Palo Santo

Well, that was unexpected (kind of.) Carner Sceptic Status: Cancelled. The omens were not good. I often love this house's ideas but find they're not formulated well enough for the interesting openings to last. Not here. And I often balk at over-sweet gourmands, anything milky, or too much tonka or vanilla. But not here either. And that's all because: this is a gorgeous scented con trick, and I write that with admiration. It is like a vegan cake more delicious than you ever thought such a thing could be, or a WW2-era British cook making something edible out of tiny skimpy rations. It's a triumph of substitution. I am crazy about guaiac wood (gaiac, gayac, palo santo, call it what you like, I LOVE the stuff) in anything. The amount of real, genuine woody palo santo in this is probably minuscule; yet the other ingredients are doing an amazing job of mimicking and stretching its beautiful, warm, welcoming, orange-ish natural accord. Sure, there are moments when this teeters along the line between seductive and sickly. Particularly in the middle few hours the milk bubbles up strong, and what's more it's that borderline-burnt, nearly caramelised note of hot milk ... yet it JUST swerves turning into sticky custard and ends up reminding you of beautiful guaiac wood again. Not a bad party trick at all. For extra thrills: this one also neatly dodges the other Carner pitfall of weak longevity, and as a bonus triple-point score manages to age gracefully. It doesn't just last 6 to 8 h on skin (so better than average than most Carners for me), it also tends to smell smoother and woodier and a little more unisex, rather than just sweeter and blander, in the later phases. It's still recognisably a Carner - that powdery-woody-light-spicy thing they do with a few conciliatory almost-floral notes up top - but this time around the formula really works. This one is not QUITE yet up there with m favourite palo santo scents in the whole world, but it has kinship with all of them. In sweet, almost gourmand character it approaches Micallef Gaiac (but without the cloves or spice, which is actually a shame) - almost Lutens Bois Vanille-like, which for my taste only, is not necessarily such a good thing; it has something of the heft of Visconti Bois de Gayac but not quite as much dignity; but still, despite all the sweet stuff it always hangs onto the deeper, smokier, woodier tang of something 100% genuine like Abdes Salaam Attar's pure Gaiac Wood. Still probably a little overpriced at full retail and it might get a little choking on a really hot humid day. All the same: it came, it lasted, it conquered (me). A respectful salute and an apology for not taking this one seriously before testing it, house Carner!

A very nearly an orgasmic opening for me. Palo santo is right up my street in oh so many ways, it smells like as if Alessandro Gaultieri made a gourmand. This is the acceptable and enjoyable side of the warm milk fragrance because it's a little smokey and woody unlike a jeux de peux for example. Boozy, tonka bean but with gourgeous guiac wood underneath, grounding it and adding a hint of spice and earth and most importantly curbing some of that sweetness. The only downside and this seems to be a theme of my reviews of niche perfumery at the moment, is the longevity. I never used to be someone who associated a high price or exclusivity with long lasting performance, not all fragrances need to last or have massive trails. However, I do feel a little short changed when they fade in a hour or two. This is usually exacerbated by the fact many of these niche scents open so strongly you think, wow I'm gonna be smelling of this for a week and when you can barely smell it an hour later, it just kinda sucks. Anyway Palo Santo looses some of it's complexity in the drydown and gets a bit sweeter and creamier, more vanilla like basically but very close to the skin. Only a minor complaint because this is an amazing fragrance with lots to enjoy. Update: The second time wearing PS and it's lasted much better although it's primary on clothes but that's still fine. Also I noticed in the opening it was a little reminscent for a second of Rochas Man but hugely high end and much better, thicker and more complex mind. Then the deep drydown like 6-8 hours + smelled a lot like Givenchy Play Intense, another fragrance I really like but didn't start out that way. All these comparisons are only slight and even if they weren't still positive because I own and like both, PS has a lot going for it.

I took a gamble on this "gently used" perfume because the notes sounded intriguing and the price was just right. Now, I should warn you: this isn’t your typical safe blind buy. I personally happened to fall in love with it instantly, but if you’re not into deep, rich, woody scents, you might want to sample it first—and even if you think you are. This fragrance is like a sophisticated cousin of "By the Fireplace," minus that 'I-just-went-camping and fell in the ashes' vibe. The top notes? They’re a bit peculiar but they only stick around for about 3 minutes. When you first spray it, it’s like sniffing the back of an old antique furniture whilst sipping a hot rum. Seriously, it smells like wood, warmth, and a touch of sweetness. And booze. It’s soothing, familiar, and just a bit mysterious. Then, in true niche fragrance fashion, it evolves. After a few minutes, the sweetness emerges. I get creamy vanilla, milk, tonka bean, and a comforting, almost lactic vibe. The rum dissapears for me. There’s also a sweet, musky note that transitions beautifully to the final act. The real magic happens in the dry down. The sweet musk gives way to slight woodsmoke and sandalwood. On me, the finish is woody, like a DISTANT winter bonfire with a creamy vanilla milky backdrop. There's also something unfamiliar and mysterious that might be the devana note, which supposedly smells like tea. The longevity is fantastic—it lasts all day on my skin. And that’s a relief because there’s nothing worse than a fabulous scent that vanishes by midday, especially when you’ve paid a small fortune for it.

