Winter

I blind bought a bottle of 'Winter' based on reviews, reactions and the note pyramid. I have a deep love for all things sap and conifer-based and whilst I do enjoy 'Winter' very much I have to say the fragrance is not quite what I was expecting. The opening does bring an immediate burst of conifer – the spruce and pine here presented with a very essential oil / crushed-needle aspect, a million miles away from that artificial air-freshener quasi-pine scent. However the coniferous medley rapidly takes a back seat, and soon (20 mins) becomes barely detectable. What instead comes quickly to the fore is the lavender seated against the cardamom. The lavender here is very unusual, presumably a consequence of the extraction technique, and really does have none of the herb's usual harshness or medicinal aspects. Instead it smells like the kind that is used in confectionery – extremely sweet and pure. The cardamom is the lesser of the two partners, but brings a depth and warmth to the lavender and the two are really exquisitely balanced against one another, harmonizing beautifully. But there is another very important element at play here. If I was blind testing 'Winter' I would have said that sugar was an included accord – white, refined, possibly powdered/icing sugar. Along with this is an unmistakable creamy-ness, suggestive of light whipped cream. Since neither of these are mentioned in the composition I assume that they have emerged from the other notes in combination principally, maybe, as a bi-product of that lavender extraction. Add all of this together and you actually have an almost gourmond fragrance that, after the coniferous opening, essentially evolves into a lavender cream dessert – delicious but undeniably very sweet. The progression from there on is entirely linear (it basically just slowly fades out). Sillage is moderate to good throughout but I do get outstanding longevity – this is a highly concentrated composition that evidently contains high quality ingredients. I find that it's clearly detectable at 8 or even 12hrs from application. Although highly appealing in it's own right I've also tried layering this with other coniferous fragrances to try to amp up the needle/sap aspect. Norne and Wald were both too diffuse and fuzzy. Bottega Veneta Pour Homme combines interestingly, bringing a sharpness that plays well against the confectionery sweetness, but the BV is so weak (i.e. dilute) that the effect only lasts around 30 mins and then 'Winter' punches straight through & back to full strength...which speaks volumes about it's potency! For me sweet fragrances work best in extreme cold temperatures, and 'Winter' will be an absolute gem to wear with snow or hard frost on the ground – a very distinctive and high quality composition.

I got a sample of this from Twisted Lily in Brooklyn, and after a few days of actually trying to crawl into the tester vial, I had to actually make a detour on my way to the airport because the thought of waiting for shipping was just too much. To me this is kind of like a madeline moment: it reminds me of one of those frigid winter days in NYC, a week or so before Christmas; the corners of the sidewalks are stacked deep with Christmas trees, so that you're walking through this corridor of evergreen. Down the block is one of those Nuts4Nuts carts and you can get that warm, praline smell through the fresh, crisp resin-y, briskness of the trees. Definitely agree with Jovian about the sugar note, but it's not overwhelming and it just provides this kind of cozy grounding to the cold and bright feel of the evergreen. I wonder if that's the cardamom and lavender playing together, because I can see where the spiciness of the cardamom works with the spruce and pine, but cardamom also has that kind of winter spiced dessert/chai association that might be bringing a sweetness out. Seriously addictive, very natural smelling scent. Just as a weird aside: I don't know if this is just a scent association for me or what, because looking at the notes there's no reason for this, but something about this kind of reminds me of the smell of the original strawberry flavour Chapstick -- I actually bought a tube of it after getting the sample and there's definitely *something* there, but I'm not sure what! Interestingly, when my husband first smelled it on me (about an hour after I'd sprayed it on), he mentioned getting a kind of fruity ("melon-y") scent at first sniff, so who knows! Also, re: the candle vibe others have mentioned... Trader Joe's is currently (Dec 2016) carrying a candle called Cedar Balsam that definitely has a lot of similar things going on. Some yummy, natural Christmas tree deliciousness and because it's a coconut/soy wax, some of the creamy sweetness of the coconut just peeks through, but not enough to actually overpower or be recognisable as coconut. Good stuff.

