Best Sellier by Byredo Alternatives & Similar Perfumes
Sellier by Byredo is a leather fragrance distinguished by a complex blend of cashmeran, black tea, leather, birch tar, tobacco, and oakmoss. The scent is smoky and rich, with a woody, aromatic depth that balances warmth and earthiness. Those drawn to leather fragrances with smoky, tea-infused accords and a hint of tobacco will find Sellier’s composition a refined example of this category.
Moonlight Ceremony by Mystikum £190.00
- Key notes:
- birch tar
- black tea
- gaiac / guaiac wood
- incense
- leather
- saffron
- smoke
- Aromagroups:
- leather
- woody
Under the luminous moon, smouldering embers glow with the mystery of ancient night rituals. This is a ceremony of smoke upon smoke upon smoke: birch tar, black tea, leather, frankincense. The austerity is softened by notes of amber and labdanum, deepening the mystery of the enveloping darkness.
Perfumer: Alexandre Illan
Play Black by Comme Des Garcons £95.00
- Key notes:
- birch tar
- black pepper
- black tea
- incense
- leather
- thyme
- Aromagroups:
- leather
- spicy
This EdT plays it dark but bright. A spiky black pepper opening commands attention, before being volumised by an ebony chorus of black tea, birch tar and incense. Tree moss and violet lend a perfumed earthiness.
Perfumer Antoine Maisondieu
Coeur de Noir by Beaufort £125.00
- Key notes:
- birch tar
- ginger
- ink
- leather
- paper
- rum
- tobacco
- vanillin
- Aromagroups:
- leather
- spicy
- vintage/old school
- woody
Here we consider the relationship between the sea and the art it has inspired.
Crabtree uses his grandfather's pen drawings of luxury yachts, his father's library of nautical fiction and his own tattoos as references. Accord of black ink dominate here; west Indian spiced rum; papers lost and found; the familiar dry accords of leather bound books balanced with warm enigmatic notes of vanilla pipe tobacco. All finely based around a dark heart of birch tar and labdanum.
As featured in Elle Magazine: Masculine Notes: A New Fragrance Trend
Forgive me by Carine Roitfeld £190.00
- Key notes:
- cashmeran
- labdanum
- leather
- orange blossom
- patchouli
- tuberose
- Aromagroups:
- leather
- woody
Perfumer: Dominique Ropion
An enigmatic leather perfume merged from captivating nuances of tuberose, orange blossom and gardenia. The wild facet of ylang ylang intertwined with the woody notes of patchouli add a sensuous tone. Frankincense and labdanum complete the leather theme. The trail left by the perfume is surprising, narcotic filled by a magnetic elegance.
Vi et Armis by Beaufort £125.00
- Key notes:
- birch tar
- black pepper
- black tea
- incense
- opium
- oud
- smoke
- Aromagroups:
- spicy
- woody
Formerly known as East India the perfume is back with the new name: Vi et Armis (Latin for 'by force and arms', the motto of the East India company)
The olfactory references in the perfume are exploring Britain’s complex relationship with other nations and its dominance of international sea trade across the centuries, this heady, narcotic scent challenges as much as it beguiles.
Using imported and exported goods of the East India Company as its key notes, this addictive fragrance recalls the words of George Bernard Shaw: “Emotional excitement reaches men through Tea, Tobacco, Opium, Whisky and religion”
Paradoxical and challenging, we imagine the roots of our island nation steeped in contradictions.
Black by Comme Des Garcons £95.00
- Key notes:
- birch tar
- black pepper
- leather
- smoke
- vetiver
- Aromagroups:
- leather
- spicy
- woody
Black in name, black in nature: black pepper, incense, leather, licorice, birch tar. The effect is tough but comforting — a campfire shot through with sparks of nutmeg, and more than a hint of gasoline-infused motorbike saddle.
Blamage by Nasomatto £130.00
- Key notes:
- animalic notes
- birch tar
- iso-e-super
- leather
- metallic notes
- Aromagroups:
- leather
- woody
Space leather from a planet where green apples grow from metal trees. A dust of musk floats across a landscape of transparent woods and nuclear fallout.
Corpus Equus by Naomi Goodsir £170.00
- Key notes:
- birch tar
- incense
- leather
- smoke
- Aromagroups:
- leather
A deep black animalistic composition, with assertive leather notes.
Inspiration - A tribute to a fiery & impetuous horse.
Perfumer : Bertrand Duchaufour (2021)
Cuir de Russie by Anna Zworykina £130.00
- Key notes:
- birch tar
- castoreum
- leather
- smoke
- Aromagroups:
- leather
- vintage/old school
- woody
With natural perfumes colour may and WILL vary from batch to batch.
For example, the current batch of Cuir de Russie is not as dark in colour as the previous run because the tea extract in the new batch is decolorized. This does NOT affect the aroma/effect at all.
A classic vintage chypre by design and by make Anna's Cuir de Russie is smoky, animalic and true to the early 20th century recipe.
The story of this smoky leather perfume style starts with Russian Cossacks' cavalry entering Paris to make sure the French army definetly got back home. Parisians were very much impressed by the Siberian warriors, their uniforms trimmed with beaver fur, the smoky leather of their boots (treated with tar for waterproof effect) and had a bit of an olfactive cultural shock.
