Asphalt names no single substance
ReconstructedBitumen as an impression.
Asphalt
Note Profile
About
Asphalt is a made-up note that recreates a road surface. Natural asphalt is not used, so it is built from smoky and phenolic aroma chemicals. It smells of hot tar and sharp, medicinal smoke, with a burnt edge like bonfire smoke. Worn leather and warm resin sit underneath. It suits bold, urban and niche work.
Scent Profile
Asphalt smells of hot tar and blackly medicinal smoke, sharp and phenolic like a freshly poured road. A burnt, charred edge sits over it, close to bonfire smoke and scorched rubber. Underneath is worn leather, like old books or a saddle, next to a warm resinous depth and the mineral smell of a hot stone road surface. A last trace of smoked wood closes it.
ScentWheel
Breadthmedium
EnvelopeBase · ~48h lasting
Read off the wheel, not a label applied to the note.
What this is made of
Origin
Asphalt notes are created synthetically using aromatic chemicals such as birch tar, styrene, and other smoky or phenolic compounds. These materials are engineered in laboratories to replicate the olfactory impression of real asphalt, as natural asphalt is not used directly in perfumery.
Usage in Perfumery
Perfumers employ asphalt notes primarily in the heart or base of avant-garde and niche fragrances to impart a bold, urban character. It is often blended with leather, smoke, woods, or resinous notes to create depth and complexity, and can add a striking, unconventional edge to compositions.
Notable Perfumers
Perfumers known for using Asphalt include
Céline Barel
Similar Notes
Perfumes featuring Asphalt
A selection of reviewed perfumes where Asphalt appears prominently.
