Weekly Waftings: Exploring Cherry/Almond Accord Perfumes

Hello and Happy Spring! In my neck of the woods, we had a breathtakingly gorgeous day earlier this week and hit an incredible high of 62! It awoke my inner spring fever and I now have all sorts of ambitions for my yard and garden and can’t wait to get out there and get going!

These springy thoughts, along with all of the gorgeous blossoms I’m seeing outside, had me thinking of fun springy/summery fragrances. Cherries and cherry blossoms have such a lighthearted and cheerful feel (and frankly, we all could use as much cheer as we can possibly get right now). Today, I’d like to explore a healthy handful of perfumes that showcase cherry and/or a cherry/almond accord. Some of them are reminiscent of a cherry lip gloss or lipstick; some have a deeper, more Oriental feel with nods to incense and amber accords. You’ll see tonka and heliotrope show up in the notes a lot, as they both enhance a lovely almond accord.

Here are 11 fragrances (plus an honorable mention!) that I think represent the fun, flirty, and spring-friendly notes of cherry and almond:

Prada Candy Gloss

• Official Notes: cherry, orange blossom, rose, musk
• Other Notes Perceived: cassis, peach, vanilla, almond, benzoin, heliotrope, tonka bean

This flanker of Prada’s popular Candy Perfume is my favorite from that particular collection. It’s a yummy maraschino cherry/almond combo. To my nose, there’s also a gentle tonka accord. I also sense some light citrus, I think it is the orange blossom combined with the peach. The musk is light and clean, it’s more of a cozy cashmeran feel and not animalic at all. I don’t really get the rose note in this, if it’s there, it’s very light for me and just blends in with everything.

This fragrance is only available as an eau de toilette and it does perform like an EDT. The projection is on the lighter side and I usually get about 2-3 hours of wear before I feel compelled to refresh it with another spritz. This versatile scent is great for day wear, a flirty date night, or a cozy ‘bed scent.’ Maraschino cherry and cozy gourmand lovers should definitely give this one a sniff!

Find it here:

Candy Gloss EDT 80ml (at Amazon)

Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire

• Official Notes: black cherry, almond, berries, bergamot, rose, tonka bean, black tea
• Other Notes Perceived: licorice, Taif rose, vanilla, anise, patchouli, iris

La Petite Robe Noire literally translates to The Little Black Dress and this lovely fragrance is just as classic as that wardrobe staple. Cherry is the most prominent note with tea being a close second. The licorice and anise are also quite prevalent in the opening. Tea is not a personal favorite note of mine but I know many folks love it. For me, it tends to give fragrances an almost sour/bitter feel or something. But I think some will like that it keeps this from becoming a sweet fragrance. The overall feel of this fragrance is light, airy, and lovely. It’s also a touch clean & soapy.

This is a nice departure from the other common ‘fruitchoulis’ (fragrances with a combo of fruit notes and patchouli) out there. Feminine-leaning and any age could wear this. Leans slightly nighttime for me; it definitely feels like a date scent that you would wear out paired with your favorite ‘la petite robe noire.’ Projection sits close to the skin and it lasts 3+ hours for me. A great choice for someone who likes the idea of a cherry fragrance but doesn’t want an overly sweet one. Bonus points for the adorable and timeless bottle and packaging.

Find it here:

La Petite Robe Noire EDP 1ml sample, 8ml decant, 30ml, 50ml, 100ml, 100ml tester (at FragranceNet)

Xerjoff Casamorati Italica

• Official Top Notes: saffron, almond, milky notes
• Official Middle Notes: bourbon vanilla, toffee
• Official Base Notes: sandalwood, white musk, cedarwood

Where are my fellow marzipan lovers at? This is the sweet almond fragrance you’ve been waiting for! So much yummy almond/marzipan/maraschino cherry goodness here! This gourmand concoction is chock full of sweet cherry, marzipan, and puff pastry. It seriously smells so incredible, I want to lick my arm! 😂 In the dry down, the woodsy sandalwood appears with just a teeny-tiny splash of musk. The duration of the fragrance is a sweet cherry and sandalwood combo with a light touch of the exotic saffron.

