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

Looking to bring home a memory of Iceland’s famed landscapes? Try stopping at one of the capital’s high-end fragrance shops, many of which were founded by visual or musical artists.

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Lilja, Ingibjörg, and Sigurros, began with a single bottle—No. 23, a blend of aniseed and black pepper that Jónsi originally made for himself in 2017.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,” Jónsi says.

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.

Fischersund’s Reykjavik boutique, housed in one of the city’s oldest wooden buildings, offers immersive scent experiences: guests are invited to sip homemade schnapps, close their eyes, and be guided through fragrance and story. “Scent, like music, speaks a universal language,” says Lilja. For those unable to make the trip, Jónsi  periodically stages “scented concerts”—multi-sensory shows that blend music and smell—in different cities around the world (so far including Cork, Copenhagen, and Los Angeles.)

Similarly, visual and performance artist Andrea Maack, who created her namesake perfume brand in 2012, channels specific Icelandic environments. Today, she runs a studio, lab, and event space near the Blue Lagoon. Every fragrance is developed, bottled, and packaged in Iceland, using native water and Icelandic alcohol. Maack’s collection channels the country’s stark beauty and surreal moods. “Coven,” a runaway hit (and TikTok favorite), evokes the scent of a damp forest floor. “Soft Tension” was inspired by getting lost in white fog said to be inhabited by trolls in the Icelandic Highlands. “Solstice”—a blend with an unexpected watermelon note—captures the surreal joy of camping under the pink skies of June’s midnight sun.

While these perfumes have become a must-discover for visitors to the Icelandic capital, they’re also gaining international acclaim—appearing on the shelves of buzzy fragrance boutiques from  Stéle in New York to Nose Shop in Osaka  and earning cult status among scent aficionados. Two brands, in particular, are leading the charge.

Interest in fragrance is booming, Maack notes, particularly among younger Icelanders. “Teenage boys are calling me about a scent I have called Supernova,” she says. “Sometimes their moms ask if they can come by the house to pick it up. That’s very Iceland.” 

Should you go sniffing around Reykjavik, you’ll likely stumble upon more local scent purveyors—like Ilmur & Sjór, a small-batch line founded by Nicholas Brittain Shaber, whose bio (“composer and commercial fisherman”) could only come from the Land of Fire and Ice.

“Iceland can be gloomy in the winter,” Lilja says. “People survive it by being creative, because you have to counteract the darkness with some magic. That’s why everyone you meet is an artist, musician, photographer, or writer.” 

A version of this story first appeared in the November 2025 issue of Travel + Leisure under the headline “Something In the Air.”