After years of waiting for an Australian release, Brisbane’s Calexico and the online Sydney/Melbourne store Saison finally stocks it. And with the notes as described, Carner Barcelona’s Palo Santo smells exactly as I imagined and I couldn’t be happier for it. Anyone here have a nostalgic memory of White Rabbit candies? If you still like them, you’re definitely in luck— like said candies, Palo Santo has a lovely-lovely melty milk fragrance but unlike the one-note simplicity of candy, with it’s savoury guaiac smoked wood salt, and some sophisticated fermented rum breeze (much like the whiff one catches of the drink once taken as it trails from inside one’s breath) Palo Santo is good for grown-ups. You’ll be pleased to know it has that edible rice paper smell of the White Rabbits thanks to the faint vetiver and the hyperreal sandalwood. Bonus for the wood salt, boozy after-ambience, and sandalwood anchoring this scent back into wearability than, say, a perfume I had (for example) which just smelled of frosted wheaty doughnut and unlike Palo Santo, this example perfume never develops fried yeasty warmth (or even its promised tangy apricot!) so it basically was just air-thickening sugar frosting. Thank god for Palo Santo’s smoky-savoury, rummy savinness. (I also smell something here which lends it some austerity... benzoin? but, like, crossed with fire-roasted hazelnut and some leaf herb which i suppose is the artesmia.) Blind buy worthy. *note: Brisbane’s Calexico is in-store only. For online orders, head to Saison.

It's been two years and this is the creamiest, buttery milk perfume I've ever tried and I LOVE the smell of cookies and cream. Used to be sold at Fortitude Valley in 2019 but has since quickly sold out. Can be found at Saison's e-store for $165AUD which is a pleasant price drop from its previous $219 price. This satiates my sweet tooth. Cookies and warm milk made of holy myrrh-y water in a warmly fragrant sacred palo santo wood bowl? I've got to have this again, and by the time I do I still confirm this as one of my favourite, if not THE favourite niche gourmand perfume of mine (anything else gourmand, simply buy from Solstice Scents.) Consider Unique-E's Chocolate Makes Me Happy for the dark melty cocoa counterpart to Palo Santo! 2023 Edit: This is not as gourmand as I made it sound to be in 2021, it's more like a Bailey's Cocktail than ice cream. Also the milkiness is off-set by warm powdery balsam and ambers which adds to its strange opening but it's definitely rum-like for better or worse. Having heated real palo santo, it lacks the beautiful lemony-ness that comes with the air purifying holy wood but the dry down is reminiscent nonetheless. If you want gourmand, buy Casamorati's Lira you won't regret it (I own a bottle myself.) FINAL EDIT: Palo Santo as a layering perfume, crossed with any tobacco perfume is delicious. Also personally layered with Dolce Almafi and 902 Bon Parfumeur: Cognac, Tobacco for that full fruit-tobacco-rum effect <3

This is my first Carner fragrance and I must say I'm impressed. I was debating between this and El Born, but in the end chose to go with this because of the comforting feeling it provides as well as it's uniqueness. It's not everyday you come across a scent with notes of warm milk. I was skeptical at first, but I do enjoy it. It is overall a creamy scent with a backbone of woodiness with lasts until the end. It kind of reminds me of baby formula a bit. I initially thought the longevity and sillage were both below average but I realised it is the type of scent that I go noseblind or anosmic to when I constantly sniff it on my arm. I sprayed 3 sprays on my shirt a day before and I can still smell it wafting to my lose. Give your nose 👃 a rest on this one. I'd say longevity is great on the scent but sillage is about average. However, I wouldn't want this type of scent to have heavy sillage because it wouldn't fit its comforting character. I would definitely recommend to sample before buying because I can see some not liking this scent. It is also important to not judge this scent in the initial spray because it changes dramatically in 20-30min. As a man, I do enjoy it in most occasions in all seasons in fact. Overall, perfectly unisex and I don't see why you couldn't wear this in the summer. It's not a super strong / offensive scent while being original and unique. It definitely won't smell similar to rest of your collection, that's for sure.

