Collection: Bitter Almond Perfumes

Bitter almond smells like marzipan with a cherry-like edge, sharper and more medicinal than sweet almond. Scendira lists 260+ perfumes that list bitter almond as a note, priced from about $1.

Why Bitter Almond Smells Like Cherry

The signature smell comes from benzaldehyde, a molecule found in bitter almond oil and in cherry pits, which is why the note reads as almond and cherry together. In perfume it gives a dark, nutty, slightly powdery lift. It differs from the creamy, milky sweetness of plain almond, which has its own page.

Perfumes people discuss in the communities Scendira tracks include Dior Addict Eau Délice, Stora Skuggan Thumbsucker and Majda Bekkali Tulaytulah. Dior Addict Eau Délice and Stora Skuggan Thumbsucker keep bitter almond in the base, while Majda Bekkali Tulaytulah puts it in the heart with marzipan and malt.

Suits: People who like cherry-marzipan sweetness with a slightly medicinal edge. Skip if: cherry-marzipan sweetness reads like cough syrup on you.

Related collections: almond perfumes, heliotrope perfumes, and the broader gourmand perfumes.