The spice of gold: how perfumes house olfactory opulence

Parfums de Marly Darcy

Go ahead and call us ‘big gold fans’ – the rumours are all true. We love to wear it in glitzy accessory form, we love to nibble it in gold leaf form, and we love to… smell like it?

It sounds a tad strange, we realise, but when it comes to finding the gold-standard of fragrances, you can’t get much more opulent than the ones literally inspired by the element itself.

So what are said scents, and what exactly does the fragrance industry figure ‘gold’ smells like? We grabbed a gold-crusted metaphorical magnifying glass to crack the case…
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What does ‘gold’ smell like?
You know how they say gold is more flattering when you have warmth in your complexion? Well, it all comes back to warmth in the aroma arena as well.

“Gold-inspired fragrances tend to be warm and resinous, with opulence conveyed through the use of frankincense, benzoin, myrrh and of course, oud,” explains Michael Marzano, Agence de Parfum National Education Manager. “Soft amber through to woody amber is [the fragrance sector] where these styles of fragrances are generally found, and they are rich, opulent and extravagant, featuring highly desirable notes that can be the ultimate accessory for an after five event, an opera, [or] a sensual candlelight dinner."

“A gold-inspired scent is generally part of the amber family, and these fragrances feel rich and indulgent, much like gold itself,” echoes Shannon Giordano, Fragrance Expert & Commodity’s Head of Written Content. “A ‘gold’ scent will generally have warm notes like vanilla, myrrh, tonka bean, benzoin, musk or sandalwood that conjure this sense of elegance. Several of these notes, namely vanilla, sandalwood and an amber accord.”

“Fragrance can be used to influence your mood,” Giordano expands, highlighting the powerful feelings that come with a spritz of 'gold'. “Our Gold fragrance is meant to create a feeling of confidence and luxury. Wear it every day, for a first date, or a big presentation at work – any time you need that extra boost.