The 7 Fragrance Families in Perfumery: The Official Classification

Perfumery is not chaos—it is structure hidden beneath artistry. Behind every fragrance lies a compositional logic that allows professionals to classify, compare, and understand scent beyond personal taste.

To bring order to this complexity, the French Society of Perfumers (SFP) established an official classification system that organizes fragrances into seven major olfactory families, each further divided into subfamilies that reflect distinct stylistic and compositional nuances.

Rather than ranking perfumes by quality or popularity, this framework provides a common technical language for describing fragrance compositions. It is widely used throughout the perfume industry by perfumers, fragrance houses, evaluators, and educators to analyze women's, men's, and gender-neutral fragrances with greater consistency and precision.

Although modern creations often blend characteristics from several families, the SFP classification remains one of the industry's most respected references for understanding how perfumes are constructed.

• A. Citrus Family
• B. Floral Family
• C. Fougere Family
• D. Chypre Family
• E. Woody Family
• F. Amber-Oriental Family
• G. Leather Family

A. Citrus Family

The Citrus family—known in French as Hespéridée—includes fragrances built around the essential oils obtained by cold pressing the peels of citrus fruits such as bergamot, lemon, orange, mandarin, and grapefruit, often combined with materials derived from the orange tree.

It is the family from which the historic Eau de Cologne originated, and it continues to represent some of perfumery's freshest, brightest, and most versatile compositions for both women and men.

A1. Citrus

The pure expression of the citrus accord, built around the freshness and brightness of citrus essential oils.

A2. Spicy Citrus

The citrus accord is enriched with spicy notes such as clove, black pepper, nutmeg, or cinnamon, introducing warmth and complexity without diminishing its freshness.

A3. Aromatic Citrus

The citrus structure is complemented by aromatic herbs such as thyme, marjoram, rosemary, and mint, creating a fresher, greener, and more herbaceous profile.

A4. Floral Chypre Citrus

A modern evolution of the traditional Eau de Cologne. The citrus accord remains prominent while fresh supporting notes lead into a floral heart—typically dominated by jasmine—before developing into a woody, mossy drydown characteristic of the chypre style.

A5. Woody Citrus

The citrus accord remains present but becomes less dominant. Floral notes are subtle, while the woody base takes on greater importance, sometimes accompanied by soft powdery nuances.

A6. Floral Woody Citrus

A citrus accord enhanced by delicate floral notes and supported by a variety of woody facets, creating a balanced composition in which freshness and warmth coexist naturally.

A7. Musky Citrus

The citrus structure is paired from the outset with a pronounced musky character, accompanied by floral and woody nuances. In this context, the musk accord refers to modern synthetic musks rather than the historical animal-derived Tonkin musk.

B. Floral Family

The Floral family encompasses fragrances whose central theme is either a single flower or a floral bouquet. Rose, jasmine, lily of the valley, violet, tuberose, narcissus, and countless other flowers form the foundation of this broad and diverse family, which has remained at the heart of modern perfumery since its earliest developments.

B1. Soliflore

A fragrance built around a single floral note. Considered the starting point of modern perfumery, it seeks to recreate and stylize the scent of an individual flower such as rose, jasmine, violet, lilac, or lily of the valley.

B2. Floral Musky

A floral accord in which the musky character is perceptible from the very beginning. Fruity, woody, or aldehydic nuances may also be present.

B3. Floral Bouquet

Inspired by nature, this subfamily combines several floral notes into a harmonious bouquet. The compositions become more complex as the number and diversity of raw materials increase.

B4. Floral Aldehydic

A floral bouquet enhanced by aldehydes in the opening, often accompanied by citrus or floral notes. The composition is frequently extended with soft animalic, powdery, and lightly woody facets.

B5. Floral Green

Fresh, predominantly green notes are added to a floral bouquet, giving it a sharper and more incisive freshness. Galbanum is the defining material of this subfamily, together with ingredients that evoke the scent of freshly cut grass.

B6. Floral Woody Fruity

A floral bouquet supported by an underlying woody accord, enriched with fruity notes such as peach, apple, plum, or apricot.

B7. Floral Woody

The floral note remains dominant—whether violet, jasmine, rose, lily of the valley, or another flower—while the composition develops over a woody base, often complemented by powdery and vanilla-like nuances. The opening may feature citrus or herbaceous notes.

B8. Floral Marine

A classical floral bouquet accompanied throughout its evolution by marine accords that evoke the freshness of the ocean.

B9. Floral Fruity

Since the mid-1990s, new fruity notes have become increasingly prominent in perfumery. While the floral heart remains clearly identifiable, fruits such as apricot, raspberry, melon, lychee, pear, and apple play a leading role in the composition.

C. Fougere Family

The name Fougere is purely symbolic and does not refer to the scent of actual ferns. Instead, it describes a classic perfumery accord traditionally composed of lavender, woody notes, oakmoss, coumarin, bergamot, and often geranium. Originally associated with masculine fragrances, it has become one of the most influential and enduring fragrance families in modern perfumery.

C1. Fougere

The classic expression of the fougere accord in its purest and most recognizable form.

C2. Floral Amber Fougere

A fougere accord enriched by a floral note and supported by a warm amber-labdanum base.

C3. Soft Amber Fougere

A classical fougere composition resting on a soft amber base whose warmth and smoothness are enhanced by vanilla notes.

