Six fragrances for fall

Those of us in the northeastern corner of North America turn up our collars, the leaves scatter as we walk. It's not yet winter, but day by day, the sere palette of November approaches.

When it's time to switch over the fragrances, I reunite with the plusher, deeper notes. The current trend is for clear, minimalist fragrances, but this time of year, those can feel like a silk blouse in a drafty room: beautiful but insufficient. I don't want the retro blockbuster fragrances—they feel outdated as a skirt suit with huge shoulderpads. The notes I seek are rich, warm, definite but not aggressive.

I asked the perfume experts Gwen and Kay at perfumeniche.com, my favourite decant store, to suggest a few picks for a seasonal decant dive. Links go to full review (always great reading) and decant store listing.  

L'Wren Scott

An herbal-spice opening that segues to sensual florals, in an eau de parfum concentration. Scott was a true fragrance lover, deeply involved in the creation of her namesake scent produced exclusively for Barney's.

Cuir Andalou (Rania J.)

"Warm, rich leather, vibrant florals (including rose) and dusty saffron... with a hint of oud". I can't wait to try this suggestion of Kay's.

Tilda Swinton Like This (État Libre d'Orange)

One I know, and thought, "of course". Swinton wanted her fragrance to smell like her kitchen in Scotland, ginger and pumpkin, flowers and polished wood. Yes, it all works.

Noir Exquis (L'Artisan Parfumeur)

  "It smells like the air in a French patisserie in fall or winter".  This is the winter entry from Gwen. She mentions candied chestnut, orange blossom, coffee, maple. Though normally not a gourmand wearer, this one sounds...exquisite.

Incense Rosé (Andy Tauer)

Incense Rosé, say Kay and Gwen, is "proof that Andy Tauer is a genius", I agree. To them it's all-year, but to me a sinuous fall-winter pick.

Misfit (Arquiste)

For patchouli (here smooth and rich, not musky) appreciators, this fragrance is odd, sexy, huge and habit-forming. Not an everyday spritz, it's like a tangled garden with nooks and turns...at night.

"You'll love this" is a presumption; a fragrance's performance is affected by skin chemistry, temperature and even the wearer's mood. And, we have our biases. I thought I disliked dry, 'green' fragrances till Kay and Gwen sent a decant of Comme des garçons' "Calamus".

One decant is perfect for tucking into your bag, several mean you can get to know a scent in different conditions. 

A decant pack from perfumeniche is a tiny expression of love that makes a charming gift. You can find my collaboration with them, the All-Naturals Decant Pack, five 1ml decants perfect for someone concerned about sensitivities: price, $CDN 25. I'm also eyeing the "Winter Nights" pack, four 1ml decants, now on sale for $CDN 17.50.

I can't say enough good things about perfumeniche, and there are other very good sellers of niche perfume decants, such as Twisted Lily (based in Brooklyn, NY). Twisted Lily is a fragrance seller, so if you fall in love, you can buy full bottles from them, as you can with LuckyScent). Check postage rates—some foreign sellers charge a hefty minimum shipping fee even if you are ordering only a few decants.  

For UK readers, FragranceSamplesUK looks good, but I've never ordered.

Increasingly, decants are my sweet spot. They allow me to wear some creations I'd choke paying for (Malle, for one), save me from pricey mistakes—and they're such fun!

Please comment to share any fall/winter choices you especially like.