I Know it's not Fall Yet, but.

[Cains Boy]

...I need some advice for a fall fragrance.

I just got a sample of D.R. Harris Marlborough and I really like it. To me (and I think it's the cedar) it smells very autumnal, and I've been on a search for a perfect "fall" scent for a while now. I have L'Occitane's Vetyver and, while nice, I'm not getting the walk-through-the-October-woods sensation that other people seem to get. The Marlborough gets closer. I don't want apples and spices and other autumn things; I think what I want is WOOD.

Problem is, if Marlborough's staying power is anything like Arlington's (which I used to have), I shouldn't bother One of my biggest gripes on fragrances is lack of longevity. So, I'm asking who I consider to be the experts for some help:

I want something that smells similar to D.R. Harris Marlborough. I want to put it on at eight and still smell it at five in the evening (or at least mid-afternoon). Or, I just want someone to say, "Forget Marlborough. If you REALLY want to smell like autumn, then check out ____"

Thanks, guys. You all introduced me to English Fern and Guerlain Vetiver, so I know I'm in good hands, here.

 

[insomniac]

Pine, cedar...?

 

[Cains Boy]

Pine, cedar...?

Not pine -- that's "winter in the mountains" to me. I like the sandalwood in Marlborough, but the sample I got had a clear cedar to it that I loved. I love the smell of "furniture" cedar (e.g. cedar chests) but the less sweet cedar in Marlborough is really good and more like a tree, if that makes any sense.

So, right now I think cedar is what I'm looking for - not really a "pure" cedar, but cedar with other, "autumnal" notes. Are there any other woods that I'm not considering, but should?

 

[erickson]

When I think of fall I think...
CB Burning Leaves
Slumberhouse Jeke

 

[BillC]

I don't know Marlborough but two that come to mind from your description that are worth a try:

L'Occittane eau de L'Occittan: black pepper, lavender and burnt wood

AOS Sandalwood: a bit of medicinal eucalyptus in the top, then sandalwood with a bit of pine/cedar in the heart and drydown

I get plenty of longevity from both

 

[cryhavoc]

I like C&E's Nomad in the fall

 

[FauxPax]

Geo F Trumpers Spanish Leather, Marlborough lasts maybe an hour? Eucris is another fall fragrance I like.

 

[mattnick]

I really like Tam Dao, sandalwood with a cedar kick to it, but I'm finding the longevity isn't great with this one either.

 

[KarlMaldensNose]

I've been playing around with some decants of Comme des Garcons 2 Man recently. Maybe getting too hot for it, though. Autumn would be better for its wood, leather, incense, and vetiver. Definitely in my top ten for cooler weather.

 

[Mr. Styptic]

I own and like Marlborough, too, and it's in-your-face cedar to me, too. Two similar cedar-dominant frags are Tommy Bahama (the original in the brown bottle) and Gucci Pour Homme I. They're both a little different and more complex than Marlborough, but still strongly cedar.

If you want to push the fall woods theme a little further, Sonoma Scent Studio offers Fireside Intense, which does smell like a campfire burning in the fall. If you find that a little too strong, you can have the same idea tamed downed in Sonoma's Winter Woods. I'm going to own a full bottle of one of these, just haven't decided which one. Decisions, decisions.

P.S. -- Sonoma Scent Studio offers samples at a reasonable price. It's a great place to start exploring "indie houses." Particularly recommended, by me anyway, are Sienna Musk and Tabac Aurea. (That last recommendation could rankle the tobacco enthusiasts here at B&B.) Sonoma also could challenge the beliefs of the guys who think they wouldn't wear anything described as unisex.

 

[Lamb Root]

+1 on the Tam Dao, although it's more of a winter fragrance to me.
Also Terre d'Hermes and my favorite of this three EDP Cedre by L'Occitane.

 

[Cains Boy]

First of all, thank all of you guys for the suggestions; I've been researching based on them. I didn't mean to ignore the thread, but I've just been blessed with twins (and already have a two-and-a-half year old), so, I don't get on B&B as much as I used to.

An update: I ordered samples of Terre d'Hermes and Encre Noir (not for the cedar we've been talking about, but because I've been obsessed with vetiver for a while).

The Terre d'Hermes didn't do it for me - too much citrus and my nose can't find the cedar. I haven't figured out the Encre Noir yet, but I keep smelling my wrist. I have Guerlain and L'Occitane Vetiver/Vetyver, and this is sure different. I can't decide if it fits "fall", yet, but I'm going to keep working with it.

On a lark today I took a whiff out of a Gucci pour Hoome bottle (they didn't have a tester, and so I couldn't put it on my skin). I get pencil shavings (in a good way) and sandalwood, which is a step in the right direction. I think i may need to order a sample. Does anyone have any experience with this one?

I'm trying to refine what I'm looking for. So far I've realized that the wood association with Autumn, for me, is chopping (as opposed to burning) firewood. Also, there's a cedar right next to my inlaws' 150 year old farm that smells...dusty and earthy. I'm looking for THAT smell, I think. Old wood, old rooms in old buildings, dead, dry leaves. Any of those smells.

Thank you guys for your patience and suggestions. I know I'VE tried to recomment fragrances based one someone else's unique olfactory associations/emotions/rememberances, and it's tough and frustrating. Thanks for any help you could give me.

 

[mftoms59]

An inexpensive straight Sandalwood/Cedar- Kanon Norwegian Wood
Dry Wood Scent- Incanto por Homme by Sal Feragamo or Sal Feragamo por Home for a Fig/Wood type scent
and my two Fall Favorites, Aramis Original and Tuscany, not very woody but Spice & Leather/Patchouli are prominent.

 

[Lamb Root]

Then try Maître Parfumeur et Gantier Route du Vetiver (damp earth vetiver) or Creed Bois du Portugal (cedarwood, lavender, vetiver, sandalwood) maybe.

 

[jakespoppy]

Good suggestions so far. Another you might like is Dirty English. It's similar to the Gucci you tried, but where Gucci is sort of refined and elegant cedar, Dirty English has more of a raw cedar smell, sort of like a cedar closet or cedar chest.

 

[Steelman]

get yourself some L'Occitane Vetyver while it's still available and on sale. Although one can argue it's an all season fragrance, fall is when I break out all things Vetiver. The L'Occitane Vetyver is a bit too heavy for summer. Perfect fall Vetiver.

 

[Edinburgh]

Problem is, if Marlborough's staying power is anything like Arlington's (which I used to have), I shouldn't bother One of my biggest gripes on fragrances is lack of longevity. I want to put it on at eight and still smell it at five in the evening (or at least mid-afternoon).

In my experience, the longevity of Marlborough is far greater than that of Arlington. If you like the scent, I would advise you to buy it with confidence.

 

[Pepin]

Geo F Trumpers Spanish Leather, Marlborough lasts maybe an hour? Eucris is another fall fragrance I like.

I have the GFT Spanish Leather, and it has a great scent which does last a long time.

Does the Eucris also have a good longevity?

 

[legrandfromage]

For many years I used a scent called Atkinson's Royal Briar. This went out of production years ago, but is now available from a high end retail clothing store in LA called Carroll & Co. (can be purchased from their web site). I use it during the colder months as I find it a bit heavy in warm weather. I think it is great but really can't describe it. You can check it out some descriptions on Basenotes. It's worth a try at around $35.00.

 

[Shawn1]

London by Burberry. This cologne is a blend of tobacco, port, wood, and leather.
Ogallala Bay Rum Sage and Cedar. Spicy sage with warm cedar.