Word of warning, I have been told that Sam Rader's Winter may have been reformulated, but I cannot confirm this one way or another - those with newer bottles complain that it can smell a bit like Yankee Candle's "Blackberry Forest" or "Fresh Balsam" depending on climate and also whether you put it on blotter or skin, so just a heads up. My older decant is a photorealistic, frosted pine and blue-spruce scent - it is as if I was trimming the branches, crushing the needles, and getting doused in pine resin like Chevy Chase in Christmas Vacation. Rich, gentle lavender; powdered, vanillic sugar; sweet cream; green, raw coriander; warm pralines; and spicy cardamom underly this scent and make it both more homely and a tad syrupy, though they are thankfully kept subdued by the two woody notes, which are the stars of the show. Lavender takes over near the end, but never becomes soapy or powdery - instead it transitions from bright to a darker, almost woodier tone in its own right. Overall this fragrance is candied, and at the opening has a hint of some nonspecific fruity/melon tinge, taking it to a place where it is almost gourmand in its sweetness. It also truly comes across as "chilly" (at least with my mental associations), though it is definitely a smoother, happier, daytime Christmas scent. Helps to clear the sinuses as it feels like sucking in a breath of icy forest air; alternatively one could imagine decorating a Christmas tree while a family member is baking sugar cookies in the next room over. Unisex, long-lasting, moderate sillage, good value, 7.5/10 scent - good for cozymaxxing

I disagree with the reviewer who said this is "men's cologne." I am a woman and I love it. No, it's not floral. No, it's not what you have been trained to think of as a "feminine" perfume. Yes, at first spray you get a lot of Christmas tree/ holiday candle, but let it settle. It turns into a beautiful soft, warm scent. You have to learn to wait. An hour in it's almost the smell I have wanted my whole life- warm sun baking on pine needles on the forest floor. Sometimes I wear it for walking in the woods, sometimes I wear it with all black velvet or green silk. It can certainly be casual or formal, and it is gender fluid. If you love forest scents you should try it. If you are familiar with Cape Heartache you will find that this is similar but thankfully it is missing the offputting strawberry note. This is just deep, evergreen forest that turns warm and a bit sweet. I find that it lasts about 8 hours, which pleases me, too. And hey, Sephora girl, I know a woman who wears Winter and smells warm and mysterious, and she wears red lipstick and sometimes looks a little witchy, sometimes a little forest-nymphy. Your boyfriend is a bit intrigued with the mysterious forest woman - he might be a little scared but he likes it at the same time.

So beautiful and evocative. The pine does makes it "wintery," but there's a sunny, slightly fruity accord to this that would work great in any season. I could very easily imagine someone wearing this in spring or summer without it feeling out of place. I saw someone else say the citrus vibe might come from cardamom, a note that's slowly become one of my absolute favorites. I swear, 4/5 times when there's a really nice warmth to a perfume I'm wearing, I look it up and it's cardamom. Along with lavender, it's one of the ingredients Winter has in common with its absolute stunner of a sibling, Winter Nights. That combination of fresh air and subtle spice is what makes them both really sing. The fact that they both have a Christmas tree smell would make me think they both have pine notes, but no, just this one, and it does take a backseat. It's there, for sure, but not loud enough to exile it to winter only use. Just sprayed the last of a sample I've had for a few years and I'm super bummed not to have this at the ready anymore, because this is expensive . I just don't have the money to justify a full bottle of this, unfortunately. If this and Winter Nights came in a travel size duo, I'd buy it super fast.

Just finished my sample of this and now have a bottle on the way. This is the most perfect "Christmas tree" scent there is. It nails the scent of the tree itself, but you also have a ton else going on in the background that I just love. Mainly- the sweet notes and cardamon. To me, it really reminds me of decorating the Christmas tree and hanging ornaments on it and what not while something like sugar cookies are being baked in the background. That smell of the tree right in your face with the sugar and spice lingering in the air. What a fantastic scent, and I couldn't be happier to have found it. If you're wondering how it compares to the others (Winter Nights and Winter Green), Nights is good, but you get rid of too much tree for the smoke. I love the sweetness. The Green variation literally smells like Listerine, it's so freaking minty and has no staying power. I ended up mixing it with Kryptomint to give Kryptomint a bit more that mint punch the first couple hours. I strongly prefer the original Winter to the derivations of it.

