# The Nose Behind ## Facts | | | |---|---| | Founded | 2018 | | Origin | Germany | | Headquarters | Frankfurt am Main | | Owner | Mäurer & Wirtz | | Status | Acquired | | Manufacturing | Italy (MLG Srl, named as manufacturer for Royal Dubai in a retailer's GPSR information) | | Distribution | Multi-channel | | Website | https://nosebehind.com/ | The Nose Behind is a German niche perfume brand based in Frankfurt am Main. It was created by Herbert Stricker, who spent years distributing high-end colognes and perfumes for other houses before he began producing fragrances of his own [6]. The brand presents its range as Stricker's personal diary and travel journal in scent: each perfume is meant to capture a place, a situation or a memory from his life. The company is no longer independently owned. In November 2025 the German fragrance and cosmetics group Mäurer & Wirtz, owner of 4711 and Tabac, announced that it would acquire The Nose Behind together with Stricker's distribution business, Classic Parfums [8]. By mid-2026 the group was describing the merger as complete. The Nose Behind has been acquired but remains active, run as a separate unit within the group with Stricker still at its head. ## Origin & founders Herbert Stricker is German but grew up in Northern Italy, where he learned to speak both German and Italian. A retailer's account of one of his perfumes places his childhood more precisely in South Tyrol, where he spent much of his time hiking in the mountains. His working life in fragrance began on the business side. For many years he imported and distributed upmarket colognes and perfumes, and he built a second company, Herbert Stricker Classic Parfums, around that trade. The move from seller to maker is the story behind the brand's name. A 2023 profile in the menswear publication Gentleman's Gazette described how Stricker, over the years, went from being only a distributor to being the producer, or "the nose behind", the scent [6]. The publication had its own link to him: it is the exclusive US distributor of Roberto Ugolini, a second perfume line Stricker created, and its author, Sven Raphael Schneider, had known Stricker since around 2005 through the online menswear world. That profile also set out how Stricker approaches new perfumes. His stated aim was to make fragrances with the same level of quality as a bespoke shoe. According to the article, he does not set the price first; he lets the perfumer decide and create something they genuinely want to make. Stricker develops the concept for each scent together with professional perfumers, who then realise it. Andreas Wilhelm is the perfumer most clearly linked to the brand, through its Fleur Alpine fragrance [2]. One sample retailer also connects Christian Carbonnel, who also works as Chris Maurice, to Kobe Gardens and Miami South Beach, and Cristian Calabrò and Maurizio Cerizza to Suits. ## History & milestones The operating company, The Nose Behind GmbH, was entered in the commercial register in Frankfurt am Main in May 2018, with the stated purpose of producing and distributing perfumes and other luxury goods; a word-and-figurative trademark for "THE NOSE BEHIND" was recorded in July of the same year [12]. Neither the brand nor its retailers give a public launch year for the perfume collection itself. The company does more than sell its own scents. Alongside the twelve fragrances under the brand name, The Nose Behind GmbH represents other perfume houses as a distributor, among them Clive Christian and Thameen London [9]. It also handles the Roberto Ugolini line. That collection takes its name from a bespoke shoemaker in Florence whose workshop Stricker had used for his own shoes; Ugolini shared his interest in fragrance, and the two agreed that Stricker would launch a line of perfumes under the shoemaker's name. The most significant event in the brand's history so far is its sale. On 3 November 2025, Mäurer & Wirtz announced that it would take over both Herbert Stricker Classic Parfums GmbH and The Nose Behind GmbH. The deal was subject to the usual regulatory approvals, and at the time of the announcement it was expected to complete on 1 January 2026 [8]. The first major appointment after the merger followed in June 2026. Mäurer & Wirtz announced that Classic Parfums and The Nose Behind had appointed Thomas Rieder as their Chief Sales Officer, calling it the first major appointment since the merger [9]. Rieder brought more than 25 years of experience in marketing, sales and general management. He had worked at Procter & Gamble Prestige Products and at LVMH Perfumes & Cosmetics, including Parfums Christian Dior in Germany, before becoming general manager of Clarins GmbH in 2021. His brief covers relationships with international brand partners, expanding the portfolio and growth in selective