Woods sit at the bottom of the fragrance pyramid, which gives them two properties: they last longest, and they appear in a great many perfumes that are not labelled woody at all.

If you have ever noticed a fragrance still faintly present the next morning, you were smelling the woods.

The main woods

Sandalwood — creamy, soft, slightly milky. The gentlest of the woods and the easiest to wear.

Cedar — dry and pencil-shaving sharp. Clean rather than warm.

Vetiver — technically a grass root, grouped with woods. Earthy, smoky, slightly bitter. Divisive and much loved by those who love it.

Patchouli — earthy and dark. Its reputation from the 1970s misrepresents modern treatments, which are cleaner and far less heavy.

Oud (agarwood) — dense, resinous, medicinal to unfamiliar noses. The most polarising material in modern perfumery.

Guaiac and cypress — smoky and green respectively, often used in small amounts.

Why they suit almost everyone

Woods are neither sweet nor sharp. They do not shout, they sit close to the skin, and they read as composed rather than decorative — which is why they work in professional settings where a loud floral or gourmand would not.

They are also the family with the least gendered associations in practice, whatever the marketing suggests.

When to wear them

  • Autumn and winter, where the warmth suits the season
  • Evening, though the lighter woods work perfectly well by day
  • Work, especially cedar and sandalwood, which stay close
  • When you want to be noticed at close range only

In hot weather, heavier woods can become oppressive — heat amplifies projection, and oud in July is a great deal of oud.

Pairings

Woods rarely appear alone. Common combinations:

  • Woody-citrus — bright opening, warm base. Very wearable
  • Woody-floral — florals grounded and made less sweet
  • Woody-spicy — warmer still, distinctly cold-weather
  • Woody-aromatic — with lavender or herbs, the classic masculine structure

Applying them

Less than you think. Woods project quietly but persistently, and two sprays of a woody eau de parfum will still be present eight hours later.

For the other families, see the perfume section.