Boreal

Pineward Perfumes Boreal is my third sampling from the house, a 2020 release in their initial year, described as a mix of pine needles, mint, cedar, resins, moss. Like Bindebole, it’s a fittingly cold weather-reminiscent pine-rich scent that fits with the concept of the house as described on its website by perfumer/owner Nicholas Nilsson. The mint aspect predictably fades a bit within the first hour of wearing but remains a part of the blend, which, with its high concentration (31%) and dark green juice, is appropriately strong, even from the dabber, even if perhaps note quite as strong as Bindebole. Frankly, Boreal’s greenness and the minty tingle associated with some outdoor plants makes it a bit more realistic and familiar than Bindebole, even. Another immediate comparison that occurs to me (as a way of describing Boreal) is something midway between Dasein Winter and Winter Nights, with a good balance of darkness (resins), brightness (mint), and greenness/woodiness (pine). Within the house, it’s a touchy mintier and brighter than Bindebole, which leans darker/woodier/more resinous, overall. Still (and I hope this continues to be the case), it’s nice to have two great entries in the house that have similarities but different emphases, with Bindebole perhaps being the night to Boreal’s day. Pricing is consistent throughout the line at $135/80 for 37/17ml and again, the performance is very strong. Bravo to Nick on these fragrances—I’m really impressed with the line through my first three tries of Pineward, and the concept seems so perfect for the cooling weather in the US. 8 out of 10

Boreal is the conifer lovers Eau de Cologne. It is piney, fresh, and wonderful! The mint note is blended perfectly with the pine needle resin and is so refreshing. I plan to bring a small sprayer bottle of Boreal with me throughout the days that I wear it to keep refreshing myself as it wears down. That's not to say that it doesn't have good longevity and sillage because it does, just at an Eau de Cologne strength, which fits it's character perfectly. This lasts around 5 hours on my skin before I feel the need to re-apply. When Pineward released Boreal and I was able to get my hands on a sample initially and then a full bottle, I realized that Nick had captured what I had hoped for from Dasein Perfumes Winter Green but didn't get. Boreal is worth every penny and then some...a true conifer lovers delight.

I was skeptical at first. I don't usually like mint in fragrances and I distinctly remember not liking Dasein Winter Green. This however, is well executed. The mint comes across a bit like Listerine, but once you get the pine coming through along with the cooling accord that I recognize in Icefall and Bindebole, it blends altogether nicely. This is fresh, cool, icy mountain air, surrounded by pine trees. I've found that sniffing it softly leaves the mint too dominant, but inhaling as if one has just pulled off the road in a car, stepped out of the car into the clear air, and taken that first true deep breath is the best way to enjoy this fragrance.

This opens with the freshest coniferous aroma of pine trees, bark and all and the sweetest crispest mint. This has an airy sweetness that isn’t gourmand or sugary it’s a natural and dewy sweetness. The airiness here is like the mist in the early morning hours when the sun is just rising above the trees. The resins here are warm and rich and slightly spiced adding depth to the otherwise very floaty scent. The woods here aren’t super strong or deep, this focuses more on the leaves of a tree, the drops that fall upon them, and the bushes below them. This is perfectly unisex and wonderfully enjoyable.

I did not anticipate this to smell exactly like an Andes thin mint chocolate, but it does and I'm delighted!! I suppose the chocolate note I am detecting is the "creamy cedar" that is described, but it is not overly indulgent and does not push the smell into gourmand territory. Still extremely fresh and bright with the mint overall. Love it!