Gothic Woods

Gothic Woods is a deliberately cold, dark wood scent. The maker describes it as earthy and warm yet chilly, a beauty and a beast, and says it leans more masculine while working for anyone. Wearers call it unisex. The opening is bright and green: grapefruit, bergamot, basil and pine. This is the part that divides opinion. Some wearers find the citrus sharp or synthetic against the amber, and one found it gave them a headache, while others pass through it to the interesting part. The heart is cypress, palo santo, palmarosa and ho wood, with a camphor-like coolness and, in the maker's newer listing, tobacco leaf. The base is where it lives: a deep, aged frankincense with myrrh, vetiver, cypress and amber. One wearer describes it as church-like, spicy and a little herby, and calls it perfect for winter. Performance reports are consistently strong. Every voter rates the wear as long-lasting and the trail as strong, and one buyer calls it subtle yet powerful. The season votes are firmly autumn and winter, with night wear ahead of day. A few wearers call the composition a little generic, with an amber backbone that reads artificial to them, so it is worth testing on skin. For those who want a dark incense-and-wood scent with a witchy mood, it is a clear match.