Pimento berries are best known under the name allspice, and have a distinctive aroma that’s a mix between cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg—not unlike the notes in the now-infamous pumpkin spice latte. A recurring feature in exotic amber and spicy compositions, pimento is often used in chypre compositions because of its dryness and helps to balance out the woodiness while spicing things up.

This spicy top note adds a layered vibrancy to complex accords. As a first impression, cardamom feels fresh and airy, but soon shifts to reveal a warmth that is both sweet and woody. Often likened to the aromatic effects of citrus notes, cardamom can be revitalizing with its zestful kick. Cardamom is particularly well suited to woody, chypre and ambery fragrance families.

Citrusy-sweet, brightly acidic orange oil adds a happy Vitamin C overload to any fragrance. Orange is also the ultimate team player in perfume: it will go with anything as its many different forms can blend well. Mandarin orange, green mandarin, bitter orange, blood orange, Sicilian orange are all variations on this juicy, joyous note. Sweeter notes like mandarin and blood orange work best with florals and spices, while bitter orange, green mandarin, and Sicilian orange are fantastic with aromatics like basil, nutmeg, etc. Orange’s cheerful energy, no matter if it’s sweet, bitter, or spicy, is wearable year-round without hesitation.

Oud is a very popular essence among the Persian Gulf countries. Across Arabia, men and women are known to dote over the raw material—admiring the lavish fragrance for all its warmth and complexity. In fact, oud is so popular in Arabian fragrances that there exists several subfamilies of oud (such as fruit oud, leather oud, rose oud—and the list goes on!). Agarwood, or oud, is the most expensive note in a perfumer’s palette. It has been valued for thousands of years and is considered one of the most luxurious ingredients in the world of perfumery. Oud is derived from the dark resin of the Agar tree, which grows in very rare conditions. Although its popularity skyrocketed in the past decade, oud has been known and used by various ancient civilizations in esoteric ceremonies and meditation practices for hundreds of years. Perfect for cold weather, oud has a distinctively woody, slightly animalic, and rich scent. Oud’s warmth adds whole new brevity and depth when combined with floral or spicy notes.