First Impressions – Memo Paris – Inverness – Nothing Like Scotland

Memo Paris’s latest scent, Inverness, seems like a missed opportunity. It doesn’t smell like Inverness or Scotland. I should know, as I was born in the Highland capital. My mum is Scottish, and my dad is Australian. I lived in Inverness until I was 6-7 years old before moving permanently to Australia. However, I’ve been back to Inverness many times over the years. And even though I’ve lost the Scottish accent, I still recall the region’s many inviting scents.

So, what does Memo’s perfume version of Inverness smell like? It’s a dry sandalwood-dominant composition with some powdery floral aspects. If I pigeonhole Inverness, it occupies a crowded space inhabited by the meditative Milky Musk from Parle Moi de Parfum, Diptyque’s approachable Tam Dao, and the papyrus sandalwood behemoth Santal 33.

As Inverness develops, a mate tea accord accentuates the dry bitterness of the woody accord. Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve always associated a different type of beverage with the Highlands. Memo must have detoured via South America on their way to Scotland. The main other note I detect is an earthy, powdery orris. It amplifies the creamy, milky aspects of the woods.

As a sandalwood scent, it’s a good solid option. If someone walked by me wearing Inverness, I would think that person smelled good. But it’s simply not worth the price. For less than half the price of Inverness, you can pick up a bottle of Miller et Bertaux’s sublime, meditative Indian Study, and they’ll throw in an extra 25ml of juice. Milky Musk from Parle Moi de Parfum also comes in at a fraction of the price.

I have yet to try the Scottish brand Jorum Studio, but from what I’ve read, they’ve compiled a collection (Scottish Odyssey) that captured the essence of Scotland more convincingly than Memo.

Here’s what I might have expected out of a scent dedicated to Inverness:

1. Green notes to capture the rolling hills.
2. Cut the mate tea and add in whiskey.
3. A petrichor accord (it rains a lot in Inverness).
4. Earthy notes such as peat and patchouli.
5. The orris is ok, but include some heather and thistle (even though their smell is negligible).
6. Gorse flower (abundant in Scotland), which smells almost like coconut or vanilla, must be included.

Perhaps my interpretation of Inverness is cliched, and Memo was going for something more abstract. But my version would be more intriguing to smell. I don’t own any Memo scents, and honestly, I’ve struggled to work out what all the fuss was about with their much-hyped leather collection. That being said, Inverness is one of their better offerings. However, it lacks originality, ingredient quality, a true signature to justify its ridiculously high price tag, and it smells nothing like Scotland!

Have you been to Inverness or Scotland? What scents did you associate with the area? Have you tried Memo’s Inverness or the Jorum Studio line of scents dedicated to Scotland?

Note: The bottle images of Miller et Bertaux are my own. The images of Inverness and the flowers are from Unsplash and Pexels. I received a sample of this Memo from a department store.