Cumin

What it is

Cumin comes from the aromatic fruits of Cuminum cyminum, a member of the carrot family. The dried fruits are commonly called cumin seeds, and an essential oil can also be obtained from them for flavour and fragrance use.

What it smells like

In scent, cumin can combine:

• warm dry spice
• earthy and dusty facets
• leathery warmth
• a savoury quality
• distinctly animalic, sweaty or skin-like nuances

That last facet makes cumin unusually recognisable in perfume: at low levels it can add warmth and realism, while a prominent dose can become deliberately bodily or challenging.

How it appears in perfumery

The Aroma Book links Cumin when a source explicitly identifies cumin, cumin seed or cumin oil. A personal impression that merely smells cumin-like remains part of the sensory layer and does not create a material relationship.