If you're looking for a coniferous fragrance, this is probably it! I've looked for a long time, between Fille en Aiguilles, Cape Heartache, Coty Aspen, etc. This fits the niche for me perfectly, and the coniferous tree accords are front and center, unwavering. Main accords of pine, balsam fir and sugar. Lavender and cardamom round out the profile to reduce the green herbaceousness of the final product. This reminds me a lot of a slightly more herbal version of a "Frosted Pine" etc type candle. I really do like this scent a lot, but find it could use still more of the sugar, lavender, etc. It is quite green. The sillage and longevity of this are hard to measure. It feels like it sometimes wears off quicker than other times. In general, this has above-average longevity but less sillage than I'm used to. The sharpness of the fragrance, though, lends itself to a shorter throw. TL;DR: Christmas tree and sugar front and center, with some lavender and cardamom. Good longevity, but a skin scent after a few hours. 8/10.

A new love! I have been sampling several "winter" perfumes, and this is one of the most beautiful. It will remind you of Christmas and winters at a ski lodge - probably in the Austrian Alps where some of its' ingredients are acquired. The spruce and pine are crisp, resinous. Just like fresh cut boughs. Smells like some of the sap stuck to your fingers as you gather branches to decorate. A cardamon twang in the background adds zest, a clean accord underneath of lavender, making the whole stunningly beautiful. Reminds me of Enchanted Forest, another gorgeous winter perfume, which is a little plumier from its' black currant note. In WINTER, the fir has more of a clean brisk feeling. Sillage and longevity both moderate on my skin, so I'm ordering a FB immediately for the full spray effect!

This truly was love at first sniff! One sniff, one dab, and five minutes later I ordered a full bottle. Normally I stay far away from anything with lavender in it. However, the lavender in Winter is soft and lovely with none of the medicinal or soapy aspects that normally I object to. Light, crisp freshness of pine needles, as if they were crushed between your fingers, warmed up by cardamom with a subtle background of ethereal, sheer lavender. It will remind some of Christmas but I can see myself wearing this at any time of year. I think I like this even more than my beloved Fille en Aiguilles. Longevity and sillage are both impressive. I love it so much that I also ordered samples of Dasein's Spring and Summer which both sound lovely and come in appropriately evocative bottles.

I absolutely, positively love this fragrance. It's seasonal and wintry without smelling like an artificial tree or candle. It reminds me of the holidays but in no way limited to Christmas. It's clear and fresh but still sort of sweet and natural. I wish I could wear it all year, and even bought a dupe for it because it opened me up to a litany of scents I didn't know I liked! Winter is deceptively simple yet keeps your interest. P.S. Don't let people tell you this smells like a Bath and Body Works candle. I hunted for a candle that even comes close to this scent and the B&BW ones do not! The best I can recommend is Yankee Candle's "Blackberry Forest" but it's not as complex. Try checking out the Trader Joe's one someone mentioned below.

This is my permanent favorite perfume of all time. I covet it. Smells like a winter mountain hike when it is unseasonably warm, which “steams open” the pine needles and spruce where I live. Now layer that with sparkling ginger and cardamom snap crackle popping open with a lemony black pepper zing, held together by a lavender mellowness that is not medicinal. No cloying vanillin, no attempts at sweetening this profile “unseasonably”, only supporting it. This fragrance is the feeling of being perfectly dressed for the bracing first step outside in 0 degrees, this is both relieving and energizing, this is winter. For winter lovers only.

ETA: After a few weeks, this has become a favorite. Something about the sweetness and freshness makes me want to smell this 24/7 right now. Just ordered another decant to last me until I can swing a FB. Beautiful! In the very beginning I smell pine toilet bowl cleaner. But after about 15 minutes the cardamom comes out swinging, and it smacks everything else far into the background. I wasn't sold at first, but it is growing on me.

