January Scent Project Northern Flicker (John Biebel) 2024 + Woodland Anthem Giveaway

 Best January Scent Project perfumes 

 January Scent Project Northern Flicker via the brand

 Deep let us breathe the ripeness and savor of balsam,
Tears that the pines have wept in sorrow sweet.~ excerpt from Among the Pines by Lucy Maud Montgomery

 John Biebel of January Scent Project

John Biebel of January Scent Project

Artisanal perfumer John Biebel of January Scent Project is one of those polymaths who rarely sleep: self-taught perfumer, fine artist, photographer, musician, writer, editor, and professional user experience designer. In addition, there are his innovative abilities as a cook, overall handyman, indomitable traveler, and lover of languages. John’s considerable gift as a nose nothwithstanding, it is always a joy and privilege to smell whatever he has put his hand to, because it’s bound to be unique. In a world rife with ego, he is the exception: modest, cordial and sincere, you would be hard-pressed not to take a shine to him. When I became aware of his latest composition Northern Flicker, I decided to buy it blind rather than ask him for a sample – because I believe in supporting our artisans.

Best Pine Perfumes

 Ida’s giclée print of Pine Bough from John’s Walden series

John Biebel is a native New Englander: born in Connecticut, he lived in Massachusetts for a long time before moving to Rhode Island. He has been smitten with Walden Pond over the years and has depicted it in all seasons. I mention this because January Scent Project Northern Flicker is a labor of love which reflects his lifelong affection for natural settings. When I learned that he had employed exquisite pine absolutes and other conifers (which were sourced locally in the Americas), I immediately associated these with John’s admiration for the native woodland woodpecker and his Concord rambles. All the moving pieces fit together.

 

Northern Flicker by January Scent Project Ingredients

 January Scent Project Northern Flicker perfume construction via flyer included with the fragrance

Every aspect of Northern Flicker is infused with intention – right down to the designation of aromatic materials. Who else would classify them as a) air notes; b) bird notes; c) needle notes; and d) tree notes – instead of the customary pyramid/triad configuration? Each stage is a movement in a scented symphony. John’s overture echoes the brisk, tonic nature of the great outdoors through his choice of both crisp and mellow mint tones in concert with bergamot and a radiant dash of Hedione: they make the air shimmer with a clarion-bright luminosity. How do we arrive at the bird itself? To evoke the animalic with an eye/nose towards veracity, John has created both feathery and darker musk accords. These he combines with that rarity in perfume – fossilized amber, which is not a blend of vanilla, labdanum and benzoin – nor is it styrax (liquidambar). This format yields a smoky, tarry, leathery oil possessed of dry woody facets which are overlaid with pine and balsam, richly complex in character. A touch of the tropical ginger lily harmonizes, adding just the measured amount of intense sweetness and floralcy for balance. Our flicker foreshadows the forest; it dovetails.

Best Fir Perfumes

 January Scent Project Northern Flicker and fir boughd via the brand

Needles comprise the intense jamminess of conifers; they are balsamic and nigh edible in their allure. Poplar bud absolute contributes its nuances of honey, fruit, and resin – as well as excellent fixative qualities; no wonder Edmond Roudnitska included it in his famous Prunol base. I swoon over balsam fir, and would love to get my nose on his antique absolute; a peppery touch of clove for piquancy, a tangy black currant leaf accord – and our third phase is complete. Finally, the accompanying tree notes are conjured via smoky vetiver, the sweet dry (cedary) warmth of hiba wood, resinous labdanum, tobacco, and a fruity Trat oud from Thailand. The woodland anthem and portrait of the Northern Flicker in its environs is consummate. Northern Flicker is a limited edition eau de parfum which wears like an extrait, with marvelous tenacity. Its naturalism is vibrant and sans pareil; if you crave a sylvan breath of fresh air, it’s a fine choice. Walden. Thoreau. Northern Flicker.

 Ich ging mit Lust durch einen grünen Wald,
Ich hört die Vöglein singen;
Sie sangen so jung, sie sangen so alt,
Die kleinen Waldvögelein im grünen Wald!
Wie gern hört ich sie singen! ~ from Des Knabens Wunderhorn (Gustave Mahler), text attributed to poets Ludwig Achim von Arnim and Clemens Brentano

 (Translation: I went joyfully through the green wood, I heard the little birds sing;

They sang so young, they sang so old,

The little woodland birds in the verdant forest!

