You want to try a fragrance before spending £150 on it. Two options appear: samples and decants. Both are small-format. Both cost less than a full bottle. They are not the same thing, and the difference matters when you're deciding what to buy.
What is a perfume sample?
A perfume sample is a small quantity of fragrance, usually 1 to 2ml, provided by a brand or authorized retailer. Department stores hand them out at the counter. Brands include them with purchases. Some retailers sell official 1ml vials for a pound or two.
Samples are brand-originated. You get the formulation directly from the source, guaranteed authenticity. The catch: they're tiny. One or two sprays isn't enough to evaluate a fragrance seriously. And brands only sample what they're actively promoting, which rules out niche, discontinued, and independent fragrances almost entirely.
What is a perfume decant?
A decant is a quantity of fragrance poured by hand from a full bottle into a smaller atomizer. Decants come from specialist shops or enthusiast communities, not from the original brand. Because anyone with access to a full bottle can pour from it, you can find decants of almost any fragrance in existence: niche, independent, limited editions, discontinued scents.
A 5ml decant gives you 30 to 50+ sprays, enough to wear the fragrance across multiple days, see how it performs in different weather, notice whether it improves at hour three or disappears at hour one, and decide with confidence whether you want the full bottle.
At The Bar, our decants are hand-poured from full bottles of designer and niche fragrances we've sourced and worn ourselves. Each one is 5ml, sealed in a frosted atomizer, and labeled clearly with the fragrance house and name. From £10. For the full background, read What Is a Perfume Decant?
Decant vs. sample: the key differences at a glance
| Sample | Decant | |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Brand or authorized retailer | Third-party specialist, poured from a full bottle |
| Typical size | 1–2ml | 2–15ml |
| Wears | 2–5 sprays | 30–100+ sprays |
| Availability | Actively promoted fragrances only | Almost any fragrance in existence |
| Authenticity | Guaranteed (brand-sourced) | Depends on the supplier, verify sourcing |
| Cost | Free or £1–5 | £8–25 depending on size and fragrance |
| Best for | Quick first impression | Full wear test before buying a full bottle |
Which should you buy?
Get a sample if you want a brief first impression of a mainstream fragrance, something to decide whether it's worth investigating further. That's it.
Get a decant if you're making a buying decision. A sample doesn't give you enough to know whether a fragrance works on your skin, over time, in your actual life. A 5ml decant does. If you're considering a £150 bottle, test it properly, not with two sprays on a paper strip under fluorescent lights.
Decants also exist for fragrances that have no official samples: niche houses, independent perfumers, discontinued classics. If you want to try Frederic Malle or Orto Parisi without flying to Paris, a reputable decant shop is the way in.
Why The Bar pours decants, not samples
We built The Bar around the decant format because a 1ml vial isn't enough to make a real decision. Two sprays on a warm afternoon isn't the same fragrance as two sprays on a cold morning. Skin chemistry varies. One rushed try at a department store counter is not a wear test.
A 5ml decant changes that. You wear it Monday and Thursday. In cold and in a heated room. After a long day and first thing in the morning. You live with it for a week. Then you decide.
Every decant at The Bar is sourced from a full bottle of a fragrance we've worn and believe in. Poured by hand. Labeled clearly. From £10, with £5.99 flat-rate shipping.
FAQ
Is the quality of a perfume decant the same as a full bottle?
Yes, when sourced and poured correctly. A decant is the same liquid, transferred from the original bottle into a smaller atomizer. Quality depends on the decanter, buy from shops that source authentic full bottles and use sealed, clean atomizers.
Are perfume decants legal?
Yes. Decanting fragrance for personal use or resale is legal in most jurisdictions. Decant shops sell fragrance, not a counterfeit of a brand's trademark or packaging. The practice has been mainstream in the fragrance community for decades.
How many sprays is 5ml?
A 5ml atomizer typically delivers 70 to 100 sprays depending on the pump. At 2 to 3 sprays per wear, that's 25 to 50 days of fragrance. More than enough to decide.
Can I get a decant of any fragrance?
Almost any. Reputable decant shops can source most commercially available fragrances, including niche, independent, and discontinued scents. Browse The Bar for our current selection.
