Turning the calendar to November puts us instantly into the start of the holiday proper season. We held onto unseasonably balmy weather right until the end of October, but November wants nothing to do with that kind of cheap sentiment. There’s no rain colder than a November rain. That’s why there’s whiskey.
Personally, I prefer cognac, especially if it’s served in a sidecar (a variation on the persnickety brandy that is traditionally abused). But I’ll take any cozy amber-hued liquor when the days go dark this early. Served on the mantle of a fireplace, or on a candle-lit side table, the simple snifter demands to be sniffed.
It’s time for darker fragrances too, and I go deep into Tom Ford Private Blend territory for this moment in the year. ‘Japon Noir’ and its smoky, soapy vision starts the month off, when scarves and wool and slept-in weekends are the order of the season. Supplemented by a few days here and there of ‘Tuscan Leather’ my seasonal scent map is tentatively drawn.