How gladly I heard them sing!)

 Air notes: peppermint (US), spearmint (US), Hedione, bergamot;Bird notes: white musk accord, dark musk accord, fossilized amber, ginger lily; Needle notes: Ponderosa pine (US), pine absolute (France), clove, poplar bud absolute, antique balsam for leaf (~ 80 years old), blackcurrant leaf accord; Tree notes: vetiver Java, Japanese cypress (hiba wood), cistus labdanum, tobacco absolute, oud Thailand (Trat region)

 I purchased my own bottle. My nose is my own…

~ Ida Meister, Deputy and Natural Perfumery Editor

 

Limited Edition January Scent Project Northern Flicker

January Scent Project Northern Flicker in box courtesy of the brand

Thanks to the generosity of perfumer John Biebel, we have one bottle of January Scent Project Northern Flicker for one registered ÇaFleureBon reader worldwide (to countries which can receive shipments from the U.S. which excludes Russia and Ukraine). To be eligible please leave a comment on this site with what strikes you about Ida’s review and where you live. Giveaway closes 2/18/2025

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24 comments

  • Scentofme says:

    Interesting limited edition green scent inspired by native birds with peppermint, pine needle and tree notes. Sounds fantastic and naturalistic. Greetings from Bulgaria, EU.

  • JSO says:

    I should no better than to be interested in a fragrance by the name alone. As an avid birder, Northern Flickers are a favorite woodpecker. During the warmer months I find them in my backyard looking for insects so I don’t have to go far see these beautiful birds. Ida’s described what sounds like a beautiful green fragrance. It sounds interesting that instead of discussing the fragrance as top, middle, and base notes, he categorizes them as air, bird, needle, and tree notes. I’m curious how this will dry down. USA.

  • LightOfJoy says:

    What an awesome combination of materials. John is such a thoughtful reviewer, I would be very interested to see how he composes a perfume. It already looks to be a story unfolding. Thank you for your review, Ida, and for supporting independent artisans in perfumery.

    I would love to enter the generous giveaway of Northern Flicker. I live in the USA.

  • patrick_348 says:

    I love Biebel’s Dinudisit, which is probably my all-time favorite scent. Ida’s description of Northern Flicker includes so many of the things I love in the earlier fragrance–the use of familiar materials in unfamiliar ways, the connection to nature, the complexity of the composition. I am in the US, in NC.

  • AromaDulce73 says:

    What struck me about the review was the note break down. Air notes, Bird notes, Needle notes and Tree notes. Very creative, not your average pyramid configuration. Definitely interesting in getting my nose on this one.

    Los Angeles Ca, USA

  • absurdnose says:

    I love the concept of tiered notes being broken down into air notes, bird notes, needle notes; and tree notes. It seems like this would be a gorgeous homage to such a beautiful bird. One landed at the top of my apple tree in my yard and sang a little song the other day. I didn’t know what kind of bird it was at the time but now I’m fascinated by the Flickers. I was so intrigued to see this perfume inspired by them and I love the notes. I hope to smell it soon! Thanks for furthering my interest. I’m in the USA. 🙂

  • Ozzyaziz says:

    Needles comprise the intense jamminess of conifers; they are balsamic and nigh edible in their allure. Poplar bud absolute contributes its nuances of honey, fruit, and resin – as well as excellent fixative qualities; no wonder Edmond Roudnitska included it in his famous Prunol base. I swoon over balsam fir, and would love to get my nose on his antique absolute; a peppery touch of clove for piquancy, a tangy black currant leaf accord – and our third phase is complete. Finally, the accompanying tree notes are conjured via smoky vetiver, the sweet dry (cedary) warmth of hiba wood, resinous labdanum, tobacco, and a fruity Trat oud from Thailand. The woodland anthem and portrait of the Northern Flicker in its environs is consummate. Northern Flicker is a limited edition eau de parfum which wears like an extrait, with marvelous tenacity. Its naturalism is vibrant and sans pareil; if you crave a sylvan breath of fresh air, it’s a fine choice. Walden. Thoreau. Northern Flicker. I am intrigued to try this the notes sound great especially bird notes, white musk, dark musk, trat Oud. This sounds like a nature lover’s dream fragrance. Thanks a lot from the UK

  • Amaziz89 says:

