What Do Juniper, Blue Cypress, Clary Sage and Oakmoss Smell Like?

Some notes get whole fragrances named after them — oud, sandalwood, amber. Others do just as much work without ever getting the credit. In Broken Cricket Bat, four notes fall into that second category: juniper berry, blue cypress, clary sage and oakmoss. Here's what each one actually smells like, and what it's doing in the composition.

Juniper berry: crisp and resinous

Juniper berry smells sharp, resinous and slightly piney, with a clean, outdoors quality. It's the note behind gin's characteristic aroma, and in perfumery it adds a cold, bracing freshness to an opening without the sweetness of citrus. In Broken Cricket Bat it's a supporting note, adding a crisp edge to the pink pepper and cardamom opening.

Blue cypress: smoky and distinctly woody

Blue cypress smells woody, faintly smoky and resinous, with a cooler, more austere character than warmer woods like sandalwood or cedarwood. In Broken Cricket Bat it's a supporting note, adding a cooler, resinous edge to the cedarwood heart.

Clary sage: herbal and slightly earthy

Clary sage smells herbal, slightly earthy and faintly tea-like, with none of the sharpness of culinary sage. In Broken Cricket Bat it plays a supporting role, adding a green, aromatic quality that keeps the woods from feeling too heavy.

Oakmoss: earthy and mossy

Oakmoss smells earthy, mossy and faintly leathery, closer to a forest floor than anything sweet or floral. It's a classic base note in perfumery, known for adding depth and a naturalistic, grounded quality. In Broken Cricket Bat, oakmoss supports the sandalwood and oud base, adding an earthy richness beneath the woodier, smokier notes.

How these four notes work together

None of these four notes is built to be noticed on its own. Juniper berry sharpens, blue cypress and clary sage add resinous, herbal texture, and oakmoss adds earthiness. Together with patchouli, they're the quiet support underneath the pink pepper, cardamom, cedarwood, sandalwood and oud that lead the composition.

FAQ

Is juniper berry the same as gin?
Juniper berry is the plant material that gives gin its characteristic aroma, though in perfumery it's used as a fragrance note rather than distilled the way it is in spirits.

Is blue cypress the same as regular cypress?
Blue cypress comes from a different tree (native to Australia) and has a smokier, more resinous character than common Mediterranean cypress.

Is oakmoss a top, heart or base note?
Base note — it's long-lasting and grounding, which is why it's often one of the last things you notice in a fragrance's dry-down.

Signature Smithen is an independent British fragrance house. Juniper berry, blue cypress, clary sage and oakmoss all appear in Broken Cricket Bat — try a €7.95 sample to experience the full composition.