País de la Canela

[femmefatale]

PAÍS DE LA CANELA
The legendary Valley of Cinnamon located east of Quito, deep in the Selva Amazónica. A thick tangle of deep green leaves, wild orchids, soft lichen, Patauá and Babassu palm spiced by the scent of deep, rich cinnamon.

I have no idea why, but at first this makes me smell like a christmas tree. But as it dries it's still green, but a different green than any other I've smelled so far. It's not soapy or sharp at all, it really is rich and deep and lush smelling. There is also a hint of creamy sweetness, though I'm not sure from what. And the cinnamon. This is such a perfect cinnamon. Most of the time cinnamon overwhelms and drowns out the other notes, but not here. It is actually behaving and really does smell more like actual cinnamon sticks or bark, not the red hots type of cinnamon. And thankfully the orchid is restrained, since it normally goes dusty on me.

I love this blend. It's beautiful and I can see wearing it all year round. I think this is going on my bottle list.

[cuervosueno]

Yup, smells like a christmas tree on me too, which is a scent I love, so I quickly put it on!

 

On me it is lovely green that gets richer and lusher (but still has that soft balsam pine note) and then a very soft cinnamon, like kind of cinnamon used in Mexico, rather than cassia. Very gentle, but this is mostly green on me.

 

I like it, but will have to see how it develops. This is a quick review and I haven't even had it on very long, so it may change.

 

eta: a bit later, the cinnamon is getting stronger. To me, this is a very Yule like scent--soft balsam pine and greenery and a lovely sweet/soft cinnamon. I like it, and will consider a bottle.

Edited October 23, 2009 by cuervosueno

[Cheri]

Pais de la Canela is beautiful and all cinnamon when I first tried it, but it dries down to all pine on me. I'm not sure I like that much pine, but I'm going to blame it on chemistry and having a cold. I loved the initial cinnamon stage though, so will have to try it again in a few weeks.

[crebbsgirl]

I'm going to echo the beautiful sentiments. This is really stunning. On me, this is a green scent, but a dark green. This doesn't go soapy at all, which tends to happen when I try to wear anything "green". Instead it's rich with a lot of depth. There are hints of Christmas tree, but not in an overly pine-like way. The cinnamon is VERY understated here.

[obsidienne]

OH MY GOD. This smells like... tropical CHRISTMAS!

 

This is all spicy shimmering greens and purples and reds... the green elements, the cinnamon and the orchid with the palm are unutterably gorgeous. I'm sorry I wish I could review this more coherently for others to get a better idea of whether they want to try it... I'm here to say, "Just try it."

Edited October 28, 2009 by obsidienne

[Tracelina]

I'll echo what others have said about Yule. At first I was all "this is Xmas potpourri," but now that I read the other reviews, I can sense the pine undertone. The cinnamon definitely stays in the background on this one, which is ok--I like cinnamon, but not to the exclusion of all else--but the florals and pine that are happening mostly make it smell like a very holiday scent to my nose. It could be a gorgeous atmosphere scent, but I think I may let it sit for a while and skin-test again to see whether the Xmas tree vibe mellows out a bit.

 

[Dark Alice]

Of Course the cinnamon is making me break out in a welt so this is going to be a quick review. Wet: This smells like minty apples.

 

Drydown: stinky cinnamon with leaves. Pass!

[sihaya09]

Pine and dry cinnamon bark. The more it wears, the more I can catch the faintest whiffs of old-school Hamadryad. I like this one and will likely wear it a lot this Yule season!

[blu°]

Wow, the cinnamon in this seems to work as a softener for the green. It's making the scent almost creamy.

 

I can see how people get Christmas tree from it, but I'm not sure, that there is evergreens inside. It might be an olfactory illusion. More than of a Christmas Tree it reminds me of the green foamy stuff that you use to stick flowers or evergreen twigs inside to make decorations. I think sometimes the stuff is also used in Christmas tree holders.

 

I get something citrussy about 3 minutes after application, dusted with the cinnamon it gives an almost sparkly effect.

 

País de la Canela reminds me of Lush's Jungle hair conditioner a lot, that kind of creamy green scent. Maybe Lush's Jungle has cinnamon, too. There also was a bubble bath back in 2004 or so that had the same or a very similar scent.

