Some time ago I realized that I didn’t like cardamom in perfume. It was the ingredient that ruined several spicy fragrances for me, and I thought that was that. However, it’s surprised me a few times now by turning up in the listed notes of perfumes I like:

• Hongkong Oolong (although it’s apparent in the opening and leaves an incense-like trace in the drydown), a milky tea comfort scent;
• Rouge Bunny Rouge Incantation, a relaxed, fig tea composition; and
• Ormonde Jayne Montabaco, a tobacco suede wonderment (which, incidentally, also lists a tea note that I didn’t pick out, but makes sense in retrosniff)

It is interesting that each of these have tea in common, but I must state the obvious that none of them smell anything like chai. Perhaps cardamom works for me as a secret ingredient as long as it stays discreet, under my nose’s radar.