on the powdered world of the elite in Rococo Venice. Rodrigo Flores Roux has a rare talent for modernizing historical olfactive codes, presenting to the fragrance community intellectual and sensual pleasures of great depth and technical aptitude. Venice Rococo is, for me, an unexplored historical world of softly animalic talcs and florals laced with crystalline and metallic-edged aldehydes. A treasure. @arquiste @rodrigofloresroux

Darren Alan Honeysuckle Summer (Darren Alan) is an enchanting fragrance that sings of summer days and childhood sweetness. Darren is one of the most vigilant and ethical creators when it comes to the care he takes when making original materials to feature in his work and Honeysuckle Summer is no exception. The honey/beeswax extraction in this scent is mesmerizing and only improves in depth and richness as time passes. The extensive knowledge Darren has acquired of historical olfaction adds layers of complexity and charm to his creation. Darren Alan’s perfume of the month club is excellent and I had trouble choosing which fragrance to select. @darren_alan_perfumes

Rogue Perfumery Absolue de Mousse (Manuel Cross): Manuel is a perfumer known for his liquid conversations with past and present, this is the perfume I’ve been craving that expresses the scent of a cooling earth just barely tipping into fall. Rogue Perfumery Absolue de Mousse radiates that complex atmosphere of bare trees, cold air, wet earth with hay and tobacco nuances like a campfire that has been doused in the distance. Beautiful and makes my top 10 perfumes of 2024. @rogue.perfumery

St. Clair Scents Blue Marble (Diane St. Clair) is a heartfelt and finely tuned evocation of Earth as seen from a systems perspective. The delicate envelope of air, water, and earth that sustains life on our rocky planet is as interconnected and majestic as Diane St. Clair’s fragrance. Comprised of 7 accords representing oceans, soil, cold flowers, wet rocks, woods, green plants, and metals, the experience of wearing Blue Marble is a meditation on the intersections of these ecosystems, as well as our place within them. @stclairscents

Profumo Del Sonetto Amorosa Nebbia (Nathalie Feisthauer): A brilliant olfactive interpretation of the complex tensions and layers of endearment, devotion, and adoration that are a part of love. The more I spray this scent, the more I am addicted to its passionate heart of florals. Amorosa Nebbia’s lacy petals of jasmine, rose, and velvety buttery-soft orris wear like the fine layers of extravagant textiles found in the times of courtly love. @profumo_del_sonetto @nathaliefeisthauer

Parfums Quartana Soleil Invisible (Christina Christie) is the second perfume in Creative Director Joseph Quartana’s new fragrance line Les Potions D’Entéléchie, which explores the healing energies of Mother Nature. Inspired by the power of essential oil combinations, Soleil Invisible is a meditative fragrance that I often wear when facing a stressful day of work or other challenges. Sun-like citrus, warm rose, and grounding vetiver create a balancing and calming aura.  @parfums_quartana  @christinaperfume

Areej le Doré Paradise Soil (Russian Adam) is a fragrance that showcases Siberian deer musk in all its glory, from refined and chocolaty vintage qualities to its bolder more animalic expressions. Vintage Azerbaijani rose oil and wild-harvested Cambodian agarwood create a rarefied gem of an olfactory experience. Areej le Doré Paradise Soil is the soft and sensual connection to the animal aspect inside us all – a great pleasure to wear. @areegledoreperfume

Gentleman’s Nod Passion Poivrée (Ugo Charron: This fragrance that immediately struck me as a stimulating and bold fragrance, rich in complexity and charm. I’ve been wearing several Gentleman’s Nod fragrances this year, and have been delighted with their quality and unique perspectives on olfaction. Passion Poivré is a scent I often spray on my husband, a fragrance whose rugged charm and leathery undertones are a handsome addition to his wardrobe. @gentlemansnod @ugoartperfume

