Rhubarb

What Does It Smell Like?

Rhubarb smells tart and slightly green, like biting into the stalk of a freshly picked plant. Imagine the sharp, almost sour zing of ripe granny smith apple meets the leafy, vegetal quality of freshly cut grass or rhubarb leaves themselves. There's a candied sweetness underneath—reminiscent of stewed rhubarb with sugar—but the dominant character is brisk, slightly tangy, and surprisingly juicy. It's herbaceous without being medicinal, and carries a whisper of that pleasant astringency you'd feel on your tongue.

Origin & History

Rhubarb fragrance notes are almost always synthetic recreations rather than true extracts from the plant itself. Perfumers blend together various molecules—primarily using components that mimic the plant's natural acids and volatile compounds—to achieve that distinctive tart, green character. The ingredient is often constructed using citral, galbanum, or other green and fruity molecules. True rhubarb didn't have commercial fragrance applications until modern perfumery developed the chemistry to capture its unique tartness synthetically, making it a relatively modern addition to the olfactory palette.

In Perfumery

Rhubarb functions as a fresh, zesty top note that adds tartness and vegetable-forward brightness to compositions. Perfumers use it to cut through sweetness or add complexity to fruity fragrances, providing a slightly sour, slightly green counterpoint. It works brilliantly in gourmand fragrances, creating unexpected contrast, or in fresh, botanical compositions where it anchors an earthy character.

Pairs Beautifully With

Featured In 54 Fragrances