The Journal

Conversations, materials and perspectives from independent perfumery.

Stories behind the scent

House profiles, fragrance guides and cultural perspectives exploring the ideas, materials and people behind independent perfumery.

Jorum Studio Mainline: Six Different Ways to Begin

September 29, 2026

Jorum Studio’s Mainline collection has no single governing concept. That makes it creatively free—and difficult to navigate from note lists alone. We compare its six fragrances through three useful choices:... Read more...

Stora Skuggan: Between Myth and Matter

September 27, 2026

Stora Skuggan does not have one obvious olfactory signature. Its coherence lies elsewhere: in lost plants, cave minerals, unexplained phenomena and the questions they leave behind. Through Silphium, Moonmilk, Mistpouffer... Read more...

When Does Niche Perfumery Stop Being Niche?

September 25, 2026

Perhaps the answer has less to do with how many people wear a fragrance than with why that fragrance was created — and what happens when we encounter it. I... Read more...