Winter Woods by Sonoma Scent Studio, 2008

On my skin, I'm not getting the woodsy feel to it - but definitely the sweetness of Fall.

This is nice and does remind me of winter woods.

Sonoma Scent Studio WINTER WOODS, my last sample from this house, ended up being a pleasant surprise. This is a very smooth and delectable amber oriental perfume, where I was expecting another burnt cedar variant, of which this house has many. Although there is a fair amount of wood here, the amber really dominates, with a rich and golden, viscous texture. I may even like this more than ANNE PLISKA, and that's saying a lot. WINTER WOODS is less spicy than some amber compositions, and quite a bit more ambery than others (L'ENCRE NOIRE, AMBRE GRIS, et al.). A perfect perfume for cold weather, WINTER WOODS is also wearing quite well on a mild summer day. This may be my favorite from SonomaI somehow saved the best for last... On my wish list!

I've worn it today from a sample. It's another hot spanish summer but i don't care. From the moment this juice touched my skin i knew i'd love it. My family loves it too. Warm and resinous woods, with some animalic and boozy touchs. Feels like it's imbued with some vanilla or patchouli, but they are not listed as notes. Great longevity, it's great to get whiffs of this frag as you walk around. Maybe not an everyday frag, but lovable and comfortable as few are. If this was released under a famous brand no doubt it would be a best seller. Will buy it soon.

Well, at least I couldn't possibly say it wasn't interesting. Also, it is a well made perfume which isn't always the case when we talk about these little niche indie brands. The thing I especially like here is the fact that considering the bold nature of the scent the perfumer didn't make it shout out loud. When applied moderately it wears very close to skin creating sensual animalic and masculine atmosphere. Surely the opening could come out as quite brutal, but it's a nice and suprisingly quiet one after all. Smoky woods engaged with oily leather and musk.

People criticize designer fragrances for their sameness. Well, niche perfumery has become just as redundant over the years, and Winter Woods is a good example of this.

Winter Woods just smells like yet another niche patchouli fragrance with a sweet oriental base. I can smell the underlying wood notes and some smokiness in there, but this is really just a sweet patchouli scent with some cedar thrown in there. If you press your nose right up against your skin and take a deep sniff, you can sort of smell the "campfire" effect in there, but it's almost steamrolled by the syrupy sweet amber in the base. This sweetness ruins Winter Woods for me.

Overall, Winter Woods is not a terrible scent, and I don't have the heart to give it a flat-out thumbs down. It's got patchouli and wood notes in it, which I always like. However, Winter Woods is simply boring and unispired, and I find the sweet amber in this repellent. I suppose if you like eating vanilla cupcakes by a campfire this could be appealing, but I don't like this fragrance at all.

MY SCORE: 5/10

Like many others here, I am impressed with everything about Sonoma Scent Studio, from the quality and selection of fragrances to the thoughtful customer service.

Working my way through my sample box, I find myself today cocooned in Winter Woods.

The gorgeous opening is alive with woodsy spice. I do not detect oakmoss, but there is plenty of vetiver, guaiac and cedar in the greeting. Sandalwood becomes more prominent after the first 20 minutes and gives the ambery drydown a nostalgic, 70's vibe. What makes the drydown special is castoreum--a gentle dose, that never pushes Winter Woods into the dirty-amber realm of Bal à Versailles, but that made me reach for a BAV bottle just to be sure.

Another winner from Sonoma Scent Studio.

Honestly I would classify winter woods as a woody chypre, and if anyone is pining after discontinued Deneuve, may I suggest trying this one (quite a similarity to my nose)

I put this on and was transported down memory lane to a day spent at 10,000 Waves, a mountain spa above Santa Fe, NM. I parked in the upper lot then made my way up the pine covered walkway to the entrance. This is a Japanese themed spa, with clean lined walls and floors made of fragrant woods. I was there in the spring, when it was still chilly, and the fireplace was roaring and filling the room with a fragrant aroma.

I continued on towards the communal pool, where the only decision is to wear or not to wear a swimsuit (and how long to stay)

Winter woods captures everything from the initial walkway, to the crackling fire, to the pine covered walls surrounding the pools, and the au natural purity of the bathing experience. Truly relaxing, truly Western, truly special.

A solid woodie in the sandalwood/amber department. Opens with a heady mix of sandalwood, guaiac wood & patchouli, with a hint of vetiver & perhaps a dash of spice. Quite soon, a welcome but short-lived tar/smoke note pops in, and in a matter of minutes the show is over to a subdued and close-to-the skin sandal/amber drydown. Winter Woods is well-crafted and appears to have quality ingredients but a stronger tar/smoke note and better longevity & sillage wouldn't hurt to make it stand out among the many other good woodies on the market.

Notes:
Guaiac wood, cedar, sandalwood, birch tar, cade, low-atranol natural oakmoss, castoreum, amber, labdanum absolute, vetiver, ambergris, musk.

More than once, Laurie talked about her love of woods, amber and smoke notes. Im starting to believe her for it shows in her evocative and beautifully rendered compositions. I thought Fireside Intense is as close as I could get to a campfire without singeing my hair but I was wrong. WINTER WOODS gets even closer, almost intimate, wrapping my senses within its cozy embrace of sweet woodsmoke, warm woods and smooth ambergris.

The quality of ingredients used here is impeccable and the naturalistic feel of Winter Woods should put it firmly on the list of must-try, particularly for fans of smoky autumn and winter fragrances.