The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Pentachords Auburn arrived in 2011 from Andy Tauer, the perfumer behind Tauer Perfumes. Its name points to a composition built from only 5 scent molecules. That constraint makes every note carry weight. Rather than layering dozens of materials into a crowded landscape, Auburn lets citrus blossom, warm cinnamon, tobacco, creamy sandalwood, and amber speak in turn. African Orange Flower and Lemon Blossom lend the opening a rich bloom and luminosity, while cinnamon brings a clear warmth to the transition. Tobacco and sandalwood then give the composition a rounder, creamier center before amber deepens the final impression. The result is a fragrance marked by clarity and contrast, with each material contributing a distinct part of the whole.
Auburn makes its restrained composition feel musical. African Orange Flower and Lemon Blossom establish a luminous opening, while Cinnamon introduces heat before the composition settles into tobacco, sandalwood, and amber. Each material shifts the emotional temperature. Citrus brings air and wit, cinnamon brings welcome, tobacco adds a little mischief, and the woods and amber supply the steady frame. The result is unusually legible without becoming simple. As the floral opening gives way, cinnamon sharpens the transition with a warm, assertive presence.
The evolution
The opening arrives with citrus lift, then cinnamon warms it from within. African Orange Flower and Lemon Blossom keep the first movement clear and radiant, but the spice quickly adds a coppery edge and a distinct warmth. As the heart develops, Tobacco and Sandalwood replace brightness with a rounder, creamier warmth. Cinnamon remains the most assertive thread, giving the composition its character without flattening the citrus. Amber and sandalwood then build the drydown, while tobacco leaves a darker, more playful trace beneath them. The result settles into a sweet, woody amber with a rounded trail. The opening's floral luminosity gives way gradually to spice, tobacco, creamy wood, and amber, leaving a warm and polished final impression.
Cultural impact
Pentachords Auburn offers an engaging point of view on fragrance through its use of just 5 scent molecules. The composition invites attention to each note and to the way they interact: African Orange Flower and Lemon Blossom provide a luminous opening, Cinnamon introduces warmth, Tobacco adds a darker character, and Sandalwood and Amber create a soft, sweet, woody close. Its appeal lies in this clarity of construction, where individual materials remain recognizable while contributing to a unified, expressive fragrance.
The House
Tauer PerfumesTauer Perfumes stands as a testament to what passion and self-taught artistry can achieve. Founded in 2005 by Andy Tauer, a chemist-turned-perfumer from Zurich, this Swiss house crafts fragrances that defy convention. Each scent functions as what Tauer calls a "fragrant sculpture," built from the finest natural and synthetic ingredients and shaped by absolute creative freedom. From cult favorites like L'Air du Désert Marocain to the experimental Tauerville line, every creation invites wearers into a deeply personal olfactory story that continues to captivate a global community of fragrance lovers.
The Creator
Andy TauerTauer's signature lies in boldness without vulgarity, structure without stiffness. He gravitates toward high-impact materials, smoky accords, resinous incenses, and rose compositions that veer into unexpected territory.
