The 10 Best Fall Fragrances Are Unexpectedly Boozy
Prepare to smell like an elevated cocktail bar and a warm cookie.
I’ve ordered a Negroni. I’m not an old-fashioned kind of girl, but I can respect its sophistication. A crisp glass of earthy white wine? That’s my personal favorite. I’m not talking about my Thursday happy hour order—I’m referencing the best fall fragrances of 2025, which have undergone an admittedly alcohol-inspired rebrand.
“There’s a recent lean into cocktail and savory-inspired scents,” says Emilia O'Toole, or Perfume Professor on Instagram. “We’ve seen this theme recently in Orebella’s Nightcap and Hotel Lobby Candle’s wine-inspired candle.” Not to mention Vilhem Perfumerie’s Sparkling Jo Eau de Parfum, which features notes of champagne, and Jo Malone’s obviously alcohol-inspired Mimosa Cardamom Cologne, which both hit shelves in recent months.
While the smell-and-you-can-taste-it alcoholic notes are kitschy, the seasonal trend is more about manifesting a warm and cozy feeling, like sitting on a velvet couch in a high-end cocktail bar. Sometimes, that’s manifested with sexy, heady notes or a woody, masculine profile. “There is a noticeable shift toward greater tolerance and appreciation for spices, like cardamom, cinnamon, and pepper, when paired with soft florals or polished woods. [This] creates an element of intrigue and mystery this fall season,” says DSM-firmenich’s Fragrance Development Manager, Bella Varghese.
Regardless of how far you lean into the aforementioned fall fragrance trend, you can expect a comforting blend of notes to enter your perfume wardrobe. Our favorite boozy (and non-boozy) fall perfumes are ahead.
Best Fall Fragrances
- Best Fall Fragrance Overall: Infiniment Coty Paris Encore Une Fois Eau de Parfum
- Best Floral Fall Fragrance: Parfums de Marley Palentine Eau de Parfum
- Best Vanilla Fall Fragrance: D.S. Durga Deep Dark Vanilla
Fun fact: Infiniment Coty Paris manufactured a Molecular Aura in their latest fragrance collection that allows the signature scent to stay powerful for up to 30 hours. It’s a key component of this vanilla amber fragrance, so it's no surprise that I catch a whiff of the notes from morning to night—even until the next morning. Its skin-like base is an addictive blend of vanilla bourbon and the amber of Peru balsam. I’m constantly smelling my wrists for a moment of calm during the day. No wonder it's a 2025 Marie Claire Fragrance Award winner!
Notes: Vanilla planifolia, vanilla bourbon, Peru balsam
What I Love: Tested on sensitive skin; vegan; editor-loved; long-wearing
What I Don’t: This isn’t a super powerful fragrance; it’s warm but on the lighter side
I find two to three sprays is plenty.
Fall is not just about swapping out your wardrobe; it’s about changing your whole aura. For Contributing Beauty Writer Taryn Brooke, that means swapping out her fragrance. “Though I’m partial to floral scents year-round, I just started using Parfums de Marly’s new Palatine Eau de Parfum, and it actually smells like summer transitioning into fall. With notes of mandarin, bergamot, and pear, its floral scent also settles on a hint of musk, making me feel pretty yet all warm and cozy inside. Not to mention that the bottle is just regal-looking. Let’s just say, you know what I’ll be smelling like all fall,” she shares.
Notes: Mandarin, bergamot, pear, floral bouquet, sandalwood, patchouli, musk, vanilla
What I Love: Vhargese notes that elevated and unexpected fruit scents are trending for fall; editor-loved; opulent bottle
What I Don’t: This is an expensive fragrance—but you don’t need too much to experience the full effect of the blend
This fragrance is perfect for both early fall and spring.
I’ve been a vanilla perfume fan for as long as I can remember. Don’t get me wrong: you won’t catch me wearing the overly sugary and sweet gourmands I gravitated to circa 2010. But the industry’s pivot towards sophisticated, layered vanillas has introduced me to this D.S. Durga scent. It's warm and inviting—perfect for fall and winter—and has a soothing effect that instantly calms my nervous system. I like to apply it just before I crawl into bed.
Notes: Orchid, pink pepper, vines, green vanilla leaves, cypress root, vanilla absolute, dark patchouli, hay
What I Love: Layers incredibly with Coty Encore Une Fois Eau de Parfum; vanilla without smelling juvenile; strong scent that lasts all day
What I Don’t: It is distinctly vanilla, so if you don’t like a sweet scent, this won’t be for you
This layers shockingly well with the Infiniment Coty Encore Une Fois Eau de Parfum.
