Vilhelm Parfumerie Purple Fig: A Green Fig Review

Vilhelm Parfumerie, the Stockholm-based niche house founded by Jan Ahlgren, has built a reputation for fragrances that blend classic elegance with modern storytelling. Purple Fig, launched in 2016, is a prime example of the brand's ability to reinterpret familiar notes in unexpected ways. Composed by perfumer Jérôme Epinette, Purple Fig is often categorized as a fig fragrance, but it diverges significantly from the sweet, jammy fig profiles popularized by other niche houses. Instead, it presents a green, aromatic study of the fig leaf, with a bitter galbanum heart and a clean woody base. It is important to note a discrepancy in the official note pyramid. The Vilhelm Parfumerie product page lists top notes of Sichuan Pepper and Angelica Seeds, a heart of Galbanum, Green Fig, and Jasmine Absolue, and a base of Vetiver and Cashmere Woods. However, the widely referenced Fragrantica database and a detailed review by Colognoisseur list Lemon, Cassis, and Angelica as top notes; Fig, Galbanum, and Cyclamen as heart notes; and Cypress and Virginian Cedar as base notes. For the purpose of this review, we will use the Fragrantica pyramid, as it is the more commonly cited and detailed source, but we acknowledge the official listing may reflect a reformulation or a different interpretation of the composition. What remains consistent across all sources is the fragrance's character: a dry, green fig-leaf scent that leans more aromatic and bitter than sweet. Several reviewers note that jasmine and green galbanum dominate over the fig, and the fragrance is frequently described as more feminine-leaning in practice despite its unisex labeling. With an overall user rating of 3.55 out of 5 on Fragrantica based on 749 votes, Purple Fig is a polarizing but respected entry in the fig genre.