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Imaginary Authors A City On Fire
Imaginary Authors

A City On Fire

woody
vanilla
amber
warm spicy
balsamic
clay
sweet
EDP · 2012 · unisex

Imaginary Authors is an indie perfume house known for narrative-driven fragrances with unconventional compositions. Founded by the creative collective around perfumer Chris Rusak, the brand has built a reputation for bold, artistic scents that prioritize storytelling over commercial appeal.

A City On Fire opens with pink pepper and tuberose tempered by jasmine and vanilla, creating an initial sweetness with subtle spice. The heart deepens considerably with cedar, haitian vetiver, and patchouli, which ground the fragrance in woody, earthy territory. Benzoin and oakmoss in the base provide a smoky, almost charred quality that complements the lingering vanilla and amber. Overall, this is a warm amber-woody composition that balances floral topnotes with a substantial, resinous dry-down, making it feel more sophisticated and austere than typically sweet amber fragrances.

This works best for those seeking depth and complexity rather than immediate wearability. It's suited to cooler seasons and evening wear, where its smoky, slightly austere character can fully unfold. The fragrance appeals to amber enthusiasts who want something with backbone and texture. A City On Fire aligns with The Homesteader, The Romantic, and The Sensualist DNA profiles.

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$115Best · 50ml
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Main Accordsreported by community
woody
100%
vanilla
100%
amber
100%
warm spicy
50%
balsamic
50%
clay
50%
sweet
50%
earthy
50%
powdery
50%
aromatic
50%
Fragrance Notescommunity verified
Top · 0–30 min
jasmine
jasmine
Intoxicating, heady, and slightly animalic, jasmine is one of the few flowers that smells as rich in a bottle as it does climbing a garden wall at dusk. It has an almost fleshy, indolic quality that stops it reading as purely 'clean.' Jasmine is a workhorse in both feminine and masculine perfumery, adding depth and soul.
pink pepper
pink pepper
Fruity, slightly rosy, and gently spiced, pink pepper is softer and more aromatic than black pepper. It occupies a unique space between citrus, floral, and spice families, which makes it exceptionally versatile. You'll find it in contemporary fresh fragrances where it adds lift and personality without aggression.
tuberose
tuberose
One of the most intensely floral natural ingredients in existence, rich, creamy, and almost narcotic in its sweetness. Tuberose is polarizing by design: it's meant to be enveloping, not background. It has rubbery, vanilla-like facets that make it feel both sensual and slightly retro.
vanilla
vanilla
Warm, sweet, and universally appealing, vanilla is to fragrance what salt is to cooking. Real vanilla is complex and slightly smoky, though most perfumery vanilla is synthetic and reads as clean, sweet, and creamy. It slows the evaporation of other notes and is the reason certain fragrances feel like a second skin.
vetiver
vetiver
Earthy, smoky, and complex, vetiver root is extracted from a grass native to India and has a scent that is simultaneously rooty, woody, and slightly lemony. It's one of perfumery's great base notes: tenacious, unisex, and endlessly adaptable. A fragrance built around vetiver feels grounded and deeply confident.
Heart · 30 min – 3 hrs
cedar
cedar
haitian vetiver
haitian vetiver
labdanum
labdanum
A resin from the rock rose plant with a dark, animalic, honeyed quality that anchors many classic oriental fragrances. Labdanum is simultaneously leathery and sweet, with a raw complexity that synthetic materials struggle to match. It's a cornerstone of amber accords and chypre compositions.
patchouli
patchouli
Dense, earthy, and darkly sweet, patchouli is the scent of damp soil and dried herbs with an almost chocolatey richness. It polarizes people because in high concentrations it's overwhelming, but as a supporting note it adds depth and longevity that almost nothing else can match. The backbone of countless oriental and chypre fragrances.
sandalwood
sandalwood
Creamy, smooth, and milky with a soft, skin-like warmth that clings beautifully. True Mysore sandalwood is one of perfumery's most precious ingredients, simultaneously wood and skin, never cold or sharp. It rounds off sharp edges in any composition and makes the wearer smell subtly, irresistibly warmer.
Base · 3–12 hrs
amber
amber
A warm, resinous accord rather than a single ingredient, amber is typically built from labdanum, benzoin, and vanilla to create a rich, honeyed, almost solar warmth. It's the quintessential base-note family, adding a comforting richness that makes fragrances feel complete. The difference between a fragrance feeling cold and feeling alive.
benzoin
benzoin
Sweet, warm, and balsamic, benzoin resin smells like vanilla mixed with incense, with a powdery, slightly medicinal edge. It adds a comforting warmth and fixative quality to oriental fragrances, and blends beautifully with spices. Often used to smooth and round off sharp edges in complex base notes.
oakmoss
oakmoss
The defining ingredient of classic chypre perfumery, damp, forest-floor earthy with a faint bitterness and incredible complexity. Real oakmoss is now heavily restricted by IFRA regulations, which is why vintage chypres smell so different from modern ones. When present, it creates a raw, outdoorsy anchor that no synthetic fully replicates.
vanilla
vanilla
Warm, sweet, and universally appealing, vanilla is to fragrance what salt is to cooking. Real vanilla is complex and slightly smoky, though most perfumery vanilla is synthetic and reads as clean, sweet, and creamy. It slows the evaporation of other notes and is the reason certain fragrances feel like a second skin.
vetiver
vetiver
Earthy, smoky, and complex, vetiver root is extracted from a grass native to India and has a scent that is simultaneously rooty, woody, and slightly lemony. It's one of perfumery's great base notes: tenacious, unisex, and endlessly adaptable. A fragrance built around vetiver feels grounded and deeply confident.
Who Wears ThisScent DNA matches
🏡
The HomesteaderBest match85% match
Rooted, warm, and entirely self-sufficient.

