Carmen

#1672 in my “Tour de Fragrance” To be clear, I really love this scent. It’s attractive, excellent quality, versatile. As some have noted this smells a lot like Van Cleef and Arpels “Ambre Imperial” plus a hint of incense. Really nice. But there’s the price, around $230 for 50ml. You can do better. Khadlaj “Icon" is this minus tonka for under $30. Add dates to this scent and you have Fragrance World “Moonlit Night”, which goes for under $20, and French Avenue “Lumiere Garcon” under $40. On a per ounce basis the pricing for the Van Cleef and Arpels is substantially better, as is the availability. I’m finding this on eBay for $230 for 50ml, whereas the Van Cleef I can find for $69. Does the incense note really improve the combination by more than three fold? It does not. Does tonka improve the scent by $200? It does not. Would dates make a scent like this too sweet? Not really. But let’s say the price tag is no issue. For around $40 less you can get Daniel Josier’s outstanding “Ambre Tabac” which is more masculine leaning and excellent quality, whereas this is more unisex. So, for the guys I’d say pick the Josier. Good Luck and Good Hunting!

Thanks to the reviewer below for mentioning an estate sale. You nailed it! I smell this beautiful woman’s real wood furniture and even a little bit of lemon-y furniture polish. Perhaps her husband used to smoke a pipe, so just a hint of unlit pipe tobacco and even the ghost of her minty muscle cream. All this is conveyed nose-to-wrist, though. In the air, it’s a great slightly sweet vintage wood scent. Very enchanting!

Dusty, powdery, incense/vanilla fragrance. Absolutely stunning. A little familiar but wtf does that have to do with anything.....it smells GREAT! Smells very classy and rich. Price is killer!! I sampled but working to get a bottle asap. I have to take a break from Xerjoff purchases for this bad boy! You must sample

Beautiful! Mix YSL Magificent Gold with Caftan, add some chewiness and the bougiest brand new and freshly sharpened pencils and you have Carmen. Sweet but not too sweet, beautiful woody pencil shavings over fluffy middling sweet vanilla and spices. So so good as the temps drop. Radiant and loooong lasting.

Wow wow wow!!!! This beautiful, soft,warm,vanilla. I really love this one a lot! From Calaj house this is a more safe buy, as the notes are more common ones. I need a bottle right now!!! I am a big vanilla fan and this is a super yummy vanilla scent!

(11) ★★★★★ precious memories locked tight in a wooden box a ghost smiles in fugue

Carmen smells like a tasteful estate sale, with an overall dusting of powder surrounding the scent of expensive wooden furnishings. There’s a familiar and welcoming vanilla note, making you feel welcome to linger and slide your hands across the polished vintage wardrobes. This isn’t a very strong projector, so if you’re the type of person that wants people to smell you as you enter a room, it might not be for you. The incense note is super subtle but does add some depth to the basic woody vanilla pairing.

This is absolutely beautiful and I have trouble finding where I'm supposed to begin with my praise for this scent. So, I'll simply describe it. First and foremost, the pink pepper provides a spicy kick which is quickly meddled down into this gorgeous incense-y yet sweet frankincense-forward oriental and resinous scent. It's warm and cozy while not being in any way intense or overbearing. While being commonly found in the industry, the vanillic sweetness contrasting with the deep and resinous amber is uniquely pleasant and sensual. Furthermore, you definitely understand the sandalwood here, and, while it's not necessarily creamy or dominant, it provides an evident touch. It's a 25% extrait that would be a perfect choice for an intimate night out with a loved one.

I would love to know if others have a problem smelling this. I smell it lightly, and I have poured the entire vial from Lucky Scent over me over the course of a few hours, but all I get is a very light woody smelling scent. Along with the wood, I smell a slight oud scent, and that's all. I can smell the dog, and other scents around the house, but this perfume is just a light woody scent on me. Perplexed, because the reviewer before me loves it!

Vanilla musky sugary pepper... I get that sugar cane, vanilla, sweet tonka, incense, sandalwood, & musk. It has quite similarity to "Fève Délicieuse" by Dior with its syrupy sweet vanilla, and tonka bean, but this one has more musk, and bit more pepper, and incense. Nice.

It is a heavy perfume, an old lady vibe, a woody vanilla, not gurmand. Not my type of perfume.