I've Tested Over 50 Winter Perfumes This Year—These 9 Make You Unforgettable
Whether you want to smell like a cosy cashmere blanket or a crisp winter walk, these are the scents of the season.
Let me set the scene. You wake up on a Sunday morning in December; it's cold but sunny outside. You wrap up warm in your favourite coat, pop out for coffee with your friend, and, while scoffing down a pastry, multiple people come up to you to compliment your perfume. Okay, so I know it's not December, but I experienced this exact situation this weekend, and it's all down to my winter fragrance collection.
As a fragrance-obsessed beauty editor, I take my seasonal scents very seriously. It sounds excessive, but each year I curate my winter perfume wardrobe, leaning on old classics and welcoming new scents for the season ahead. Oh, and it doesn't stop there. I've tried over 50 winter-specific fragrances in the last year alone, and I always make a note of which ones earn me the most compliments. Seriously, my friends always joke that they know when I'm arriving, as each of my winter perfumes is, in their words, "unforgettable".
Rather than focusing on one fragrance category, such as woody perfumes or floral scents, I like to think about how each fragrance makes me feel. For a lazy day at home, I want a scent that wraps me up like cashmere. If I'm heading out, I want something fresh and frosty, and for evenings with the girls, I want rich, deep notes that captivate anyone around me. Below, you'll find a selection of winter perfumes for every occasion that practically guarantees people asking after you. Keep scrolling to shop my top statement scents for the colder season.
The Best Winter Perfumes 2026
- Best Gourmand Perfume: Tom Ford Tobacco Chocolat, £230
- Best Fresh Perfume: Chanel Paris-St. Moritz Les Eaux de Chanel, £102
- Best Vanilla Perfume: Victoria Beckham 21:50 Rêverie, £170
- Best Fruity Perfume: Miu Miu Miutine Intense, £105
- Best Floral Perfume: Carolina Herrera Good Girl Jasmine Absolute, £115
1. Tom Ford Tobacco Chocolat
Key notes: Cocoa smoke co-distillation, orange essence, balsam, patchouli
I like to describe this fragrance as a smoky, sophisticated take on a Terry's Chocolate Orange, and I mean that in the best way possible. It has a sharp, citrusy note that perfectly cuts through hints of sweet, smooth cocoa for a rich, decadent finish. In true Tom Ford style, smoky undertones elevate the entire olfactory experience, making this one of the most expensive-smelling gourmand scents I've come across for this time of year. The first time I spritzed it, my friend ran into the room demanding to know what perfume it was. Seriously, she said she'd never smelled anything so delicious.
2. Chanel Paris-St. Moritz Les Eaux de Chanel
Key notes: Pear, amber, musk
This fragrance is special because it's the first winter-inspired perfume in the Les Eaux de Chanel collection. Inspired by the luxury destination of St. Moritz, the sparkling scent feels as fresh as the snow crunching beneath your feet thanks to a luminous pear accord. That said, it's not your typical fresh scent. Instead, this perfume has a warm, musky, skin-like quality that envelops the senses, adding an elegant appeal to its crisp aroma. I actually first got a whiff of this in person when walking through Harrods, where I spotted the chicest lady testing it out for herself. It was so captivating that I knew immediately it was going to be one of my 2026 winter perfumes of choice.
3. Victoria Beckham 21:50 Rêverie
Key notes: Plum, vanilla, tobacco leaves, cedarwood
I always gravitate towards vanilla perfumes in winter. However, finding a sophisticated vanilla fragrance (rather than something sickly sweet) for this time of year is no mean feat. At least, I thought that, until I smelled 21:50 Rêverie by Victoria Beckham. This is, hands down, the most elegant vanilla perfume I've had the pleasure of testing. A seasonal delight with notes of plum, vanilla, tobacco and cedarwood, it's inherently woody and smoky. Plum adds a velvety undertone, whilst vanilla lingers seductively on the skin. It's the kind of vanilla fragrance made for dimly lit wine bars and secret rendezvous. My best friend hates vanilla scents, but even she told me how good this smelled at dinner the other night.
4. Miu Miu Miutine Intense
Key notes: Blackberry accord, gardenia accord, bourbon vanilla infusion
If you like fruity fragrances and want something that feels winter-coded, this is an excellent choice. A rich take on the original Miu Miu scent, Miutine Intense opens with a burst of jammy blackberry notes before revealing a captivating floral heart. A vanilla base clings to the skin, adding warmth and depth to the fruity-floral perfume. Seriously, I sprayed this on a jumper a few weeks ago, and I can still smell it now.
5. Carolina Herrera Good Girl Jasmine Absolute
Key notes: Jasmine, caramelised toffee, roasted tonka bean
Good Girl by Carolina Herrera is an incredibly popular perfume, but in winter, I gravitate towards Good Girl Jasmine Absolute. The reason? Notes of caramelised toffee and roasted tonka bean. You may not smell it on the first spritz, but once it settles on the skin, the warm gourmand aroma reveals itself, and the floral scent reaches new heights. The first time I tested it, I was in a lift, and a stranger asked what perfume I was wearing. It's so good I almost wanted to lie.
6. Jo Malone London Ginger Biscuit
Key notes: Ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, caramel, roasted hazelnuts, vanilla, tonka bean
If I want everyone to gravitate towards me, I reach for this. It smells like a day spent at home baking all your favourite Christmas treats, with notes of ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon and caramel. It's cosy and comforting, and makes me feel nostalgic every time I spritz it. That said, it has a spiciness to it that makes it feel decidedly grown-up. Less Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, more Cédric Grolet.
7. M&S Apothecary Warmth
Key notes: Cardamom, cinnamon, cedarwood, sandalwood
Speaking of warm, spicy scents, this M&S perfume smells so much more expensive than its £12 price tag. It's the kind of fragrance I reach for on those dark winter days when all I want to do is curl up on the sofa. The comforting aroma cocoons the senses like a cashmere blanket, instantly making me feel a little bit better. I've bought it for my mum, my sister-in-law and my mother-in-law, and they all can't get enough.
8. Kilian Paris Midnight Espresso
Key notes: Coffee, hazelnut, rum, chocolate, vanilla bourbon
If you're after an evening fragrance, this new scent has me hooked for winter. Part of Kilian Paris' new Cocktail Collection, it smells like sipping an Espresso Martini at The Fumoir cocktail bar in Claridge's, in your new Charlotte Simone coat. It's chic yet cool, with boozy undertones that balance out smooth chocolate and dark coffee notes. It's a complete winner for date night, too, as I discovered when my boyfriend wouldn't stop talking about my perfume.
9. Frédéric Malle Portrait of a Lady
Key notes: Turkish rose, patchouli, sandalwood, frankincense, clove, blackcurrant, raspberry
Frédéric Malle's Portrait of a Lady is a classic winter fragrance that I come back to every single year. Sandalwood, frankincense, clove and blackcurrant notes are perfect for the colder months, and the statement scent never fails to earn me compliments. Rose-based perfumes often feel clean and powdery, but this punchy aroma is like diving head-first into a bed of rose petals. It's timeless yet enticing, like a vampy red lipstick or an LBD. In my experience, it's the kind of fragrance that has people chasing you down the street (yes, that has happened before).
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