I get more sweetness than expected in the beginning. Then I smell the smooth , creamy palo santo incense blend with the sweetness beautifully after 2 minutes. Soon after you notice the clean vetiver and patchouli raise the sense of depth and strength of the fragrance. Some woods come in the base and your nose wants to smell vanilla that isn’t there. I need to test this more, but this is beautiful and the only gourmand I own after smelling a few and the only one appropriate for men, besides Black Phantom, that I have smelled that would work on a man. This is a upscale and lavish party fragrance or a wedding fragrance. This worn with white or white and gold would be complimentary. Women do not feel shy, you can pull this off and might just love it. Smells like a beautiful Bread pudding to me with a confident edge. Again I recommend this and find it a masterpiece. Not a vanilla bomb or overly creamy or milky. love,love,love and a killer fall outdoor fragrance, or winter indoor fragrance. 8 to 10 hours longevity and projects strongly and until it settles down to elbow length. It certainly can be sexy, but I find it more on the comforting side. Guys in tan Celtic wool sweaters and girls in white blouses or Natural tone turtle necks with this fragrance would be a knock-out.

I love palo santo (palo santo is not agarwood/oud. They smell totally different). I burn the wood regularly, and I also have the essential oil. This is an artistic interpretation, a beautiful one, that plays on the creamy facet of the scent of the actual wood. Palo Santo is definitely not a palo santo "soliflore", so one must try and get past the name and not expect something so simple. Right off the bat it smells like the booziest bourbon vanilla poured into scalded milk. The effect is a bit like a milder, creamier version of a buttered popcorn Jelly Belly. Quite sweet, actually. Condensed milk also comes to mind. The lovely woods are in the background, and altogether this is the milkiest, creamiest perfume I have ever encountered. Sillage is great, and the milk note is pronounced, which is not the norm (in my experience) with perfumes claiming to contain a milk note, so bravo. Highly recommended for those who love creamy woods, but be prepared for the fact that this is gourmand. I am not sure if that was the intention of the nose for it to be so, but I get more mental images of food than I do of woods.

This is absolutely fantastic. The best perfume I've smelled in the last few years. I was trying to find something that resembles palo santo, and I've come to this. Let me start by saying that this fragrance has NOTHING to do with the smell of burning palo santo. That being said, wow. I've never smelled anything like this. Niche perfumery at its best. Creamy, milky, vanilla and a touch of woods and rum. Daaaamn, boy, this is sex in a bottle! I'll let you know that I usually HATE sweet frags (my favourites are Encre Noire/Sycomore and Quorum), but this one is just... something else. Not cloyingly sweet, but you can't wear it during summer, for sure. All the people who have smelled this (my friends, perfume aficionados and outsiders, too) absolutely loved this smell. It's heaven in a bottle (or a sample, in my case). I'll buy a full bottle ASAP. Definitely worth the money! p.s. I'd love to smell this on a woman. strange, right? i also like to smell it on myself! go grab a sample if you like woody, creamy, vanilla frags!

This is a very wearable fall fragrance for me. I find it warm, welcoming & easy, but also deep and enigmatic. It carries the mystery of far away lands. Evoking the unknown. Loved it right away, but waited a few weeks before committing to a FB. It has the smokiness of burned palo santo, but also the sweetness of the wood when fresh. I get a boozy feeling, but I find it just at the beginning and it does not really last. It's more about the milkines and softnes of the fragrance. It's so cozy. I like to burn palo santo at my house and was worried that I would find the perfume to smokey and heavy. But it is just perfect. I get lots of tonka bean and just enough vanilla. Nicely blended. I would not call this really a gourmand scent, but it has a gourmandish sweetnes. It takes you to another place. I find it distressing, soothing. Grounding. Longevity is all day, silage moderate. I lose it during the day and have the sensation that it's gone, but every time I get back home, I can smell it clearly. Very nice.

The opening of this perfume felt very peppery for me, it leaned masculine at first. But once the spicy aroma calmed down, it began to smell more and more like By The Fireplace. The artemisia note is quite interesting, since it aromatizes Absinthe, it really gave me memories of that particular liquor. I enjoyed the journey this perfume took me on, at first: it was peppery and boozy, a bit herbal; then, it was By The Fireplace leaning feminine... and finally, it was mexican "Arroz con leche", a dessert composed by rice, milk, sugar and cinnamon, perfectly blended. It literally made me hungry. It also smelled like American Chistmass: natural pine tree, gingerbread decorated cookies and milk. Delicious. It lasts for hours and I couldn't stop smelling my hand where I sprayed it. I love it, I consider this FB worthy.

