Most people look forward to fall because of the fashion trends. But if you’re anything like me, then your excitement comes from the fact that your fragrance wardrobe can finally be overhauled. It’s always my pleasure to swap out the fresh, fruity scents in my rotation for the deeper, sexier notes that make me come alive. Over the years, I’ve noticed that this means shifting to the best woody perfumes in my collection.
“A woody fragrance is all about that warm, earthy, cozy vibe—think of it as the scent equivalent of a cashmere sweater,” says content creator and perfume expert, Paul Fino. “Woody perfumes can feel almost skin-like, intimate, and grounding, and they’re endlessly versatile—there are so many takes on the theme that can completely change the mood of a fragrance.”
That versatility is exactly what attracts me to this category. Some of my favorite wood perfumes feature controversial fragrance notes. But with the right mix of my trusted woody notes, a completely different, very appealing experience unfolds. That said, finding the perfect formulation in such an expansive category is a tall order. So I’ve done the legwork for you and tested some of the most popular woody perfumes on the market, narrowing them down to only the best ones worth considering.
Keep reading for the top woody perfumes to kick off your fall and winter fragrance rotation beautifully.
Best Woody Perfumes
- The Best Woody Perfume Overall: Diptyque Orphéon Eau de Parfum
- The Best Skin Scent Woody Perfume: Goldfield & Banks Silky Woods Eau de Parfum
- The Best Musky Woody Perfume: Gucci The Alchemist's Garden Muschio Mineralis Eau de Parfum
- The Best Oud Woody Perfume: BDK Parfums Oud Abramad Eau de Parfum
- The Best Luxury Woody Perfume: Creed Millesime Imperial Eau de Parfum
I love my job, and there are times when I feel especially grateful for it. The most recent was when I discovered this perfume from Diptyque. Orphéon is as musky as it is woody, creating a skin scent that lasts much longer than typical formulations. I bought this perfume to test for this story, and I’ve already used a concerning amount of it. That’s how much I’ve been enjoying this incredible fragrance.
Key Notes: Juniper berry; Cedar; Tonka bean; Jasmine
Size: 2.5 fl oz
What I Love: Smoky but simultaneously creamy; Sits close to the skin; Long-lasting formula
What I Don’t: Very popular, so you may run into a few people who already own this as their signature scent
Review for MC: “I think the entire world was gatekeeping this perfume for me because I actually don’t understand how it took this long for me to finally get my nose on it. Regardless of how this love affair began, this perfume has become my latest obsession, and it emotionally hurts me to put the bottle down. I want to bathe in this scent. I want my entire life to smell like this woody, musky, delicious masterpiece of a perfume. I’ve long described myself as a juniper berry hater, but somehow, in this perfume, it’s immaculate. If I were to describe a perfect scent, this is as close as a formula has ever come. Everyone needs this perfume in their collection. Woman, child, man—everyone.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Ariel Baker testing Diptyque's Orpheon perfume.
This perfume was my first introduction to the Australia-based niche fragrance house Goldfield and Banks, and wow—I really, for lack of a better phrase, struck gold here. Australian Agarwood forms the woody note at the heart of this scent, but the surrounding notes, such as saffron, vanilla, and incense, truly elevate it to masterpiece status. It’s velvety and full-bodied. It sits close to the skin but has gorgeous longevity. This perfume is the epitome of dynamic, and the brand has masterfully turned what could have been a cloying, suffocating combination and created a little slice of heaven on earth.
Key Notes: Australian agarwood; Sandalwood; Saffron; Tobacco leaves; Cinammon
Size: 1.7 fl oz
What I Love: Gorgeous gold packaging; Brand uses botanicals that are native to Australia as the base for all of its fragrances
What I Don’t: Can be hard to find in person, so may have to blind buy
Review for MC: “Silky Woods is one of those perfumes that makes you grateful for the existence of the perfume industry. How else could you find a combination of cinnamon, wood, saffron, and more that smells this good? This perfume is elegance personified, from the actual formula to the chic gold bottle—even how it seems to adapt to my skin instead of masking it. It’s now one of the most seductive fragrances that I own, and I will be rounding out my collection with more from this line.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Ariel Baker testing Goldfield & Banks Australia Silky Woods perfume.
I will keep shouting it from the rooftops if I have to—Gucci’s Alchemist's Garden line is the most underrated collection from this brand. I’m doing my part to change that by recommending yet another gem from the line. This time, it’s Muschio Mineralis. This perfume skillfully blends notes of musk, vanilla, and woods to create a scent that is as cozy as it is sexy, making it the perfect choice for a sexy night out (or in), as well as a great everyday signature perfume, especially during fall and winter.
Key Notes: Pink pepper; Musk; Gayo Patchouli Essential Oil
Size: 3.4 fl oz
What I Love: Whimsical bottle; Musk-forward woody perfume, which makes it much more wearable for the everyday person
What I Don’t: Appears to only be available at select retailers, which can make it hard to smell before buying
Review for MC: “If a perfume has musk in it, my interest is 50 percent piqued. If it also has woody notes and vanilla? Sign me up immediately. This fragrance from Gucci embodies all of these characteristics, and it comes in a bottle that is as dark and academia-coded as they come. Because of the musk-forward formula, it starts off a little muted, like a skin scent, but as it wears on the skin, it blooms—I'm able to pick up a hint of spice, the creamy warmth of vanilla, and a touch of pepper. The notes aren’t necessarily complex, but they are executed so well that I dare say this might be the closest I’ll get to a universally pleasing option on this list.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Ariel Baker testing Gucci The Alchemist's Garden Muschio Mineralis perfume.
