Best Above Us by Aesop Alternatives & Similar Perfumes

This extrait is named for the archipelagic country in the South Pacific Ocean, source of the sandalwood in the base. Vanuatu is a lively, confident blend of spices (black pepper, cardamom, cumin) dappled across characterful woody materials (sandalwood, patchouli, cedar and papyrus). Putting meat on the bones is fig milk, with violet leaves adding sharp sparkle. A fragrance for unexpected adventures.

Kamel was the friend who entrusted Sora Dora founder Antoine with the secrets of the oriental olfactory universe, embodied in this namesake perfume. Built around the clean woodiness of Laotian oud, this extrait contrasts the dirty spice of cumin with sweet raspberry and syrupy rose. Smoky and spicy, Kamel Oud will enhance your next 1001 days and 1001 nights.

Santal takes its inspiration from a Sandalwood fragrance originally created in the 1800s which has then been given a distinctive contemporary edge.

Rien ('nothing' in French) is a beautiful animalic chypre, with an aldehydic (rather than classic citrus) opening and seriously naughty leathery vibes provided by the cumin and labdanum duo.  Also check this perfume out if you like frankincense in bold oriental interpretation. 

The Orange Extraordinaire collection.

An homage to the role of spices in Western perfumery, history and culture. Naturally it’s a majestic aromatic flow of cinnamon and ginger, with numerous sparks of pepper and a rich incense background.

“Hey Bitch! You smell fucking good.” In Perfume World, that’s what we call a result. Hey Bitch! raises eyebrows with its dissonance between buttery, blowsy orange blossom and tough, bitter leather. Tangy rhubarb at the top snaps its fingers in your face, before dissolving into a blur of suedey iris and milky sandalwood. The dance between bitter and sweet keeps you on your toes throughout, conjuring hints of…what? Photocopier ink? Coffee? For sure it conjures ambered black leather, Bitch!

Named after a very old native red grape variety from the French Jura, this sophisticated gourmand iris is built on an exceptionally high concentration of Bavarian iris germanica. This iris glows with woody and fruity-floral notes — and hints of cocoa and coffee. The effect is enhanced with essential oils of cedar wood, green mandarin and cinnamon absolute, resulting in a luxury treat that feels indulgent and  comforting at the same time.

Perfumer: Antoinie Lie

The green, relaxing scents of the Tuscan countryside blend with the liveliness of exotic spices. Cypress and Cinnamon, Bay and Pepper, Tomato and Cardamom leaves all dance together to create a rich, fresh, unique fragrance.

White is a bright and lively fragrance built around the friction between hot spices and suave florals. The cinnamon, clove and cardamom opening suggests candied red hots, which makes it all the more surprising when the melange of rose de Mai and lily of the valley softly asserts itself. The undertone of tagete, with its bitter herbalness, keeps White from getting too “pretty-pretty”.

From the heart of the Mediterranean scrub, where the air hums with resin and sun-drenched leaves, Ladano rises — a fragrance shaped by the slow pulse of Cistus ladanifer. For centuries, this golden resin has been gathered from the wool of animals, breathing its scent into fabric and skin. Here, labdanum glows rather than burns — thick, balsamic, embracing. It’s animated by tickly aromatics: licorice, celery seed, cinnamon leaf and immortelle.