French being French, they noted the whole expereince in a perfume style called Cuir de Russie. Coco Chanel later brought this style back into the spotlight to reflect on her affair with a Russian grand duke Dmitri Pavlovich (Tsar Nicholas II’s cousin).
Starring
(these fragrant materials reanacted the Cuir de Russie story):
acacia farnesiana essential oil
lemon essential oil
bergamot essential oil
birch tar essential oil
yuzu essential oil
galbanum CO2 extract
orange blossom absolute
jasmin sambac absolute
rose de May absolute
ylang-ylang absolute
jasmin auriculatum absolute
tuberose absolute
clove absolute
castoreum tinctura
black tea absolute
cognac white essential oil
tabacco absolute
Vetiver essential oil
sandalwood CO2 extract
vanilla CO2 extract
artemisia absinthium essential oil
Vietnamese agarwood essential oil
oakmoss absolute
ambrette CO2 extract
patchouli essential oil
labdanum absolute
Vanuatu sandalwood essential oil
Please note: 15 ml and 10ml EdPs come with a spray and the 4.5 ml perfume comes in a tiny splash bottle.
Important notice:
Anna Zworykina’s blends are olfactive smellscapes (but neither aromatherapy, nor ‘spray-and-go’ perfumes). Her blends are sensory experiences, closer to works of art created in the scented plane (rather than, say, visual or audio).
Certain essential oils and absolutes that are used in her 100% natural perfumes may potentially cause allergies in some people. Please spray Anna Zworykina’s blends on fabric (on sleeves, scarves, etc.). This said, Anna Zworykina has acquired a huge fan base over many years and people interacted with her blends for quite a while now. We are not aware of any reports of any skin reactions so far.
However, Anna advises that those who are prone to allergic reactions, pregnant and nursing women, as well as people with chronic illnesses to be extra careful. Before trying natural blends, study the list of ingredients and consult with a doctor if you are not sure or a had a history of allergies. If you do decide to put these blends on your skin (unable to resist the temptation) always test the blend on the inside part of your elbow first and wait.
Do not spray these blends liberally as a cloud in the way you would spray a conventional perfume. Anna’s smellscapes need to be… carefully applied and experienced. Be mindful that some oils can also make your skin hyper-sensitive to UV.
Honey and Tar by Anna Zworykina £95.00
- Key notes:
- birch tar
- castoreum
- honey
- leather
- smoke
- vanilla
- Aromagroups:
- edible
- leather
- woody
A rich, smoky blend of honey, tar, vanilla and incense.
The perfumer leaves the perfume plot sketchy - to be completed by your imagination. Are you in your autumn apiary watching honey trickle into jars, smoke lingering in the air from bonfires of fallen leaves? Are you on the well-tarred deck of a merchant ship carrying huge barrels of honey? This beautiful, smoky fragrance will definitely take you somewhere.
Starring
(these fragrant materials reanacted the Honey and Tar story):
castoreum tinctura
benzoin absolute
birch tar essential oil
Himalayan cedarwood essential oil
sweet myrrh essential oil
vetiver essential oil
guayak wood
agarwood essential oil
Atlas cedarwood essential oil
jasmin sambac absolute
hops CO2
lavender absolute
patchouli essential oil
cardamom absolute
tonka bean absolute
vanilla CO2 extract
orris root CO2 extract
Vanuatu sandalwood essential oil
Royal Hawaiian sandalwood essential oil
Important notice:
Anna Zworykina’s blends are olfactive smellscapes (but neither aromatherapy, nor ‘spray-and-go’ perfumes). Her blends are sensory experiences, closer to works of art created in the scented plane (rather than, say, visual or audio).
Certain essential oils and absolutes that are used in her 100% natural perfumes may potentially cause allergies in some people. Please spray Anna Zworykina’s blends on fabric (on sleeves, scarves, etc.). This said, Anna Zworykina has acquired a huge fan base over many years and people interacted with her blends for quite a while now. We are not aware of any reports of any skin reactions so far.
However, Anna advises that those who are prone to allergic reactions, pregnant and nursing women, as well as people with chronic illnesses to be extra careful. Before trying natural blends, study the list of ingredients and consult with a doctor if you are not sure or a had a history of allergies. If you do decide to put these blends on your skin (unable to resist the temptation) always test the blend on the inside part of your elbow first and wait.
Do not spray these blends liberally as a cloud in the way you would spray a conventional perfume. Anna’s smellscapes need to be… carefully applied and experienced. Be mindful that some oils can also make your skin hyper-sensitive to UV.
About Sellier by Byredo
- What makes Sellier by Byredo distinctive among leather fragrances?
- Sellier combines cashmeran, black tea, birch tar, and tobacco to create a smoky, woody leather scent with aromatic depth. The inclusion of oakmoss adds an earthy balance, making it a refined and multi-layered leather fragrance.
- How does Sellier differ from the fragrances listed here?
- While these fragrances share core smoky leather elements such as birch tar, black tea, and tobacco, they differ in additional notes like saffron, rum, oud, or florals that alter their character. Sellier’s balance of cashmeran and oakmoss alongside tobacco provides a unique smoothness and earthiness not always matched.
- Are these fragrances suitable for both day and evening wear?
- Many of these fragrances, including Sellier, feature smoky and leathery accords that tend towards evening wear due to their intensity. However, some like Play Black and Black incorporate fresher notes making them versatile enough for daytime use.









