Real Christmas Tree Scents

Three of the five species we distill, Noble Fir, Douglas-fir, and Grand Fir, are among the most popular Christmas trees in America. We work with these trees year round, sustainably harvesting their needles and twigs by hand in the mountains of southern Oregon and steam-distilling each species to capture its authentic aroma.

A surprising truth: there is no universal Christmas tree scent out there. The scent of your specific Christmas tree depends on its species and freshness, and if you have an artificial tree but miss that real tree smell, the scent you associate with Christmas trees is closely tied to where you grew up and what species you grew up with! You can learn more about this here.

For example, Noble Fir (subtle and cool, like high-mountain air) smells entirely different from Douglas-fir (lemony, sweet, and resinous), though both smell wonderfully fresh, and incredibly popular as Christmas trees in the PNW. If you're looking for Fraser or Balsam fir, the classic Christmas trees of the East Coast and Midwest, we'll be straight with you: we don't distill those species, and ours smell different. Noble Fir and Grand Fir are the closest neighbors, both true fir, but with their own distinct character.

If you grew up with a Concolor (White) Fir, Grand Fir is as close as it gets. The two species are so closely related they naturally hybridize where their ranges meet, and in our experience they smell identical: citrusy and fresh with a kick of sticky fir sap.

If you know your species, start there.

Shop Noble Fir · Shop Douglas-fir · Shop Grand Fir

If you don't, the High Country Forest Trio is all three firs in travel-size room sprays, so you can find yours.

A Room & Linen Spray or our Pure Essential Oils in a diffuser are perfect ways to bring that real Christmas tree scent indoors: mist the room, the wreath, or the artificial tree that looks the part but doesn't smell like anything. One thing to know: a real-tree mist is brighter and settles sooner than a synthetic spray. That's what real smells like.