I’m not the same person I was two years ago. I know, everyone changes in that amount of time. But I made a significant shift in my life. I went sober. And although it may sound cliché, it was the best thing I ever did for myself. Since cutting out booze, I haven't had any desire to sneak a sip. Now, I just crave the scent of alcohol in the form of a boozy fragrance.
My perfume anthology has long been comparable to a ritzy bar’s top-shelf liquor display, with many booze-forward fragrances earning a prime spot. I traded Aperol spritzes for spritzes of perfume that are blended with notes of whiskey, cognac, rum, champagne—you get the gist. Despite owning many of these alcohol-centric fragrances for years, I can’t say I really began reaching for them until I cut the cocktails out of my life for good. And at times, it can feel mind-numbing. Why do I want to smell like something that was the main source of my anxiety throughout my 20s?
Why boozy notes?
According to Sanam Hafeez, a neuropsychologist based in New York City, being drawn to boozy perfumes can be a totally normal response for anyone who has decided to cut back on drinking or ditch alcohol altogether. “When people stop drinking, their brains still seek out familiar cues tied to pleasure or comfort,” she says. “Smelling like alcohol might serve as a way to recreate the mood without the consequences. The fragrance acts like a symbolic fix, giving the brain a hint of the old high. It’s not the same, but it scratches at a similar itch.”
I haven’t consciously yearned for that floating feeling that enveloped me when I drank—in fact, I actively avoid it. But through my perfume choices, I’ve inadvertently tried to replicate the familiar buzz that alcohol gave me. “When someone gives up alcohol, their brain goes through a process of rewiring how it seeks comfort and stimulation,” explains Dr. Hafeez. “Scents tied to past experiences, especially ones like boozy fragrances, can become a way of reconnecting with a version of yourself that felt powerful, free, or socially connected. Reaching for those scents could be the brain’s way of satisfying a craving in a safer, more abstract form.”
It makes sense. A swig mist of a smooth whiskey-forward fragrance, like Ledda 20 Bourbon Brulee, soaks me in confidence. On the nights I want to go dancing without the haziness that used to guide me, a perfume laced with rum—ahem, Andrea Maack Jest—loosens me up. And when I’m feeling celebratory, I spritz on the bubbly Kayali Wedding Silk Santal instead of popping bottles.
There are a few obvious differences between sipping on a cocktail and smelling like one. With the latter, I won’t wake up with a hangover or memory loss; I’m not sent into an anxiety spiral; and, most importantly, I’m always in control. “Boozy notes are not about intoxication, they are about mood and memory,” says Romy Kowalewski, founder of the fragrance brand 27 87. She explains that notes like rum, champagne, and bourbon carry ease and confidence—the aromas can mimic the heat of a slow evening or the openness of a good conversation. “They create the frame for a story on skin.”
Rather than losing my bearings and getting hammered, these alcoholic fragrances stimulate me in a different way, because, as Kowalewski explains, scent can hold the energy of a moment. “Boozy accords create an atmosphere you can step into without losing clarity. They are about presence.”
Learning to be fully present has been a huge aspect of my sobriety journey. I don’t go out to bars or have wild marathon nights as often as I used to, but when I do, a quick whiff of a perfume with a liquor accord has an exhilarating effect that puts me on the same energetic level as my friends—without the need for shots and the inevitable cloudiness that follows. (Although, my friends do get me a shot of cranberry juice, just so I feel included.)
Is it a trend?
Considering the sober curious movement, I predict that boozy fragrances will only continue to grow in popularity. According to NCSolutions, Gen Z is leading the charge and drinking less alcohol than any other generation. Beyond saying no to a cocktail, Gen Z is also driving the perfume boom. (Coincidence? I think not.) As people increasingly choose not to imbibe, I’ve also noticed more and more fragrances made with intoxicating notes.
Maison Margiela Replica recently launched Never-Ending Summer, which features a spritz accord that is meant to transport you to the Amalfi Coast. 27 87 has even incorporated beer and absinthe notes into its perfumes. And Kilian Paris continues to expand its Liquors collection every year: Roses on Ice mimics a crisp gin & tonic, Apple Brandy calls to mind spiked cider, and Old Fashioned… well, you can imagine what aroma that one is meant to replicate.
I, for one, am here for these spirituous interpretations. And now I have a deeper appreciation for my boozy scents. Instead of pouring myself a stiff drink, a quick misting of one of my cocktail-centric perfumes is a reminder of how much I’ve grown. I’ll take an olfactory fix over a hangover any day.
