Darren Alan Perfumes Biscotti (Darren Alan) 2025 + Christmas At Nonna’s Giveaway

Darren Alan Perfumes Biscotti

Darren Alan Perfumes Biscotti via the brand

Darren Alan Perfumes introduced Biscotti as the perfume of the month for December. Inspired by treasured childhood memories of his Nonna baking almond biscotti during the Christmas season, Biscotti captures the touching sense of many holiday traditions. The history of Biscotti dates back to the Roman Empire, where it was baked twice for durability and portability. Tuscan bakers later refined the almond cookie into the crisp version we recognize today. Biscotti (in Italy cantucci or cantuccini) is emblematic of hospitality and meant to be shared, and so is this fragrance.

Darren Alan Founder and Perfumer of Darren Alan Perfumes

Darren Alan, Founder/Perfumer via the brand

Some perfumes tap you on the shoulder, Darren Alan Perfumes Biscotti didn’t tap me, it pulled me into a memory I didn’t realize I had filed away, and I could not leave until I’d discovered each layer of its story. I didn’t associate Biscotti with a specific season when I first tried it; instead, it reminded me of a kitchen, where the air was still warm from the oven and scented with baked goods. Growing up, my mom was always baking something, usually with the doors open and kids running in and out. Biscotti slipped right into that place for me, not with nostalgia, but with the uncomplicated understanding of a scent that has lived inside me longer than I admitted.

cantuccini

Tuscan Cantuccini Via Pixabay

Darren Alan Perfumes Biscotti opens bright and warm, candied citrus greets you, sunny and quick, unlike the moment you zest a lemon or an orange, it is deeper, richer, more like a syrupy glaze. I can almost taste the baked almond cookie accord, toasted, golden, and utterly specific. It smells like the room where they were baked in. Pine and bayberry drift in quietly, not festive but airy and crisp, more like fresh greenery hanging near an open window—a subtle counterpoint to all that warm, edible richness.

Italian baking ingredients

Darren Alan Perfumes Biscotti Ingredients by Sandi

A few minutes in, Biscotti eases, as the heart comes alive, and this is where the fragrance’s depth shows. It also gets personal for me at this point, as the opening glimmer wanes, Biscotti blooms with a tranquil confidence at its heart. The almond note deepens and softens into the touch of tuberose, they move like two elements that seem to work as if they always belonged together. A dash of cinnamon and nutmeg sprinkled in adds warmth and coziness, not sharp or sweet; more like the faint spice on your fingers after handling something fragrant. Heliotrope and tonka bring a powdery, creamy quality, suddenly the whole scent softens into a welcome coziness. I am reminded of lazy afternoons, where my kitchen becomes the gathering place simply because of the smells. The heart notes feel comfortable and familiar, without needing explanation.

As Biscotti dries into its base, I feel it shift into a more introspective mood, it deepens, and drifts into something serene and mature—pipe tobacco wisps like a peaceful memory, sweet, a little reflective without trying to be. Sandalwood smooths everything out, lending a sensual calm, while cedarwood, with its clean, crisp, woody note, keeps the fragrance grounded. Vanilla and musk appear near the end, bringing a gentleness that rounds the edges into a warm, silken finish.

celebrating Christmas

Photo via Sandi AI

What makes Darren Alan Perfumes Biscotti special is its balance of sweetness without being sticky, and comforting without becoming predictable. It produces a scented story out of small, intimate details—the ones you only notice when you slow down long enough to breathe them in.  It made me feel held and cheerful; there was a gentle ache of longing for the people who shaped me. A scented reminder that my contentment isn’t always tied to a moment; it can simply be an emotion, ready to welcome me whenever I am willing to stop and let it. Biscotti unfolds at its own speed. It is a scent that feels personal, inviting, and tastefully confident… lingers, soft and sure, like that memory choosing to stay a little longer, or when the world feels a little colder than I’d like. And frankly, I think that’s precisely what makes it beautiful.

Notes: candied citrus, warm baked almond cookies, pine, bayberry, almond, tuberose, cinnamon, nutmeg, heliotrope, tonka bean, pipe tobacco, sandalwood, cedarwood, musk, vanilla.

Sandi Lundberg, Editor

Disclosure: Darren Alan Perfumes Biscotti was in the Perfume of the Month Subscription. Opinions are my own.