Colorado got its first snowfall of the season today, so I was excited to try my sample. I love the delicate mix of blue spruce, pine and lavender - it's very soft and cozy, and smells like you're wandering through a pine forest on a winter day. Definitely prefer this one to Winter Nights, which is too strong and smoky for me.

Just got my 2022 bottle today. Sprayed on paper, it's like a Christmas candle-- I was so disappointed. Then, later, I sprayed a bit on my hand, and it's a very different experience. I smell mostly green, raw coriander for an hour now. Nice, soft, comforting.

I want this frag. It is as close to herbal essence shampoo that I used to love as any frag I've ever smelled. I would probably wear it year round. Love the fir because it is not harsh like fir is a lot of times. And I love cardamon period. Will buy FB

Fantastic...this is how a pine/spruce perfume should smell...as it is in the mix and not overpowering...this actually has a softness to it...also love Winter Nights by this same house, which takes out the pine and adds in the smoke...

Beautiful scent! It reminds me of Christmas: pine trees and cardamom cookies. Love this scent and it's smokey brother, Winter Nights.

Winter is the first creation by Dasein Fragrance that I've had the pleasure to try and it does not disappoint. It's pleasantly dominated by spruce and pine, a fresh woody delight that does remind one of winter, at least in much of North America, where such trees are widely found. The lavender adds to the freshness and the cardamom essentially comprises the spiciness, but Winter remains subdued by the woody duo that make up most of the scent profile. The use of pine rings similar to that of Imaginary Authors Cape Heartache, but certainly CH is dramatically sweeter due to a pronounced strawberry note, whereas Winter is milder and slightly spicy due to the cardamom. Winter performs above average for an EDP, and at $95 for 50ml is not a bad value at all as it's very wearable for women and men alike. In my collection it would prove a bit redundant as I already have a love Cape Heartache, but I'd encourage others to try out Winter as it does have a similar Christmas tree candle reminiscent vibe about it. Still, I'd call Winter a "like" not a "love," as the gap between it and the blend of CH is substantial. 7 out of 10

Winter is a conifer fragrance that just screams the holidays. It's reminiscent of pine-scented candles- think Nest's Birchwood and Pine. If you like that kind of vibe and want to smell like it, Winter is a great fragrance to add to the collection that evokes that nostalgic pine scent. The unmistakeable pine note and the lavender make it aromatic and "cold-smelling" but it's mostly woody and pine-y. It's unisex but I personally think the aromatic woods lean a bit masculine. Still I'd wear it. In my opinion Winter isn't an every day scent, and to many it may not even be practical, but when I'm in the mood to smell like a winter pine forest this is a fun fragrance to throw on when I'm hanging at the house or running errands, or want to scream Christmas winter forest. The dry down is much more mellow and wearable. Anyway, Winter is less of an addicting, sexy, alluring fragrance and one that is more capturing a nostalgic vibe. Whether that's something you want is down to personal preference.

I agree with all the prior reviews except that I don't get any of the sugar/cream gourmand aspect described by Jovian. As with Dasein's Spring, this strikes me as a more masculine scent, more suited to a man, but it is terrific and I would like this a lot on my husband. The lavender note really is special -- not soapy at all, but fresh and herbal, as if the leaves' essence were also part of the extract. So far, the scent is lasting and strong on my test strip. I may have to go back and try it on my skin -- or better yet, take my husband to the store and try it on HIS skin!

it's getting to be that time of year where I want to start looking for cozy fragrances that remind me of the winter holidays. I head about this one and immediately ordered samples of this one and Winter nights. This one is pure wintery forest and it's very lovely. Unisex for sure. I do enjoy this one better than Winter Nights because that one is very smokey and that smokey undertone of that one is just too much. I like them both, but this one is definitely a bit softer so I enjoy it more. I would recommend ordering samples of both to see which one suits you best.

Sweet and bright pine scent. More of a holiday candle than standing in a forest, but still lovely.