You’re definitely going to need to be a lover of sweet/dessert/gourmand scents to appreciate this one. This may be a bit much for hot weather, sometimes the very sweet scents can become cloying for some so use your discretion on amount of sprays/use in the heat. I don’t find this to be a huge projector, maybe lightly moderate at best. Decent lasting, Xerjoff fragrances are known for having great overall performance. Perfect choice for the cherry pastry lovers out there!

Find it here:

Italica EDP 1ml, 2ml, 5ml, 9ml decants (at Scent Split)

Italica EDP 100ml (at Amazon)

Italica EDP 30ml, 100ml (at Xerjoff Universe)

Tom Ford Lost Cherry

• Official Notes: black cherry, tonka bean, bitter almond, cherry liqueur, Turkish rose, jasmine sambac,
• Other Notes Perceived: plum, vanilla, Peru balsam, cinnamon, benzoin, sandalwood, cloves, cedar, patchouli, vetiver

My favorite part of this popular fragrance is the opening. The top notes are in a similar vein with Italica’s; sweet cherry plus a marzipan-y almond. But pretty quickly, cinnamon joins in and remains pretty dominant for the rest of the wearing. It mingles with the cherry and reminds me of cinnamon applesauce or a fruit pie with lots of cinnamon. The woodsy notes become detectable around the 20-minute mark and it honestly smells a lot like a cinnamon stick potpourri from the 80’s from then on. And further on in the dry down, there’s a tobacco/almost leathery accord that enters the picture. It’s slightly reminiscent of clove cigarettes or a spicy cigar.

I know some struggle with Tom Ford fragrances in that they smell good but they are very, VERY expensive and can sometimes have humdrum performance. This fragrance might be considered as such, it sits close to the skin and fades on the quicker side. Although it does last as that faded skin scent for quite a long time, almost 10 hours. I would say this is a great perfume (albeit an expensive one) for cinnamon lovers. If the autumnal cinnamon scents are your favorite, this is possibly the perfect perfume for you.

Find it here:

Lost Cherry EDP 1ml, 2ml, 5ml decants and 50ml, 100ml brand new full bottles (at Scent Split)

Lost Cherry EDP 50ml (at Amazon)

Lost Cherry EDP 9ml travel-spray, 50ml, 100ml (at Bloomingdale’s)

Lost Cherry EDP 30ml, 50ml, 100ml (at Nordstrom)

People of the Labyrinths Luctor Et Emergo

• Official Notes: fresh grasses, white flowers, vanilla, precious woods
• Other Notes Perceived: cherry, almond

If you’re into interesting niche fragrances that not everyone will be wearing, you’ll want to check out this hip fashion house from The Netherlands. This fragrance is definitely anything but run of the mill! There’s some patience needed to get through the opening, which is decidedly on the odd side! It’s sort of medicinal and I hate to say it but it almost sort of smells like pee, lol I read another review where someone said ‘urinal cakes’ and that’s spot-on! 🤭 BUT if you have a little patience, it improves considerably. The more it dries down, the medicinal feel lightens up and the cherry really becomes the star of the show with the almond a close second.

Like most of these fragrances, it’s not a super strong projector and sits closer to the skin. But it does last a good long time as that skin scent. This house does not currently ship to the United States, however, LuckyScent does distribute it (and also has decants!) It comes beautifully packaged, wrapped in a silk scarf inside a velvet box. This fragrance community fave is a must-try for anyone looking for an unusual cherry/almond scent. Available in both EDT and EDP formulations.

Find it here:

Luctor Et Emergo EDP 2ml decants, 100ml full bottle (at LuckyScent)

Pepe Jeans for Her

• Official Notes: amber, Madagascar vanilla, almond milk, marshmallow, musk
• Other Notes Perceived: almond, tangerine, vodka

I’ve discussed this cheapie gem before in my Affordable Travel-Sized Perfumes Stocking Stuffers post but felt it was worth mentioning again as it features a cozy almond accord. It’s a yummy gourmand scent packed with marshmallow, almond, vanilla, and a slight hint of maraschino cherry. The full size bottle of this playful scent also comes in the cutest cocktail-shaped bottle that can’t help but bring a smile to your face.

