Fragrance for Tweed Season

When the first cold mornings arrive and the tweed comes out of the cedar chest, it is worth thinking about fragrance a little differently.

Wool is a remarkable carrier of scent. A single spray on the inside of a lapel can last for days, softening and changing as it goes. This makes autumn the best season of the year for fragrance, and also the least forgiving.

What to reach for

Bright citrus fragrances tend to vanish in the cold. Instead, look for compositions with a strong middle and base: woods, mosses, leathers and resins, which bloom slowly in cool air and sit beautifully against wool.

• For the country: Highland, whose juniper and peat smoke belong to a moor in October.
• For town: The Library, dry tobacco and orris for a long lunch that becomes dinner.
• For both: Racing Green, whose moss and leather drydown was made for a heavy coat.

A note on application

Apply to skin first, then a single spray on the lining rather than the face of the cloth. Never on silk or pale linen. And if the jacket is older than you are, a little restraint is only polite.