WO/02 Wood Street

Wood Street is spicy-woody to my nose and is the most boisterous of the three in the Wood series. While "WO/01 Somewoody | Zara" is intensely musky and floral on a salty amber base, "WO/03 Café Et Cèdre | Zara" revolves around freshly roasted coffee with fresh wood chips on a powdery base. Three disparate and, at the same time, unique ways of interpreting the woody accord. As for WO/02 Wood Street, the freshly ground black pepper and cedar chips are explosive and nose-tingling, with a dry-down that’s more earthy than leathery or gourmand. I thought no fragrance, apart from "Blackpepper | Comme des Garçons" or "Bang | Marc Jacobs", could shock me so much with the overlying omnipresence of lively, acrid and pungent black pepper, here combined with a hint of tar, or resin if you prefer. And the presence of just slivers of unburned incense, which I don’t find too clerical or ecclesiastical, doesn’t do much to make it tamer, as Wood Street continues to roar. The opening has an aroma similar to that given off by a wooden mortar when a mixture of black peppercorns and frankincense resin grains is crushed. A spicy, burnt, slightly metallic aroma. It’s sublime, something that maybe not everyone will like, very questionable and polarizing, it’s likely to be a hate-it or love-it scent. A dynamic opening on an infusion of cold spices and a mix of incense and pepper. It’s dark but beautiful. The opening is very reminiscent of Blackpepper before being dominated by ethereal incense. Even when the tar sweetens, the pepper continues to burn. The more it warms on the skin, the more the aromatic rum blooms and the alcohol blends with a dark, dense background of guaiac and cedar chips. Guaiac wood probably makes black pepper smokier. The fragrance is close to the skin, but the woodiness is vivid, and real, with a burnt rubber and bitter undertones. There are many things in Wood Street: the sweet smell of smoke, the syrupy aroma of maple, a gum that resembles black liquorice, not at all sticky or musky, but overall the scent smells like charred wood and pepper. The transition from the initial phase to the intermediate phase occurs seamlessly. The spiciness calms down gently while the woodiness continues to grow, achieving a perfect balance between the two. Plus, the colder the climate, the more smoky and woody it exudes. I find it sensual and truly enigmatic. If you’re not a fan of birch tar and liquorice undertones, it might be a little off-putting. It has just a touch of sweetness, like burnt sugar, but make no mistake, it’s not gourmand. If the recent Vanilla collection is familiar to you, forget it. Here the vanilla has a completely different vibe and warms everything up. The bottom has a tender skin wrapped in mosses and earths. I was ready for anything but I didn’t expect this soft touch of suede. The sweetness of the liquorice attenuates the smoky and tarry notes, which are not enough to tame the scent, but enough to dissipate some of the smoke. Suddenly, a warm, sweet aroma rises from my skin, and I imagine it’s from the coumarins. The vetiver roots are noticeable long into the finish until the spicy vanilla becomes more evident, but the play is between vetiver and vanilla on a bed of birch tar. Wood Street is an extraordinary smoky scent that highlights this particular accord with the blend of incense, spicy black pepper and balsamic notes of frankincense and smoked guaiac to create a smoky accord so well executed that it is almost hypnotic to those who smell it. Its composition of spices, resins and woods makes it perfect for the colder seasons, certainly autumn but also the opposite winter. Performance is moderate for me, with below-average projection and longevity. It’s a pretty skin-friendly scent and needs to be applied heavily to be properly appreciated. I found WO/01 to be the best performing, with its amber and salty muskiness. But this doesn’t change my opinion, which remains firm on an intriguing and sensual perfume. Safe for office, it might suit better the evening and night out. I'm basing my sensations on a bottle I've owned since November 2023 (BC 32630).