I love this. I’ve sampled this a couple of times throughout the past year but still haven’t gotten around to buying it yet as there’s only so many I can buy 😉 but this is smooootttth. Delicious and like a concoction of rum and milk in the best way. Yes It is possible. It is quite soft but I think this is better this way. I think it would become nauseating if it was stronger. I think it’s like a veil of soft delicious decandence. It also stays on the skin like a Caramel skin scent. Quite addictive but could make you hungry 🤤 I caved. It’s mine. I love this and now have the chance to truly appreciate it. I love it. It’s been on my mind for a long time and now I finally have it and I think I love it more. It’s vying for my signature scent and it’s very close I have to say 🤎

Palo Santo - an instant love. It starts with rich rum note and milk. Narcotic davana joins quickly and it turns excitingly bitter for a short while. Solar wood starts to warm up and the floral vanillic bitterness slowly turns sweet. I had the pleasure to smell a piece of this wood when I received it as a gift. I am in two minds about buying it in Europe so I will rather buy this Carner Barcelona creation and take interest in this magical tree. Its scent is unforgettable. This creation is spot on. It is highly aromatic, with sweet, minty aspects that calm your mind. Amazing. The intensity is rather subtle during wear. Like Palo Santo itself. Fit for meditation. It is warm, sweet, woody, solar. An aura rather than parfume. Lovely.

My 4th Carner Barcelona. I love it. It gives you comfort. Probably not for night out if you are into it, but to be cozy at home with your special one, or just to or enjoying the evening by yourself. The opening: you better know this comes with a note of milk. If you skipped that part, you may not like it. The first 30 minutes can be rough. The first time you wear it, may give you regrets., but the mid and base, is where the burnt wood (Palo santo) adds its warmth, and uniqueness. It has great longevity. It last 9-10 hours. Projection is moderate. For those smelling “sourness”, maybe is how the fragrance turns on your skin. Don’t blame the fragrance. Also, It’s a niche fragrance, keep it in mind.

This smells nothing like Palo Santo, the lady at the counter described it to me as rum and warm milk and, with a risk of being biased, I’ll say that that’s exactly what it smells like and it gets woodier as it dries down. On paper I was afraid I would smell like I’m drunk, it really smelled like a B-52 or some sort of Bailey’s cocktail but on my skin the woods really come out and it smells so unique and interesting. Not a safe blind buy, this is the kind of scent that could go either way depending on each persons skin chemistry and scent associations, it’s too odd but I love it Edit: I’ve let this sit on my skin for about 4 hours and I’m actually getting a lactonic palo santo note at last

I like this very much, though it's completely different from my usual florals. At first whiff, the rum is very noticeable, followed quickly by sweet warm milk and spices. Interestingly, the top note other than rum is listed here as artemisia, but the perfumer calls it "Indian davana", which is artemisia pallens. This is one of its qualities, per Wikipedia: "When applied on the skin, Davana is said to smell differently on different persons. This peculiar property is highly valued in high class perfumery to create fragrances with truly individual notes." Maybe that explains the widely different reactions here to Palo Santo. Luckily for me, it seems to work!

I have ordered a sample set of this brand and this is my favourite perfume. I have tried felino, d600, el born, megalium and this one. Palosanto is milky, creamy and sweet. It smells for me like a milkshake with a mix of Woods and sweet ingredients with vanilla inside. The performance is good. It has a longevity over the average. The sillage is good too being perceptible from more than one arm of distances. This Will be probably a Next purchase for me!! Only for cold weather and better for night time. Totally unisex! Scent: 9.5 Longevity: 8 Sillage: 7 Quality/price: 7 Versatility: 7 Originality: 9 Global: 9.5

Boxy minimalistic bottle is pretty impressive, but the content took me by surprize, wrapped me in softest cachmere and placed by a lovely fire at a winter mountain getaway. This perfect milky woodiness floating around all day is so soothing. Slightly warm milk, soft aromatic wood - gives a peace of mind and takes the edge off the daily stress. I have tried several perfumes from Carner now, but this one was love at first application, full bottle right away and the best longevity so far. Even though my bottle is almost full, I would like to have a spare one, as it seems to become a staple in my collection.

Milky and boozy in the same time, sweet and aromatic, with lactonic and woody accords, all layered on a gourmand vanillic base. Unique (at least for my collection), unisex, soft, smooth and comforting! Like a cup of warmed milk with honey and a pinch of warm spices... Palo Santo is everything for fall season. So happy that I’ve managed to get my hands on a small bottle of this and surprised that nobody talks about it anymore. Was so hyped a few years ago and for good reason. It’s so addictive but smells different than other lactonic/boozy/woody/vanillic perfumes I have or sampled so far...

this opens with a bit of fresh greenness accompanied by a beautifully smooth, slightly spiced, and slightly sweet caramelized rum. You quickly get that warm milk note and it’s creamy, lactonic, and has a hint of mild sweetness to it. The woods in the heart of this are beautifully warm and smooth, but turn to a more drier blend in the dry down with that cedarwood and vetiver. Dry down has a gorgeous amyris too that has a bit of a balsamic warmth to it. All in all this is a wonderfully smooth and creamy wood forward scents with some subtle hints of lactonic accords and warm sweetness