I, like many others, am on the search for a non-sweet woody/pine fragrance. I had such high hopes for this one, but like so many others, this one is sweet. You can smell a mild lab-made woodiness and an almost fruity holiday candle scent, then it is all enveloped into a sweetness. The longevity is good, if you want to smell like sweetness. Dear Perfumers: The market is full of sweet fragrances, if you make a beautiful scent, you don’t have to temper or soften it with sweet. Just saying...

I would totally burn this Yankee Candle in my home. But oh wait! It's a perfume. Yeah, not so much for wearing. This is pure pine on me - I don't get the lavender at all. It smells good, but it's definitely too one-note to be a wearable frag, especially when that one note is so strong. My wrist literally smells like I just hugged a christmas tree.

Desperately wanted to like this fragrance as I seek out the perfect pine, but the drydown has a very odd citrus note on my skin: weird comparison unless you're me, but it smells exactly like a lime slush from Sonic. Which isn't exactly the scent of a pine forest, unfortunately.

Dasein WINTER is a men's cologne. It's not unisex. I smell like a pine forest. and it's very strong on the nose and burns my throat. ( 2 sprays to the wrist) I spent $125 for a bottle It's worth $15.00 for your boyfriend. A White Elephant gift for sure, no matter the time of year. Buyer beware.

Looking for a FB or decant of this stuff, as a matter of life enhancing urgency! Tried a tiny sample of this and was utterly blown away by it. Normally I shy away from anything remotely piney, figuring it to be reminiscent of the Flash Cleans Floors lady, but this Daesin Winter has taken pine/conifer, sweetened it with vanilla, something spicy and a beautiful soft lavender note, (none of the usual spikiness - your actual handful of fresh purple blossom crushed and inhaled, and made it sing, like skis flashing over powder snow, or the soft snowfall which silences the world outside at night with a blanket of icy hush. God, I love it. And wouldn't you know, now I can't get any. Between "sold out" notices and bloody Covid, my Winter closet is unbearably empty.

As luck would have it, I came across this in the wrong place, at the wrong time It evokes a cold, dark wood, crawling with animals and plant life, sometime between fall and winter. The snow hasn't arrived yet, but there is a cold chill in the air The use of pine and spruce together helps to sidestep the bathroom air freshener association, and the cardamom gives it a nice depth. But for me the star of the show is the lavender. The lavender doesn't come across as night time sedative or muscle relaxant tea, which is a breath of fresh air as real lavender smells like this. All 4 work perfectly together and really make you feel like winter is coming.

This perfume is one of my favorites, definitely my winter signature. I first learned of it from a Birchbox (RIP) sample and thought it was way too pine-y at first - but then the novelty grew on me and I bought a FB. To me, this scent settles down in to a delicious sweetness, like candied pine needles. Hard to describe but irresistible. The brand has since been sold and is now based out of GA instead of CA. I'm wondering if anyone can chime in if the new formulation walks and talks like the original. I'd like to get a backup bottle, but I'm afraid it won't have the same magic.

The citrus note everyone is smelling is the cardamom, I love this scent it definitely has holiday candle vibes in an understated way (It's not overpowering) but it's easy to wear. It smells like a snowy forest right before daybreak (the cardamom gives it a slight musky & bright neroli hint that by itself would remind me of a sunny Birch forest) but then there's a slight smokiness with the pine, spruce and lavender and some sweetness that keeps it deeper and a bit "cold" in a cozy way.

I was hoping this might be nice, but it doesn't work for me at all. Strong spruce, piney scent reminds me of old school pine scented air freshener and bathroom cleaner. Scent is not natural smelling at all. Minimal development,everything is swallowed by that giant pine/spruce note. I can barely smell the cardamom or the lavender.

This smells like a bath and Bodyworks candle. Specifically Fresh Balsam. This is something I would like for a home fragrance, but I can imagine using it on my body again.

I have heard great reviews on Dasein Winter but, unfortunately, I cannot find it anywhere. I am so saddened by this! Any idea where I can find it?

This sounds awesome. I can't wait to test this.

This is the best smellin perfume of all time.