retail. ## Ownership The Nose Behind belongs to Mäurer & Wirtz, a fragrance and cosmetics group based in Stolberg, Germany. Besides its two long-established house brands, 4711 and Tabac, the group holds fragrance licences for fashion labels including S.Oliver, Betty Barclay, Baldessarini and Tom Tailor. At the time of the deal it reported sales of more than 240 million euros for its most recent financial year. The purchase of Stricker's two companies was announced as the second-largest acquisition in the group's history, after its purchase of the 4711 brand [8]. Mäurer & Wirtz presented the deal as a strategic milestone in its push into prestige and niche fragrance. Its chief executive, Stephan Kemen, said the group's ambition was to rank among the global top ten in the fragrance industry, and later described the goal as becoming a "Global House of Perfumes". Under the terms announced in 2025, Classic Parfums and The Nose Behind continue as independent units under the Mäurer & Wirtz umbrella, each keeping its own identity in the luxury and niche segments. Stricker, founder and chief executive of both companies, agreed to stay on as operating managing director for at least three more years [7]. Classic Parfums distributes around a dozen fragrance brands of its own, among them Widian, Pana Dora Sweden and Gritti. ## Philosophy & positioning The brand's central idea is personal. According to the company, the collection is Stricker's "olfactory diary and travel journal": he has turned his favourite places, situations and memories into liquid form, and invites the wearer to travel through them. Many of the perfume names point to specific locations, from Marrakech and Bangkok to Miami's South Beach and the Avenue Montaigne in Paris. The Nose Behind says that its effort went into the raw materials and the formulas rather than into presentation. The company describes the collection as strongly focused on fragrance ingredients, and says that high concentrations of fragrance oils give the perfumes long wear and strong presence on the skin. It states that the main goal was to create extravagant fragrances for enthusiasts. That focus extends to the packaging. Because Stricker wanted nothing to distract from the scent itself, the brand says, the perfumes come in plain, smoky grey bottles and a simple box. The collection is grouped under the phrase "The Finest Liquids", and the brand copy refers to its contents as the "Finest Liquids of the World". The law firm Clifford Chance, which advised the buyer, described both of Stricker's companies as operating in the luxury and niche segments of the fragrance market. The perfumes are sold through the brand's own online shop and through specialist perfume retailers, including services that sell small sample vials. ## Products & innovation The range consists of twelve perfumes. The brand describes them as twelve individual scent journeys. The current line-up is Marrakech, Tennis Green, Killing Fresh, Hakama, Royal Dubai, Bangkok Shock, Avenue Montaigne, Silk! Oud, Kobe Gardens, Suits, Miami South Beach and Fleur Alpine. One retailer groups them by broad scent family: Kobe Gardens as aquatic and aromatic, Suits as citrus and fruity, Miami South Beach as gourmand and woody, Bangkok Shock as floral and citrus, and Avenue Montaigne as powdery and leathery. Fleur Alpine is the scent most closely tied to Stricker's own story. It is built around the memory of Nigritella, a small, rare and protected alpine orchid that he first came across while hiking as a child. The plant's scent is said to be strongest at around 2,000 metres, and it is often described as floral with a note of chocolate. Stricker tried for years to capture it before developing the perfume with Andreas Wilhelm, who translated the idea into fresh, green and floral facets with a chocolate accent. Stricker has called it "the fragrance that is closest to my heart" [10]. The perfumes are also offered as small samples, and the brand sells sample sets for people who want to try the range before buying a full bottle. The online shop also carries a small amount of merchandise, such as caps branded "Herbert by The Nose Behind". No third-party certifications, patents or specific sustainability commitments are documented for the brand. ## Current status The Nose Behind is an acquired brand that remains active. It operates as an independent unit within Mäurer & Wirtz, with Herbert Stricker as chief executive of both The Nose Behind and Classic Parfums [9]. As of October 2026, the brand's own online shop was trading, with its legal notice updated that month, and Fleur Alpine was being offered on presale. The company also continues to run the Roberto Ugolini line and to distribute other perfume houses. ## Timeline {#belagg-timeline} | Year | Event | Source | |---|---|---| | 2018 | The Nose Behind