Cinnamon

What Does It Smell Like?

Cinnamon smells warm, slightly sweet, and gently peppery—imagine biting into a cinnamon stick and feeling that gentle heat bloom across your tongue, then translate that sensation to your nose. It's woody yet spicy, reminiscent of mulled wine, Christmas baking, and the dusty sweetness of ground spice in a baker's tin. The aroma feels almost edible, with a subtle dryness underneath that warmth, rather like the roof of your mouth after tasting the real thing. It's comforting without being cloying.

Origin & History

Cinnamon comes from the inner bark of Cinnamomum trees, primarily grown in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Vietnam. The bark is harvested, dried, and naturally curls into quills. In perfumery, we use cinnamon leaf oil (more herbaceous) and bark oil (warmer, sweeter). The ingredient has been treasured since ancient Egypt—so valuable it was worth its weight in gold. Modern fragrances often employ cinnamaldehyde, the primary aromatic compound, either naturally extracted or synthetically created to ensure consistency and sustainability.

In Perfumery

Cinnamon acts as a spicy-sweet bridge in compositions, warming florals and adding depth to orientals. It's rarely a solo star; instead, it amplifies sensuality, adds complexity to gourmands, and lends a slightly dusty, powdery quality. Perfumers use it sparingly—too much overwhelms—as a supporting actor that makes other notes sing.

Pairs Beautifully With

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