C4. Spicy Fougere

A traditional fougere structure distinguished by the addition of pronounced spicy notes such as clove or pepper, while subtle floral nuances remain present.

C5. Aromatic Fougere

A fougere closely associated with citrus, herbaceous, and aromatic notes such as thyme, artemisia, coriander, and rosemary, sometimes complemented by light spicy facets.

C6. Fruity Fougere

A classical fougere base enriched with the fruity notes characteristic of the Floral Fruity subfamily.

D. Chypre Family

The Chypre family takes its name from the legendary fragrance launched by François Coty in 1917. Its success established the foundation of a family built around the characteristic harmony of bergamot, oakmoss, labdanum, and patchouli. Renowned for its elegance, depth, and sophistication, the chypre accord remains one of perfumery's most iconic structures.

D1. Chypre

The classic expression of the chypre accord in its purest form.

D2. Fruity Chypre

The traditional chypre harmony is enriched with fruity notes such as peach, plum, or exotic fruits, creating a fuller and more rounded composition.

D3. Floral Aldehydic Chypre

The Floral Aldehydic structure is adapted to a floral chypre composition, combining the brilliance of aldehydes with the richness of the chypre accord.

D4. Leather Chypre

Leather, smoky, charred wood, and animalic notes are incorporated into the chypre structure, sometimes softened by a fresh citrus opening.

D5. Aromatic Chypre

A chypre composition distinguished by dominant aromatic notes such as thyme, artemisia, juniper, and coriander, often accompanied by floral nuances.

D6. Green Chypre

A composition built around the contrast between a fresh green opening—evoking freshly cut grass or crushed leaves—and the warm, rich character of the chypre base.

D7. Floral Chypre

The classic chypre structure enhanced with floral notes such as lily of the valley, rose, and jasmine.

E. Woody Family

The Woody family is built around warm, rich woods such as sandalwood and patchouli, or drier woods like cedar and vetiver. Traditionally associated with masculine perfumery, woody fragrances are now widely found in women's and unisex compositions as well. Their openings are often characterized by lavender and citrus notes that lead naturally into the woody heart and base.

E1. Woody

The pure expression of the woody accord.

E2. Woody Citrus Coniferous

A woody composition in which coniferous notes, particularly pine, play a central role, complemented by a fresh citrus opening.

E3. Woody Spicy

A soft woody accord enriched with prominent spicy notes such as pepper, nutmeg, clove, or cinnamon.

E4. Woody Amber

A rich woody base supported by warm notes such as vanilla, coumarin, labdanum, patchouli, and sandalwood.

E5. Woody Aromatic

Woody harmonies dominate the composition, often accompanied by lavender or green facets and an aromatic opening featuring thyme, artemisia, myrtle, rosemary, or sage.

E6. Woody Spicy Leather

The Woody Spicy accord is reinforced by leathery and animalic notes, including birch tar and castoreum.

E7. Woody Marine

A Woody Aromatic structure combined with marine notes, creating a fresh interpretation that enhances the aromatic character of thyme and artemisia.

E8. Woody Fruity

A woody accord enriched with modern fruity notes, creating a natural contrast between dry woods and juicy fruit nuances.

E9. Woody Musky

A woody accord closely blended with a musky accord, often complemented by spicy, fruity, aromatic, or amber facets.

F. Amber-Oriental Family

The Amber-Oriental family—often referred to simply as Amber or traditionally as Oriental—brings together fragrances distinguished by their soft, powdery, vanilla-like, and richly warm character. Labdanum, vanilla, animalic facets, and balsamic materials play a central role in these compositions. Within the SFP classification, six subfamilies represent different expressions of the amber accord.

F1. Soft Amber

The classic expression of the amber family. These fragrances are recognized for their warmth, softness, and particularly pronounced trail.

F2. Floral Spicy Amber

An amber accord enriched with a clearly perceptible spicy character, while floral notes—such as carnation—make a distinctive contribution to the composition.

F3. Citrus Amber

An amber composition featuring a pronounced citrus opening. Although floral nuances may also be present, the fresh citrus top notes provide a distinctive contrast to the warm amber base.

F4. Floral Woody Amber

An amber accord in which the woody character plays a defining role, while the opening is softened by floral nuances.

F5. Floriental

A more nuanced interpretation of the amber accord within a rich olfactory harmony. Floral, fresh, and spicy notes blend seamlessly into a balanced and cohesive composition.

F6. Floral Fruity Amber

A clearly defined amber structure enriched by a diverse floral accord and fruity notes such as apple, pear, apricot, raspberry, strawberry, and plum.

G. Leather Family

The Leather family occupies a distinctive place in perfumery, built around accords that recreate the characteristic scent of leather through dry, smoky, woody, and sometimes animalic notes. Rather than reproducing leather literally, these fragrances evoke its character using materials such as birch tar, tobacco, and smoky woods, often softened by floral nuances in the opening.

G1. Leather

The pure expression of the leather accord, emphasizing its dry, smoky, and distinctive character.

G2. Floral Leather

A smoother, more refined interpretation of the leather accord, enhanced by floral notes such as violet, iris, and other delicate blossoms.

G3. Tobacco Leather

The leather accord is softened by woody, honeyed, and hay-like harmonies that evoke the character of blond tobacco.