Black Spruce

This is the coziest pine scent. I'll admit I was immediately attracted by the description and the marketing because it sounded exactly like everything I want in a holiday scent. Pine, coffee, and cardamom are a trio I never see together, so when I read the notes I knew I had to try it. That said, I was extremely bummed when I saw it was $220 for 30 ml and a limited edition. No sample option, no travel size. Luckily I found a decanter selling it on Etsy and got a 2 ml. I used that 2ml up so, so fast. It has longevity and throw, but I was so in love I sprayed it on all my coats and sweaters and wore it every day. Then I buckled and bought a 5 ml from the same decanter, and have been wearing it ever since. It is the absolute coziest. It really does feel like sitting by the fire and the Christmas tree with a warm drink. The first thing it reminded me of was shopping for a Christmas tree, with all that resin in the air from the trees being cut and the strong sharp fir freshness in the cold. The cardamom in this is also quite green to my nose, getting tangled up in the fresh pine. But then it does become warmer, with gently spiced woods and coffee in the middle. The coffee doesn't come through too strong on my skin, which was a little disappointing. When I look for coffee in a fragrance it's because I love a STRONG coffee note. But it's definitely there, warming up the resins and grounding the cream note. That sweet milkiness is often too much for me, but here it's just a tiny touch of sweetness. It acts like a warm blanket, softening everything and making it feel easy and welcoming. This is truly magical to me, I don't know what I'm going to do next year when my 5ml runs low, the limited edition run is over, and full bottles double in price on resale sites. If only this could become permanent.

Possibly the most interesting conifer fragrance I’ve come across! It opens with a big blast of black coffee, which threw me at first, but once that fades you get this really creamy, cocooning, spruce. If pine or fir usually smells like cleaning products to you, you should still give this a sniff because it’s the least bracing or mentholated take on the note I’ve tried. And if you already love conifers, definitely get your nose on this because it's a cool one.