Another lighter scent with decent longevity of about 3 or so hours. Makes a great vacation or ‘going out with the girls’ fragrance – or even cozy bed scent. It’s hard to not love this fun gourmand. And the price is certainly right!

Find it here:

Pepe Jeans for Her EDP 50ml (at Amazon)

Victoria’s Secret Bombshell Intense

• Official Top Note: cherry
• Official Middle Note: red peony
• Official Base Note: vanilla

Another perfume I featured in my Stocking Stuffer round-up is this sexy and fun Victoria’s Secret Bombshell flanker, Bombshell Intense. If you’re already familiar with the original Bombshell, this is actually quite different. Both are nice but the original is much more floral and features passionfruit, whereas this intense version is a cozy vanilla/cherry gourmand.

If you like the Victoria’s Secrets fragrances in general, and/or the Viva La Juicy perfumes, this should be an easy grab. Lightly moderate projection and lasts a couple hours as a stronger scent before fading to a skin scent for a couple hours more. And along with the Pepe Jeans fragrance, you can’t beat the affordable price tag!

Find it here:

Bombshell Intense EDP 7ml travel rollerball, 50ml, 100ml (at Amazon)

Bombshell Intense fine fragrance mist 250ml (at Amazon)

BDK Parfums Rouge Smoking

• Official Top Notes: Italian bergamot, cherry accord, pink berries (pink pepper)
• Official Middle Notes: black vanilla, heliotrope
• Official Base Notes: ambroxan, cashmeran, tonka bean, labdanum, white musk
• Other Notes Perceived: orange blossom, violet

Another interesting niche fragrance but this one was easy for me to love from the get-go. My first impression was a clean, powdery cherry-vanilla bubblegum. In the same general family as by Kilian’s Love Don’t be Shy with a little more of an incense feel. It actually reminds me a lot of the Nag Champa incense that I used to like to burn in my high school days. If bubblegum-scented Nag Champa incense was a thing, this would be it, lol

Projection is lighter but there definitely is some; I get random whiffs from time to time as I type. Longevity is great and lasts on my skin for several hours. I find this to be a quite cozy scent and it definitely takes me on a nostalgic journey back to my late teenage/early 20’s years.

Find it here:

Rouge Smoking EDP 1ml, 2ml, 5ml, 9ml decants (at Scent Split)

Rouge Smoking EDP 10ml, 100ml (at BDK Parfums)

by Kilian Back to Black, aphrodisiac

• Official Notes: cedarwood, honey, smoky incense, sweet spices, vanilla absolute, blue chamomile, sandalwood, tobacco
• Other Notes Perceived: cherry, raspberry, almond, gingerbread, amber, tonka bean, nutmeg, benzoin, saffron, cardamom, patchouli, French labdanum, olibanum, oak, coriander, bergamot, geranium

This is another fragrance I’ve written about before and as this post is already lengthy, I’ll keep this short since you can read my full review of it here. But as a quick refresher, this is another incense-y cherry/almond fragrance, with an even deeper and smokier feel than Rouge Smoking.

This dark and cozy fragrance is especially well-suited to colder temps and nighttime wear. And I would still love to see Kilian come out with a candle in this fragrance. They do carry a small line of home fragrances so perhaps someday they will expand that?

Find it here:

Back to Black 1ml, 2ml, 5ml, 9ml decants (at Scent Split)

Back to Black EDP 50ml (at Amazon)

Back to Black 50ml (at Bergdorf Goodman)

Back to Black 50ml (at Nordstrom)

Burberry Her

• Official Notes: red and dark berries, white woody accord
• Other Notes Perceived: strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, sour cherry, black currant, mandarin orange, lemon, violet, jasmine, musk, vanilla, cashmeran, oakmoss, amber, patchouli

This popular crowd-pleaser was love at first sniff for me! Many compare this fruity fragrance to the famous Baccarat Rouge 540 and that’s not surprising since both fragrances were created by master perfumer Francis Kurkdjian. However, though there is a similar DNA running through the two fragrances, I would not call them dupes for one another. This fragrance is a bit jammier with the fruity berry feel. I still get a bit of the woodsy/caramel accord that BR540 has, too, but this fragrance feels like a younger sister of the more sophisticated BR540, if that makes sense. Strawberry is the stand-out note for me here, but there’s definitely a cherry vibe as well. I have a friend who gets a strong cherry Chapstick vibe from the fragrance, lol

I find this fragrance to be an outstanding value. It has excellent performance with great projection and it is VERY long-lasting; I can get almost 12 hours of wear! I think this is signature scent-worthy and can be worn anytime, anywhere. It’s also miles more affordable than ‘big sister’ Baccarat and comes in multiple sizes so you can start small with a travel spray and go bigger later if it becomes a love.