Warm skin musks, sandalwood, soft cedar, clean vetiver. Grounding, intimate, unhurried.

❤️
The Romantic85% match
Your fragrance is a love letter you never stop writing.

Warm roses, vanilla, amber, creamy musks. Soft, evolving, intimate.

🔥
The Sensualist85% match
You fill the room without trying.

Warm, smooth, projecting. Leather, tobacco, dry amber, bold woods.

Based on this fragrance's accord profile · Find your Scent DNA →
Community
Rate this fragrance
Rate this fragrance
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Most Popular with this Scent DNA Type?
🏡
The Homesteader
Rooted, warm, and entirely self-sufficient.
Warm skin musks, sandalwood, soft cedar, clean vetiver. Grounding, intimate, unhurried.
Discover your type →
Scent Profile
woody100%
vanilla100%
amber100%
warm spicy50%
balsamic50%
Fragrance Family
Amber/Woody
EDP
Decants Available
3
listings in stock
1ml$4.99/ml2ml$3.50/ml14ml$3.29/ml

Imaginary Authors A City On Fire— Prices, Coupons & Buying Guide

Best price today: A City On Fire is $115.00. Without a coupon the lowest price is $115.00. Gush tracks 47+ retailers updated every 2 hours.

Are grey market retailers authentic?

Yes. Jomashop, FragranceNet, and MaxAroma sell 100% authentic Imaginary Authors fragrances through unofficial distribution channels. The fragrance is identical to department store stock. Grey market refers to the supply chain, not product quality. The price difference comes entirely from the distribution channel.

Frequently asked questions

Cheapest price for Imaginary Authors A City On Fire? +
$115.00 at Imaginary Authors. Gush compares 47+ retailers updated every 2 hours.
What does Imaginary Authors A City On Fire smell like? +
Imaginary Authors is an indie perfume house known for narrative-driven fragrances with unconventional compositions. Founded by the creative collective around perfumer Chris Rusak, the brand has built a reputation for bold, artistic scents that prioritize storytelling over commercial appeal. A City On Fire opens with pink pepper and tuberose tempered by jasmine and vanilla, creating an initial sweetness with subtle spice. The heart deepens considerably with cedar, haitian vetiver, and patchouli, which ground the fragrance in woody, earthy territory. Benzoin and oakmoss in the base provide a smoky, almost charred quality that complements the lingering vanilla and amber. Overall, this is a warm amber-woody composition that balances floral topnotes with a substantial, resinous dry-down, making it feel more sophisticated and austere than typically sweet amber fragrances. This works best for those seeking depth and complexity rather than immediate wearability. It's suited to cooler seasons and evening wear, where its smoky, slightly austere character can fully unfold. The fragrance appeals to amber enthusiasts who want something with backbone and texture. A City On Fire aligns with The Homesteader, The Romantic, and The Sensualist DNA profiles.
What are the notes in Imaginary Authors A City On Fire? +
Top: jasmine, pink pepper, tuberose, vanilla, vetiver. Heart: cedar, haitian vetiver, labdanum, patchouli, sandalwood. Base: amber, benzoin, oakmoss, vanilla, vetiver.
What fragrance family is A City On Fire? +
Imaginary Authors A City On Fire belongs to the Amber/Woody fragrance family. It is an EDP.
What is a grey market fragrance retailer? +
Grey market retailers sell authentic fragrances sourced through unofficial distribution -- typically excess inventory from authorized distributors. The product is real and identical to retail. FragranceNet (est. 1997), Jomashop, and MaxAroma are well-established with millions of verified reviews.

Gush earns a commission on purchases at no cost to you · Prices update every 2 hours · Coupon success rates based on affiliate feed data · Grey market = authentic, unofficial supply chain