Best Botanical Essence No.15 by Liz Earle Alternatives & Similar Perfumes
Botanical Essence No.15 is an oriental spicy fragrance combining rich woods like patchouli, cedarwood, and gaiac with warm spices such as pink pepper, cloves, and cinnamon leaf. It balances its smoky and resinous facets of benzoin and elemi with creamy sandalwood and sweet vanilla, creating a deep, sensual profile. Those drawn to complex woody spices with a hint of floral rose and a touch of freshness from bergamot will find this composition compelling and layered.
Lü Bu by Sora Dora £170.00
- Key notes:
- benzoin
- cedarwood
- gaiac / guaiac wood
- gun powder
- incense
- metallic notes
- orris (iris root)
- smoke
- vanilla
- Aromagroups:
- edible
- spicy
- woody
Lü Bu is a formidable Chinese warlord, tiger-fierce but volatile. At the end of his last battle he is a folded shadow. The once most-feared man of the Empire, son of iron and fire, is devoured by his own legend. This olfactory scar of a perfume opens with vivid, tannic clove, like the acridity of blood on a still-warm blade. On a forgotten altar smoulders the benzoin beauty of papier d'Arménie, while iris, noble and powdery, whispers the hero's solitude. More than glory and power, Lü Bu speaks of sacrifice and memory. Loyal to all those who wear their shadows with pride.
Liqueur Charnelle by Pierre Guillaume Black Collection £140.00
- Key notes:
- cedarwood
- cognac
- elemi
- pink pepper
- tobacco
- tonka beans
- Aromagroups:
- spicy
- woody
The five major aromas that give Cognac its unique flavor are vanilla, prune, caramel, orange and apricot. Some can also detects floral and fruity notes in its bouquet, such as dried linden blossom, vine blossom, dry vine shoots and pressed grape with hints of violet and vanilla.
Inspired by this cornucopia of notes, Liqueur Charnelle is a voluptuous, deeply sensual accord in which the perfumer offers a “cognac bouquet” of spices, blond tobacco and powdery woods. Suave and vibrant pink pepper, elemi and black pepper enhance tonka bean and raspberry notes…
Pair this perfume with the indulgent Liqueur Charnelle hand and body wash infused with the same fragrance.
Kajal I by Kajal £195.00
- Key notes:
- cashmeran
- gaiac / guaiac wood
- mandarin
- orange blossom
- patchouli
- tonka beans
- Aromagroups:
- spicy
Spiritually, number one represents beginnings, focus and determination. Kajal l, with its fresh, engaging warmth, has been crafted to underscore one’s innate dignity and charisma. Cassis, grapefruit and mandarin provide the big “hello!”. Guaiac wood, cardamom, orange blossom and cashmeran draw people in, while a soft vanillic cloud of sandalwood and oud extend the allure.
Perfumer: Christian Carbonnel
Chaco by Nissaba £150.00
- Key notes:
- bergamot
- cedarwood
- gaiac / guaiac wood
- green tea
- mate tea
- petitgrain
- Aromagroups:
- citrusy
- green
Chaco is the second largest primary forest of Latin America, called the "impenetrable forest" for its incredibly dense formation. This Paraguayan forest is the only place in the world where gaiac wood grows, known locally as palo santo. The region is also prized by perfumers as source of petitgrain essential oil, as well yerba maté tea leaves. Chaco the fragrance is a cologne style built around a refined tea structure. Perfumer Alexandra Monet placed the petitgrain and maté in conversation with each other, heightening each other’s mellow greenness in the process. Palo santo, with its woody, salty and smoky facets, brings warmth and sensuality, resulting in a unique unisex signature with lightness and modern elegance.
Grande Ile by Nissaba £150.00
- Key notes:
- amber
- cloves
- incense
- patchouli
- pink pepper
- vanilla
- Aromagroups:
- spicy
- woody
Grande Ile blends the bounty of Madagascar — vanilla, pink pepper berries and black pepper — into a sensual and comforting spicy amber. This award-winning scent blends a warm ambery accord with clove, caramel nuances and a rich woody bouquet. Contrasting notes of dry cedar, creamy vanilla, and resinous touches create depth and intrigue. Grande Ile’s enveloping trail unfolds gently on the skin, revealing evolving facets throughout the day. Depending on who you ask, this intriguing beauty moirés between Oriental lilies, a vanilla sauna, and a smoky souk.
