Freedom or Wild Garlic—Leipzig Residents Vote on the Scent

The city of Leipzig is set to get its own perfume—and now residents can vote on what their city should smell like based on two scent samples. The fragrances were developed by the Leipzig-based company Bell Flavors & Fragrances. Through November 6, people can sample the scents at various locations around the city and choose their favorite. This “Leipzig Scent” is then set to be available in stores starting in the spring of 2027.

The two proposals from the perfumers are based on an online survey. More than 2,000 people described what they think Leipzig smells like. Among the given categories, “riverine forests and parks” was the most frequently selected, followed by “downtown and coffeehouses.” When asked about a scent profile, “fresh and clear” came out on top, the company reported.

Freedom—or perhaps wild garlic?

The open-ended responses in the survey were also intriguing: “Time and again, people wrote that the city smells of life, diversity, freedom, cosmopolitanism, and familiarity,” the company said. In addition, wild garlic was mentioned surprisingly often. This plant, closely related to garlic, covers large parts of Leipzig’s floodplain forest in the spring and gives off a distinctive scent. This is due to a molecule that is also responsible for the scent of grapefruit.

The fragrance and flavor manufacturer Bell Flavors & Fragrances is headquartered in Leipzig-Miltitz. According to the company, it has approximately 340 employees. The site is also home to the historic Schimmel Library—one of the largest specialized collections on essential oils, fragrances, flavors, and botany.