Pink pepper drifts into sandalwood, then settles into softer spice. At Stravinsky’s Parfumerie, cocktails follow the structure of a fragrance: a classic foundation, layered notes, a final mist of perfume sprayed across the glass. Push open the discreet door on Carrer dels Mirallers and the tempo slows. This is a place to explore patiently, guided not by sight but by scent, pausing where persistence lingers. There is no sign, no glowing window—just a modest entrance tucked beside Dr. Stravinsky, the acclaimed cocktail bar whose world has now expanded into perfume.
The Stravinsky Universe Expands
The visit begins with a small museum: low light, dark walls, fragments of memory set out in deliberate disorder. At its centre is Grigori Stravinsky—alchemist, photographer, self-taught perfumer. His story is absorbing, yet entirely invented. Conceived by Enric Rebordosa of Grup Confiteria with César Montilla (Bar Manager) and the bar’s creative team, the character holds together through sheer consistency. Letters, formulas, archival photos, objects: each detail so convincing that guests leaf through the room as if turning the pages of a novel. Fiction, yes, but plausible at every step.
The narrative casts Stravinsky as a traveller from St Petersburg to Paris, eventually arriving in Barcelona. It hints at a perfumery called Splend Parfums and brushes with Proust, Bakst, Diaghilev. Today, at number 5 Carrer dels Mirallers—the house where he is said to have stayed—his Parfumerie opens its doors. Each corner is arranged as a variation on his imagined favourite scents, every cocktail a chapter in this invented life.
Behind the Curtain
Beyond the museum lies another layer. Through a curtain, speakeasy-style, sits the members’ Club and Cocktail Bar. A marble counter, a few stools, a bookshelf stacked behind: the setting feels intimate, hushed, designed for slow hours among aromas. Drinks here are crafted with the same attention to detail, each one an original recipe rooted in technique and restraint.
At weekends, the Playroom opens by reservation. This is a laboratory for ten guests at a time, part masterclass, part experiment. The team works in plain sight, distilling, clarifying, infusing. The atmosphere is less bar, more studio.
“Every space has its own essence,” explains César Montilla, bar manager and operating partner, who oversees the project alongside Davide Norcini, assistant manager of Dr. Stravinsky. “The Playroom is our playground—where the team can push flavour and technique, and where guests are invited to be part of that process. It’s like stepping into the kitchen of a Michelin-starred restaurant, only everything here revolves around liquid gastronomy.”
Inside The Playroom, the Laboratory of Stravinsky’s Parfumerie
The menu at Stravinsky’s Parfumerie reworks sixteen classics, each one tied to a figure, a myth, or a book. Moika Palace nods to the Dry Martini, Chagal to the Bloody Mary, El Duque to the Negroni. The distinction lies in the finish: every cocktail arrives with three edible perfumes, misted at the table according to choice. There are no garnishes—the spray itself is the closing gesture, shifting the perception of the drink entirely.
“Dr. Stravinsky has always aimed for more than just a well-made cocktail,” Montilla adds. “We want our guests to experience something singular, surprising, unforgettable. This new space allows them to immerse themselves in the world of Dr. Stravinsky, while our team enjoys the freedom to experiment with fragrances as a creative layer.”
Between Shelves, Formulas and Vaporizers
The design borrows from old European perfumeries: brass details, apothecary bottles, jars of spice displayed in glass cabinets. Alongside the bar sits a curated library by independent Catalan publisher Flaner, and a small shop offering perfumes, candles and cocktail-related objects. Some are collaborations with local perfumers, others carry the Stravinsky Perfumerie label, drawn directly from recipes on the menu. Guests are encouraged to inhale the raw ingredients—familiar or unusual—before deciding which to have misted over their drink.
The Idea, the Direction and the Method of Stravinsky’s Parfumerie
Stravinsky’s Parfumerie rests on a simple premise, elevated through detail. “Perfumery is a language for us,” Montilla reflects. “It’s also a way to draw people closer to mixology, through sensations they already recognise: scents, textures, rituals. Then comes flavour.”
The result is immersive—an experience that combines aesthetics, craft, narrative and atmosphere. For Barcelona, the Parfumerie marks a destination of its own, a companion to its neighbour Dr. Stravinsky. The best advice? Arrive without hurry, and let the trail of fragrance linger long after leaving.
Images courtesy Stravinsky’s Parfumerie by Dr. Stravinsky
