CARNER
PALO SANTO

2015

PERFUMER
Shyamala Maisondieu

Rum
Artemisia

Milk
Tonka Bean
Guaiac Wood

Vanilla
Vetiver
Sandalwood

Based on what I heard about Palo Santo, I couldn’t wait to sample it and it met my expectations. It’s a strong like, although not a love.

Palo Santo is a gourmand woody fragrance, mixing toffee and rum with strong wood notes. It starts off boozy and creamy. Palo Santo definitely has a hint of (warm) milk, which is how it ended up on my radar. For a moment I was reminded of Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s Grand Soir, but they differ a lot. Don’t underestimate the woods in this one; they almost overpower the sweetness and booze.

The woods reminded me of Lalique’s Encre Noire (A L’Extreme). When smelled up close there’s something sharper, herbal or even medicinal that threw me off a bit. I’m not sure what it is, it could be the davana or maybe the cedar, as it reminded me of tree sap. It smooths out after a while and I doubt it’s very noticeable from a distance. I wouldn’t say it’s bad and it differentiates Palo Santo from other boozy gourmand fragrances, but it kept me from finding real comfort in it.

The drydown being more common, with the sharpness gone and vanilla being a more prominent note. Overall, enjoyable, but not one of my favorites.