Ingredient Guide
A flowering plant in the Apiaceae family, known in Japanese as seiyō-tōki (“Western angelica”). Its name derives from the Latin “Angelicus (angel),” following a legend that it had the power to ward off epidemics. In Europe, it is also called the “herb of angels” and the “root in which the Holy Spirit dwells.”
Its essential oil is obtained mainly from the roots and seeds, and it is famous for its use in the herbal liqueur “Chartreuse (in Japanese),” known as the queen of liqueurs. The essential oil is brown, and its scent is green and aromatic, spicy and musky, with a slightly bitter character.
Among natural fragrance materials, it is one of the few that contribute to musk notes, and it is also used to give synthetic musks a more natural character. It can also add a green touch to perfumes or soften citrus colognes.
What Does It Smell Like in Perfume?
Angelica root essential oil used in perfumery is a natural fragrance material with a wild character, combining green, spicy brightness, warmth reminiscent of dry roots and earth, and a gentle muskiness. Macrocyclic lactones in the root oil underpin its soft musky quality, which is unusual in plant-derived materials. The essential oils of the roots and seeds differ in composition, so the part used also changes the contours of the scent. Differences in composition between origins and batches further broaden the subtle expressions of its green and earthy facets.
How to Choose Angelica Fragrances
Juniper and pepper keep angelica’s green character crisp, while tuberose offers an option for lovers of white flowers. Angelica can be the herbal focus of a fragrance or a green accent within a floral one.
Comparing Angelica Fragrances
Angéliques sous la Pluie (Frédéric Malle)
Angelica, juniper and pink pepper create herbal greenery and cool spice, over a base of cedar and white musk.
Tuberose Angelica Cologne Intense (Jo Malone London)
Rich tuberose is accented by green angelica, with the warmth of amber. Compared with the herbal focus of Angéliques sous la Pluie, it is a choice for those more drawn to white flowers.
Find Your Next Fragrance
To explore more perfumes, open our Fragrance Finder. Choose “Favorite fragrances & notes” on the home screen, then search in the “Favorite notes” field. Select a note you like from the results and press “Next” to continue. You can start with notes even if you do not yet have a favorite perfume.
