Leather
A perfumery note or scent direction evoking leather or suede. It can be smoky, dry, green, soft or powdery, depending on the materials and surrounding notes.
Leather in perfume describes a scent effect, with a range from smoky or green leather to softer suede-like impressions. It can be the main theme of a fragrance or one facet alongside flowers, woods, fruit or amber.
An accord can evoke leather without containing leather itself. IFF’s Saffiblend Oliffac, for example, is a mixture described as a suede-like note with powdery softness. Prada’s Malombra uses a Saffiano leather accord with oak wood and liqueur notes. These are examples of how the theme can take different directions.
When reading a description, look for the contrast around the leather. A fruity leather may appeal differently from a smoky one, while flowers or musk can change how soft the overall impression feels. The word leather alone does not tell you the complete formula or how prominent it will be.
Perfumery’s leather began with Russian leather, which was cured with smoky birch tar; Chanel’s Cuir de Russie (1924) is named after it. Modern leathers use birch tar substitutes, isobutyl quinoline and saffron-like materials.