Indulging in the sweet allure of gourmand fragrances has never been more enticing, especially as the new season of The Great British Bake Off 2024 approaches. This beloved show, which celebrates the art of baking, aligns perfectly with the ever-rising trend of edible-inspired scents that evoke the comforting and nostalgic aromas of cakes, pastries, and other delicious treats. Gourmand fragrances, characterised by their delectably addictive notes such as vanilla, caramel, honey, and chocolate, have captured the hearts of fragrance lovers worldwide. But we know many of you might still raise a sceptical eyebrow…
Love them or shun them, these scents have seen a staggering 77.5% rise in searches for ‘gourmand’ this year, so it’s clear these olfactory delights are more than just a passing trend. Plus, there are FAR more grown-up and nuanced versions available – so something for all tastes, we promise. The comfort and joy these scents bring resonate deeply, often transporting us back to cherished memories of childhood baking and generally embracing good times. As we transition into a season filled with warmth and cosiness, now is the perfect time to explore these fragrances that not only smell delicious, but also provide us with a sense of comfort and happiness.
With a tent-full of new contestants and all manner of culinary challenges ahead, the upcoming episodes of The Great British Bake Off will undoubtedly inspire many of us to embrace their inner baker, but even if you’re not a natural in the kitchen (god forbid the soggy bottom!) we urge you to seek these out, and spritz on some deliciousness. No matter if you find yourself drawn to the classic richness of vanilla or the playful sweetness of caramel, there’s a gourmand fragrance out there with your name on, just waiting for you to indulge…
AKRO Bake
A lemon cake inspired scent that’s so realistic yet not too sweet, and that we’re obsessed by? We’d never have believed it, until we smelled THIS. Gourmand? Yes, there’s cool, smooth cake-batter scrumptiousness followed by steamy, (slightly undercooked?) sponge-y-ness and Chantilly cream, but it’s masterfully balanced with bright lemon peel. Indulging our cravings is co-founder and perfumer Olivier Cresp’s ethos for AKRO – and we were hooked, from first sniff! Worthy of a ‘Hollywood handshake’ for sure.
£160 for 100ml eau de parfum fenwick.co.uk
Maison Tahité Cacao2
As contestants whip up decadent chocolate cakes and intricate pastries, Cacao2 envelops you in a warm hug of dark chocolate notes. The fragrance opens with a spicy cinnamon accord that tickles the nose, reminiscent of the aromatic spices often used to elevate chocolate desserts, while intoxicating toasted notes evoke the aroma of freshly baked goods emerging from the ovens in the Bake Off tent (but none of the burning.) Cedar and vetiver provide a sturdy base, enhancing the fragrance’s character and adding depth, much like how a well-structured chocolate tart needs a perfectly baked crust for support. And we all need extra support, these days…
£90 for 100ml eau de parfum libertylondon.com
Shay & Blue Salt Caramel
If you have ever experienced lifting the gilded lid of a beautifully packaged box of Charbonnel et Walker‘s Sea Salt Caramel Truffles, you’ll recognise perfumer Julie Massé photo-realistic longer-lasting fragrant interpretation of the addictive cocoa confection. Caramel and bourbon vanilla rock on the precipice of sweetness before being dashed through with a hint of freshly-hewn sandalwood and an ultra-intriguing definite note of the salt crystals to set your taste buds salivating. We desperately want a cake inspired by this, please!
£25 for 10ml eau de parfum shayandblue.com
4160 Tuesdays Creamy Vanilla Crumble
Imagine settling in to watch the bakers create their masterpieces while you’re surrounded by the scent of vanilla custard and crumble (surely one of the most soul-soothing desserts ever?) It’s almost as if you could taste the contestants’ creations through your television screen, adding an extra layer of sensory enjoyment to your weekly viewing ritual. Here, there’s no stress, all pleasure in the cuddle of creamy custard notes, complemented by the delightful crunch of crumble. The addition of a subtle fresh leaf tobacco accord adds depth and sophistication, preventing the scent from becoming overly sweet, but you’ll definitely want second-helpings!
£100 for 50ml eau de parfum in our shop
THoO Crazy Bon Bon Pop
Imagination is allowed to run wild in THOO’s ‘Crazy Collection’, its fragrant flights of fancy wittily reflected in the hand-decorated bottles. Bon Bon Pop whisks us to nostalgic childhood memories of filling paper bags with treats. Of course the Bake Off challenges often revolve around such whimsically delicious nostalgia, and in this scent we’re invited to feel like that kid in the sweetshop again, woohoo! Perfumer Douglas Morel fuses white peach, coconut, caramel-drizzled amber and a reassuringly woody base, to soothe, after we’ve gorged ourselves – albeit it olfactorially (at first…)
£220 for 75ml eau de parfum harveynichols.com
Written by Suzy Nightingale