Dead Leaves, Cacao, and Sandalwood

[zankoku_zen]

[No additional description provided.]

[puellacaerulea]

In the decant: The dead leaf note is there, but there's also strong cacao -- the two notes combined are like a dark, bittersweet chocolate. After applying, the sandalwood starts to come out and softens the scent -- it's almost like sniffing a tub of baking cocoa, but in a good way. As time goes on, the cacao note fades, and dry leaves and sandalwood are the predominant note. Despite the strong cacao note, I definitely wouldn't call this foody, and the notes work incredibly well together. Dry, bittersweet, and definitely autumnal. Definitely considering a bottle purchase for this one.

[Lucchesa]

I love the dead leaves note, and Dead Leaves, Cacao and Sandalwood is no exception.  The cacao note is dry like unsweetened cocoa powder, not sweet like chocolate, and it is a little darker than the sandalwood and leaves.  On my skin I have a hard time smelling them all at once.  It's as if they layer but don't meld, so on some sniffs I get mostly cacao, on others the leaves or the sandalwood, which is an intriguing effect.  The cacao is the first note to fade on me, and I wish it lasted a little longer on my skin, but aging may help with that.  Another win for the dead leaves series.  

[zankoku_zen]

Cacao, dead leaves, and a whiff of sandalwood. This is an unsweetened cacao powder dusted over the dead leaves. Dusty, dry, chocolate. Medium throw and wear length.

[Casablanca]

Dry cacao with a touch of dead leaves. This was mostly a dry, unsweetened cacao on me.

 

I didn't find sandalwood, but it might appear with more settling.