Illustrative, no verified product photo

Cinnabar(1978)

At a glance

Created by Bernard Chant for Estee Lauder, Cinnabar opens on mandarin, cinnamon, and clove, moves through a heart of carnation and jasmine, and closes on amber, myrrh, patchouli, and musk. Named for the vivid red mineral, its warm spiced-amber structure positioned it as Estee Lauder's own bold oriental statement, arriving the year before Opium and reflecting the broader late-1970s revival of dense, spice-driven orientals.

Did you know? This scent's jasmine note owes its richness to indole, the same compound found, in larger amounts, in feces. Read the full story →

Brand

Estee Lauder

Perfumer

Bernard Chant

Launched

1978

Family

Amber

Cinnabar is a fragrance from Estee Lauder, released in 1978 and composed by Bernard Chant. It sits in the Amber family. It opens with Mandarin, Cinnamon, and Clove, moves into a heart of Carnation and Jasmine, and settles into a base of Amber, Myrrh, Patchouli, and Musk.

New to top, heart & base notes? Learn how the fragrance pyramid actually works →

Top notes