Carnation Min-Sniff Fest
10 years ago
http://www.sophisticatedgardening.com/when-to- plant-carnations.html
Carnation Mini-Sniff Fest
Having just added carnation to my favorite florals list (along with Jasmine and Rose), I’m doing a mini sniff-fest of the following 17 which supposedly have it as a prominent note. Sniffing my carnation sample from Perfumers Apprentice first. If I had to describe it to someone who’d never smelled carnation, I’d say: imagine a mild narcissus spiced with clove and a little vanilla and you’re close.
Here goes.
Amouage
Honour Woman
Carnation’s definitely in there, if subdued by the amber and leather. Pepper in the top note makes my nose twitch, but this is an appealing fragrance, the other heart florals (Gardenia, Jasmine, Lily-of-the-Valley, Tuberose), highlighting the carnation. The base is amber, leather, opoponax, vetiver, frankincense. Not a buy for me but far from awful.
Balenciaga
Balenciaga Paris
This one is a carnation/violet chypre. Didn’t love it on first try, but this time I enjoy the smooth sophistication of oakmoss, labdanum and woods. If I didn’t know it was called Paris, it would remind me of the city. Probably not a buy, but who knows what the 3rd sniff will bring.
Balenciaga
Florabotanica
One sniff at a perfume counter and I was in love. This is pure carnation and rose. For me, irresistible. Mint lifts it, vetiver adds freshness, amber richness and caladium leaf—it must be adding to the green. Love, Love, love.
Calvin Klein
Eternity
Oh, nice! At first I thought there must be too much else in here for the carnation to stand out, but after the beautifully green-citrus top note settles, after the woody, musky, amber base rises and calms down, the heart florals rise with carnation as a star, if a muted one. Delightful.
Caron
Bellodgia
Here’s another I fell in love with on first sniff. To me, this is practically a drug. Musk, sandalwood, vanilla and carnation in the base create such a richly luxurious smell, along with the heart florals that a mere whiff sends me into ecstacy. Can this magic be produced by only 8 notes? Checking my Caron catalogue. Yep, that’s what they claim. Each of the 8 must be the finest of its kind. This is a masterpiece.
Caron
En Avion
Another first sniff love. Carnation, Jasmine, Neroli, Opoponax. Carnation and opoponax anchor the scent, creating a frame to civilize the indoles in Jasmine and Neroli. It’s just tremendous.
Caron
Poivre (EdP)
Smelling this one for the first time and a little leery since poivre means pepper. Wow, somehow clove, red and black pepper in the top note make this a totally funky perfume. I’m sure resinous oak moss and opoponax in the base help, as does the sandalwood. The heart is carnation, rose and yang ylang. It reminds me a bit of vintage Tabu. To me it’s a very suggestive perfume. Clove stars in the dry down, saving it from the gutter and the carnation hangs in there against it, if barely. This is much spicier than I like but it will surely turn heads.