A perfume for this 'story'..

[Tsukiko]

It will sound completely nuts but humour me

This is fiction, just so you know:
I live on the edge of a vast forest. I am romantic yet brooding, and my days are usually spent playing the cello or the grand piano in a draughty turret in the westernmost wing of the house. I have long wavy hair and like to wear velvet, silk and soft leather. I am middle aged, slim and fancy myself riding on a wild boar through the forest with leaves in my hair. I like Leonora Carrington (the surrealist painter) and Renoir.
In the evening I sit by the glowing embers and read. I have company only on rare occasions, but it is special. I have 2 cats and a silly dog. I used to keep horses but they grew tired of my indolence and left.
My house is a castle, but I am skint. I am of indeterminate class and shudder at the thought of polite society.

What is my perfume??

It’s got to be something from Penhaligons darling surely? How did one ride a boar? I’m intrigued!

I love love love l'eau papier too, the evening scents I wear are Tom Ford Tobacco-vanille, Replica by the Fireplace by Maison Margiella, Smoke Show by Vilhelm Perfumier. All Smokey, woody scents with a bit of vanilla (zara man does a tobacco one which is a good cheap version of these scents if you wanted to give the type a whirl) If you wanted something a bit more and more sweet Eau Duelle also by Diptyque is lovely and for something more lush and green Synthetic Jungle by Frederic Male is my new favourite.

Shalimar

Sorry ignore me since I started typing I see you weren't keen on smoky fragrances!

Oh my these sound delicious, thank you!

Féminité du Bois by Serge Lutens. Obviously.

Yes, I do love my Diptyque, I don't want to go too far into unisex though, but then I am older now and that is a fairly 'long ago' presumption of mine..

I like gourmand scents but recently bought Laura Mercier's Vanille and was quite disappointed. It is warm and just the right amount of sweet, yet something intrudes that I can't put my finger on. I need to figure out what it is. I had wanted it to envelop me, yet it barely said hello.

Aura by Thierry Mugler for daytime contemplation on the colour of petrichor.
Evening would be Autumn Leaves by Le Labo or possibly a dab of Jazz Club dabbed nearest your heart should you be so inclined to share your chaise lounge with a lover.

Cinemá by Estée Lauder

Guerlain's Jicky -although Mitsouko comes close second.

Almost anything from Angela Flanders.

But absolutely not Poison or Opium - can still remember changing desks to avoid the stench back in the 80s. They should be banned as anti-social!

Le Labo Santal 33.

I purloined this from a Leonora Carrington story, a wild woman of the woods who rode and, er, mated with a magical boar and produced a strange child. That's if I recall it correctly. Her short stories are quite power affirming and surreal, worth reading if only for 'The Hearing Trumpet'!

Never tried Penhaligons. Reminds me of the lovely Susan..it is a very unusual name, I would love to know it's origins. It reminds me of the Cornish coast.

Definitely something from Angela Flanders. I love Parchment
Or my current favourite Boemia from Granado

Dryad 'sounds' perfect!

Coco mademoiselle

Dark Purple, Montale.

Tom Ford Noir de Noir.

I like the retro suggestions like Poison. They fit in with my image of you wafting about your castle.

A more modern option might be Oud Alif Extract of Parfum by Shay and Blue.

https://www.shayandblue.com/collections/shop-woods/products/oud-alif-extract-of-parfum-60ml

They do several other spice/wood options which seem to fit with your style.

Ooh! Have you looked at Perfumer H - beautiful wonderful scents. I have Rain Wood and Rain Cloud: https://www.perfumerh.com/products/rain-wood-50ml

I am loving these woody suggestions - new to me, i wonder how they would work out for me.
I once tried Byredo perfumes and didn't get along with them, are woody scents similar?

Ah, patchouli in both, unfortunately it makes my nose itch and convulse

Penhaligans Halfeti
Van Cleef & Arpels Precious Oud or Bois Doré or Orchid Leather

It looks as if the ingredient is linalool, and that it is meant to give a patchouli like scent. That's how I interpreted it but it might be worth contacting them. They always sell small sizes or samples too which is good when trying a new scent.

I am more lemony/floral so I don't know much about patchouli but I believe that frankincense is quite similar in terms of earthy/sensual notes. You will smell very seasonal too!

I would suggest the following:

guerlain Mitsouko
guerlain L’heuer Bleue
estee Lauder Youth Dew
estee Lauder Knowing

Your back story sounds very I Capture the Castle.
How about Miller Harris L'Air de Rien? Warm & grownup and has a scent of the old books from your library?