Part of the Les Essences de Diptyque six-fragrance collection, Boise Corsé was quickly one of my fall favorites. The woody scent has quite the story: it was designed as a tribute to the rough outer mantle of a tree, designed to protect the vulnerable core. In that vein, it’s a blend of intense, identifiable notes right off the bat, while a softer, creamier aura reveals itself as it settles into the skin. It has an earthy, musky quality but still maintains a feminine air, making this my go-to for a night out. It’s a perfectly sexy scent.
Notes: Intense black coffee, sandalwood, tonka bean
What I Love: Adapts to your skin; smells distinct and different than what’s on the market; layers well with other fragrances
What I Don’t: Doesn’t last very long
Glossier introduced two new scents into the brand’s fold recently: Glossier You Doux and Glossier Rêve. In the words of Emily Weiss, the former smells like “quiet luxury.” Marie Claire’s Beauty Director Hannah Baxter agrees, describing it as “your softest cashmere sweater distilled down into a perfume, with a hint of smokey firewood from your backyard firepit in Monterey.”
Notes: Sweet violet, palo santo, abrox
What I Love: Smells expensive at an affordable price point; editor-loved; enhances the natural skin scent and is pretty long-lasting
What I Don’t: Some people still prefer the original Glossier You, but keep in mind that perfume is very personal
Hermès gets pretty much everything right—ready-to-wear, accessories, bags. While I’m normally not a fan of designer perfumes, this sensual, sexy blend is my exception. It smells rich; it’s the fragrance I want to pair with Khaite jeans and the Birkin I don’t yet have. The perfume is definitely better suited for nighttime, as it's a heavier, more distinct combination of miracle berry, oak, and patchouli. It’s not overly feminine either, making it a great unisex option.
Notes: Miracle berry, butterfly lily, oak, patchouli
What We Love: Last forever; has a skin-like base; distinct and different
What We Don’t: Patchouli is quite a divisive note, so this probably isn’t for everyone
You may associate bright, fresh, fruity notes with summer fragrances, but berries are particularly well-suited to help transition your scent to fall. “This has notes of wild strawberry, red velvet rose, and cedarwood to give it a juicy, yet cozy vibe, that works for the cooler weather,” Contributing Beauty Writer Kayla Greaves says about this romantic scent. It’s vibrant and fizzy at first spray, but as it settles, you’ll feel like you're sitting on the couch while the strawberry pie bakes in the oven.
Notes: Wild strawberry, cedarwood, red velvet rose
What I Love: Editor-recommended; transitional scent
What I Don't: Very heavy on the rose
“As the weather starts to get cooler, I tend to lean into warmer and richer olfactive tones more and more,” says Verghese. That in mind, she’s been loving this intoxicating Chanel fragrance. Like most Chanel perfumes, it has a powdery, mature, and musky base. What sets it apart? There’s a brighter sparkle at first spray—you’ll get a whiff of cherry blossom and iris until it settles down into an earthier base.
Notes: Cherry blossom, iris, heliotrope, woods
What I Love: Editor-recommended; musky finish; signature Chanel dry-down
What I Don't: Too powdery for some
Inspired by the city of Paris and Josephine Baker (quite the duo), this fragrance has truly transformative properties. Champagne is a heart note, which makes the utmost sense given this fragrance’s fizzy—one might even say bubbly—nature. It’s bright and exciting, with just one spray capable of waking up all your senses. You’ll find a hint of spice from fresh ginger, but overwhelmingly, this perfume falls into the citrus-woody fragrance family.
Notes: Champagne, bergamot, juniper, pear, fresh ginger, ambrette, musk, oakwood, ambergris
What I Love: Stunning bottle; a unique scent that you won’t find many people wearing; truly adapts to your skin, so you won’t smell like anyone else
What I Don’t: The bottle shape make it a little difficult to spray—try using two hands
I’ll be honest: Some people really love this fragrance—but it’s certainly not for everyone. It’s strong, seductive, and very earthy. It’s mature by every definition of the word; think of it like the fragrance you’d find sprayed on your rich aunt or a Fortune 500 CEO.
Notes: Vanilla, cedar wood, tonka bean
What I Love: Strong and powerful; heavy bottle great for display
What I Don’t: Divisive, not everyone will like it
Why Trust Marie Claire
For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.
How We Tested
To select the best fall fragrances, Senior Beauty Editor Samantha Holender asked the Marie Claire team and contributing beauty writers to share their personal favorites. She also researched customer reviews, and used her own knowledge and personal testing over 1000 fragrance to inform this decision.
Meet the Expert
Bella Varghese is a perfume creator at DSM-firmenich.