    John has created both feathery and darker musk accords. These he combines with that rarity in perfume – fossilized amber, which is not a blend of vanilla, labdanum and benzoin – nor is it styrax (liquidambar). This format yields a smoky, tarry, leathery oil possessed of dry woody facets which are overlaid with pine and balsam, richly complex in character. A touch of the tropical ginger lily harmonizes, adding just the measured amount of intense sweetness and floralcy for balance. Our flicker foreshadows the forest; it dovetails. A wonderful piece by Ida really fascinated by the fossilised amber yielding a smoky tarry Leathery facets. Thanks a million from the UK

  • opalbear says:

    Everything about this is superb. The art, concept, how the notes are delineated, the notes themselves, the overall fragrance, the name… you name it! I truly adore this work of art and I hope he considers continuing to create it, if possible. It’s perfectly balanced and is so much more than just *green*. Folks really should try it. I would be completely overjoyed to win the giveaway. I am located in the U.S.

  • hippononamus says:

    Ida’s description of the three phases of the deference and its verdant naturalism are what draws me most. I’m in the U.S.

  • 1yiren says:

    I loved Ida’s inclusion of the poem at the end of the review. Nice to interpret one artistic work through another. In NYC, USA

  • Amy L. says:

    Ida, what a poetic review! The Northern Flicker foreshadows the darker forest by dovetailing/an orchestra of a woodland anthem! John is massively talented and, yes, intentional in creating his exceptional tiny treasures. Everything I’ve tried has left me swooning, pushing my boundaries of experience of fragrance but then validating that risk through my thrilled enjoyment of the scenes he creates with beautiful materials, an inspired map of notes, and a talent for making his vision shine clear and executed without anything unnecessary or mundane. I especially treasured the pepper creation I sampled, Burvuvu, and Vaporocindro. I live in a mostly hot dry area, but my soul, my DNA, longs for the cold fresh air of a verdant forest, a misty shade punctuated by the song of birds. How I would love to win a bottle of Northern Flicker, that I am only missing now because of the limits of my pursestrings. Ida, thank you for supporting this artist.
    I’m in CA, USA-not the forested part 🙁

  • DavidS says:

    The depth of the review and the mentioning of German Poetry struck me the most. Just beautiful. I am from Germany

  • Danniel says:

    I’m in the USA and have been so curious to get my nose on this. Growing up with lots of pine trees and woodpeckers on our property where bonfires were a regular happening makes me think this would evoke memories of home.

  • peppermoon says:

    I got a kick out of the fact that there are notes intended to evoke the feeling of a bird! Also, seeing that Josh Beibel is such a scholar-artist and reading in this review that he is fascinated with Walden Pond, I view this perfume as a trandscendentalist ode to the pure beauty of a pine filled landscape. I have good memories associated with the smell of pine needles, basalms and mint, so I feel as though this scent would be a calming and centering sensory experience.

    I’d like to join the bottle giveaway please. I’m in the US. Thank you.

  • rachel wiener says:

    I had no idea Roudnitska used conifers in his prunol base, how fascinating! I had the good fortune of receiving a small sample of this in a swap with someone in the community. I had never tried any of John’s works and I was extremely impressed with it! I love coniferous scents like Fille en Aiguille and Arso and this one has its own unique and transportive qualities. I’d love to have a bottle. I’m also an native New Englander born in CT but now reside in Brooklyn, NY

  • Arron_Q says:

    I just recently tried this one, and it is amazing. The blend of mint and evergreen notes is so fresh and cooling, yet it brings with it a coziness that comforts. It’s unlike anything I have tried before, and lasts for hours upon hours (which surprised me as a fresher scent). This easily ranks among the best of John’s work. Best of luck to all. I live in NC, USA.

  • Kensolfactoryodyssey says:

    The thought of birds pines and air interacting and created into a scent sounds sublime.. ida really has made this scent sound intriguing..

  • Ramses Perez says:

    Peppermint is one of those notes you don’t see often in perfumery so when it shows up on a composition, you gravitate towards it. Northern Flicker seems to allude to the feeling of maybe experiencing the northern lights and all the hues/colors you get but in scent form. In the region where this event takes place, it is indeed very forestry and piney so that’s where all the greenness in the fragrance comes from. It’s a deep dive into green and aromatic fragrances but with enough other ingredients to soften the transition. I’m located in the USA.