When it comes to the winter months, fragrance lovers have a fresh set of scent problems to contend with.
Those citrus-forward, breezy fragrances that got you through sunnier climes can feel distinctly out of place in the biting breeze of London in January. You need something with a little more depth, richness and complexity.
Warm, woody scents might sound like the obvious way forward, but it’s easy to end up smelling like an old library – or, worse, your dad – so balance is equally important.
Check out the fragrances below. There’s a little something for every discerning gent, regardless of how you like to wear your fragrance.
Happy sniffing…
Creed
Green Irish Tweed
There are three certainties in life: death, taxes and an entry from Creed making the shortlist in a Dapper Chapper fragrance round-up. For fans of Aventus looking for something different, Creed’s Green Irish Tweed is one to try. Fresh top notes of peppermint, verbena, lemon, bergamot and galbanum awaken the senses, before geranium, lavender and violet make way for a warmer base of sandalwood, cedarwood, ambroxan and oakmoss. Fresh enough to retain some zip, but with more than enough depth for winter.
£310 for 100ml at Creed
Acqua di Parma
Sandalo
Acqua di Parma’s Sandalo combines the Italian house’s characteristic citrus freshness with something altogether richer and more enveloping. Bergamot, lemon, orange and petitgrain provide the opening hit, before lavender and cardamom lead into the star of the show: creamy sandalwood, backed up by amber and tonka bean. The result is a sophisticated woody fragrance that manages to feel substantial without becoming heavy – exactly the sort of balancing act you want from a winter scent.
£257 for 100ml at Acqua di Parma
Jo Malone London
Myrrh & Tonka
Myrrh & Tonka is one of Jo Malone London’s most popular scents, and it really comes into its own at this time of year. Aromatic lavender provides the opening before Namibian myrrh brings a warm, balsamic richness to the heart. Tonka bean sits at the base, bringing notes of almond and vanilla into the equation. The result is warm, sensual and reassuringly luxurious without straying into Christmas-candle territory. It’s just as indulgent as it sounds.
£164 for 100ml at Jo Malone London
Tom Ford
Oud Wood
Tom Ford is renowned for producing fragrances of the highest quality, and Oud Wood has become a staple of many a Dapper Chapper’s fragrance collection. Exotic rosewood and cardamom give way to a smoky combination of oud, sandalwood and vetiver, while tonka bean and amber provide warmth underneath. If you’ve worn it before, you’ll already know the effect: distinctive, dark and elegant, this is one of those fragrances that has a habit of turning heads.
£320 for 100ml at Tom Ford Beauty
Bamford
Edition 1 Cologne
Bamford may have snuck under your radar so far, but if you’re after a mature winter fragrance, Edition 1 Cologne deserves your attention. Fresh vetiver, bergamot and cassis stop things becoming too weighty, while wood smoke, dark amber, agarwood and leather provide the warming backbone. It’s rich, masculine and wonderfully grown-up without making you smell like you’ve been locked inside a humidor. Stick some on, then pour yourself a Scotch.
£86 for 50ml at Bamford
Follow The Dapper Chapper on Instagram more style advice and the latest from the world of fashion.
