The Scented Hound

Perfume blog with abbreviated perfume reviews & fragrance reviews.

Tag Archives: Carner Barcelona


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New Release: Sandor 70’s by Carner Barcelona

carnersandos70sWHAT I SMELL:  Sandor 70’s completes a kick-start with a quick blast of bergamot that soon melds into a wonderfully warm floral suede.  The florals then move to the more herbal with a clary sage note that is front and center.  The perfume is smooth and incredibly engaging.  Neither feminine nor masculine, the perfume defies a label.  As the perfume continues to develop, it really begins to project and a dry woody timbre pushes out a light powder.  Continuing on, a smoky note appears along with a dry vetiver, but as soon as I write that, the dryness makes way for a buttery vanilla.  Here, the perfume is simply sublime as it fills the air with a rich, sophisticated suede that feels like it’s coming from a well of nature.  It’s not dirty, nor heavy, instead, the perfume feels earthy and grounded and nostalgic.  As it continues to unfold, the tobacco and the leather mix in a swirl of wafting smoke.  Here, the dirt from the cobblestone streets meet the soles of the well-worn shoes that walk them.

From the Carner Barcelona website:

inspiration:  “At the crest of upper Barcelona once a place to see and be seen, an iconic bar where the smoke of cigars flirted with the aristocratic leather armchairs…”

top notes – Suede Accord, Italian bergamot, Vintage Jasmin absolute, Chinese osmanthus absolute, Bulgarian rose essence

mid notes – Tobacco Accord,  Clary sage absolute, Virginian cedar wood, Peru balsam, Mexican vanilla extract

base notes –  Spanish leather accord, Patchouli essence, Vetyver essence, Ethiopian frankincense extract, Oak moss absolute

wellwornsandalWHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  Your favorite pair of well-worn leather/suede sandals.  So comfortable, like an old friend.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE SANDOR 70’s:  vintage, careworn, comfortable

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT SANDOR 70’s: Fragrance Daily

BOTTOM LINE:  Part of the new Black Collection, Sandor 70’s is my favorite among the three perfumes in the line.  Here, the nod to nostalgia is done perfectly and makes this a leather perfume that’s perfect for those who don’t like their leather over the top.

  • Bone Rating:  4 out of possible 5 bones
  • Scent: Leather
  • Classification: Unisex
  • Expense: $220 for 50 ml eau de parfum

Sample courtesy of Twisted Lily.


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Palo Santo by Carner Barcelona

Carner-Barcelona-Palo-SantoWHAT I SMELL:  Palo Santo opens with a milky coconut, boozy rum accord.  It’s sugared without being sweet, but it crackles with a wonderful gourmand and slightly earthy goodness.  The sugared aspect begins to retreat as the perfume starts to become a bit more woody.  Add on top of that a light burnt hue as if the woods and rum have attracted a lit fire which singed the sweetened wood.  The guaiac wood starts to become prominent as it begins to dominate the perfume.  Thankfully, the guaiac is tempered quickly by the addition of a woody vetiver which helps to bring the perfume into a more sharpened tonality.  After around 30 minutes or so, the perfume begins to blend with hints of incense and tonka bean sitting on top of a woody base that is full of cream.  Palo Santo is at first rather big, bold and in charge, but with a rather sweet demeanor.  In the end, all those elements are still there, but they settle down to more of a whisper.

From the Carner Barcelona website:

A ‘’sacred wood’’ steeped in magic and mysticism for thousands of years, releases an enchanting aromatic essence that swirls to life in a spellbinding blend that infuses earthy hints of wood and incense.

Coveted by shamans for centuries, it is believed that this spiritual wood has the power to protect and usher in good fortune. A faint misting will cleanse the mood and raise spirits, invoking the true purifying virtues of Palo Santo

top notes: Indian Davana, Rum Accord

mid notes: Warm Milk, Paraguayan Guaiacum Wood, Venezuelan Tonka Bean

base notes: Moroccan Cedar Wood, Vetyver from Haiti, Dominican Republican Amyris

brown-bear-4689WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  Don’t ask me why, but for some reason this brings to mind a very happy and content brown bear.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE PALO SANTO:  milky, calming, peaceful

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT PALO SANTO: Chemist in the Bottle, Colognoisseur, Kafkaesque

BOTTOM LINE:  Palo Santo is smooth and creamy and full of guaiac wood which unfortunately never seems to work on my skin.  However, if you do like guaiac wood…this might just be a good fit as it softens to a nice woody glow in the end.