If Misty Hills, Antique Candelabras, and Victorian Lace Had a Fragrance, It Would Be Represented by These 17 Enigmatic Perfumes.

      (Image credit: Aidan Monaghan/Everett Collection; Bluemercury; Nordstrom; Sephora; Fulton & Roark; Heretic Parfum)

      As a beauty editor who invests an astonishing amount of time tracking perfume trends, I've noticed several unofficial scent categories that have caught consumers' interest. One particularly nostalgic fragrance category that re-emerges every fall and winter features antique-inspired scents with distinctive note combinations that can summon memories of spectral figures or enigmatic places from an era marked by unique blends of notes. Curious about which fragrances to incorporate into your collection? Keep reading for the 17 finest antique-inspired (not vintage) perfumes that can evoke the past with each spritz from brands like D.S. & Durga, Frédéric Malle, Heretic Parfum, and Aesop.

      (Image credit: Aidan Monaghan/Everett Collection)The Top Antique-Inspired Scents ListedBest Woody Floral: Heretic Parfum Nosferatu Eau de MacabreBest Balsamic Wood: Aesop Miraceti Eau de ParfumBest Ozonic Marine: Fulton & Roark Ghost Trees Extrait de ParfumBest Floral Musk: D.S. & Durga Brown Flowers Eau de ParfumBest Amber Wood: L'Artisan Parfumeur Passage d'Enfer Eau de Toilette

      **Lore**

      Somewhere But Nowhere Eau de Parfum

      Scent Type: Warm woods

      Notes: American cedarwood, black tea, cardamom, vanilla cream, leather

      Lore's Somewhere But Nowhere Eau de Parfum is a spiced, creamy wood fragrance crafted by perfumer Jérôme Epinette, serving as the brand's tribute to Americana. Described by Lore as "a story of grit, lonesomeness, and grace," this scent features a radiant cedarwood core blended with fresh notes of cardamom and black tea. A subtle leather base note in the background is enhanced by a hint of vanilla cream.

      **Customer Review:** "Soft, worn leather. A lovely Ceylon black tea. The initial sharpness of cardamom and the subdued cedar in the dry down. I’m in a boutique tea shop sipping something far beyond my price range. The building is old and slightly musty, but the fragrance of leather and tea dominates any potentially off-putting scents. It possesses a sexy quality reminiscent of a tweed jacket, and it lasts forever, so use it wisely. You may have encountered this scent before, but it possesses a certain mystery and refinement."

      **Future Society**

      Haunted Rose Eau de Parfum

      Scent Type: Spicy florals

      Notes: Black pepper, saffron, rose absolute, passion fruit, ambroxan, sandalwood

      In my view, the best hauntingly beautiful fragrances always incorporate at least one note that’s subtly sheer yet perceptible, especially to trained noses. This fragrance features an opulent rose absolute heart enhanced by ambroxan, black pepper, and sandalwood for a smoldering finish. Diverging from the standard rose, this Future Society scent’s intriguing florals are inspired by South Africa’s macrostylis villosa subspecies one and two, a bloom lost to invasive species in 1960.

      **Customer Review:** "Another stunning fragrance from Future Society. I’d call it [Oud Satin Mood's] lively younger sibling. The sandalwood harmonizes beautifully with the rose, creating a creamy, almost powdery scent. The passion fruit keeps it refreshing. It’s a wonderfully balanced fragrance suitable for evening wear or any season. Longevity is exceptional, especially for the price."

      **Imaginary Authors**

      The Abandoned Mansion Eau de Parfum

      Scent Type: Woody spices

      Notes: Cedar, quince, petitgrain, pimento berry, oakmoss absolute, ambreine, paperbacks

      This luxurious woody fragrance feels as if it were lifted from the pages of an Agatha Christie novel. A single spray transports the wearer to a lavish mansion in the Adirondacks that, though lost to time, carries an air of mystery in every aged brick. Inviting initial notes of cedar, quince, and petitgrain are balanced by warm pimento berry and earthy oakmoss absolute, finished with warm, resinous ambreine and the scent of paper—reminiscent of opening an antique book.

      **Customer Review:** "This will likely be my first full-sized purchase. It starts warm and woody on me, with hints of leather and wood alongside a subtle spiciness for the first hour. I enjoy leather/wood/smoky fragrances, so it’s fantastic! After that, and for the remainder of the day, it transforms… into the scent of old books. Like pages that are browning with time and glue that has aged. It’s slightly sweet and musty, but in a good way, with enough woodiness to ground it. Not for everyone, but