Cardamom perfume notes: what cardamom smells like and which FAAN bottles use it

What cardamom smells like (and what it does not)

Cardamom is the seed pod of a plant in the ginger family. Crack one open and the smell is unmistakable: fresh, aromatic, a little like lemon peel, a little like eucalyptus, with sweetness behind it. It is the scent of Arabic coffee, chai and Scandinavian buns. In a perfume it does not smell hot like cinnamon or sharp like black pepper. It is a cool spice.

How perfumers use cardamom: top, heart or base

Cardamom is a light, airy spice, so it belongs in the top, where it gives an immediate fresh-spicy lift. In the heart it works as a bridge between citrus and flowers. As a base note it is rare, because it fades.

Cardamom in the FAAN range

Four of the five put it in the top, and in each it does a different job. In Signature it cools down cinnamon and almond so that the opening is not purely sweet. In Al-Badr it pairs with nutmeg and bergamot to make a clean spiced start. In Honour it sits beside frankincense and Sichuan pepper, where it sweetens the sharp edge. In Bidaya it sits beside saffron, and the two together read warm and luxurious.

Sahm is the exception. Its top is mango, lemon, pink berries, ginger, raspberry, green mandarin and bergamot, a fruit salad. Cardamom waits for the heart, where it meets blue coumarin, jasmine, cedar, dry woods, lavender and clary sage. That is a fresh, aromatic middle that links the fruit to the oud in the base.

What it is paired with in these pyramids

With sweet notes (Signature) it adds balance. With resin (Honour, Bidaya) it adds lift. With wood and lavender (Sahm) it adds an aromatic, almost barbershop touch. With nutmeg (Al-Badr) it adds a classic spice-cupboard feel. The note behaves like a pinch of salt in cooking: you hardly notice it, but you would miss it.

Wearing advice: season, sprays, who tends to like it

• Cardamom suits cool weather and mild spring days. Four of the five are listed for autumn and winter, and Sahm and Al-Badr add spring.
• Two or three sprays suit all five.
• People who drink spiced tea or coffee tend to like it. People who find eucalyptus or camphor medicinal may find it too cool.
• The note fades in the first hour, so do not judge the bottle by it alone. The rest of the pyramid takes over.

If you like cardamom, start with Amjad Honour

Honour has the clearest cardamom of the group, in a resinous Extrait with the longest wear, and it is one of our best sellers. Signature is the sweetest take, and Al-Badr the calmest, with the Al-Badr review describing the dry side. For the note that so often sits near it in a base, read our guide to amber in perfume, and for its sweet partner, the one on vanilla. See all FAAN perfumes for the rest.

FAQ

Which FAAN perfume has the most cardamom?

Five list it. The data does not rank amounts, so we cannot say. In Honour and Signature it is easy to find in the opening.

Is cardamom sweet?

Slightly. It is mostly cool and aromatic, with a lemony edge.

Is cardamom for men or women?

Both. Honour, Signature, Al-Badr and Bidaya are listed as unisex, and Sahm is written for him.

Related reading

• Amber in perfume and the FAAN bottles that use it
• FAAN Qasida Signature review: notes, strength and when to wear it
• Vanilla in perfume and the FAAN bottles that use it