Castaña

Knew nothing of this brand or the notes of this fragrance. Sprayed it on this morning and what a treat. The masculine greenery hits with a peppery dark edge. This settles to a lightly smoked vetiver note and this is the only clearly defined note I could get and it is KO gorgeous to be fair. I said to myself.... Castana definitely has vetiver (this usually means I check the notes and it's not listed) and hoorah there it is. However, as it settles it almost completely mutates and the heart/base take over and curiously does really smell of vetiver anymore, but a men's designer fragrance....I'm gonna say from the 90's and I wracked my brains thinking of what ot was, driving along in my car and all of a sudden ah ha!!! It dries down to something in the ballpark of Versace Dreamer of all things! This is a hasty review and I will need to sample again but It smells like dreamer, shades of Le Male and maybe even reflection man? So I'd even say there's a lightly floral tobacco and even touches of vanilla scented barbershop, fougere. I always think dreamer has a hazy, chemical smell, a bit stale and unsettling but fantastic for it. This is similar. I enjoyed it. 01/03/22 Update: I can't help but read back this review and think it might, just might, be a touch unhelpful/misleading. I really stick to what I said but I can't believe I downplayed (straight up didn't mention!!!) the nutty aspect of this perfume, because it is very nutty, like a beautiful, warm, chestnut. Vetiver (and certainly sandalwood) can also have this nutty quality, folks will be familiar with Haitian and Java vetivers but I have a material from Brazil which is obviously not as popular or well known but is very characteristically nutty. I think what I was driving at was that the base of this perfume is musky and soft, the top notes are interesting, a kind of hybridized Gourmand/fougere of sorts and I think the perfumer has struck a perfect tone here of innovation and calming, reassuring, perfuminess and chic, style, making Cloon Keen the kind of Chanel or Celine of the Emerald Isle. I think it's superb in both it's subtley and creativity and no wonder Luca Turin bummed it into next week! (He does get things right occasionally, the senile old git) The creamy warm hay/coumarin character and vetiver earth to it, does make me think it's something people who enjoy Hermes Vetiver Tonka would really like. Castana is basically Vetiver Tonka but for people with more personality.

I love chestnuts and so I had high hopes for this scent, and after an initial bit of uncertainty this certainly delivered for me. When I first sprayed this on my wrist it was initially quiet, subtle, and herbal, with little of the promised chestnut. I was prepared for a disappointment. Then, after the first 10 minutes or so I noticed gorgeous wafts of clean chestnut projecting without even sniffing my wrist, and on closer inspection the chestnut had arrived at the forefront. On my skin, it seemed to take a moment to gather itself before erupting into the delicious chestnut I hoped for. On my skin the chestnut is rich and nutty but not sweet/sickly, which was exactly what I hoped for as I have been on the lookout for gourmand scents that are not overly sweet or lean towards vanilla. On me this is a clean, almost savory chestnut framed by a herbal background. It developed into a nutty, comforting but clean chestnut scent that moved to a more smoky roasted chestnut over the next few hours, with a herbal background that transitioned to smokiness and incense. After initially being underwhelmed, I found it very moreish as it developed and couldn't stop sniffing my wrist. It went fairly quickly from a disappointment to an absolute banger that has made it on to my shortlist of potential full bottle purchases. Projection/sillage for me was excellent. Aside from smelling where applied, I would get whiffs of this when out and about (while having only sprayed on one wrist) for several hours, and my skin type often just demolishes scents after a couple of hours. I found it to be very unisex and very wearable/versatile. I feel it is both suited to a casual autumn/winter vibe paired with cozy knitwear, but also suitable for work/office autumn/winter wear as it is clean, sophisticated and warm. While unique, I feel it is not likely to offend or challenge in a formal environment.

The smell of Ireland. As soon as you spray this on you're slapped in the face with earthy, smoky, and woody vetiver contrasted against cozy, nutty, and warm chestnut; all the while a bright white floral note keeps the opening from being overly cloying and overbearing. Instead, it whisps around the wearer in an undeniably strong, but in a nuanced, sophisticated way. As it dries down there isn't a ton of change, more of an interplay and darkening of both the chestnut & vetiver, really an in depth study of both major notes. I recently stumbled upon this brand while touring through Ireland, and man this one blew me away more than any of the other scents from the house. Simultaneously fresh yet warm, cozy yet professional, and complex yet linear, this is really deserving of all the accolades it gets. I will say, to my nose this is significantly more versatile than people let on, but I still wouldn't be reaching for this on the hottest days. It perfectly represents the Irish summer though; from cool, fall like mornings, hot and sunny afternoons, and rainy and cloudy evenings. Whenever I crave a big nostalgia hit of that fantastic vacation, or I need a little gift o' gab, I reach for Castaña. Really really happy I have this is my collection. 10/10. Signature scent worthy. Masterpiece Song vibe - Didya Think by Arlie TLDR - Fantastic cozy and sweet chestnut contrasted against earthy, smoky, and vetiver. A must try for chestnut, vetiver, or Fat Electrician by ELDO fans, or for anyone who is looking for a chestnut forward fragrance that doesn't veer into the ultra sweet. A true underrated gem. Side note - While imo this is easily the best from the house, there are a lot of great options from this house that any enthusiast should get a whiff of. Hard to find here in the US, but if you ever find yourself in Ireland, try to see if you can carve out an hour to check it out.

This is as much a physical sensation as it is a perfume and an impressive balance of contrasting elements. It announces itself with chestnut, as the name suggests, but then that aspect quickly fades and becomes a subtle but tenacious background player to the aromatic facets, which is great because the airy quality of the scent helps it feel lighter and easier to wear than you might expect with a chestnut fragrance. In addition to the listed notes, the salesperson at the Cloon Keen shop also mentioned cardamom and tobacco, and I get those as well, but the blend feels very cohesive and no one note in this overpowers another. It's very tactile-- there's almost a vibrating quality to it, and it's simultaneously warm and chilly. It's also squarely a gourmand without being the least bit sweet. Typically with a chestnut scent, I would expect there to be a sweet candied aspect, but there's not one here-- just the white florals, so my brain sorta fills in the missing sweet spot. The omission lends some subtlety to the composition. It gives it a "transparent" feel and makes it both more distinctive and even more wearable. I think it's a great achievement. Super unique, so it won't be everyone's cup of tea, but one of my all-time faves.

I have wanted to try Castaña for a long time. An unusual chestnut-forward scent, this was awarded a five-star review from Luca Turin. A non-sweet, unisex gourmand, Castaña smells niche and luxe yet manages to be wearable. It is unlike anything I have smelled before, and I am very taken with it. Castaña is nutty from initial spray, with a beautiful roasted chestnut accord leading the way. Slightly sweet, it is beautifully rendered. There is some peppery spice, cardamom-like and nose-tickling, adding a nice edge. Woody notes follow, particularly dry, grassy vetiver. It enhances the chestnut to perfection. As it develops, creamy white florals round it out but remaining in the background, serving to enhance the chestnut. I get some tonka bean as it begins to dry down, rounding out the smooth nuttiness beautifully. I get a hint of incense at its late stages, adding some balsamic smokiness, again adding to the roasted effect of the chestnut note. It fades to a tonka bean skin scent, becoming slightly musky as it fades. Sillage and longevity are moderate. A unisex autumnal scent, Castaña's central theme is beautifully and accurately rendered as well as it being wearable. Cosy and elegant olfactory art. An original. 4.5/5.