Best Tales from Zanzibar by Memoirs Of A Perfume Collector Alternatives & Similar Perfumes

A juicy, decadent take on tropical fruits, flowers and woods. Inspired by a modernist garden in the old city of Mêrida, Yucatán. The balmy air fills with the heady scent of champaca orchids, ripe guava, fresh ginger, jasmine sambac, Mexican vanilla and mahogany. A spritz of paradise.

In Japan, yuzu is used like lemons, adding freshness and acidity to dishes. This zippy citrus fragrance expresses everything about yuzu, from the astringency of its peel to the sweet and sour taste of the pulp. An accord of bergamot and orange bolsters the yuzu, while thyme adds herbal intrigue.

In the branches of a sprawling thorn tree, a boisterous flock of lovebirds gathers, undeterred by the African savanna’s scorching heat. Cheerful chatter fills the air as they flit and weave, playfully hopping from one partner to another. Amid the lively commotion, one pair slips away to a quiet perch. Snuggling head to head, they preen one another, their affectionate chirps muffled against velvety soft feathers. The setting sun captures the intimate encounter, washing the glorious hues of the lovebirds’ intertwined plumage with a golden glow.

Zoologist Lovebird bottles the thrill of budding romance in a single spritz. It opens with a playful burst of kiwi, orange, and passionfruit, as sweet and fleeting as a first kiss. A captivating blend of ylang-ylang, lavender, lily of the valley, and heliotrope weaves an intimate connection, drawing you deeper. Finally, ambrette, musk and amber ignite a sensual embrace, leaving a warm, lingering glow of enduring love.

Tropical-la-la-la! Guava Sorbet sings out with juicy mandarin, fresh guava and tart passionfruit. This abundance of tropical playfulness gets a posh gloss with peachy osmanthus and sultry jasmine. It’s sunshine in a bottle.

Inspired by the mythical nectar of the gods, Ambrosia opens with the sweet, delicate notes of plumeria and mango, layered with the lush richness of peach, lychee, and coconut. The heart reveals the creamy depth of heliotrope, musk, and guava, while wafts of French orris, Mysore and Sri Lankan sandalwood, Indian tuberose and vintage Ethiopian civet evoke a divine atmosphere—capturing the essence of heavenly indulgence.

Delulu is a soft-focus dream sequence in oversaturated colours, swirling across a soundtrack of shoegaze and nineties/noughties indie.This particular sequence follows childhood into adolescence: a favourite toy, a pack of crayons, a melted sweet in your jeans pocket, a bite of berry pie, a long sunny day doing nothing. There’s fizzy cedrat and the salty-fresh friction of tart rhubarb against rooty vetiver. Like all dreams, things get weird: a niff of rosy plastic and smoky incense. Yesterday is a place you can never visit again, but it’s still an escape from tomorrow. That’s Delulu.

Delulu bottle caps are hand made from memories, specifically a nostalgic jumble of plastic beach toys captured in epoxy resin.

Master perfumer
David Chieze

Perfumer: Fanny Bal

The transporting scent of gin at a coastal golden hour, a glittering seashore and soft focus horizon. Minimalist fresh fragrant juniper is dosed with olibanum to revitalising effect. While the sparkling spicy tones of pink pepper and mandarin are clean and fresh.

Parfum 1 is where Fugazzi began, inspired by founder Bram Niessink’s trip to Egypt and the discovery of ancient perfume oils. Parfum 1 is a bold blend of bright and dark fruits, made mysterious by patchouli and cedarwood. The fresh top notes of citrus and blackcurrant are insinuating, gracefully riding a woody wave of sandalwood and musk. The effect is leathery, with a faint kiss of apple pie.

Opening with sparkling notes of lime and mandarin tempered with pink pepper and a green accord, delicate cherry blossom with soft almond aromas enhanced with powdery violets and creamy vanilla. Elusive elegance, realising the power of subtlety, radiating an inner confidence - to be worn with an innate love of understated good taste.

A cool, weightless breath that glides over the skin like the crisp poplin of a freshly-tailored shirt. Air is fashioned through contrasts: an ozonic accord swirling through the dissonant tang of blackcurrant and lime. This dark, metallic fruitiness cuts through the composition, enlivening the woody/amber base with a juicy green tension.

Perfumer: Alex Lee