 

This is really nice and quite different from all that I've smelled in BPAL in the last five years. I'm not sure that it is working all that well as a personal scent for me, but I dig the experience and am sure that this could become a favourite for a lot of people.

[puck_nc]

Origin: Straight from the Lab

 

Initial Thoughts: I tend to try all the Spanish/Hispanic-inspired scents, whether I think they'll work on me or not. And I do love cinnamon.

 

In the Vial: Rich and redolent cinnamon, with streaks of greenery that make it almost a Christmasy blend. Something, maybe the orchid or maybe the quality of the green, is just barely keeping it from crossing that line.

 

Wet: Cinnamon and more cinnamon. The Christmas impression has softened as the greenery takes on a more airy quality.

 

Drydown: The scent grows more dusky and tropical as the orchid comes into play. It's still cinnamon, but much more a cinnamon of nature than a cinnamon produced as a spice.

 

Verdict: I think I like this!

[Little Bird]

In the bottle and on my skin at first, this smells like the pulpy, fresh, pale green smell that I get from Whippoorwill. It smells like the bamboo note on me at first, but more like a pine/Christmas tree as it dries down (a dead, not-so-fresh pine tree).

 

The cinnamon here smells like a very dry, dark cinnamon that starts off slightly sharp, but sweetens up over time. The green smell after about 15 minutes starts to just go all wrong on me.

País de la Canela smells like cardboard and a hint of rotten pumpkin and dead pine tree :/. I smell like a garbage dumpster filled with throw-aways from Halloween and Christmas (rotten pumpkin, dead pine tree, cardboard from Christmas gifts, and a handful of holiday potpourri). It gives me a headache and starts to make me feel sick after a short while. I don't get a tropical feel from this, to say the least.

 

This doesn't work for me at all. I had to scrub it off after an hour.

[bheansidhe]

OH MY GOD. This smells like... tropical CHRISTMAS!

 

That's exactly it. Tropical Christmas.

 

Made the boyfriend sneeze so violently that he couldn't get within ten feet of me, but I loved it. *wistful sigh*

 

Oh well. Out PdlC goes. I pick what keeps me warm at night.

[Iceblink]

Surprisingly gorgeous--this is as lush and tropical as all those plants in it would make you think it would be but the cinnamon spices it up and it's overall just really warm and...humid. Imagine Manila with cinnamon instead of banana! I really like it and will give this another try to see if the cinnamon irritates my skin, because it's awesome and I could definitely wear this.

[Amoraexcena]

Imp: Very much smells like a christmas tree.... Pine needles, warm cinnamon sugar.

Wet on Skin: the cinnamon really warms up and rounds out and it’s beautiful. I wish all cinnamon notes were like this.

Drydown: mulled cinnamon apple cider and that lovely pine tree.... I now can’t wait for it to be Christmas again. I wish I had tried this earlier, it would have been perfect for my Christmas down in Cancun.

[zankoku_zen]

Interesting. I got some pine at the beginning, but this has dried to orchids with a hint of cinnamon. Tropical jungle time.

[hkhm]

imp: rich, spicy florals.

 

wet: this has a very christmasy floral scent. it's part pine, part spice, part dazzling floral. further, the cinnamon is not burning me at all!

 

dry: this has more of a wet, lush greenery scent as it dries, but still with pine and cinnamon and florals. whoever said "tropical christmas" said it perfectly.

[PeshaRocha]

On me, this dries to creamy orchid with a backdrop of lush green, very tropical and gorgeous. No cinnamon, no pine tree as others had. Very well-balanced, rich floral on me, reminds me of Hawaii. I was hoping for a little more cinnamon, but as always, my skin amps florals like crazy. However, this is one of the few florals I can actually wear, as long as I don't huff it in too much (allergies).

[edenssixthday]

País de la Canela - This is such a lovely scent! Others have said that it's reminds them of Christmas/Yule scents, but I think it's the wrong kind of greenery to be Christmasy. This scent is heavy on the greenery, but it's not evergreen-type trees at all. The scent is deeper, thicker, and more lush (or would that be "lusher"?). The cinnamon is heavy and spicy and quite powerful. Overall, this is a gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous scent. I put on the tiniest bit and I'm enveloped in scent. When I sniff up close, it has a bit of soapiness about it, but I catch none of that from the sillage, so I just won't sniff up close. I love it. The only negative thing is that my chest seized up and began to hurt the moment I put it on. I'm not sure if it's just a seasonal-allergy-related coincidence, or if it's an allergy to the fragrance. I'll try it again in a few days when my seasonal allergies aren't so bad and see if the same thing happens or not. Edited March 3, 2010 by edenssixthday

[septima_pica]

Where are you? Where did you go? Come back! You're supposed to have cinnamon!

