Josh MeyerThe nose · 37 fragrances · also made Blend No.83 (2023)Portrait →Will you like it? Mark a few fragrances you own or love and we'll tell you.
Imaginary Authors · Sold as unisex
Cape Heartache
The rugged coastline where pine trees meet the salty sea, a place of stark beauty and quiet resilience.
Full bottle: Premium tier, typically $100–250. Links open each seller's own page. We may earn a commission; it never changes the order.
Cape HeartachePremium · $100–250
38%Similar accords, often for lessThe Collection Exhilarating Vanilla · Hugo BossMid-range tier, $40–100 · all 2 of its listed notes are in this one8 matches →How it wears
From community votes · bars are each option's shareComposition & Character
Notes Pyramid
NotesAs listed
The story behind the bottle.
Launched in 2013, Cape Heartache by Imaginary Authors is a Woody Aromatic fragrance for both women and men, created by perfumer Josh Meyer. This scent opens with a fresh spicy accord that gives way to a complex interplay of coniferous woods, sweet fruity notes, and aromatic freshness. The composition evokes the rugged beauty and bracing air of a coastal landscape, where the scent of pine mingles with salty sea breezes and hints of ripe fruit. It's neither overwhelmingly bold nor understated, but rather a nuanced blend that captures both the strength and vulnerability of its namesake.
Apply Cape Heartache sparingly to let its nuanced layers unfold naturally. The fresh spicy notes are most prominent in the first hour but give way to a warm woody base that develops over time. It's best experienced close to skin rather than filling a room.
Fig. 01 — Cape Heartache, Imaginary Authors
Where to buy.
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Josh Meyer
Scent as literary provocationJosh Meyer is an American perfumer who developed refined tastes early in life around whiskey, literature, cuisine, and music before deciding in 2010 to pursue perfumery.
Designer Imaginary Authors
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Chosen from what wearers say it smells like, what its fans also love, and its notes
Love it, not the $100–250 price?
Matched by accords and notes. Sample first, then decide.
The originalCape HeartacheImaginary Authors · Premium · $100–250Hugo Boss · 2024The Collection Exhilarating VanillaAll 2 of its listed notes are in this one$40–100★ 3.86 (44)
With Acqua di Parma Acqua di Parma Colonia Assoluta
Adds citrus, earthy and yellow floral; shares four accords.
Suggested from accords and notes · not yet tried by wearers
What people
are saying.
Respected, if divisive: loved by 35%, disliked or hated by 15%.