birkholz

German niche house with a family vision

The German perfume house Birkholz was founded in 2017 and is run as a family business in Berlin. Their vision is to create fragrances that reflect individual personality, combined with a high concentration of perfume oils and hand-crafted production. The brand is organised into several collections and offers elegance, intensity and inspirations drawn from travel and place.

Summary

Birkholz shows how a family owned niche perfume house in Berlin can unite high perfume oil concentration with meticulous hand crafted production.
The article walks you through the Classic, Black, Italian, French and Woody Collections with concrete examples like Amber Intense, Tobacco Sense and Portraits of Portofino.
Why Birkholz is portrayed as more than a perfume house and how its fragrances become personal portraits in scent.

There are perfume houses that grow out of a business idea, and then there are those born from a family’s shared desire to capture life’s moments through scent. Birkholz belongs firmly to the latter. When the Berlin-based Birkholz family decided to create their own perfume house, it was not to fill a shelf – it was to fill a void. A space where personal identity, deep fragrance knowledge and small-scale craftsmanship could coexist.

The family who built a world of scent

At the heart of the house are Katrin and Nasyr Birkholz together with their sons, with perfume sommelier Philip Birkholz acting as the public face and creative force. Their vision was clear from the very beginning: to build a perfume house where nothing is left to chance and where everything – from concept to finished bottle – takes place under one roof in Berlin. It is a rare approach today, in a world where many brands rely on outsourcing and fragmented production. Birkholz has chosen to retain full control. The manufactory is the heart, and the family is the pulse.

Their philosophy revolves around a simple yet profound idea: that every person carries a unique story that can be expressed through scent. Perfume should not be merely an external accessory, but an extension of one’s personality – a concentration of memories, moments and moods. Their style is classically elegant and cultivated, something that also shines through in their refined bottles and visual presentations.

The craftsmanship and the soul of the materials

It is clear that Birkholz takes its materials seriously. The perfume oils come from the world’s leading suppliers and sit at the higher end of the niche segment. With concentrations between 18 and 25%, the fragrances signal an unambiguous premium identity. Each scent is constructed around a distinct narrative; in some collections the compositions are even designed to capture the mood of specific geographical places.

The collections – five perspectives on fragrance

Birkholz has divided its universe into five collections, which act almost like five different windows into their aesthetic world.

Classic Collection forms the backbone of the house – a range of elegant fragrances where tradition meets modern sensitivity. Amber Intense is one of the most appreciated scents in the line, a warm and golden interpretation of amber suitable for both everyday wear and special occasions. Wild Desires embodies the same refined sensuality, offering a fresh yet aromatic expression of timeless elegance.

Black Collection is all about drama and intensity – evening light, leather armchairs and a sense of personal gravitas. Tobacco Sense is one of the brand’s most charismatic creations: a dark, elegant and sophisticated tobacco-based, woody-spicy composition that makes anyone feel dressed up, perfect for autumn, winter and evening use.

Italian Collection captures the brightness, joy and poetic sensuality of the Italian landscape. The aquatic and fresh Portraits of Portofino feels like a scene lifted from a film: shimmering water, pastel façades and a vibrant citrus focus. Mornings in Milano is a warm, fruity composition with notes of coconut, vanilla and exotic lychee.

French Collection is a tribute to the historical heart of perfumery. Grasse – Fleur de Provence is a green and floral portrait of Provence in full bloom, blending lavender, sun-warmed earth and soft florals.

Woody Collection is, as the name suggests, built around woody and nature-inspired materials, with everything from cedarwood and sandalwood to cannabis notes and incense.

what makes Birkholz special

There is something genuinely charming about a perfume house that refuses to compromise on its identity. Birkholz is both controlled and emotional, structured and spontaneous. It is the fragrance world’s equivalent of a family-run boutique hotel where everything is considered yet nothing feels impersonal. And remarkably, their headquarters and production site in Kleinmachnow can even be rented for private events, fragrance workshops, corporate gatherings, film productions – and even weddings.

For fragrance lovers – both newcomers and seasoned enthusiasts – Birkholz offers a way into the very essence of perfumery: fragrance as expression, not accessory. The collections allow each individual to find their own place within this scented world, whether they seek lightness, depth, tradition or adventure.

Birkholz is more than a perfume house. It is a family portrait painted in scent.