Ozzy Osbourne’s signature scent is raising money for Cure Parkinson’s

Fans can go a lifetime without ever knowing what their favourite artist smells like. Unless, of course, you’re an Ozzy Osbourne fan. In that case, the answer has long been a bottle of Czech & Speake No.88.

For over 30 years, the Black Sabbath frontman chose the woody aromatic as a signature scent. “So many people in the industry always asked “what’s that smell” and they never expected it to be Ozzy,” Sharon Osbourne tells me at the launch of Czech & Speake’s limited-edition tribute bottle. “He would absolutely drench himself in it,” she added.

To honour the late Black Sabbath frontman, Czech & Speake will donate £50 from every £250 bottle directly to Cure Parkinson’s. Osbourne died last year following complications linked to long-term Parkinson’s disease, with the initiative supporting fundraising for research aimed at ending the condition.

For the Prince of Darkness limited-edition bottle of No.88, the packaging receives an Ozzy-appropriate update. Alongside purple typography sits gleaming foil against a matte black bottle. Inside the box, a personal tribute from Sharon Osbourne adds an intimate final touch.

First launched in 1978 as the debut fragrance of the independent brand, No. 88 has undoubtedly become a cult favourite: woody, complex and unmistakably bold – much like the man who wore it.

Bright top notes of bergamot open the composition, before giving way to a floral heart of geranium and rose otto. Beneath it all sits a deeper base of vetiver and sandalwood, giving the scent its woody, mossy warmth. Basically, it’s a compositional balance of freshness and depth that has kept it relevant for decades.

“We have always been thrilled to have Ozzy as such a loyal fan of No. 88,” Czech & Speake Managing Director David Carter says in a statement. “This limited-edition bottle allows us to pay tribute to him, while also supporting the important work of Cure Parkinson’s.”

For fans, the fragrance now carries an added layer of meaning – part memory, part message. As Sharon put it, fragrance has a strange way of holding on to people. “It’s such a personal thing,” she said. “It makes us all so happy, and it helps bring awareness to Parkinson’s. People don’t realise how much it’s growing.”

The result is a scent that lingers far beyond the skin: a tribute, a memory, and a cause wrapped into one unmistakable bottle.

Discover No. 88 at czechandspeake.com.