Santal by Floris £100.00
- Key notes:
- amber
- black pepper
- cardamom
- cedarwood
- cloves
- frankincense
- nutmeg
- sandalwood
- vetiver
- Aromagroups:
- spicy
- woody
Santal takes its inspiration from a Sandalwood fragrance originally created in the 1800s which has then been given a distinctive contemporary edge.
Sugardaddy by Fugazzi £205.00
- Key notes:
- amber
- bergamot
- cloves
- jasmine
- patchouli
- Aromagroups:
- citrusy
- fruity
- spicy
Warm sunshine at twilight. Tangerine dances with bergamot in this cashmere, jasmine and patchouli-based choreography. With a whopping 50% of perfume oil, this extrait is persuasive enough to beguile any unsuspecting soul who crosses your path.
Terroni by Orto Parisi £155.00
- Key notes:
- damp earth accord
- gaiac / guaiac wood
- patchouli
- vetiver
- Aromagroups:
- leather
- woody
Dig your hands into the wet earth and feel the tree roots straining against the soil. Birch, lava and smoke coil around Terroni, surrounding guaic wood, patchouli and vetiver with their bitter, cold heat.
Vetiver Santal by Marie Jeanne £165.00
- Key notes:
- benzoin
- bergamot
- sandalwood
- vetiver
- white musk
- Aromagroups:
- citrusy
- woody
Perfumer: Sidonie Lancesseur
A clean versatile formula with stunning ingredients mixed for you by Marie Jeanne.
Vetiver Santal is a novel fresh sandalwood (coming from an archipelago at the edge of the world), dry vetiver from Haiti and a spark of benzoin from Siam.
Marie Jeanne is a new perfume house from Grasse, founded by a young perfumer from a family connected to Robertet for several generations.
Robertet is a bit like De Beers of the fine natural perfume materials - matières premières, for decades they have been dealing with the finest, purest and most precious stuff a perfumer can dream of.
In Vetiver Santal you can admire and enjoy aromas of a rare variety of sandalwood from New Caledonia, vetiver from Haiti, patchouli from Indonesia and benzoin from Siam among other exquisite materials.
Indigo Smoke by Arquiste £195.00
- Key notes:
- black tea
- carrot seeds
- cedarwood
- clary sage
- gaiac / guaiac wood
- incense
- pine tar
- vetiver
- Aromagroups:
- leather
- woody
Evoking the traditional smoking of tea leaves in ancient China, Indigo Smoke is an aromatic landscape of narrow serpentine rivers, blue mountains and incense-filled temples condensed into a complex formula of black tea, woody notes and incense. Rich, sophisticated and long-lasting. With notes of lapsang souchong tea, mandarin orange, apricot, guaiac wood, incense and pine tar.
About Botanical Essence No.15 by Liz Earle
- How does Botanical Essence No.15 differ from these similar fragrances?
- Botanical Essence No.15 combines a balanced oriental spicy composition with floral rose and cinnamon leaf notes, which many of these alternatives omit or reinterpret. It maintains a harmony between smoky, sweet, and fresh elements, whereas some listed fragrances lean more heavily into smoky, fresh, or sweeter profiles.
- Are these fragrances suitable for both day and evening wear?
- Many of these fragrances, like Botanical Essence No.15, have a warm, spicy oriental character often preferred for evening wear. However, some options with fresher or lighter notes, such as Chaco and Santal, can also work well during the day.
- Which notes define the oriental spicy family as seen in Botanical Essence No.15?
- Oriental spicy fragrances typically feature warm spices such as cloves, pink pepper, and cinnamon, combined with rich resins like benzoin and elemi, and woods like patchouli, cedarwood, and sandalwood. Vanilla and tonka beans often add sweetness and depth.









