Andy Tauer: Handcrafted Artistic Perfumes from Switzerland

An artistic perfume house founded in 2005 in Zurich by Andy Tauer, a trained chemist and entirely self-taught perfumer. His compositions — described by their creator as «olfactory sculptures» — are distinguished by high-quality raw materials, exceptional sillage, and an immediately recognisable oriental, resinous aesthetic.

History and philosophy

Andy Tauer began composing fragrances as a hobby in his home laboratory in the Höngg district of Zurich. His first commercial fragrance, No. 01 – Le Maroc pour Elle, came about in 2004 at the request of a bookseller friend who wanted an exclusive scent for his shop; in 2005, Tauer formalised the venture and established Tauer Perfumes as an independent, personally run house. His background in chemistry provides the technical foundation, but it is the complete absence of commercial compromise that defines the brand's identity: every fragrance answers solely to its creator's own sensibility.

The house's philosophy is best summed up in Tauer's own words: absolute freedom, time, and the finest raw materials available. Every bottle is produced in small artisanal batches in the Zurich studio, with a rigorous approach to formulation that brings together precious natural ingredients and carefully selected synthetic molecules. The direct dialogue with the enthusiast community — begun through a personal blog as early as 2006 — remains a structural characteristic of the brand, not a marketing exercise.

The aesthetic

Tauer's compositions move predominantly within the oriental, woody, and chypre families, with frequent use of incense, resins, amber, and dry woods. A recurring olfactory signature — affectionately dubbed «Tauer stuff» by enthusiasts — runs through many of the fragrances as a base note, lending coherence to the entire output whilst preserving the individuality of each release. The catalogue is organised into distinct lines:

• Classics — the early fragrances that defined the house's language, featuring high concentrations of natural oils and strong projection.
• Homages — compositions that showcase exclusive ingredients at elevated concentrations, dedicated to specific raw materials or olfactory traditions.
• PentaChords — a series inspired by the «less is more» principle, with simplified structures built around five key elements.
• Collectibles — limited-edition releases tied to the seasonal availability of rare raw materials.
• Tauerville — a line launched in 2014, dedicated to compositional experimentation with a freer and more immediate approach.

The best-known releases

Among the more than forty references in the catalogue, certain fragrances have earned particular standing within the international niche perfumery community for their originality and the quality of the materials employed.

• L'Air du Désert Marocain (No. 02) — An oriental woody eau de toilette that evokes arid North African landscapes through sandalwood, amber, and warm spices. This is the fragrance that brought Tauer to international attention.
• Le Maroc pour Elle (No. 01) — The house's first fragrance, a floral oriental with rose, spices, and resins; it marks the starting point of the entire brand's creative vision.
• Lonestar Memories — A leathery, smoky fragrance with birch and animalic notes, widely regarded as a benchmark in the smoke and leather category within niche perfumery.
• Incense Extrême (No. 05) — Built around a CO₂ extract of Boswellia serrata; minimalist in structure, intense in effect, with dry woods and grey amber in the base.
• Une Rose Chyprée — A floral chypre centred on rose, with patchouli and musks; it represents the most classical and refined vein of the Tauer repertoire.