Phenomenal niche quality pepper and incense. This is one of the few frags that has unlocked a scent memory of something at my grandparents house when I was a kid. I have no idea what it was, but I remember smelling it there. They were Catholic and it's possible it was some kind of incense they had burned. This starts out with a huge hit of black pepper which starts to give way to a beautiful realistic incense accord over vanilla and leather. It's so good, I bought a backup bottle immediately after I got this one. It was discontinued in 2023 and I doubt Zara will bring it back. Absolutely gorgeous scent. Dark, mysterious, super smooth and well balanced. I rarely reach for it, but it's an absolute treat every time I do. Performance is solid for a Zara offering and I typically spray on clothing which gives me about 8 hours. I also go noseblind to this one after a while, I can always smell it on my shirts days later. Projection is average which is just fine by me. Definitely a unique creation, but not everyone's cup of tea. Definitely best suited to nights in cold weather and date nights, cooler nights in the warmer months if you're daring. I think this one leans masculine but a woman could absolutely rock this if they are bold. Definitely a more mature scent, in my opinion. I haven't gotten into my second bottle yet and I sometimes struggle to find good occasions to wear it. This would honestly make a great funeral scent, also good for cuddling up near a fire. I haven't smelled many Zara fragrances that have really impressed me, but this is absolutely one of them. 90/100

Oh man this is fantastic! I have heard this fragrance is inspired by Comme de Garçons Black Pepper (and to a lesser extent, Black), I haven't tried them yet, but they are both on my "test soon" list. This fragrance has a lot of notes that I enjoy. I received my bottle last night and it is INCREDIBLE! It opens with a strong black pepper note, sumptuous frankincense incense and a dark rich boozy accord come to the forefront as the opening settles down (fairly reminiscent of Dolce and Gabbana's bold Velvet Incenso before transitioning to a rich, sweet woody vanillic base with some leather undertones. There are definitely some similarities to Maison Margiela's By the Fireplace in the late stages. This is a perfect fragrance for cold nights and close company it's very dense fragrance and quality is absolutely stellar. This is my first Zara fragrance and I am very impressed! Longevity is phenomenal: I put one generous spray on the back of my hand an hour before bed last night and I could still smell it clearly when I woke up this morning 8 hours later. It reminds me of the aforementioned Velvet Incenso more than any of the fragrances in the "reminds me of" section, and MM BTF to a lesser extent. I'm in love with this stuff. I ordered another one from the same line that is purported inspired by Xerjoff Alexandria II and I have very high hopes for it. I could see this being a somewhat challenging wear for some, but to me it's a solid 9.5/10

Love after (not first) 10 minutes' sniff. Because it does open with a blackpepper bomb and you feel like you are cooking some meat and about to add some spices into it. After it settles down a bit, unburnt incense and dry cedar comes up. I'm getting some hints of rum because there is some booziness around it. No detection of vanilla or leather. Longevity is above average, 6 hours on skin. Maybe more on clothes. Projection is good at first 1 hour, then it sit close to skin. Sillage is better than projection tho. Since it has sharp spices and smokiness, people can notice you easily. The scent actually differs from other perfumes in this serie and generally in Zara when one scent is not a dupe of worldwide known scent, it has lower points in fragrantica community. And people have always bias about frankincense dominant scents. Therefore it motivates me to buy it and make sure actually it is the best among others. Because in the end, people love crowd pleasant perfumes overall.

Having used CdG "Black" (not Blackpepper, though this also have flashes of CdG Blackpepper), I can definitely say this is very close especially at the top and mid. The black pepper note probably made smoky by guaiacwood, fenugreek or maple lactone (roasty, coffeelike, smoky) and birch tar (though not listed), freshened with frankincense. What I find different, though subtle, is the use of woody ambers. Here that ambery note is missing or not used much compared to CdG Black. I think it was Ambrocenide (for reference; Sauvage Elixir drydown woody note) or some sort. I immediately got a bottle and will update my review after some use. To me this seems to be the absolute winner of the collection.

Got this in store and it stood out immediately compared to the other softer fragrances in the wood range. You have got to enjoy a scent that stands out and is a bit different to wear this. As soon as I tried it on it reminded me of one of the scents in my collection and it didn't take long to realise it is very similar to Interlude Man, all be it a slightly dryer version with a bit more sweetness in the dry down and slightly less floral undertones. So if you like a woody smoke smell drifting in the cool Autumn air you will enjoy this, if not I would not recommend you to blind buy it. However I'm hooked on it. Another new success from Zara and all for £17.99.

