Almond

What it is

Benzaldehyde, the molecule shared by bitter almond, cherry stones and marzipan. The natural oil is used sparingly because of what accompanies it.

What it smells like

Sweet marzipan with a bitter edge that is the whole character. Without it the note collapses into plain sweetness; with too much it starts to smell like a nail salon.

Where it sits

Which layer of the pyramid it is listed in, across every fragrance here that carries it. A base note is one you smell for hours; a top note is usually gone within the first.

What it turns up with

How much more often than the catalogue average. 1.0x would be chance, so these are the things that genuinely travel with it rather than the things that are simply common.

When it is worn

Against the average fragrance here. The line marks that average, so a bar past it means this is worn in that season or setting more than most.

Houses that use it most

Counted across the fragrances here, which reflects what we cover as much as what a house makes.

Guerlain (6), Carolina Herrera (5), Al Haramain (2), Burberry (2), Givenchy (2), Parfums De Marly (2).