Why Icelandic Perfume Is Taking Over the Fragrance World-Plus 3 Shops to Visit

"Fischersund, a family-run brand co-founded by Jónsi Birgisson of the band Sigur Rós and his sisters Lilja, Ingibjörg, and Sigurros, began with a single bottle-No. 23, a blend of aniseed and black pepper that Jónsi originally made for himself in 2017. Encouraged byLilja to share it with others, the scent became the foundation for a brand that now includes a portfolio of fragrances made from Icelandic essential oils. "They're very personal, based on our childhood memories growing up in Iceland, surrounded by nature,""

"Each scent is accompanied by atmospheric, scene-setting text. Take No. 54, for instance, described as "heavy slow-drying oil painting, Icelandic alpine fir, footsteps in frozen grass, and salt licorice." The fan-favorite Útilykt-meaning "the scent of the outdoors"-evokes the clean, bracing smell of someone just in from the cold, and has become so beloved it's now offered in candle and room spray form as well."

Icelandic visual and musical artists have launched high-end fragrance brands rooted in local landscapes and memories. Fischersund, co-founded by Jónsi Birgisson and his sisters, began with No. 23, a personal aniseed-and-black-pepper blend and expanded into a portfolio using Icelandic essential oils. Scents carry evocative, scene-setting descriptions—No. 54 evokes oil-painting textures, alpine fir, frozen grass, and salt licorice; Útilykt recreates the crisp outdoors and appears in candles and room sprays. Reykjavik boutiques offer immersive scent experiences including guided tastings and scented concerts that pair music and smell.

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