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Meet the Scent Shapers
Sebastian Graf
July 10, 2025
Hello, Fragrant Friend 👋,
July might be the hottest month of the year, but things are heating up here for other reasons too.
🧪 Project: Chester and Me has reached its final stage. Our compound producer, Dario Siegel, blended the final modifications on Reflection. We’re about to select the winning version, which we’ll unveil at our first Community Meetup on July 25 in Amsterdam. The guest list is officially full, but if you’d like to join last minute, drop me a message.
🎨 This weekend, we’re receiving the first design directions for Scently’s Publishing House. Expect a glimpse in the next newsletter, including our long-awaited name reveal.
👩🎨 And yes, we’re close to signing our next perfumer (#2). She currently works for one of the most respected true niche houses, and we’d be honoured to be the canvas for her next creation. News on that in a week or two.
Stay tuned. Big things ahead.
Sebastian
🗓️ Contents of this Issue
Note Worthy: Collaborations Boom, Grasse Week, and Byredo Exit
Niche Newcomers: Andy Tauer, Manos Gerakinis, Anatole Lebreton
QUIZ: In perfumery, raspberry notes are often created using which type of molecule?
Scent Shapers: Olivia Jezler & Antonio Gardoni
Note-Worthy 🔎🌸
#COLLABORATIVEALCHEMY Budapest's 7Scents proves that exclusive partnerships are the new gold rush in niche perfumery. Their Filippo Sorcinelli collab sold 100 bottles in two weeks, while Dusita's "Blue Danube" moved 100 units in five days. From Frederic Malle x Acne Studios to indie cross-pollinations, co-branded scents aren't just marketing, they're creative catalysts. Smart retailers are becoming curators, not just sellers, turning limited drops into community events that sell themselves.
#GRASSEGOESGLOBAL From June 30 to July 5, the world's perfume capital transforms into a cultural playground as Nez launches the inaugural Grasse Perfume Week. Following their Paris success, Romain Raimbault's team brings olfactory diversity to three key venues: Chinese brands at Palais des Congrès, Robertet's 175th anniversary at Villa Fragonard, and livestreamed masterclasses at Grasse Campus. At €19 for three days, it's accessible luxury. The goal? Celebrate not just Grasse's 5,000 fragrance workers, but global scent cultures colliding in perfumery's birthplace.
#FOUNDEREXIT Ben Gorham's departure from Byredo marks the end of an era, and the beginning of Puig's ultimate test. Three years post-acquisition, the Swedish cult brand's visionary steps away, leaving behind Mojave Ghost, Gypsy Water, and a €1bn valuation. Puig's track record with Charlotte Tilbury and Dr. Barbara Sturm suggests they know how to nurture founder DNA, but Byredo's minimalist mystique is uniquely fragile. Can corporate stewardship preserve what made it cult-worthy?
Niche Newcomers 🎨 🌟
Whenever Mr. True Niche Andy Tauer releases new creations this time even two the whole world is watching. The Swiss genius has dedicated dual compositions to one of perfumery's most precious natural materials. Meanwhile, Greek independent poster child Manos Gerakinis crafts summery nostalgia with coconut, honey, and jasmine. Lastly, the French Andy Tauer, Anatole Lebreton, unveils scent number four under his Artefacts line like Tauer, one that's rose-dominant with spices and wine lees.
 | Rose Absolue by Tauer Perfumes - Luxurious Rose RichnessIf you thought Andy Tauer couldn't make rose any more opulent, think again. Rose Absolue takes his beloved Rose Flash from 2014 and dials up the luxury to eleven. The opening hits with gourmand fruit berries and citrus sparkle, but this isn't about freshness it's about depth. Bulgarian rose absolute blooms from the first spray, velvety and unapologetically rich, supported by amber, soft woods, and benzoin that create a warm, embracing base. There's something boldly elegant about it, familiar yet fuller. A rose with presence that announces itself and stays. This is Tauer doing what he does best: creating fragrances that unfold slowly, deliberately, and leave no doubt about their maker. Perfumer: Andy Tauer Notes: Fruity berries, citrus, soft spices; Rose absolute, floral warmth; Amber, soft woods, resin, benzoin, amber gris |
 | Vanilla Absolue by Tauer Perfumes - Warm Resinous DepthsTauer's second Absolue offering proves vanilla can be sophisticated when handled with care. Building on Vanilla Flash's foundation, this interpretation goes deeper into warm, resinous territory. Dried fruits and rose geranium open the composition before vanilla CO₂ a natural extract from vanilla pods takes center stage alongside tobacco and rose. The base is where things get interesting: amber, labdanum, and earthy patchouli create a meditative, almost spiritual foundation. It's not sweet vanilla; it's contemplative vanilla. The kind that unfolds over hours, revealing new facets as it settles into skin. Tauer's exploration of warm themes continues to evolve, and this feels like his most mature vanilla statement yet. Notes: Dried fruits, spicy notes, rose geranium; Rose, tobacco, vanilla CO₂; Amber, coumarin, labdanum, resins, earthy patchouli |
 | Pure Honeysuckle by Manos Gerakinis - Summery NostalgiaGreek perfumer Ioanna Tanionou captures childhood summers in this collaboration between Manos Gerakinis and Istanbul's Nokta Cosmetics. Pure Honeysuckle opens with the titular flower supported by blackcurrant and coconut an unexpected but brilliant combination that immediately transports you to Mediterranean gardens. The heart blooms with gardenia, jasmine, and tuberose, creating white floral symphony that's rich without being overwhelming. What makes this special is the base: vetiver and cashmere wood ground honey and amber, creating something elegantly earthy yet airy. It's nostalgia done right not saccharine memories, but the kind that make you smile and look forward to what's next. Perfumer: Ioanna Tanionou Notes: Honeysuckle, blackcurrant, coconut; Gardenia, jasmine, tuberose; Vetiver, honey, amber, musk, cashmere wood |
 | Rubaiyat by Anatole Lebreton - Poetic IntoxicationThe fourth entry in Lebreton's Artefacts collection channels 11th-century Persian poet Omar Khayyam's wine-soaked quatrains into olfactory form. Rubaiyat opens with Turkish rose hiding beneath cardamom's petulant veil a clever misdirection that sets the stage for what's to come. Wine lees and raspberry create an intoxicating heart that speaks to creative liberation, while pepper adds just enough bite to keep things interesting. The base settles into meditative territory with myrrh, cashmeran, and ethyl maltol providing blissful, resinous comfort. It's concentrated poetry in a bottle the kind of fragrance that makes you want to read Khayyam's actual verses while wearing it. Artistic inspiration captured in 30ml. Perfumer: Anatole Lebreton Notes: Turkish rose, cardamom; Wine lees, pepper, raspberry; Myrrh, cashmeran, ethyl maltol |
QUIZ 🎲
In perfumery, raspberry notes are often created using which type of molecule? |
Scent Shapers 🖼️
We’re switching things up this time. Rather than debunking fragrance myths we’re sharing the people who’ve helped shape our own scent perspective and who might just expand yours too.
 futureofsmell.com 👤 Name & Role: 💬 Why I’m highlighting her: 🌟 Known for: 📱 Content focus: 🔗 Where to find her: 🎲 Fun fact: |  perfumesilove.com 👤 Name & Role: 💬 Why I’m highlighting him: 🌟 Known for: 📱 Content focus: 🔗 Where to find him: |
This section used to bust perfume myths. Now it’s about people shaping the scent world. Which do you like more? |