Here’s why scent is such an important part of the festive season

There are few times of year that have such strong olfactory associations as Christmas, so prioritising this sense has the power to transform in a way few others can.

What’s the most instantaneous way to conjure up memories of Christmas, or to put you in a festive mood? For me, some specific scents – clove and cinnamon, the fresh fragrance of a Christmas tree, instantly transport me to a place of excitement and joy, and I know I’m not alone in this.

Our sense of smell has the ability to connect us to not only memories, but emotions, making our associations with them more powerful than visual or tactile sensations. So when we’re planning Christmas, whether it’s creating a festive atmosphere at home, or deciding what to gift, scent is a powerful tool in curating the perfect mood.

That’s why we love Cloon Keen, an Irish luxury fragrance house, renowned for its poetic storytelling, artisanal craftsmanship and award-winning compositions. Each fragrance and candle is hand crafted by a small team of artisans on the shores of Galway Bay. Merging Irish cultural references, minimalism, and sensory artistry, the brand is beloved by fragrance experts and tastemakers alike. Their range of perfume and home fragrances have been carefully created to conjure places and cultures through their lyrical and poetic scents.

Noble Fir candle, €45

Noble Myrrh candle, €45

For the festive season, choose from A Scented Trinity of candles, either to create the perfect mood in your home, or as a gift that’s guaranteed to be well received. Noble Fir is inspired by crisp pine needles, softened by a warm blanket of resinous sap, amber and cedar. This addictive blend of clove, cinnamon and thurible smoke heightens the festive atmosphere wherever it is lit.

Or perhaps you’d prefer Noble Myrrh, which sees the warm and comforting scent of myrrh blended with spicy cinnamon and cumin. Delicate threads of saffron are woven through a billowing oriental base of sandalwood, cedar leaf, patchouli, labdanum and vanilla.

A gorgeous gift idea is the Noble Péire set – a limited edition luxury duo of these two winter scents: Noble Fir and Noble Myrrh, beautifully presented in a gifting box, allowing your recipient to create different festive moods in different spaces.

While if you’re a lover of fragrance, or know someone who loves to receive it as a gift, look to Cloon Keen’s A Scented Trinity of perfumes.

Lá Bealtaine is the brand’s standout bestseller. It’s ultra-feminine, luminous, joyful, and inspired by the day when spring moves into summer and the earth tilts its face towards the sun. Lá Bealtaine opens with beams of bergamot, mandarin and neroli that pour into a diaphanous core of short-shadowed blossoms. Sun-warmed patchouli and cedar provide the backdrop to a languorous amber haze.

Minimalists will adore Báinin, a soft, textural fragrance inspired by the traditional Irish wool of the same name. This blend of freshness and warmth is tinged with a coastal breath of golden gorse, dew-kissed herbs, and a cloudburst, and then the delicate scent of rain on warm earth. It’s creamy, comforting, and abstract in its beauty.

While for something unexpected, Bel Étage is a refined, elegant perfume inspired by the architecture of grand old houses – polished woods and light-filled interiors. The fragrance opens with an effervescent pediment of crisp Italian bergamot, lemon primofiore and neroli, crowned with a festoon of lavender and rosemary sprigs. The fragrance reveals its complexity through a textured combination of sprawling moss and vetiver suspended in airy musks.

These three fragrances are available in a travel set, allowing you or a giftee to try them all and find your favourite – or tailor your scent to the occasion.

Cloon Keen is a uniquely Irish perfumer. In today’s fast-paced world, Cloon Keen conjures a sense of timeless place and enduring culture through its lyrical and poetic scents. Visit Cloon Keen’s Dublin and Galway stores to discover more, or go to cloonkeen.com.