Biscotti by Darren Alan Perfumes

 Biscotti via the brand

Thanks to the generosity of Darren Alan Perfumes, we have a 10 ml bottle of Biscotti for one registered reader in the USA. You must register for your entry to be counted. To be eligible, please comment on what sparks your interest in Sandi’s review, and that you live in the USA. Is there a food or treat that reminds you of the Holidays?  Draw closes 12/21/2025

Read more reviews of Vintage Novel, Dust and Clay, Lipstick Queen, Hekate, and Darren Alan, who is also a contributor to Perfume Notes and Ingredients.

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12 comments

  • Ensorceler says:

    What sparks my interest most in Sandi’s review, is the way she translated Biscotti into emotion rather than just aroma. She don’t just describe notes, she tells a story that moves from citrus brightness to quiet reflection, like the arc of a memory coming alive. I love how she connected the fragrance to warmth, family, and the kind of kitchen moments that shape us without us realizing it. She made Biscotti feel like more than a perfume, it feels like a comforting embrace we all recognize in our own way.

    – USA –

  • TheScentedPage says:

    Thank you Sandi for pulling me into memories of holidays with my Italian in-laws. The aromas and memories you described pulled me into your memories and into mine. I remember fondly being introduced to the special Christmas delights of panettone, biscotti, and torrone. The smell of roasted chestnuts that were my mother-in-law’s treat to herself.

    The aromas of Biscotti seem to capture that magic moment.

    Alabama, USA

  • xoe says:

    A memory of an emotion, rather than of a specific instance is rather spectacular in its subtlety. I understand exactly what Sandi means. The combination of tuberose and almond is not something that I can really imagine, though I’d love to try it. The food that most reminds me of the holidays is cardamom bread. That is the quintessential Christmas treat for my family. My Mom passed away this year, and it is going to be a tough holiday without the wafting aroma of cardamom. I am in the US.

  • RH says:

    I had no idea these cookies dated back to Roman times! Biscotti are my mom’s specialty and she always makes them this time of year, so it’s definitely a treat that reminds me of the holidays.

    I live in the US.

  • opalbear says:

    I just love Darren Alan’s work! It’s always smoothly blended, well balanced and just my style. His florals and basalmics are amazing! Almond and heliotrope and Tonka beans! Big love!
    I am located in California. That you for the giveaway.

  • Annika says:

    Biscotti sounds like a lovely gourmand perfect for the holiday season. There are nostalgic Christmas baking elements like candied citrus, almonds, spices and cookies but it balances the sweet with tobacco, woods and pine. As Sandi says, it talks a story, and that makes it a more inviting and complex fragrance. MD, USA

  • roxhas1cat says:

    I like that the spices are faint so the heliotrope and tonka can bring that creamy quality. Like that touch of the pine like you are nibbling in a well decorated home for the holidays. This article made me think of the anise pizelles a neighbor used to make. Thanks for the chance. USA.

  • Alicia Gloria says:

    Big fan of Darren Alan and I have been meaning to join his perfume of the month club, now for January I will. Almond is one of my favorite notes so I would love to win. My favorite Christmas dessert is Figuritas De Mazapán. I live in the US

  • mmerline says:

    I didn’t have biscotti often growing up, associating it with lovely cafes—we had other cookies around the holidays, like pebernødder—but that cozy smell of toasted almonds and crisp baked goods is wonderful. And Darren expanded it into a fragrance with interesting details: a shot of bright citrus; the everygreen-perfumed air outside the house; pipe tobacco drifting in from the next room. I love a holiday-inspired fragrance that tells a story.

    I’m in the USA.

  • Amy says:

    Hello! I found this site looking for Darren Alan’s Biscotti because I have recently been interested in almond fragrances. I’m excited about it as the review says it isn’t sticky.

    I live in the USA and the treat that reminds me of the holidays is a chocolate orange! I always got one in my stocking as a kid <3

  • wallygator88 says:

    Thanks for the warm and nostalgic review! Darren Alan Perfumes Biscotti feels like stepping into Nonna’s kitchen on a festive morning—warm almond cookie dough, toasted anise, and sweet vanilla dancing in the air with just a hint of zesty citrus. I especially loved how the almond and vanilla are grounded by gentle woods and soft musk, so the sweetness sits cozy and elegant rather than cloying. It evokes memories of family gatherings, freshly baked treats, and holiday cheer wrapped in a fragrant hug. I’d love to try Biscotti!
    Cheers from WI, USA