1001 Perfumes: The Guide

A comprehensive guide that’s light and enjoyable to read
I know Daniel through our interactions in various perfumery groups on Facebook. He’s always been one of the very few people in these spaces who consistently contributes valuable nuggets of knowledge, enriching the groups and elevating the level of conversation. (When Daniel posts, we know something good is coming.) He expresses himself really well, able to explain any concept in an accessible and fluid language. Despite his vast knowledge in the field, he’s far from pompous or arrogant. Always elegant and polite, he praises those he admires in the perfumery world and remains silent about those he doesn’t. The same goes for perfumes; his silence on certain perfumes is his critique. I’m saying all this because, naturally, the book reflects its author. This book is also full of knowledge nuggets, presented in a fluid and easy-to-read language. It covers the most common concepts and topics in the perfumery world, divided into chapters that are short, to the point, and never boring. The author’s knowledge is much greater, but the idea here is to give a general notion without going too deep; otherwise, the book would turn into an encyclopedia. Because of this approach, we can cover many topics without getting tired, and those interested in learning more will find enough information to guide further research. I’d say the book is comprehensive and accessible enough to be perfect for beginners and curious newcomers to the world of perfumery, and it’s also interesting for perfume aficionados who will surely learn a thing or two (or fifty). The second part of the book consists of perfume reviews. Let’s be honest: reviewing perfumes is very personal, very subjective, and generally complicated. When I informally review one, it’s a circus: I mix my interpretation of the scent with my personal opinion, I quote something I’ve read on some site, I talk about my olfactory memories, and what the perfume evokes for me (and the imaginative stories that come out of this, you wouldn’t believe…). This is all great, but it wouldn’t necessarily fit in a book, especially not in a guide, which calls for more impartiality. The format the author adopted for his reviews is, in my opinion, intelligent, concise, and works really well: in a short paragraph, he tells a bit about the perfume’s history and describes its composition. That’s it. Sometimes he ends with a brief opinion, like “Unique, powerful, and full of personality,” or “Seductive to the max.” When he describes the composition, you can tell he truly knows each perfume well, he’s not just reciting the olfactory pyramid; he does it in a way that you can almost imagine the scent. (That’s where the danger lies, as it makes you itch to try many of them…) Highly recommended!

Perfect book for everyone who thinks about becoming a fragrance-lover, or already is.
Perfect book for beginners to gain a deeper insight and let their passion grow. Every individual who loves fragrances or think they will, needs to read this wonderful guide.

Missing some obvious “classics” and modern stars
This is a fine gift for someone who is an aficionado of perfumes. You can gift this without the slightest hesitation and it’s extremely unlikely they’ll have anything like this. Can recommend as a gift.For yourself, maybe stick with online bookmarks and links? No book can be complete, I get that, and so should you… but the fact that it omits some classics while including very niche and boring “why do I care” offerings just makes the holes more glaring. If I was getting something for myself, I’d either want a comprehensive glossary of all the classics, or I’d want an exploratory sampling of niche ingredients, applications, and variants. Perhaps a guide to rare and collectible perfumes? Something like that, but this is kinda middle of the road and not serving either need.So maybe get it for yourself to flip through and see that I’m right… and then gift it? Hahaha.

Well written book with lots of details and curiosities. Very well structured, suitable for those who already know something about perfumery or for those who want a text that reorganizes their ideas and can be used as a complete guide to refresh them. A good compass to avoid getting lost in the often too agitated and indistinct ocean of perfumery.

1001 Perfumes is a genuine, authentic and well-thought out book about perfumes. Whether you’re a novice starting out or a long-term veteran of this expensive hobby, you’ll be met here with a lovely guide. The book is divided in two big categories each featuring their own sub chapters. First part is all about perfumes in the theoritical sense. The author talks about basic concepts about fragrances, perfume families, renowned noses and the current perfume market. It allowed me to expand on my (admittedly small) knowledge of this art. The writing is easy to understand for everyone and anyone. Second part is about perfume reviews. I enjoyed thumbing through the many fragrances, may they be designer / mainstream or more niche / indie. Daniel Barros goes over a large range of fragrances and even talks about more recent ones like Tobacco Honey by Guerlain. I enjoyed the fact that the author divided his work between feminine, masculine and unisex fragrances. Yes, gendered perfumes are a marketing ploy (and he does talk about it in his book), but it also allowed me to go straight to certain fragrances, knowing they’re perceived for that gender in the public’s eyes. His reviews are more on the objective side, stating how the notes interact between one another, but they also allowed me to pick up on certain words and phrasing. This will allow me to better my own fragrance reviews.My only two gripes with this book is the fact that Daniel Barros has greatly emphasized Fragrantica, a website that has been recently quite outspoken about its alt right views about recent events (although Fragrantica is supposed to be about fragrances and not politics). I wish he had spoken about Parfumo, a website I’m currently using which I find great (and better). I do understand though that Fragrantica currently holds the largest user base for reviews about fragrances which is probably why he chose to spoke about this website. The book is also more on the flimsy side. A part of the cover folded in my bag while I was traveling with it and I was never able to set it right. It now has a disgracious crease at the back (thankfully it’s at the back of the book). I wasm’t given the option for the hardcover which is what I would’ve picked. Apart from that, it’s a book a really do recommend to everyone who has an interest in perfume. It’s modern and a nice addition to any bookcases!