GmbH entered in the Frankfurt am Main commercial register (HRB 111867) on 22 May 2018, object: production and distribution of perfumes and other luxury goods; word/figurative mark 'THE NOSE BEHIND' recorded 9 July 2018 (Tier 4 business database). | https://www.northdata.de/The+Nose+Behind+GmbH,+Frankfurt+am+Main/Amtsgericht+Frankfurt+am+Main+HRB+111867 | | 2025 | Mäurer & Wirtz (owner of 4711 and Tabac) announces it will take over Herbert Stricker Classic Parfums GmbH and The Nose Behind GmbH; closing expected 1 January 2026; both to be run as independent units; Stricker to stay operational managing director for at least three more years. | https://fashionunited.de/nachrichten/business/maurer-wirtz-ubernimmt-classic-parfums-und-the-nose-behind/2025110364104 | | 2025 | Acquisition by Mäurer & Wirtz announced 3 November 2025 ("The acquisition, which is subject to customary regulatory approvals, is expected to be completed on 1 January 2026."); described as the second-largest acquisition in Mäurer & Wirtz's history after 4711. | https://www.cliffordchance.com/news/news/2025/11/clifford-chance-advises-maeurer-wirtz-on-the-acquisition-of-classic-parfumes.html | | 2026 | Thomas Rieder appointed Chief Sales Officer of Classic Parfums and The Nose Behind, described by Mäurer & Wirtz as the first major appointment following the merger (press release dated 2 June 2026). | https://www.m-w.de/en/classic-parfums-und-the-nose-behind-berufen-thomas-rieder-zum-chief-sales-officer/ | | 2026 | Merger with Mäurer & Wirtz referred to as completed in the Mäurer & Wirtz press release of 2 June 2026 ("First major appointment following the merger of Mäurer & Wirtz with Classic Parfums and The Nose Behind"). | https://www.m-w.de/en/classic-parfums-und-the-nose-behind-berufen-thomas-rieder-zum-chief-sales-officer/ | ## Signature products {#belagg-products} - **Fleur Alpine** — Fleur Alpine is the fragrance that is closest to my heart. I hope it finds many admirers. — https://ausliebezumduft.de/en/products/the-nose-behind-fleur-alpine - **Marrakech** — \| Marrakech \| €175,00 \| In stock \| — https://nosebehind.com/collections/the-nose-behind-1 - **Tennis Green** — \| Tennis Green \| €175,00 \| In stock \| — https://nosebehind.com/collections/the-nose-behind-1 - **Killing Fresh** — \| Killing Fresh \| €175,00 \| In stock \| — https://nosebehind.com/collections/the-nose-behind-1 - **Hakama** — \| Hakama \| €175,00 \| In stock \| — https://nosebehind.com/collections/the-nose-behind-1 - **Royal Dubai** — \| Royal Dubai \| €175,00 \| In stock \| — https://nosebehind.com/collections/the-nose-behind-1 - **Bangkok Shock** — \| Bangkok Shock \| €175,00 \| In stock \| — https://nosebehind.com/collections/the-nose-behind-1 - **Avenue Montaigne** — \| Avenue Montaigne \| €175,00 \| In stock \| — https://nosebehind.com/collections/the-nose-behind-1 - **Silk! Oud** — \| Silk! Oud \| €175,00 \| In stock \| — https://nosebehind.com/collections/the-nose-behind-1 - **Kobe Gardens** — \| Kobe Gardens \| €175,00 \| Sold out \| — https://nosebehind.com/collections/the-nose-behind-1 - **Suits** — \| Suits \| €175,00 \| Sold out \| — https://nosebehind.com/collections/the-nose-behind-1 - **Miami South Beach** — \| Miami South Beach \| €175,00 \| In stock \| — https://nosebehind.com/collections/the-nose-behind-1 ## Mentioned in {#belagg-press} - **Gentleman's Gazette** (2023) — Article by Sven Raphael Schneider (1 June 2023), 'Teaming Up with Roberto Ugolini Fragrances & The Nose Behind'; profiles Herbert Stricker as a former high-end fragrance distributor who became 'the nose behind' the scent. Gentleman's Gazette is the exclusive US distributor of the sister line Roberto Ugolini (commercial interest, not independent). — https://www.gentlemansgazette.com/roberto-ugolini-the-nose-behind/ - **FashionUnited (DE)** (2025) — Trade-press report on Mäurer & Wirtz taking over Classic Parfums and The Nose Behind. — https://fashionunited.de/nachrichten/business/maurer-wirtz-ubernimmt-classic-parfums-und-the-nose-behind/2025110364104 ## Sources 2. (T1) https://www.parfinity.com/en/brand/the-nose-behind 6. (T3) https://www.gentlemansgazette.com/roberto-ugolini-the-nose-behind/ 7. (T3) https://fashionunited.de/nachrichten/business/maurer-wirtz-ubernimmt-classic-parfums-und-the-nose-behind/2025110364104 8. (T3) https://www.cliffordchance.com/news/news/2025/11/clifford-chance-advises-maeurer-wirtz-on-the-acquisition-of-classic-parfumes.html 9. (T3) https://www.m-w.de/en/classic-parfums-und-the-nose-behind-berufen-thomas-rieder-zum-chief-sales-officer/ 10. (T3) https://ausliebezumduft.de/en/products/the-nose-behind-fleur-alpine 12. (T4) https://www.northdata.de/The+Nose+Behind+GmbH,+Frankfurt+am+Main/Amtsgericht+Frankfurt+am+Main+HRB+111867 --- Glowpedia · · Published 2026-10-13 Please cite with a link to the article URL.