Incense perfume: 16 to try, from soft resin to smoky and dark

What incense smells like in perfume

Incense is an aromatic material that gives off fragrant smoke when it burns. The word comes from the Latin for "to burn", and the word perfume itself traces back to a Latin verb meaning "to smoke through". Fire and smoke sit at the root of both words.

Two tree resins, used in both incense and perfume, stand behind the note. Frankincense, also called olibanum, is an aromatic resin from Boswellia trees, and its name comes from the Old French for "true incense". Myrrh is a gum-resin from small, thorny Commiphora trees, and its name goes back to a Semitic root meaning "bitter". On a perfume's note list, the resin appears as incense, olibanum, frankincense or myrrh.

Across the 16 perfumes below, amber and balsamic are the accords that come up most often, and four list a smoky accord. What sits beside the resin sets the style: vanilla and benzoin for the soft and sweet ones, citrus and tea for the fresh ones, tuberose or orange blossom for the floral ones, and vetiver, leather or dark woods for the dark ones.

That gives five styles, and the sections below follow them. Our incense note page lists every perfume we stock with incense among its notes. This guide picks 16, sets out what each is built from and how community voters wear it, in the order we would suggest trying them.

Quick comparison

Quick comparison: Community votes

#	Perfume	Label	Main notes	Lasts	Trail	Season	3 ml	10 ml	per ml
1	Encens SuaveMatière Première	Best overall	Incense, Madagascar Vanilla	Long lasting	Strong	Winter, Autumn	€13.86	€39.33	€3.93
2	Myrrhe MystereTom Ford		Labdanum, Myrrh, Olibanum	Long lasting	Moderate	Autumn, Winter	€19.80	€45.27	€4.53
3	ÉbèneBalmain		Atlas Cedar, Cinnamon, Ebony Wood			Winter, Autumn	€18.90	€55.90	€5.59
4	Interlude 53 ManAmouage	Longest lasting	Amber, Incense, Labdanum	Eternal	Enormous	Winter	€18.63	€55.44	€5.54
5	ImaginationLouis Vuitton		Ceylon Cinnamon, Nigerian Ginger, Tunisian Neroli	Long lasting	Moderate	Spring	€16.92	€42.84	€4.28
6	Terre D'Hermes Eau Intense VetiverHermès	Best for daytime	Geranium, Sichuan Pepper	Long lasting	Moderate	Spring	€7.65	€22.05	€2.21
7	Comme des Garçons 2Comme des Garçons		Bay Leaf, Caraway, Cinnamon	Long lasting	Strong	Autumn, Winter	€7.83	€23.67	€2.37
8	Honour 43 WomanAmouage	Best floral pick	Carnation, Jasmine, Lily-of-the-Valley	Long lasting	Moderate	Spring	€18.36	€54.45	€5.45
9	Queen of SilkCreed		Agarwood (Oud), Passionfruit, Patchouli	Long lasting	Strong	Autumn, Winter	€14.85	€42.21	€4.22
10	Can't Stop Loving YouBy Kilian		Honey, Labdanum, Styrax	Moderate	Moderate	Autumn	€20.34	€50.40	€5.04
11	CherguiSerge Lutens		Amber, Honey, Tobacco Leaf	Long lasting	Strong	Autumn	€9.54	€28.17	€2.82
12	CappadociaMemo Paris		Benzoin, Frankincense, Jasmine	Long lasting	Moderate	Autumn, Winter	€16.20	€49.32	€4.93
13	Spiritueuse Double VanilleGuerlain		Bulgarian Rose, Cedar, Jasmine	Long lasting	Strong	Autumn	€19.35	€52.38	€5.24
14	Encre Noire À l'ExtrêmeLalique	Best value	Haitian Vetiver, Incense, Orris			Autumn, Winter	€6.90	€15.90	€1.59
15	SieneTiziana Terenzi		Incense, Iris, Myrrh	Long lasting	Moderate	Winter, Autumn	€7.38	€20.07	€2.01
16	Black LacquerTom Ford	Best for evening	Apricot, Ebony Wood, elemi	Long lasting	Moderate	Winter	€33.48	€101.43	€10.14

Show all 16 picks

Community votes

Resin and smoke: incense at the centre

These four put the resin in the heart of the perfume. Start here if you want to meet the note itself before anything else.

