7 unique artisanal perfumes inspired by wild garlic, Beijing winters, tomato and more

Vanilla, rose, jasmine, amber—for decades, these notes defined the language of perfume. Now, independent perfumers are writing something new. Their notes come from tomato vines still wet with morning dew, crushed wild garlic and the quiet medicine of Chinese herbs. These scents don’t aim to please everyone; they aim to feel alive. Each bottle tells a story of place, memory and handcraft—the kind of beauty that can’t be replicated. Found on Baroma, the curated platform for daring creations, these scents capture what perfume was always meant to be: personal, complex and deeply human.

Here are a few standouts capturing this new wave of artisanal perfumes.

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Rong Gather Tomato

The scent of sun-warmed tomato leaves mingles with earthy mushrooms in this greenhouse scent (Photo: Baroma)

This plant-based eau de parfum brings the avant-garde garden indoors. With notes of tomato, mushroom, fig leaf, patchouli and guaiac wood, it captures the essence of a verdant greenhouse. For those seeking artisanal perfume that reimagines freshness beyond traditional florals, this proves that pretty doesn’t have to mean predictable.

Aromag Wild Garlic

Bracingly green wild garlic leaves and shiso create an unforgettable aromatic experience (Photo: Baroma)

The fact that Wild Garlic was crafted by Dominique Ropion—the legendary perfumer behind some of the world’s most iconic fragrances (Carnal Flower, Portrait of a Lady)—lends serious prestige to its unconventional premise. Inspired by the heart of the kitchen, it features wild garlic leaves, tomato leaves, shiso and celery leaves. When a master of this calibre creates a kitchen-inspired scent, it signals that the highest levels of talent are embracing artisanal perfume innovation.

Fukodo Rikhrod

Medicinal coptis root and dried angelica create an arrestingly austere composition (Photo: Baroma)

Chinese perfume house Fukodo collaborates with world-renowned perfumers to create wearable masterpieces inspired by cinema, music, fine art and more. Built around the authentic scent of Chinese herbal medicine, Rikhrod features the piercing austerity of coptis root, the damp earthiness of dried roots, angelica and the resonance of patchouli.

Le Goût de Peau Leigong Mountain

Traditional Miao silver craftsmanship adorns this verdant journey through Guizhou province (Photo: Baroma)

Leigong Mountain goes beyond traditional perfumes, presenting a bottle crafted from Miao silver—a piece of art in its own right. Perfumer Coralie Spicher created a mystical journey through the Miao homeland, capturing the humid rainy season in Guizhou. Opening with magnolia leaf and artemisia before settling into an earthy base of oakmoss and barrenwort, this scent is profoundly alive and spiritually resonant.

Soulvent Crimson Snow

Candied hawthorn and smoky Pu’er tea conjure frost-kissed streets and reunion feasts (Photo: Baroma)

Crimson Snow won the prestigious 2025 Art & Olfaction Award for good reason. Also known as Northern, it distils Beijing winters into a nostalgic tapestry, creating a complex interplay of candied hawthorn and smoky Pu’er tea, grounded by patchouli’s earthy resolve. The fragrance captures both the bite of frost-kissed streets and the warmth of reunion feasts, proving that artisanal perfume can achieve global recognition while honouring specific moments.

Stellar Essence Elio

Bold cardamom and black pepper awaken soft peony in this floral woody composition (Photo: Baroma)

Elio captures a vibrant evening where the crispness of youth mingles with bold spices and soft florals. Opening with cardamom, rosemary, black pepper and peony, it evolves into a heart of sandalwood, freesia and orris before settling into warm amber and leather. The complex interplay reveals a story of warmth and elegance beneath a twilight sky.

Zhu Fu Aged Pu-Er Tea

Earthy Pu-erh tea and cedarwood transport wearers to tranquil forest seclusion (Photo: Baroma)

Aged Pu-Er Tea captures the meditative quality of brewing tea in complete solitude. The evocative blend of earthy Pu-erh tea, bright bergamot and grounding cedarwood creates an atmosphere of contemplative calm. It’s an artisanal perfume that bottles the essence of slowing down—a rare moment of stillness where time seems to pause amid towering trees and dappled sunlight.

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