Umami-inspired scents trigger savory shift in gourmand fragrance
Key takeaways
- CPL Aromas has highlighted a shift in gourmand fragrances toward savory, umami-inspired scent profiles influenced by Asian cuisine and fermentation.
- The company showcased fragrances inspired by ingredients such as kimchi, durian, shiitake, and caviar to expand the boundaries of edible-inspired perfumery.
- Umami, salinity, and earthy notes are emerging as creative tools for fragrance innovation as consumers seek more complex sensory experiences.
CPL Aromas has identified that perfumery’s gourmand trend is evolving beyond sweetness to the savory scentscape, which spotlights fragrance notes inspired by Asian heritage dishes.
The global fragrance design company underscored the burgeoning umami next step in fragrances, inspired by Asian cuisine, at the Asia Perfume Show in Paris, France (September 23–25).
The emphasis on umami scents in fragrances arrives alongside the West’s continued attention on Asian beauty trends, as South Korean and Chinese beauty in particular garner surging interest.
“Neo-gourmand creations are becoming more complex, unexpected, and textural, while umami introduces savory, fermented, and deeply mouth-watering facets into the perfumer’s palette,” says CPL Aromas.
The company hosted an olfactive experience titled Asia Fine Dining, bringing Asian gastronomy and fine fragrance together at the fragrance event. The experience is said to have explored the intersection of the sensory markers of Asian cuisine when applied to fragrance.
Savory scents
The experience featured CPL Aromas’ Umami Collection with fragrances developed by perfumers from the company’s Far East division. The combination is said to reveal “an unconventional spectrum of edible inspiration that moves from fermented and savory to tropical and unexpected.”
One fragrance presented at the show was Kimchi Cologne, which features a kimchi accord and responsibly sourced ginger oil. The fragrance is touted to play off the freshness of cologne through the fermented properties of “one of Korea’s most recognizable culinary signatures,” kimchi.CPL Aromas explores how umami-inspired notes are reshaping the future of gourmand fragrances.
Another fragrance showcased at the show drew inspiration from durian, the tropical fruit native to Borneo, Sumatra, and the Malay Peninsula, which is often polarizing for its sulfuric scent. The fragrance, Sticky Tropic, used CPL Aromas’ AromaSpace technology to translate the fruit into perfumery.
Other creations featured at the show included Shiitake Essence and Caviar Umami, reflecting the company’s prediction of gourmand fragrance formulations shifting toward savory profiles.
“Fermentation, salinity, earthiness, and umami can become creative tools, opening new sensory territories for contemporary fragrance,” says CPL Aromas.
The company also hosted its Smell Talks program at the show, in which it brought perfumers and business development experts together to discuss how the interaction of flavors, cultures, and consumer demands is influencing the fragrance industry across Asia.