1Best overall

Encens Suave by Matière Première

Top notes

Coffee

Heart notes

Incense, Madagascar Vanilla

Base notes

Benzoin, Labdanum

Time of day

Evening

Smell it: 3 ml €13.8610 ml €39.33

The French word encens means incense, and here it sits in the heart next to Madagascar vanilla, under an opening of coffee. The base is benzoin and labdanum. It is a unisex Eau de Parfum from 2019, with an oriental spicy accord. On staying power, most community voters rate it long lasting. Votes on projection lean strong. Season votes point to winter and fall, and the hours voters name are evenings and nights.

2

Myrrhe Mystère by Tom Ford

Top notes

Benzoin, Cinnamon, Pink Pepper

Heart notes

Labdanum, Myrrh, Olibanum

Base notes

Amber, Musk, Sandalwood, Vanilla

Time of day

Evening

Smell it: 3 ml €19.8010 ml €45.27

Launched in 2023, Myrrhe Mystère opens with benzoin, cinnamon and pink pepper, then moves to a heart of myrrh, olibanum and labdanum. Sandalwood, amber, musk and vanilla close it, and its accords read balsamic, resinous, warm spicy and sweet. It is unisex. Most community voters call the lasting power long lasting. Its projection, in the votes, leans moderate. Voters tie it to fall and winter, and to evening and day wear.

3

Ébène by Balmain

Heart notes

Atlas Cedar, Cinnamon, Ebony Wood, Geranium

Time of day

Night out

Smell it: 3 ml €18.9010 ml €55.90

Maurice Roucel composed Ébène, a 2024 unisex perfume, around a heart that holds incense, myrrh, ebony wood, tobacco, Atlas cedar, cinnamon, geranium and vanilla. Its accords run from amber and woody to smoky, balsamic and tobacco. Voters tie it to winter and fall, and to night wear.

4Longest lasting

Interlude 53 Man by Amouage

Top notes

Bergamot, Oregano, Pimento

Heart notes

Amber, Incense, Labdanum, Opoponax

Base notes

Agarwood (Oud), Leather, Patchouli, Sandalwood

Time of day

Night out

Smell it: 3 ml €18.6310 ml €55.44

Amouage says this one rests for six months in Muscat before release. It opens with oregano, pimento and bergamot, then the heart holds incense, opoponax, amber and labdanum. Smoke, leather, agarwood, patchouli and sandalwood sit underneath: it is the only pick here that lists smoke as a note. If oud is the note you came for, our guide to oud perfumes goes further. Interlude 53 Man is presented for men, for going out. On lasting power, most community voters choose eternal, and most pick enormous for projection. Winter and fall draw the most season votes, with night and evening as the favoured hours.

Fresh and dry: citrus, tea and ink

Here the resin sits in the base, under citrus, tea or ink. Two of the three draw daytime votes, so this is the group to try when a heavy incense feels like too much.

5

Imagination by Louis Vuitton

Top notes

Calabrian bergamot, Citron, Sicilian Orange

Heart notes

Ceylon Cinnamon, Nigerian Ginger, Tunisian Neroli

Base notes

Chinese Black Tea, Guaiac Wood, Olibanum

Time of day

Daytime

Smell it: 3 ml €16.9210 ml €42.84

Citron, Calabrian bergamot and Sicilian orange start Imagination, followed by Tunisian neroli, Nigerian ginger and Ceylon cinnamon. The base turns to Chinese black tea, Ambroxan, guaiac wood and olibanum, so the resin arrives last, beside the tea. It was launched in 2021 for men. Most voters rate its longevity long lasting and its sillage moderate. It spans three seasons in the votes (spring, fall and winter), and voters pick it for day, office and evening.

6Best for daytime

Terre d'Hermès Eau Intense Vétiver by Hermès

Top notes

Bergamot, Grapefruit, Lemon

Heart notes

Geranium, Sichuan Pepper

Base notes

Amberwood, Olibanum, Patchouli, Vetiver

Time of day

Daytime

Smell it: 3 ml €7.6510 ml €22.05

Terre d'Hermès Eau Intense Vétiver launched in 2018 for men, with work as its listed occasion. Bergamot, grapefruit and lemon open it, Sichuan pepper and geranium form the heart, and the base brings olibanum, patchouli, amberwood and vetiver. Its accords lead with citrus, aromatic and fresh spicy, with woody and earthy below. Votes on longevity lean long lasting, then moderate. Most voters rate the sillage moderate. It is the one pick voters place in spring and summer, for daytime.

