Winter Palace by Memo Paris is a striking citrus aromatic amber fragrance that plays with one of perfumery’s most compelling contrasts: fire and ice. Released in 2019 and created by perfumer Aliénor Massenet, Winter Palace combines sparkling citrus and cool tea with warm resins, vanilla and amber, creating a fragrance that feels simultaneously refreshing and enveloping.
The opening bursts with bergamot, orange and lemon, producing a brilliant citrus freshness that feels crisp, tart and almost icy. Rather than presenting citrus as purely summery, Winter Palace surrounds it with aromatic nuances that give the opening a cooler, more atmospheric quality.
At the center of the fragrance is its distinctive red tea accord, joined by maté and styrax. The tea provides a dry, slightly smoky character while maté introduces an herbal bitterness. Styrax begins warming the composition from underneath, adding a balsamic, resinous quality that gradually transforms the bright opening into something darker and richer.
The drydown reveals the other side of Winter Palace. Vanilla, amber, benzoin, labdanum and tonka bean create a smooth, glowing warmth beneath the tea and citrus. Vanilla adds sweetness without turning the fragrance overtly gourmand, while benzoin and labdanum provide an ambery, resinous depth. Tonka bean softens the base with a subtly creamy warmth.
What makes Winter Palace particularly distinctive is the way these opposing sensations coexist. The citrus and tea remain crisp and cooling while amber, vanilla and resins radiate warmth underneath. It can feel refreshing in one moment and cozy in the next, giving the fragrance an unusual versatility despite its decidedly luxurious character.
Winter Palace feels like entering an imperial palace on a freezing winter evening—crystal chandeliers illuminating polished marble as cold air follows you through towering doors. Fresh bergamot and lemon cut through the darkness while steaming red tea fills the room with aromatic warmth. Beyond it, glowing amber, benzoin and labdanum mingle with vanilla beside a distant fireplace, creating a trail that seems suspended somewhere between frost and flame. Majestic, mysterious and beautifully contradictory, Winter Palace turns temperature itself into part of the fragrance.
Main Accords: Citrus • Amber • Aromatic • Warm Spicy • Fresh Spicy • Vanilla • Balsamic • Green • Sweet • Smoky
Key Notes: Bergamot • Orange • Lemon • Red Tea Accord • Maté • Styrax • Vanilla • Amber • Benzoin • Labdanum • Tonka Bean
Best For: Fall & Winter • Cool Spring Days • Daytime • Evenings • Formal Occasions • Signature Scent • Luxury Settings
Style: Citrusy • Tea-Like • Aromatic • Resinous • Warm • Fresh • Elegant • Mysterious • Sophisticated