Find it here:

Her 50ml, 100ml, 150ml (at Macy’s)

L’Occitane Cherry Blossom

• Official Top Notes: cherry, freesia
• Official Middle Notes: cherry blossom, lily of the valley
• Official Base Notes: musk, amber
• Other Notes Perceived: black currant, Brazilian rosewood

It’s hard not to love this perennial favorite from France’s L’Occitane. Delicate cherry blossom and cherry notes dominate in this light, breezy, feminine fragrance. The light hints of woods, musk, and amber are just a background whisper that keep everything grounded and from floating completely away into airy bliss.

This fragrance only comes in an EDT formulation but is available in loads of other products (see links below) so you can layer soap, shower gel, body lotion, and other products with your fragrance for a longer-lasting experience. I currently have the above pictured shea butter hand cream, which I adore, and incidentally also matches well with all of the other fragrances listed here in this post.

Find it here:

Cherry Blossom EDT 75ml (at Amazon)

Cherry Blossom hand cream 1oz (at Amazon)

Cherry Blossom hand cream 1oz, 2.6oz, 5.2oz (at FragranceNet)

Cherry Blossom shimmering body lotion 2.5oz, 8.4oz (at FragranceNet)

Cherry Blossom bath & shower gel 8.4oz (at FragranceNet)

Cherry Blossom gift set – includes bath & shower gel, hand cream, shimmering lotion, & perfumed soap _ (full size products) GREAT VALUE!

Cherry Blossom discovery collection – includes bath & shower gel, hand cream, & shimmering lotion (travel-sized products) GREAT FOR TRAVEL!

Honorable Mention: Maison Margiela Replica Lipstick On (Discontinued Fragrance)

• Top Notes: heliotrope, neroli, bergamot
• Middle Notes: iris, galbanum, orange blossom
• Base Notes: tonka bean, bourbon vanilla, patchouli

This sweet little fragrance really does smell like cherry lipstick! It’s a beautiful, powdery iris scent chock full of favorite notes of mine, including almondy heliotrope, neroli, bourbon vanilla, and tonka. There’s a lovely feel of maraschino cherry and the bourbon vanilla base gives it an ever-so-slightly gourmandish feel but the powdery iris keeps it from being a true gourmand. The citrus touches are light, there’s some orange blossom adding some slight sweetness but this doesn’t really go in a strong citrus direction for me.

This fragrance sits close to the skin and as with most of these cherry scents, would be fine in an office setting/close quarters with others. An anytime/anywhere fragrance that could be signature scent-worthy. I get about 4 hours wear from it. Fun, playful, and a little out of the norm, I just love it! I definitely get the visual of a sleek starlet from days gone by applying her makeup in a fancy boudoir when I’m wearing this.

This beautiful fragrance is listed only as an honorable mention here because sadly, it’s been discontinued and is incredibly difficult/expensive to track down 😭 I was lucky enough to score a 5ml decant from Scent Split but I have been unable to find a full bottle for a reasonable price anywhere. Sometimes you can still find the decants from Scent Split and samples on Amazon, so I’m including links for those here. You can also sometimes find full bottles on places like eBay but the prices are usually nuts and I can’t speak to whether they’d be authentic bottles or not. It’s a favorite with a cult following so maybe someday Maison Margiela will start making it again, here’s hoping!

Find it here (maybe!):

Lipstick On EDT 1ml, 2ml, 5ml decants (at Scent Split)

Lipstick On EDT 1ml sample (at Amazon)

So that’s my round-up of some of my favorite cherry and almond accord fragrances! Let me know if this is a favorite perfume genre for you. Or perhaps you’ve never tried this type of scent before but now feel intrigued to check it out? Please let me know in the comments! 🍒💄

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