@adyd94 - I had to check it and having By The Fireplace on one hand and WO/02 on the other all I can say they are not even close ;) Although it's a nice layering combination. I think that fragrances like By The Fireplace, Santal 33, Invictus, BR540, Bleu de Chanel, Angel's Share and some others ruined people perception on fragrances. Back to WO/02 - this one is great, longevity on my skin 10-12 hours, moderate projection 2-3h - probably it's my favourite church like dry incense perfume :)

dry down is like smoky Terre D'Hermes. I think some note (maybe the leather in the drydown) reminds me Ganymede Marc-Antoine Barrois. You can go for all around the year and day/night. I didn't notice any darkness or heaviness except sharp opening with black pepper. It is like smoky woods with a sweet vanilla in the background, citrussy cedar in the top. this one is distinctive among other Woody series. If you have a chance to try it, don't blind buy, it's not for everyone's taste.

been waiting for this one to hit the database. smelled this a few times in-store and it's clearly heavily inspired by, if not a deliberate dupe for, CdG Black, a perfume I greatly enjoy. I don't own Black and haven't yet had the chance to compare them side-by-side to analyze the nuances of each but it seems so obvious to me that I'm actually kind of shocked. bold release for Zara and I'll be curious to see what others think

Manly, woody, animalistic with pepper notes.It actually has subtle notes of pino silvestre the original, and CDG black pepper. Its a classic and elegant manly smell Goes with every season and occasion. P.S its dead cheap! 80s and 90s kids will love this!

This one is amazing. Smells like freshly cut wood with a hint of clean, smoky warmth. Super long lasting and projects like crazy. So happy I bought a backup bottle.

Just got this for about $9. It projects a bit and the longevity is moderate to long lasting. Got a bottle for myself and one to give as a gift.

Classic masculine fragrance which reminds me of fragrances from the 80s love it you rarely smell this kind of fragrances these days❤

I love this scent! It reminds me of the 'dirty' aspects of Terre D'Hermes. I may buy backup bottles in case this gets discontinued.

Definitely copy of Cdg black with less thick texture and good performance on my skin.Finally something great from Zara.

I'm puzzled by the reviews and comparisons here: Sel Marin, Interlude Man, Bently Intense? I just don't get it. In all fairness I've only worn the fragrance twice (today is my second wearing) but what I get is lots of pepper (specially in the opening), a lot of cedar and some frankincense. No rum, no vanilla, no oud or anything else and I don't miss it, it's so woody and awesome with great performance which is unusual for Zara frags.

Oh yes, this perfume has a strong Comme des Garcons aura. The top notes are dominated by frankincense with a smell reminiscent of old shoe polish, the middle notes are still dominated by frankincense, but the Comme des Garcons Blackpepper aroma is already appearing in the background, and in the base notes, Blackpepper and frankincense are already marching side by side, Blackpepper maybe even a step ahead.

Come on people... This is an obvious clone of By the Fireplace, by Maison Margiela. And is a very good one with an incredible price (now on discount). Also has hints of TdH. Great fragrance. Bought 2 bottles.

the opening is super harsh and peppery, but once it dry’s down it’s nice and woody. Good quality for the price and worth buying if you enjoy dry wood scents

A reviewer mentioned pencil shavings and that is exactly it on my skin, gorgeous frag but zero lasting power, luckily whilst on offer I can bathe in it

A great fragrance, lasts on clothes extremely long, moderate on skin and moderate silage. Sadly i feel that it's too peppery / spicy for my nose.

Reminds me of my youth when my mom visited Chinese Medicinal shops to purchase herbs and spices. This fragrance is rather strange to my nose, its herbal, medicinal, spicy, leathery and not a safe office scent. It would probably be better suited as a winter fragrance. Don’t blind buy this, make sure you test it out first!!

It starts like a fenugreek curry, then it dries down to the first issue of Zara Palo Santo, that is a wood after all. A person I asked compared the opening to chicken stock. Good projection and performance, still on my hand after 10 hours and multiple washes

Imagine smelling pepper straight from the paper shaker, this is it

I bought it at an extremely low price because the notes sounded promising. But when I sprayed, it was definitely a realistic pepper bomb and that was something that was unexpected and, well... not all that pleasant. It reminded me of my clothes smelling like fresh soup after visiting my grandma's house, and while that's a fond memory, it's not a smell that I want to smell like. In the dry down, it got very realistically woody, and after an hour or two I just had to scrub it off. It's a no from me, but I definitely do believe that it's a high quality scent, for the people that would actually enjoy this.

