29 October 2026 · By Faan Perfumes

Clove in perfume: what it smells like and which FAAN bottles use it

FAAN Qasida Bakhour Eau de Parfum 200 ml bottle

Quick answer: Clove perfume notes smell warm, sweet-spicy and slightly medicinal, with a rich, almost smoky edge. Two FAAN bottles open with it: Qasida Bakhour, where it sits with saffron and blackcurrant, and Qasida Queen, where it cuts through cherry and orange blossom. Both are Eau de Parfum, rated 4 out of 5 for strength.

We are an independent retailer, and every placement here comes from the note pyramids on the product pages. Clove is listed on those two bottles only.

What clove smells like (and what it does not)

Clove smells of dried flower buds: hot, sweet, a little woody and a little numbing. The main aroma compound is eugenol, which also gives carnation its spicy-sweet scent and is the reason some people link clove to the dentist, where clove oil has long been used. In perfume that edge reads as warm and rich, not clinical.

It is not cinnamon, which is sweeter and more candy-like, and it is not black pepper, which is dry and sharp. Clove has a deeper, darker warmth than either. It is also strong, so perfumers use it in small doses.

How perfumers use clove: top, heart or base

Clove is a spice, and spices are usually top and heart notes in a pyramid. In the top, it gives a scent a dark, spicy first impression. In the heart, it adds warmth beneath flowers like rose and carnation. In both FAAN bottles it is in the top. It is a booster: a little clove makes sweet notes taste less sugary and dark notes feel warmer.

Clove in the FAAN range

Bottle	Position	Surrounding notes	Strength / longevity	Price
Qasida Bakhour	top	saffron, blackcurrant	4 / 4	€54.99
Qasida Queen	top	cherry, orange blossom, pink pepper	4 / 4	€51.99

Bakhour's full pyramid: saffron, clove and blackcurrant on top, rose, violet, incense and tonka in the heart, sandalwood, cistus, leather and vanilla in the base. Queen's: cherry, clove, orange blossom and pink pepper on top, orange blossom, jasmine and cashmeran in the heart, vanilla, amber, patchouli and coffee in the base. Both come from the Qasida line.

What it is paired with in these pyramids

In Bakhour, clove joins saffron and blackcurrant for a dark, spicy, slightly sharp opening. The fruit gives a tart contrast, the saffron gives a leathery gold, and clove binds them. Then rose, violet and incense take the scent smoky. It is a spiced-and-smoked profile.

In Queen, clove sits against ripe cherry. Here it works the other way: it stops the fruit from turning to jam and gives the opening a spicy bite. Orange blossom and pink pepper add a floral lift. Same note, two moods: smoky in Bakhour, sweet in Queen.

Wearing advice

Both are rated 4 out of 5 for strength, and clove adds to the sense of power in the opening. Use two sprays. The clove is loudest in the first fifteen to thirty minutes and then recedes into the heart. Both are listed for autumn and winter, which suits a warm spice. In hot weather clove becomes heavy and medicinal.

A short note: eugenol is one of the fragrance substances EU rules require to be named on a label when present above a small threshold. If you know you react to it, check the packaging, and read our piece on perfume allergens and sensitivity. We cannot give medical advice.

People who tend to like clove: those who love mulled-wine, gingerbread and incense scents. People who may not: those who find spice sharp.

If you like clove, start with Qasida Bakhour

Bakhour is unisex and costs €3 more than Queen. If you want clove in a sweet, cherry-vanilla frame, choose Queen instead. Our Bakhour review has the detail. Browse all fourteen bottles, or use which FAAN perfume to choose. If a bottle shows as sold out, ask to be notified on the product page.