Caramel
burnt sugar, sticky and rich
In 64 of 1747 fragrances here, most often worn in winter
What it is
Built from ethyl maltol and furanones rather than from cooked sugar, which cannot be captured directly.
What it smells like
Burnt sugar, sticky and rich, with a bitterness underneath if it is done properly. Without that bitter edge it flattens into plain sweetness, which is the most common failure in inexpensive gourmands.
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.
Prada (6), Xerjoff (6), Kilian (5), Lattafa (5), Mugler (4), Armaf (3).
The description above is written here. The counts, pairings and seasons are measured across every fragrance on this site that lists it. We have not smelled every bottle behind those numbers.
Fragrances with caramel
The best known of them, each with its full note pyramid and its cheaper alternatives.
Lattafa
Lattafa Raghba Wood Intense
Availability may vary