Sorry, maar ik kan hier niks mee. Sterke overheersende medicijnlucht. Met wat idustrieel hout er doorheen. Blijft erg lang hangen. Pas na een uur of 10 ruikt het lekker zacht, maar daar heb ik het geduld niet voor. Voor mij een goedkope miskoop helaas.

This was a very strong dislike for me. The "black" scent came off as acrid and quite repulsive. The only plus was that it left a lovely vetiver scent on my hand the next morning. Test before you buy!

sprayed 3 times and they were enough to make me return it. It literally smells like strong incense covered up with wood. Really unpleasant, bought At Dawn by Zara instead, we-ll see how it goes.

Starts off with strong blast of a south Asian spice cabinet, very pungent. As it dries down it starts smelling more like a very strong curry, that I wouldn't mind to eat probably, but definitely not something I want to smell like. One of the most repulsive fragrances I've tried

This smells like pencil shavings, with graphite in the core and paint outside. I'm very surprised that I'm the only one who noticed this similarity.

Wauw, on the opening spray this scent gives such a nice, smooth, soothing odor that my first reaction was, Wauw, this is amazingly good. Just love it. It does not last long though , or mayby I go noseblind fast, because it really lingers in your nose and it's just divine. Will need to wear it a bit longer to give a fuller impression , but count me already impressed . An hour in and it's still very present , so still very happy with the evolution of this perfume. Sooo nice, I'm going to get a back up bottle ( it's even on sale now for 9.90 € ) ! Update 01/07/2024 This has been macerating for at least six months and I must say it became stronger and more complex. The opening is such a nice blast of incense that quickly transforms to the smell of a cedar wooden box in which herbs and Indian spices have been drying for a while . There is also this freshness that comes up that I cannot quite place where it comes from , so I guess it to be the rum accord that gives this kind of slightly boozy trail of a smell. Really like this one a lot !

One of the wildest fragrance experiences I've ever had. I go to Zara, spray this and smell it. And it smells like soup. The kind of soup my granda used to make that would make her whole house smell salty and just soupy. I might sound crazy but it really smells like that to. I smell pepper and some other spices, maybe cumin or the coriander? Absolutely unhinged release from Zara and I support that. I'd rather them release scents like this than boring clones. But in the end I will not be purchasing this because I don't want to smell like chicken broth.

I love this fragrance. Agree with the CdG comments but i think this is nearer in the drydown to Hinoki rather than Blackpepper etc. This was on sale for half price when i bought it. For the price of 9 £/euros this is my best ever fragrance purchase pound for pound. I dont agree with yhe comments about it being harsh and not suitable for daily wear - i think the drydown is quite comforting.

After reading here that this resembles CdG Blackpepper, I tested them out and even though the opening of Zara's Woodstreet is not at all the same as Blackpepper, they do start smelling very similar after 10/15 minutes so Zara, congrats. This is a winner in my book and really a good perfume release from Zara. I'm sure they will bring this out again under an other name, as they often do.

It’s slightly sweet, very incense-y, vetiver with just the right amount of vanilla. the quaiac shows up nicely too. so far not a great crowd pleaser on me. Could layer well with an earthy powdery situation, maybe aromatic, Tam Dao.

Smells like a vintage wood box, very original, elegant, sophisticated. The drydown is similar to Loewe 7 anonimo in my opinion, still dark churchy but more vintage. It's the one I prefer of the wood line for it's originality

I don't dislike the dry down, a bonfire like smokiness that has a slight cosiness (still sharp, though). However, the opening to me is ashtray smoke, cigarette ashes and I do not enjoy it

This is a clone of the early version of Mississippi Medicine from DS and Durga... and its awesome.

this would not look out of place in an aesop bottle. its that sort of fragrance profile

it didn't give me a comme des garçons black vibe. it is harsh and straight.

Very close to lattafa raghba wood intense. Good performance for 10E.

maybe i'm tripping but papier d'armenie anyone?