BDK’s Oud Abramad is what I imagine my higher self would smell like. For one, it embodies wealth, not just because of the hefty price tag (which I recognize), but also because of the blend of scents that really captures that essence. Saffron, ginger, incense, and a mix of woods come together to create what I can only describe as an elixir that manifests abundance into my life. Seriously, I don’t know if scent manifestation is a real thing, but if it is, grab a bottle of this perfume and give it a try.
Key Notes: Saffron; Indonesian oud wood; Gaiac wood; Somalia incense
Size: 3.4 fl oz
What I Love: Expensive-smelling; Wood-forward but not masculine-leaning; Unisex
What I Don’t: The combination of woods and incense might be a bit overpowering for some people
Review for MC: “This perfume genuinely blew me away. I’m not exaggerating when I say that my jaw dropped at the first sniff. I expected to be a bit put off by the amount of woody notes in the formula, but it’s balanced so beautifully that it takes me on a journey, rather than plunging me into a sharp, claustrophobic cloud of dry notes. This formula truly feels like something a noble or dignitary would wear. There’s no other way to describe it except phenomenal.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Ariel Baker testing BDK Oud Abramad perfume.
I once saw one of my favorite rappers talk about his go-to perfume, and he cheekily posted that “it’s Creed, the gold bottle.” Since then (and it’s been years at this point), I’ve had this perfume on my wishlist, and when I finally got it, I understood the hype. It’s a little aquatic, almost to the point of smelling a bit salty, but the dry down on this perfume is immaculate. Woods and musk blend with the lighter, citrusy top notes for a perfume that is a year-round masterpiece, but truly shines in the transitional months, such as fall and spring.
Key Notes: Orris; Salty marine notes; Cedarwood; Musk; Bergamot
Size: 3.4 fl oz
What I Love: Unisex; A little goes a long way
What I Don’t: Not as long-lasting as I expected it to be
Review for MC: “Milissime Imperial is simply perfumery at its finest. I’m not usually a fan of aquatic, marine notes in perfume, but they are blended so beautifully in this formula that I barely notice them. The orris note adds an almost creamy, velvety quality to this scent that, to me, makes it one of those rare fragrances that can be worn year-round without issue. On top of that, the citrus notes aren’t overpowering or headache-inducing, which I often encounter when testing similar scents. Instead, they provide a juicy opening that quickly gives way to the more complex notes at the heart and base of the formula. In short, my review of this perfume is ‘buy it right now.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Ariel Baker testing Creed Millésime Impérial perfume.
Taylor Swift was onto something when she popularized this Tom Ford perfume. Since becoming known as one of the pop star’s favorite scents, this perfume has practically become a household name alongside the star. If you’re worried it’s just hype, I’m here to tell you it’s not. Sandalwood, cedarwood, and cinnamon bark oil are among the woody notes in this fragrance, balanced with others such as ylang-ylang and benzoin. The blend is smooth, almost like a liqueur, but sits a little closer to the skin than you might expect.
Key Notes: Sandalwood; Cedarwood; Benzoin; Ylan-Ylang
Size: 1.7 fl oz
What I Love: True wood-forward fragrance; Sits closer to the skin but isn’t a light fragrance
What I Don’t: Easily recognizable scent
Customer Review: “Love this, my favorite Tom Ford, smells great in the fall. Or anytime of the year. I love using my sandalwood wash and lotion, and then love to layer Santal blush with a spray of Coco Mademoiselle…perfect pair! Now I have to have both.” — Sephora
Saffron lovers, your time has come. Maison Crivelli’s Safran Secret extrait is loaded with, as expected, saffron, which happens to be my favorite perfume note. It’s enhanced by blonde woods and spices, creating a blend that can only be described as extremely sexy. This fragrance is unisex, so watch out for any sticky fingers in your perfume collection at home. Consider yourselves warned.
Key Notes: Saffron; Blonde Woods; Warm Spices
Size: 1.7 fl oz
What I Love: Niche brand that not many people know about; Saffron-forward perfume; Long-lasting
What I Don’t: One of the most expensive bottles in my collection
Customer Review: “I own almost all of Maison's extrait de parfum bar one. I tried not to give in to buying this, but finally bit the bullet. It is spicy, peppery almost. Long-lasting. Sprayed on a test strip at the store, brought it home, and left it on the coffee table. Next day I woke up and walked into the living room and this scent was all I could smell. Went online and purchased immediately. I still have that test strip and the scent is still very much on it.” — Neiman Marcus
What Is a Woody Perfume?
Woody perfumes tend to have some sort of wood facet to them, but not all formulations smell similarly, even when using the same notes. “Woody perfumes usually lean on notes like sandalwood, cedarwood, patchouli, vetiver, or even oud for a truly luxe twist,” Fino says. “They can smell almost skin-like and feel intimate, yet grounding. They’re endlessly versatile.”
Why Are Woody Perfumes Trending?
Aside from them being cold-weather appropriate, you can thank a few very popular perfumes for the resurgence in woody scents. “This note has always been a staple in the world of perfumery, but Le Labo’s Santal 33 and Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s Baccarat Rouge 540 really brought this category back into the spotlight, making ingredients like sandalwood and cedarwood the 'it-girl’ notes that everyone wants to wear,” Fino says.
Today, the woody perfumes are elegant twists on a classic note. “Think gourmands, florals, and fresh formulas with an elegant, minimalist twist,” Fino says. “Everyone’s rediscovering them, so brands are putting playful twists on the staple category.”
How We Tested
To compile this list of the best fresh-smelling perfumes, I scoured the internet and combed through countless customer reviews to find the top-rated options on the market. I also asked the Marie Claire team to share their holy grail picks.
For each fragrance I tested, I assessed the fragrance's notes, how long it lasted, and its overall scent as the day went on.
Why Trust Marie Claire?
For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.
Meet the Expert
Paul Fino is a perfume expert and content creator.
