Dries Van Noten Perfume Set 4: Woody, Leather, Chypre Fragrances

Click each fragrance image to view a larger version to discover notes, year of release, concentration, and the perfumer behind the fragrance.

Bitter Splash: The Citrus, Leather Chypre 

Bitter Splash is the citrus, leather chypre – and the only chypre in this set. It was created by Suzy Le Helley, who also developed Goldfield & Banks Acne Studios and Kenzo Nuage Cerisier. The opening is sharp and bitter: a realistic grapefruit that some reviewers compare to rhubarb or pomelo. Cypress sits alongside the grapefruit, adding a green, slightly scratchy freshness. The earthy heart – carrot seeds, orris, and geranium – grounds the sharp opening, before the fragrance dries down into a smooth, woody base of leather, vetiver, and cedarwood. The grapefruit lasts almost the whole way through, threading the bright citrus through the softer drydown.

This is one for people who don’t like sweet fragrances. The citrus and leather pairing is unusual, the orris keeps things grounded, and the longevity is excellent (over seven hours) for what reads as a fresh, summery scent.

What reviewers are saying:

• “Very sharp and straightforward with a gin & tonic vibe: you either like it or you don’t.”
• “It reminds me of a lighter, greener Infusion de Rhubarbe by Prada: the same tart freshness but more soft and herbal”
• “The grapefruit note is like a punch in the face initially; the leather accord is closer to the newer accords like Ganymede but much milder”

Shop now: Bitter Splash

Alternative to try: Prada – Infusion de Rhubarbe: another tart citrus opening, but lighter and softer – musk and aldehydes in the base instead of leather, giving it a more delicate finish overall

Rock the Myrrh: The Smoky, Myrrh Leather

Every time I see the name of this perfume I just start singing Rock the Beat in my head – and now that I’ve passed on the earworm, we can get into Rock the Myrrh, the leather fragrance of the Dries Van Noten perfume collection. It was one of my favourites when sampling the line in-store, and it’s been on my wishlist ever since. Rock the Myrrh was created by Amelie Jacquin, who has also given us the similarly polarising 403 Myrrh Shadow for Bon Parfumeur and Island Lush for Goldfield & Banks.

The myrrh is the anchor throughout this fragrance: rich, slightly boozy, and with a sweet, almost toffee-like quality from the benzoin underneath. The suede comes in gently, soft and slightly smoky. This is a love-it-or-hate-it fragrance, with many finding it too sweet or cloying – though personally I didn’t find it too heavy, but then again I do own Tobacco Vanille and Red Tobacco, so…

Rock the Myrrh is one that’s worth sampling before committing to a full bottle. Sillage is strong and longevity excellent, which only adds to the divide: if you love it, it lasts; if you don’t, it really lasts.

What reviewers are saying:

• “If I were a prehistoric wasp, I’d get ensnared in this amber”
• “A masculine scent with strong myrrh and benzoin; smoky but like burnt rubber”
• “Great scent but way too potent”

Shop now: Rock the Myrrh or get a sample: Woody Nomadic Set • House Classics Set

Alternative to try: Amouage – Interlude Black Iris: shares the myrrh, patchouli, and leather; swaps the benzoin sweetness for a drier, smokier finish via vanilla and agarwood – a good option if Rock the Myrrh sounds too sweet

Santal Greenery: The Opposites-Attract Woody

Santal Greenery, another of my favourites – and on my wish list – was created by Nisrine Grillie, who calls the fragrance a “union of two opposites.” She has also developed the similarly woody fragrances Maison Margiela Delight in Despair and Moncler Pour Femme. A quick note on violet leaf: this note is very different from violet flower. While violet flower is powdery and sweet, violet leaf is fresh and ozonic, a bit like cucumber skin, with a slight metallic tinge. Violet leaf is a great pairing with fig because both share a green, slightly creamy quality. The white musk in the base has a sweet and powdery character – almost as though it’s filling in for the violet flower that was left out.

The opening is effervescent and bright from the grapefruit, with a fruity tartness from the bergamot. This moves into the creamy yet slightly ozonic and metallic heart, before settling into a velvety drydown – comforting and warm sandalwood. The fig adds to the creaminess without going fruity.

What reviewers are saying:

• “Smooth and creamy sandalwood with citrus in the background”
• “Like a garden in summer after rain”
• “Smells like a luxurious spa day at a 5-star hotel somewhere in paradise”

Shop now: Santal Greenery

Alternative to try: Goldfield & Banks – Mystic Bliss: also pairs fig with fresh, green notes (mint and cassis rather than bergamot and grapefruit), with cedar, orris, and incense instead of white musk and sandalwood

Voodoo Chile: The Rosemary, Cannabis Woody

And finally, Voodoo Chile – the one that I ended up buying. This has now replaced Chanel Allure Sensuelle as both my go-to “decision paralysis” fragrance, and the one I can count on for compliments every single time I wear it.

Voodoo Chile was created by Nicolas Beaulieu, who also developed Courrèges L’Eau de Liesse and Giorgio Armani Sable Nuit. It opens with cannabis accord and rosemary: the rosemary is what I get in the sillage – beautiful, herbal, drifting off the body – while up close there’s a slightly funky, dirty tinge from the cannabis. This isn’t the dank, animalic cannabis some fragrances go for; it reads more like resin than smoke. The heart brings in balsamic freshness from the lentisque and an earthy undertone from the patchouli as the fragrance transitions into a warm, rich drydown of dry cedarwood and velvety sandalwood, the rosemary from the opening ever-present. The opening is powerful (too powerful for some), but the journey is worth it.

What reviewers are saying:

• “This is the one that deserved the Cannabis Patchouli title”
• “Wet hot cannabis rosemary patchouli and unburnt incense, somehow both filthy and clean”
• “A fantastic take on cannabis, doesn’t smell danky and animalic like most cannabis based fragrances tend to”

Shop now: Voodoo Chile

Alternative to try: Bois 1920 – Cannabis Fruttata: shares rosemary, cannabis, patchouli, and cedar, with lily-of-the-valley instead of lentisque, and oregano as an additional herbal note

Dries Van Noten Perfume Set 4: Woody, Leather, Chypre Fragrances

This last set is where the Dries Van Noten perfume collection gets the most distinctive… and divisive. The woody, leather, and chypre fragrances are the boldest in the collection, but also the ones with the most personality. Bitter Splash is the sharpest entry point if you love bitter citrus; Santal Greenery is the more gentle option, leaning fresh and creamy. Rock the Myrrh is the polarising sweet, resinous leather, and Voodoo Chile is the rosemary-and-cannabis combination that is a guaranteed compliment magnet (for me, at least).

That wraps up the complete Dries Van Noten perfume series. If you’ve made it through all four sets, thanks! If you need to catch up on the others, jump back to: Set 1 (Floral), Set 2 (Amber), or Set 3 (Aromatic).

Note: Posts about the Dries Van Noten perfume collection were originally written in May 2023; the collection launched in 2022 with twelve fragrances – ten Eaux de Parfum and two Eaux de Toilette. More fragrances were added in 2024 and 2025; the posts have been updated to reflect those additions, with new articles being added.

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