Leather is a popular animalic note in fragrances. It can be reminiscent of suede, new-car leather, a leather saddle or a smokier “russian leather” (a classic perfumery accord). Leather is usually a mid-base note and commonly found in fougères. Leather is not available on the general perfumery market as an extract. It’s also very difficult to reconstruct as a base due to its complex chemical composition.
Luckily, world class perfumers at IFF have created the popular Suederal LT base, designed to recreate the smell of leather convincingly, and is our recommended drop-in solution to introduce a leather note into your fragrance. It leans towards new car seat leather. For the traditional “russian leather” (cuir de russie) direction, isobutyl quinoline is the traditional molecule used in the historic bases. It’s dark and petrolic and very strong so easily overwhelms a blend. For a still dark but cleaner direction, dimethyl hydroquinone can steer leather into an anisic-plastic register. Leather effects are especially useful as a complement to woods, tobacco, amber and resin themes, and it can add contrast to florals when you want the arrangement to feel heavier and less pretty.
