The Fragrance List: A/W25’s Best Perfume Launches

First Impressions
Ambre Supermassive opens with a warm rush of fruit and spice — peach, apple, cinnamon, pineapple and sesame — creating an immediately rich, luminous impression on the skin. As it settles, the fragrance moves into a velvety heart of rose, heliotrope, honey, cardamom and rum, deepening into a darker, more textured warmth. The base develops into an intense blend of black vanilla, amber, saffron, tobacco and musk, creating a long-lasting, syrupy depth that feels atmospheric and enveloping.

The Notes
Top: Peach, Apple, Cinnamon, Pineapple, Sesame
Heart: Rose, Heliotrope, Honey, Cardamom, Rum
Base: Black Vanilla, Amber, Saffron, Tobacco, Musk

Behind the Bottle
Created by Arnaud Poulain in collaboration with Studio Flair, Ambre Supermassive is a concentrated extrait and an intensified evolution of the brand’s Ambre Superfluide. The concept draws inspiration from cosmology and the gravitational pull of scent on the skin. Designed to maintain its intensity from first application through its long dry-down, Ambre Supermassive sits within the brand’s most potent collection.

Price
AED 918 / $250 for 50ml

First Impressions
Bois Obscur is deep, opulent, and atmospheric. It opens with a striking combination of saffron, papyrus and cool eucalyptus, creating a smoky, resinous first impression that feels both modern and mysterious. The heart introduces jasmine absolute, tuberose absolute and oud, adding floral intensity and dark, velvety warmth. The dry-down is long-lasting and elegant, wrapped in patchouli, labdanum, sandalwood and mineral amber for a textured, woody-amber finish made for evening wear.

The Notes
Top: Eucalyptus, Papyrus, Saffron
Heart: Jasmine Absolute, Oud, Tuberose Absolute
Base: Labdanum, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Mineral Amber

Behind the Bottle
Launched as part of Byredo’s Night Veils collection, Bois Obscur is presented in extrait form to heighten richness and longevity. The fragrance is housed in an elongated bottle with a thick glass base and an antique gold cap, slipped inside a reusable presentation box. The Night Veils range is known for its powerful, after-dark compositions and Bois Obscur continues this tradition.

Price
AED 1,580 / $430 for 70ml

First Impressions
Scandal Intense is unapologetically decadent from the first spritz. Cardamom brings a spicy, addictive lift before melting into sultry ylang-ylang, creating a velvet floral heart that feels bold and confident. Vanilla Absolute anchors the fragrance with deep sensuality, leaving a trail that is sweet, smoky and irresistibly indulgent. It is a scent made for late nights, limitless pleasure and a touch of beautiful chaos.

The Notes
Top: Cardamom
Middle: Ylang-Ylang
Base: Vanilla Absolute

Behind The Bottle
Created by perfumers Daphné Bugey, Fabrice Pellegrin and Nicolas Bonneville, Scandal Intense stars in a nocturnal fantasy set aboard Gaultier’s private night train. The ribbed purple bottle, crowned with the signature sculpted legs, captures the mood of velvet mischief and after-dark glamour. As the train slips deeper into the night, her vanilla-floral trail becomes the perfume of sleepless festivities, reflecting Gaultier’s love of excess.

Price
AED 620 / $169 for 80ml

First Impressions
The Empressa Abu Dhabi Exclusive is a one-of-a-kind interpretation of Penhaligon’s celebrated fragrance, transformed into a jewel-like collector’s piece. Dries Criel reimagines the scent through the lens of Abu Dhabi’s maritime heritage and its legacy of pearl diving, bringing together opulence, craft and cultural symbolism. The result is a striking, sculptural object that feels both modern and timeless, echoing the richness of Empressa’s Middle Eastern rose character.

The Notes
Top: Bergamot, Peach
Middle: Rose, Neroli, Dewberry
Base: Patchouli, Vanilla, Amber, Musk

Behind the Bottle
Designed by Belgian jeweller Dries Criel, the hero bottle is hand-crafted with 18-carat gold and mother-of-pearl, inspired by the fluid forms and geometric precision that define his work. The lotus motif represents rebirth and enduring grace, while the materials honour Abu Dhabi’s pearl-diving history. Two additional limited-edition bottles were also created exclusively for the UAE capital. Unveiled during the SMK Tennis Tournament and supported by Abu Dhabi Retail, the collaboration reflects Penhaligon’s commitment to artistry, culture and craftsmanship.

Availability
Exclusive to Abu Dhabi. Unveiled on 7th November 2025 at the SMK Tennis Tournament.

First Impressions
Havana Gold is an instant escape. It opens with a sweet, nostalgic liquorice accord that feels warm and indulgent before drifting into smoky tobacco that curls through the air like night in a crowded Cuban bar. Rich, sensual and deeply atmospheric, it balances gourmand softness with leathery depth. The mood is opulent and sultry think heat, rhythm and shared energy. As it settles, Havana Gold becomes a textured, addictive scent that finds perfect harmony in its contrasts.

The Notes
Top: Liquorice Accord
Middle: Tobacco Leaf Absolute, Cinnamon, Benzoin
Base: Roasted Tonka Bean, Leather Accord

Behind the Bottle
Havana Gold reflects the Maison’s fascination with contrasts. The amber-tinted glass sits atop a sculptural brass base, crafted with an aged patina that makes each bottle subtly unique. The fragrance was composed by perfumer Jordi Fernandez, who imagined a warm, sensual night in Havana filled with people and music. Ingredients such as Venezuelan tonka bean and Laotian benzoin are responsibly sourced and the bottle is fully refillable to uphold Dries Van Noten’s sustainable ethos.

Price
AED 1,370 / $373 for 100ml

First Impressions
A rose touched by the sea. Rosa Incandescente blends honeyed Damascena Rose with the mineral salinity of Red Seaweed, creating a marine floral that feels both wild and refined. The opening is bright and windswept, followed by a warm, honeyed depth that settles like sunlight on water. It is a rose with movement and contrast, shifting between softness and strength as it develops on skin.

The Notes
Top: Red Seaweed
Middle: Salt Crystals
Base: Damascena Rose

Behind the Bottle
Created by perfumers Ralf Schwieger and Cécile Matton, Rosa Incandescente draws on the natural radiance of Damascena Rose and the marine freshness of Red Seaweed. The seaweed is extracted using supercritical fluid technology to preserve its mineral clarity and oceanic purity, strengthening the fragrance’s distinctive saline character. The scent is housed in a red glass flacon adorned with a seahorse, symbolising discovery and the meeting point of land and sea.

Price
AED 1,420 / $387 for 100ml

First Impressions
Goldfawn feels instantly warm as soon as it touches the skin. The first spritz delivers a gentle cedar brightness that lifts the fragrance before it softens into creamy sandalwood, smooth and steadying. Within moments, vanilla rises through the blend with a sweet, comforting warmth that feels almost edible. The result is indulgent and textured, a cosy-yet-powerful scent with a richness often likened to caramel heat settling on warm skin.

The Notes
Top: Cedar
Middle: Sandalwood
Base: Vanilla

Behind the Bottle
Created by perfumer Arnaud Poulain, Goldfawn forms part of Perroy’s signature collection, where each fragrance is designed to express a distinct mood. The brand’s approach blends joy, boldness, and playful experimentation, encouraging wearers to use scent as a form of personal expression. Goldfawn is described by the brand as a creamy, amber-tinged take on vanilla and sandalwood, crafted to feel both indulgent and impactful.

Price
AED 575 / $157 for 100ml