Comme des Garçons 2 by Comme des Garçons

Mark Buxton composed Comme des Garçons 2, a 1999 unisex perfume, and its pyramid of eighteen notes is the longest of the 16. The opening stacks aldehydes, angelica, tea, mandarin orange and mate. The heart adds ink, magnolia, nutmeg, bay leaf, coriander, caraway and cinnamon. Only then do incense, patchouli, vetiver, cedar, amber and labdanum arrive. Votes on its longevity go to long lasting, then eternal. Sillage votes go to strong, then moderate. Fall, winter and evenings are where voters place it.

Incense with white flowers

Each of these three pairs the resin with tuberose or orange blossom, and all three are presented for women.

8Best floral pick

Honour 43 Woman by Amouage

Top notes

Coriander, Pepper, Rhubarb Leaf

Heart notes

Carnation, Jasmine, Lily-of-the-Valley, Tuberose

Base notes

Labdanum, Leather, Olibanum, Opoponax

Time of day

Evening

Smell it: 3 ml €18.3610 ml €54.45

Rhubarb leaf, pepper and coriander open Honour 43 Woman, and the heart is a bouquet of tuberose, jasmine, lily-of-the-valley and carnation. Under that sit labdanum, olibanum, leather, sandalwood, vetiver and opoponax. It dates from 2021 and is presented for women, for going out. Most voters put its longevity at long lasting. Sillage votes lean moderate, then strong. Spring is its season in the votes, worn in the evening or at night.

9

Queen of Silk by Creed

Top notes

Magnolia, Osmanthus, Saffron

Heart notes

Agarwood (Oud), Passionfruit, Patchouli, Tuberose

Base notes

Cedarwood, Incense, Madagascar Vanilla, Musk

Time of day

Night out

Smell it: 3 ml €14.8510 ml €42.21

Saffron, osmanthus and magnolia open Queen of Silk, a 2024 perfume for women. Passionfruit, tuberose, patchouli and agarwood form the heart, and the base holds Madagascar vanilla, Ambroxan, myrrh, musk, incense and cedarwood. Here the resin is one of six base notes, under a heart of fruit and flowers. Longevity: most voters say long lasting. Sillage: votes lean strong, then moderate. Fall and winter are its seasons in the votes, and night and evening its hours.

10

Can't Stop Loving You by By Kilian

Top notes

Orange Blossom, Paradisone

Heart notes

Honey, Labdanum, Styrax

Base notes

Madagascar Vanilla, Oakmoss, Olibanum

Time of day

Evening

Smell it: 3 ml €20.3410 ml €50.40

Orange blossom and paradisone start Can't Stop Loving You. Honey, labdanum and styrax follow in the heart, then oakmoss, Madagascar vanilla and olibanum. It came out in 2023 for women, and its listed occasion is work. Longevity votes lean moderate, then long lasting. Most voters call the sillage moderate. Voters name fall and spring, with evenings and nights.

Sweet incense: vanilla, honey and tobacco

Here vanilla, honey or tobacco leaf sit beside the resin. If you already like gourmand or ambery perfumes, start here, and see our guide to amber perfumes for that wider family.

11

Chergui by Serge Lutens

Top notes

Amber, Honey, Tobacco Leaf

Base notes

Hay, Incense, Iris, Musk

Time of day

Night out

Smell it: 3 ml €9.5410 ml €28.17

Serge Lutens names Chergui after a hot, dry Eastern wind and describes it in terms of sap, resin and elixir. The notes agree: tobacco leaf, honey and amber lead, and the base mixes hay, incense, sandalwood, iris, musk and rose. It is unisex. Votes lean long lasting for longevity and strong for projection. Fall and winter draw the most season votes, and voters wear it at night, in the evening and by day.

