Mixed Emotions

The Verdict

Mixed Emotions arrived in 2021 with the kind of abstracted, deliberately unconventional name that Byredo does well. Released as a unisex composition, it is one of the brand's more divisive recent outputs — and the fragrance community's shorthand for it is either "a smoky blackcurrant-tea masterpiece" or "medicinal cough syrup," with relatively little middle ground.

The notes are a deliberate misfit collection: Black Currant and Mate on top, Tea and Violet Leaf in the heart, Birch and Papyrus in the base. The accords vote overwhelmingly woody, green, fruity, leather, and smoky — a combination that reads on paper like it should be tart and sharp. In reality, the composition's central trick is converting that raw material into something that is simultaneously recognizable and strange. It does not smell like most perfumes. Some people find this thrilling. Others find it unwearable.

With nearly 2,900 community votes and a 3.77/5 average on Fragrantica, this sits at "liked but not universally loved" — which for a genuinely polarizing composition is probably the most honest rating possible.

What It Smells Like

The opening is where you'll form your opinion within about thirty seconds. Mate comes first — green, slightly bitter, with the particular dry grassiness of the South American leaf. Black Currant follows immediately, but this is not the sweet, jammy blackcurrant of fruit-forward fragrances. It's darker, slightly tart, with an edge that a Parfumo reviewer memorably described as "blackcurrant throat lozenges" — a comparison that is exact and somewhat alarming in equal measure.

The Violet Leaf in the heart is prominent and unusual. Violet leaf is a raw material with a natural camphoraceous quality — clean but medicinal, green but chemical. Combined with the mate and blackcurrant, the opening phase tends to generate the strongest reactions. Basenotes reviewers described their first impression as "medicinal cranberry," while another landed on "cough syrup with no flavoring." A Fragrantica reviewer compared the opening unfavorably to something you'd smell in a cold medication. The community's "cat piss or masterpiece" summary originated from this opening phase.

After 15-20 minutes, the composition shifts. Tea arrives and functions as a stabilizer — it pulls the sharp edges into something more coherent and drinkable. The Birch and Papyrus base add dry, slightly smoky woodiness that gives the fragrance its backbone. One Fragrantica reviewer who fell in love called it "a beautiful blend of blackcurrant, smoked tea, and bitter leather — bold, daring, and very attractive." At this stage, the earlier medicinal quality has largely resolved into something genuinely interesting and wearable.

The leather quality isn't from a leather note in the pyramid — it develops from the interaction of the birch and the darker elements of the black currant. It reads as industrial rather than animalic, which suits the composition's slightly avant-garde character.

When to Wear It

Broadly three-season. The smoky, tea-driven quality works well in autumn and winter when coolness in the air complements the drier, woodier aspects of the drydown. In spring, the green and fruity elements become more prominent and readable. Summer is generally advised against by the community — the heat amplifies the medicinal opening phase rather than helping it resolve quickly.

Not a formal occasion fragrance, despite the Byredo price tag and luxury positioning. This is something you wear when you want your fragrance to be noticed, discussed, and possibly divisive. It works well as a daily wear for those who work in creative environments where fragrance is part of self-expression rather than an afterthought.

Longevity & Projection

Better than several other Byredo releases, which often disappoint on performance. The community reports 6-8 hours on skin, which multiple reviewers verify independently. Projection is moderate — present but not aggressive. The Parfumo community notes it doesn't project like Byredo's Bibliothèque, but performs more reliably than some of the house's lighter compositions.

The sillage is close-to-moderate, which actually suits this fragrance's character. The strange opening benefits from being smelled at close range rather than broadcast across a room. Three to four sprays is typical.

The Community Says

The community is roughly split: some call it "a fruity smoky masterpiece" and rank it among the best Byredo offerings; others find it "just birch, pine sap, and mate herb." One Fragrantica reviewer compared it favorably to Frederic Malle's The Moon but "tamer and more wearable," which if accurate puts it in extraordinary company. Another said it "stakes no claim over the course other than being a mixed bag — you recognize a bunch of perfumes from this decade mashed together."

The unisex positioning is broadly agreed upon — nothing in the composition skews significantly masculine or feminine. The leather-and-smoke character reads conventionally more masculine in isolation, but the black currant and tea soften that edge into something genuinely gender-neutral.

About 55% of Fragrantica voters rate it positively, 30% neutrally, and 15% negatively — an accurate map of a fragrance that connects deeply with its intended audience and baffles or repels those outside it.

Who Should Buy This

For people who actively enjoy strange, challenging fragrances and have the patience to wait out an opening phase that can be alienating. The kind of person who buys Byredo rather than Armani already knows they're signing up for artistic intent over crowd appeal — Mixed Emotions is toward the more extreme end of that spectrum within the brand.

Skip it if you are sensitive to camphor or medicinal notes, if you need a scent that performs conventionally on skin without requiring patience, or if you're new to Byredo and want to start with something more accessible (try Bibliothèque or Bal d'Afrique first).

Sampling is essential. This is not a blind buy under any circumstances — the opening 20 minutes is the decisive moment for whether this fragrance works for you.

The Bottom Line

Byredo Mixed Emotions is exactly what the name implies — a composition that generates genuinely conflicting responses, and seems designed to do so. The opening is abrasive and unusual; the drydown is often beautiful and distinctive. Whether you experience this journey as compelling or simply unpleasant is a matter of personal chemistry, both the literal and figurative kind. The community can't agree, which may be the highest compliment possible for a niche fragrance that clearly didn't aim to please everyone.