BARUTI: A niche fragrance brand you need to know about
Elizabeth Algar|10th January 2025
Image description: The image evokes a sense of luxury and sophistication, highlighting the delicate details of the fragrance Chai by BARUTI.
I came across Baruti fragrances while scrolling through Instagram. I was immediately drawn to the brand because of the word "perverso" brazenly sprawled across one of the perfume bottles. That particular Instagram post was for Halloween, so it also had animated bats magically coming out of it, which may have added to the initial attraction. I digress…
I immediately reached out to the owner of Baruti to find out about the brand and, of course, their ethical practices. I was curious to see if we could add the brand to our directory, purely based on the unusual fragrance names. To my surprise, Baruti fragrances reuse ex-industry ingredients when creating their own fragrances! I was incredibly lucky to chat with the brand owner, Spyros, who was kind enough to send me a sample set.
Before we take a look at the fragrances, I wanted to quickly shout out my family who, against their will, were requested to comment on every single fragrance I wore. I was so excited, I tried each fragrance on in about a span of one week. By Friday, I think my mum was totally done with the whole thing. But enough about that, here are my favourite picks!
Inspired by the warm and comforting essence of the popular South Asian drink, Masala chai.
Look, I know Christmas is over, but if you want to capture the magic of Christmas in dreary January then this fragrance is the perfect little pick me up. And if you live in a cold country like me, then the weather is just as cold as it was in December, so this fragrance is still a shout.
This scent is like a burst of Chi Coffee Syrup (no coffee flavour) blended with a touch of vanilla and musk. A subtle hint of leather adds to its charm, making it a fantastic unisex fragrance.
NOTES:
Cinnamon, Cloves, Ginger, Cardamom, Pepper, Black Tea, Steamed Milk, Cocoa, Roses, Vanilla, Musk, Leather.
Image description: Brand.
Perverso Eau de Parfum
Inspired by authentic, raw desire.
Perverso is the most controversial fragrance of the bunch, and that's not just because of its provocative name. The scent features a prominent dry down of the rare ingredient Ambergris, combined with musk and styrax, creating an almost oily, petrol-like aroma. But hold on! Stay with me now.
At first sniff, you’re greeted with a deliciously rich nutty chocolate truffle scent. It may sound perplexing, but this fragrance truly delivers a winter wonderland of aromas that actually work really well together.
It’s a really intriguing fragrance. I could spend all day discussing it, and I am sure you can see why it creates so much buzz on social media.
NOTES:
Rum, Roasted nut, Cocoa powder, Caramel fudge, Fig, Tobacco leaf, Styrax, Musk, Ambergris.
Image description: brand.
Inspired by pure OUD!
Spyros kindly explained to me that the process of making NOOUD was rather complex. There are many oud premixes available, although it is often difficult to know exactly what is in them. Spyros wanted a fragrance that he could adjust himself ultimately creating his version of the perfect oud.
NOOUD is like oud on steroids (seriously, how did they pull that off?). Although it's synthetic, it carries a unique peppery note. It's incredibly potent but transitions beautifully into a warm, lasting embrace, making it suitable for everyone. Its single-note profile also makes it an excellent choice for layering with other scents. It's remarkably versatile and quite clever, to be honest.
NOTES:
Dry Oud.
Image description: brand.
Indigo Eau de Parfum
Inspired by beautiful blue skies on crisp summer days.
This perfectly blended fragrance is light and airy. Floral notes of rose make it an ideal choice on a hot summer's day.
It features a unique in-house blended sharp oud (NOOD) that adds a crisp, rounded sensation, beautifully complemented by the richness of frankincense and amber. The scent truly captures the essence of what you might envision the color indigo to smell like.
NOTES:
Mastic oil (Chios), Hyacinth, Rose, Frankincense, Atlas Cedarwood, Sandalwood, NOOUD, Amber.
Image description: brand.
Onder De Linde Eau de Parfum
Inspired by a summer's day spent in the Dutch countryside.
Another beautiful summer fragrance, similar to Indigo, but featuring a delightful blend of lilac and linden blossom. The interesting thing about these notes is that there are no natural extracts of these flowers available, like you would have with rose or jasmine, for example. Spyros told me that he had to reconstruct them using aroma molecules in order to create a realistic scent of something that cannot be extracted from nature.
NOTES:
Pear, Lilac, Linden blossom, Honey, Orris root, Vanilla, Vetiver, Sandalwood, Musk.
Image description: brand.
Voyance Eau de Parfum
Inspired by the paradox of masculinity and femininity.
A potent earthy fragrance where two scents meet; the masculine guaiac wood and the beautifully feminine tuberose. The name Voyance captures this true enigma. Perfect to wear in the summer, leaning slightly masculine, but suitable for everyone.
NOTES:
Tuberose, Guaiac wood, Vetiver, Sandalwood and Musk.
Image description: brand.
Inspired by the Queen of Hearts.
This is a bold fragrance with strong notes of Fir Balsam Absolute, which gives it a balsamic, pine- like scent. It uses Orris butter, which is a special ingredient in perfumery and has a woody profile. It is derived from the roots of the bearded iris, the same irises that were famously painted by Van Gogh. Although this fragrance is unisex, I would actually say that it leans slightly masculine overall. A gorgeously fierce woody fragrance nonetheless.
NOTES:
Macaroons, Iris, Osmanthus, Musk, Amber, White woods, Beeswax, Fir Balsam Absolute.
Image description: brand.
Hot Cotton Eau de Parfum
Inspired by the warm scent that fills the air from freshly pressed laundry.
The scent of Hot cotton is unlike anything I have encountered before, it is incredibly unique. Aldambre takes center stage, imparting a warm metallic essence that feels almost electric. And of course, it has some musk to finish it off, which actually gives it (in my opinion) a very mild fruity, floral touch. I do think anyone could wear this, a truly unisex fragrance, but I think the fragrance would really shine through the summer.
Hot Cotton is incredibly distinctive, and I've never experienced a fragrance quite like it. Strangely enough, that warm note make it comforting, and I've found myself reaching for it more often than expected.
NOTES:
Hot iron accord, Musk.
Image description: brand.