Paysandú (Gabriela Hearst)

review from my wife The spirits kick off with the aroma of shady coolness from the trees, crystal-clear dew on diverse herbs, sparkling leaves of citrus trees, and the oil released when pressing the peel of a lemon. They then flow into the floral part, resonating with the leaves and stems of these same plants. Here, the presence of night-blooming cestrum is perceived, with its intoxicating linden-jasmine voice carrying hints of rough apricot skin, traces of tobacco or tea fermentation, and the moist-sounding abundant foliage. The presence of white ornithogalum is felt, possibly its relatives, combining the scent of fresh mountain air, spring water, and the dusty fragrance of gravel. Occasionally, hints of caramel are heard—an endemic note clearly felt in Yaken Fueguia 1833, adding a dusty touch with a light bitterness reminiscent of marcela. Beneath the floral notes, just deeper than the greenery of pampas grass, there is a slightly medicinal sound that adds a subtle touch to the overall harmony of the composition. Jasmine, more of the varieties from China, is vine-like and sharp at the tip of a knife. Wild honeysuckle is also quiet, green, and swaying in sound, wrapping around cypresses, cedars, and thuja, which raise their resinous voices closer to the base. There, all the woody accords are arranged so perfectly that none distinctly protrudes. There is no pronounced sound of Palo Santo, for example, to which I am particularly sensitive. It gives the sensation of a box made of precious wood, polished and sun-warmed, standing on a stone table with traces of white wax candles in the middle of a quiet patio or a solitary temple. Harmonious, balanced, calm, natural, and pure in sound. Incredibly pleasant to wear for both genders. Aromatic-floral and woody. Pacifying. Providing what many of us lack.

The absolute BEST jasmine themed fragrance ever. At least that I've smelled. And I am not a jasmine fan. My only gripe with this, and don't laugh, is this is a scent for rich people. This gives that: 'I'm better than you.' vibe. I kid you not. Altho it's perfectly unisex, I can imagine a queen rocking this in all her regalia. Chin held high, with a slight smirk on her face, beholding her court. This is a scent that makes everyone else's fragrance smell like room spray or just plain loud and uncouth. Something I find typical with a lot of their offerings. I really, REALLY, want this. But, I can't justify buying anymore fragrances, especially at this price point. Y'all think Tom Ford asking price is shocking, shoot. Lol BUT, to me, this is worth it. Too, I would feel outright pompous rocking this. And that's a lot to say considering what my favorites are. Oh, and by the way: I'm not a fan of mixing fragrances. At all. However, I have a small decant of this as well as their other 2023 release entitled 'New York' (REALLY good tobacco scent) and mixing them together takes the both to new heights. If complexity and depth (something this brand does not really offer) is what you crave, just mix them. Trust me and supposedly they encourage the mix. Shout out to Simply Put Scents on YouTube for making me aware of these new releases.

Edit: Forgive me everyone, this house has VERY complex fragrances. Albeit not all. The two I purchased from them, altho really good, are not complex. This, on the other hand, is. I'm sitting here going thru some of my old samples and happened to pick this up and 😍. All over again! Almost wish I hadn't. Anyway, sniffing this and rereading my review, I HAD to adjust my statement about this house not offering much in the way of complexity. This house is akin to having grown up on Kool aid or synthetic juices and going onto organic natural juices. Initially, it's like 'what is this???' but as you move forward in life and broaden your palate, it's almost impossible to go back to the other stuff. But just as far as that analogy goes, so too the expense of it all. Extraordinary fragrance and house!

I bit the bullet and finally bought this to go with my growing Fueguia collection. I smelled this while visiting Mexico city and wanted to buy a 50ml but they only had 100ml which wouldn't work with a carryon. This scent is amazing its sweet but in a complex way with deep resinous flowers floating over it. It's what I would imagine someone would smell like after spending hours at an upscale lounge and browsing an evening flower market. It's divine, elevated, and limited enough that you can't find dupes or many people wearing the same scent. I can't even fathom why people hate this or dislike this frag. Gabriela Hurst hit it out the park with both this and New York *which I also purchased*.

Paysandu is such a beautifully complex perfume. It’s such a beautiful homage to the beauty of Uruguay with many notes like jasmin del país Marcela and carqueja, not used in perfumery before. It is floral, and sweet but increíble earth as well. A part of the fragrance smells like a mound of dry leaves moisten with rainwater, it’s lovely.