Fresh · Natural material · Top notes, Heart notes
Cardamom
Cardamom is the spicy scent of cardamom seeds, mainly green cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum), known in Indonesia as kapulaga. It smells cool and fresh at first, a little like eucalyptus, then warm with soft hints of citrus and flowers. In perfume, cardamom usually sits in the top and heart notes and counts as a fresh spice.
· Written by the FRAG team
What does cardamom smell like?
Cardamom smells cool and fresh at first, a little like eucalyptus or cajeput oil. A few seconds later a dry warmth comes through, lighter than cinnamon and less sweet than nutmeg. There are soft hints of citrus and flowers too.
Cardamom feels light compared with other warm spices, so it rarely makes a perfume heavy. On skin, cardamom slowly turns soft and warm, especially when paired with woods or amber.
Where does cardamom come from?
Green cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) is native from India to Malaysia and belongs to the ginger family. Its oil is steam-distilled from the dried seeds. Guatemala, India and Sri Lanka are important sources of cardamom oil for perfume.
Indonesia is also one of the three largest cardamom producers. FAO data for 2022 put India, Indonesia and Guatemala at 85 percent of world output. Besides green cardamom, Indonesia has its own round Java cardamom (Wurfbainia compacta), whose oil is richer in the eucalyptus-like compound.
Cardamom in a perfume
Cardamom usually sits in the top and heart notes. It works as a bridge between citrus in the opening and woods or amber in the base. Because it is fresh and not very sweet, cardamom gives a clean spicy feel.
Common partners are bergamot, ginger and black pepper, then rose, coffee and oud. In the Middle East, cardamom has long been mixed into coffee, and the coffee and cardamom pairing appears in many perfumes too.
When to wear cardamom
Cardamom with citrus feels cool and fresh, so it is comfortable on a hot day. When cardamom meets coffee, oud or amber, it turns warmer and suits evenings or air-conditioned rooms. Cardamom also suits people who like spice but not perfumes that feel too sweet or heavy.