12

Cappadocia by Memo Paris

Top notes

Myrrh, Saffron, Vanilla

Heart notes

Benzoin, Frankincense, Jasmine, Mahonial

Time of day

Evening

Smell it: 3 ml €16.2010 ml €49.32

Cappadocia launched in 2023 as a unisex perfume for work. Vanilla, myrrh and saffron open it, and the heart holds benzoin, sandalwood, frankincense, orris root, musk, mahonial, rose and jasmine. Frankincense is the only place on this list where the note is spelled that way. Lasting power leans long lasting in the votes. Most voters rate its reach moderate. Fall, winter and the after-dark hours are what they name.

13

Spiritueuse Double Vanille by Guerlain

Top notes

Bergamot, Bitter Orange, Incense, Pink Pepper

Heart notes

Bulgarian Rose, Cedar, Jasmine, Ylang-Ylang

Base notes

Benzoin, Tonka Bean, Vanilla, White Musk

Time of day

Night out

Smell it: 3 ml €19.3510 ml €52.38

Guerlain says the excess of vanilla in Spiritueuse Double Vanille brings out a smoky, woody side, and the notes explain how: incense sits in the top beside bergamot, pink pepper and bitter orange, while the heart adds Bulgarian rose, cedar, jasmine and ylang-ylang. Vanilla rules the base with benzoin, tonka bean and white musk. This one is unisex. On staying power the votes lean long lasting; on projection, strong, then moderate. Voters pick it for fall and winter, through the evening, the night or the day.

Dark incense: vetiver, resin and wood

These three pair the resin with vetiver, leather or dark woods, and voters pick all three for fall and winter.

14Best value

Encre Noire À l'Extrême by Lalique

Top notes

Bergamot, Cypress, Elemi resin

Heart notes

Haitian Vetiver, Incense, Orris, Vetiver

Base notes

Benzoin, Patchouli, Sandalwood

Time of day

Night out

Smell it: 3 ml €6.9010 ml €15.90

Nathalie Lorson composed Encre Noire À l'Extrême, a 2015 perfume for men. Cypress, elemi and bergamot open it, then Haitian vetiver, vetiver, incense and orris take the heart. Benzoin, sandalwood and patchouli finish it. Its accords lead with woody and aromatic, with amber, balsamic and smoky further down. Its season votes go to fall and winter, and its time votes to night and day.

15

Siene by Tiziana Terenzi

Top notes

Cypress, Juniper, Leather

Heart notes

Incense, Iris, Myrrh, Patchouli

Base notes

Amber, Honey, Musk, Sandalwood

Time of day

Night out

Smell it: 3 ml €7.3810 ml €20.07

Leather, cypress and juniper open Siene, a 2019 perfume for men, and the heart holds incense, iris, myrrh and patchouli. Amber, sandalwood, musk and honey close it. Leather is the first note on its list, and our guide to leather perfumes covers that family on its own. Siene is listed for going out. Votes on longevity lean long lasting. Votes on sillage lean moderate. Voters reach for it in winter and fall, at night and in the evening.

16Best for evening

Black Lacquer by Tom Ford

Top notes

Black Pepper, Ink, Rum, Vinyl

Heart notes

Apricot, Ebony Wood, elemi, Peony

Base notes

Olibanum

Time of day

Night out

Smell it: 3 ml €33.4810 ml €101.43

Rum, ink, vinyl and black pepper open Black Lacquer, a 2024 perfume for men, and the heart holds ebony wood, peony, elemi and apricot. Olibanum alone forms the base, so here the resin has the last word rather than the first. On longevity, votes lean long lasting. On sillage, most voters say moderate. Winter and fall are the seasons voters name, for night and evening.

The 16 at a glance

Our order puts the resin-first perfumes ahead because they show the note most plainly. Your skin and your taste may well reorder the rest.

Try a soft and a smoky incense first

Incense reads very differently from one perfume to the next, so test it before a bottle. Our suggestion: one soft, one smoky, both in 3ml. A 3ml of Encens Suave is €13.86, and a 3ml of Encre Noire À l'Extrême is €6.90. Try them on separate days and notice which resin you reach for again.

A 3ml decant gives around 60 sprays, enough for several wears. A 10ml decant gives around 200 sprays and suits the one you wear for weeks; Encens Suave's 10ml decant is €39.33. Read more about what a decant is, or how to choose a perfume without smelling it.

Seven of these are unisex, and our unisex perfume page lists more. To place incense among the wider groups, read our guide to fragrance families.