A bowl of cherries: Four cherry fragrances for Autumn

1. 🍒 Room 1015 Cherry Punk – Leather, cherry, tonka, (Ambroxan – I smell, not listed)

My impression:

Image: Unsplash

An art school student touches up their makeup in the pokey bathroom of the East London studios before heading out for dive bar drinks. Later – a friend’s band plays a basement club, and after, someone’s bound to have a house party.

Going from day-to-night is about adding kohl liner and back-combing hair. They wear a worn leather jacket and sweet cherry lip balm. Their art is cherry-centric. Cherry popping pop art with a slash of dark.

I like this. I don’t love the opening, which has that nostril-searing ambroxan note I’ve been smelling so much lately (or some other blast). This recedes to a smoky, leathery hour, which is both interesting and testing, then settles to a smooth cherry pool of Dr. Pepper, tonka and suede.

I would consider adding this to my collection when my atomiser runs out, but I’m not sure how often occasions will arise to wear it these days. Impressed but not obsessed. 7.5/10

2. 🍒 Kayali Lovefest Burning Cherry – Raspberry, cherry, praline, heliotrope, palo santo, tonka, ambrettolide

My impression:

She wears Kayali fragrances all year round and layers this with Vanilla 28 for dates with her boy in the autumn, having bought it as soon as it was released. She’s more of a make-up girl than a fragrance girl but loves ‘smelling like a snack’. She’s secretly glad the only burning in this is how smoking hot she feels when she wears it.

I feel like there is a lot of good will out there for Kayali fragrances, from me included. I think they’re great, bringing perfume enthusiasm to the masses and bridging the gap between cheaper designer and niche. I get a lot of wear out of all those I have: they’re just plain good. But perhaps Lovefest – whilst very wearable – is a little safe. It dries down to a lightly boozy, sweetly soapy tonka-ish musk, which is perfectly nice but not much more. Saying that, I do wear and enjoy it regularly for how easy-going it is, and that makes it a clear yes over a no. Despite what reviewers say, this lasted the second longest on my skin of the four cherry scents I tested (after Rouge Smoking). 6.5/10

3. 🍒 Contradictions in ILK Devious – cherry, bergamot, amaretto, tonka, sandalwood, cardamom.

My impression:

Images: Unsplash

Cherries in a jar, dripping with syrup, slightly warmed by a candle burning nearby so releasing their rich, juicy scent. They are to be served with dessert when the time comes. The only light in the room is from the many candles that stand tall in pewter candelabras, throwing shadows on to red velvet curtains that envelop the dining space. But, oh – it isn’t time for dessert yet. The host brings out amaretto sours on a tray. They have a cherry between their lips. They smile, and ask: who’s playing my game?

I like this well enough, but the ambroxan-style base notes are not something I enjoy on myself, so though I’m happy to have a 10ml, I probably won’t be purchasing a larger bottle. However, if you’re someone who is out on the town a lot, you could do worse than this delectable and naughty potion. Possibly leans masculine, at least in the spicy dry-down; but it could also be the scent of choice for Twin Peaks’ Audrey Horne, and there’s not much cooler than that. 6/10

4. 🍒 BDK Rouge Smoking

My impression:

This conjures up such a distinct set of memories for me that are so personal and visceral, it’s very difficult to throw my imagination elsewhere.

Objectively, yes, this has floral, rich and tantalising aspects that are equally juicy, sultry and powdery, hinting at a modern take on the classic boudoir/ pin-up/ lipsticky scent. And it’s lightly gourmand too, with a medicinal cherry opening and sweet root beer dry-down: a bit like the smell of a Tia Maria liquor with a Dr Pepper mixer.

However, to me this conjures up the sweet tobacco in my dad’s tobacco pouch from the early 90s, boiled sweets melting on the sticky dashboard in the sun, and specifically, the aroma of a camping shop we used to go to: the smell of inflatable mattresses and canvas groundsheets. This is so specific: it takes me back to this very time and I love it for that in addition to absolutely already being the kind of scent profile I dig. It lasts nicely (5 hours plus) and smells incredible from start to end: I love it.

I know this is singular to me, and there is nothing plasticky about this fragrance. I can’t explain it. But such is the power of olfactory art. 9/10

What cherry fragrances should I try next? Which are your favourites?