SARAH BAKER
Tartan

2016

PERFUMER
Sarah McCartney

cedarwood
cedar moss
bread
leather accord
hops
tobacco
buddha wood
ocean breeze
jasmine tea
labdanum
heather

A limited edition ‘stronger’ Tartan Cask was released in 2024.

‘A fire is roaring in the library while you savor a glass of rare single malt, all nestled into a tartan blanket. Warmth and refined heritage envelope you after a walk with the hounds through mossy ruins in Scotland’s Highlands.’ – Sarah Baker

I have no idea how to begin or how to describe Tartan to be honest. Quite a complex and quirky scent profile.

I think what defines this fragrance to me, is it’s sweet, gourmandish qualities, even though I would never classify Tartan as a whole as such; I’d probably call it a woody fragrance, maybe a leather fragrance.

A foresty, farm-in-the-background leather. It’s not challenging, but it’s also not clean. And it’s neither warm, nor cold, but a real mix of the two.

I picture liqueured coffee vapors in an old farm house. It’s green at times and fresher than you may expect given the notes and description thus far. Picture maybe an almost grassy, hay-like light tobacco.

Yet there’s this sweetness that keeps coming through; probably mostly the labdanum. Add to that the leather tinge and the woodiness and you get something in the broad direction of Nasomatto Sadonaso here.

Quite an interesting fragrance, albeit it definitely not my favorite from the house.