Cinnamon Perfumes & Fragrances

Cinnamon fragrance note icon

Cinnamon smells sweet, warm and spicy, with a woody bite and a baking-pastry richness. It is one of the oldest spices used in perfumery, documented in Egyptian embalming and ancient trade routes.

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Two species dominate the category. Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) from Sri Lanka is the true cinnamon: delicate, sweet and complex. Cassia (Cinnamomum cassia) from China and Vietnam is stronger, redder and more pungent. Oils are steam-distilled from the inner bark for warmth or from the leaves for a greener, more clove-like facet. The key molecule is cinnamaldehyde, which gives the signature heat.

Cinnamon is a heart note with good persistence. Perfumers use it to warm amber and oriental compositions (Opium, Samsara, Spicebomb), to electrify rose and tobacco, and to add baking-spice richness to gourmand bases. It pairs beautifully with vanilla, benzoin, clove and leather.

Cinnamon performs best in autumn, winter and evening wear, and suits opulent oriental and holiday signatures.