Orchid

What it is

Almost no orchid produces a usable scent, vanilla being the exception. So an orchid note is entirely a perfumer's invention with no reference to check it against.

What it smells like

Soft and lightly creamy, usually built from florals and lactones. Since there is nothing to be faithful to, it functions mainly as a name on a box, and two fragrances listing it may share nothing at all.

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.

Viktor&Rolf (12), Calvin Klein (7), Al Haramain (3), Givenchy (3), Viktor & Rolf (3), Ajmal (2).