Francesca Bianchi Perfumes The Mariner’s Rhyme (Francesca Bianchi) took me to the seaside in a way no other fragrance has done in years. Francesca Bianchi’s work is authentic and idiosyncratic in a way that often catches my breath. There are many layers of the sea here: ozonic yet resinous, salty yet iridescent. There are grey sea days, luminous and silvered, as well as warm-watered sun-soaked waves in this bottle. Excellent. @francesca_bianchi_perfumes

Dior New Look 2024 (Francis Kurkdjian): Another innovative and surprising scent by Creative Director Francis Kurkdjian, whose skill at classical refinement and sharp elegance is currently unmatched in the world of luxury. Aldehydes and frankincense offer an intellectual sophistication. I did not expect this sparkling haughty take on the vintage floral formulation, yet I find myself wearing his New Look 2024 every time I am headed to a ballet, diplomatic event, or other refined occasion. @dior   @franciskurkdjian_official

Plus 1 Top 10 Perfumes 2024

Filippo Sorcinelli Notre Dame Notte di Natale (Filippo Sorcinelli) As the world celebrates the re-opening of Notre Dame cathedral, this fragrance takes me back to being invited to celebrate Christmas Mass at Notre Dame decades ago with a Parisian friend. This darkly sweet incense fragrance is prayerful richness in scent form, leaving me smelling of frankincense, oranges and chocolate. @filippo_sorcinelli

Top 10 Perfumes 2024 Best perfumer of the year Darren Alan of Darren Alan Perfumes. Darren  is the creator of several of my favorite scents of this year, including Dust and Clay, Honeysuckle Summer, and Songes a Fleurs. Darren Alan is one of those rare independent and artisanal creators whose deep research and extraordinary ability to create his own materials is making the world of olfaction a better place for all of us. If you have a chance to experience any of his scents, don’t hesitate! He’s also our colleague for Notes from the Lab and ingredients posts, and a leader in composing neo-vintage fragrances.

–Rachel K. Ng, Contributor

For our Top 10 Perfumes of 2024 Giveaways

photo by Rachel

Thanks to Rogue Perfumery we have a 30 ml bottle of Absolue de Mousse for a registered ÇaFleureBon reader in the EU or USA (if you are not sure if you are registered click here – you must register on our site or your entry will be invalid).

Thanks to Darren Alan we have a 50 ml bottle of Songes à Fleurs for a registered ÇaFleureBon reader USA ONLY, (if you are not sure if you are registered click here – you must register on our site or your entry will be invalid)

Photo by Karl

Thanks to the largesse of Astrophil & Stella we have a 50 ml bottle of IN EXTREMIS for one registered reader (UK, USA & EU). for a registered ÇaFleureBon reader in the  EU or USA (if you are not sure if you are registered click here

ONLY THE ABOVE THREE ARE IN THE DRAW

Follow us on Instagram @cafleurebonofficial @karl.topham @rachel.k.ng

Let us know what you think of Karl’s and Rachel’s Top 10 Perfumes of 2024. What sparked your interest? What do you want to try or have tried, where do you live and which you would like to win. Please leave a quality comment. Draw closes 1/2/2025

Remember there are draws you can enter from Michelyn’s and Ermano’s top 10  perfumes 2024: for Badar Parfums Estelle and Hiram Green Philtre Last day here December 30. Kajal Perfumes Äican, Frassaï  Dormir Al Sol and Jacques Fath Encens Copal Last Day December 30 here,  Parfums Dusita Pelagos and Eau de Boujee Infleurno sponsored by Indigo Perfumery from Ida’s and Nicoleta’s Top 10 Fragrances of 2024 here Last Day December 30., J Wearescentient’s and Danu Top 10 perfumes 2024 MATIERE  PREMIERE Santal Austral, Meo Fusciuni BUOI, Marc-Antoine Barrois Tilia, Last day December 31here and Sandi and Hernando for Rosy & Earnest Vanilla Rhum Royal, For The Scent  of  it Dreaming in Santal, Voyages Imaginaires Comme Un Gant  and Parfums Quartana Soleil Invisible last day is January 1, 20225

We pass the scented baton to Olya and Steven

This is our Privacy Policy

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