 

Did I get the wrong blend or something? I seriously smell NO cinnamon at all in this. Just a vague oceanic smell and some kind of greenery or other -- all amounting to something like a men's aquatic cologne on vacation in Hilo. Not bad, but scarcely the País de la Canela! I may have to try swapping for another imp of this to see if it's an error in this batch or something.

[wendyb1063]

This was a generous frimp from the lab (thanks!!!!!).

 

My first impression was pine, and a dusty, incense-like scent. I didn't realize initially that there was cinnamon in it. My husband thought it smelled slightly aquatic at first, although I'm not really getting that. It reminds me just a little of Golden Priapus.

 

I definitely understand the Christmas potpourri comparisons. But in a good way! I like this. Not sure I need a bottle, but will definitely use my imp again!

 

 

[Deceitfuldescender]

For whatever reason the green that I get out of this is not Christmas/pine-y at all. It is like lush tropical rain forests, as said earlier that fades into a savory, rich, redolent cinnamon. The kind out in the undergrowth-- not in your kitchen. The orchids are super faint on dry down for me, I just get whiffs of the cinnamon and greenery. I can imagine the huge, waxy leaves and the dark reddish brown and deep green colors all around me when I wear this.

 

And it feels like a hug when I put it on. For me, this is a signature scent.

[Wwindy]

I can definitely see how people are getting Christmas-y vibes from this -- it's not triggering those particular associations for me, though.

The greenery in this reminds me a lot of Faunalia: that deep wild musky feel, with the addition of a very rough, barky type of cinnamon. The orchid isn't very prominent, but does lend a certain sophistication. Overall this feels like a rich, warm, spicy green blend.

 

(Editing to add that since 2010, the cinnamon in my bottle has mellowed considerably -- I wouldn't describe it as "rough" now! It's very warm and rich. Also, a warning: Since I wrote this review, I've encountered at least two bottles out in the wild that have Lab labels reading "Pais de la Canela" but actually contain Paris. If you think you have Pais de la Canela and it smells like sweet/spicy lavender, it's possible that you may have a mislabelled decant or bottle. You can't miss the cinnamon in real PdlC!)

Edited May 5, 2016 by Wwindy

[karihan]

I put País de la Canela on my wish list shortly after it came out because I love cinnamon scents, but I was in no particular hurry to try it, not being a fan of, well, any of the other notes. When some kind soul sent me a frimp of it, I shrugged, cracked it open and took a whiff.

 

Spank me silly and call me Spongebob, this stuff is gorgeous.

 

From wet to drydown, PdlC stays remarkably true to that first sniff, morphing only subtly. The leaves, lichens, orchids and palm wood are all present, but they do not go sharp and musty on me as so many foliage scents do, nor do they go pencil-shavy like so many woods. Instead they stay fresh, deep and vibrant. I do get a hint of the creamy note mentioned by others; I wonder if the orchid does that?

 

The cinnamon without a doubt takes center stage here, but this is not any other incarnation of the spice I've ever known, not baking spice, red hot or stick in a wassail glass. This fresher, gentler cinnamon pervades the whole scent and ties it together, blending deliciously with that creaminess and a delicate floral caress from the orchid. More than a spice, this cinnamon entices.

 

If I ever found a country that smelled like this, I'd never leave. Needless to say, I've bought a bottle since my first test. País de la Canela, I predict a long and happy relationship between us.

[angburfield]

I just want to add how absolutely stunning this is..bottle worthy for sure. The cinnamon is expertly blended with the florals (creamy not soapy) and the orchid whispers into the dark, rich, thick green note. The reference to pine without the overall blend going piney is what does it to me. What an unexpected winner! Tropical, spicy, sweet, green, warm and a surge of heat for winter.

Edited January 8, 2011 by angburfield