Smoked Caramel, Himalayan Cedar, and Patchouli

[Silvertree]

No further description.

[Casablanca]

I was just writing about notes I experience as "homey" in a review of Chocolate, Cinnamon Bark, and Chipotle Honey. Here's another one for that topic... cedar and patch (and sometimes smoke) are my other main homey players, so I figured this one would be as cozy as can be.

 

But this isn't a specific cedar note that really takes me there. This one smells a little more rough-edged and rustic to me --- more the rugged wilderness than the rugged homestead. A fuzzy, earthy patchouli dirties it up a bit and leaves me with an earthy, woodsy camping impression. The patch and Himalayan cedar are the stronger notes on my skin.

 

I've had a few wearings of this where I can smell the smoke and caramel, but this morning they're not showing up for me. They guest at this camp but aren't always around.

 

This blend differs from my hope for it, but I like it regardless.

[ND¢]

If you love patchouli and also want it to 'behave' rather than erupt, you should get this. The blend is incredibly smooth, and I credit that to the smoked caramel perfectly riding atop the patch with the cedar combining well. I would like more smoked caramel out of this but I must acknowledge it is absolutely doing the job. 

[MamaMoth]

i kind of love this, way more than i was expecting to. 

 

starts off as heavy, sweet, smoky patchouli.  i like this stage, but was feeling like it might get oppressive as the day wore on. BUT THEN the cedar kicks in.  and this cedar is really unique to me.  it has a lot of that camphoric(?) freshness to it, which just lifts this whole blend right up off the skin.  it's really, really nice.  is that himalayan cedar in particular?  further investigation required! 

 

this ends up being a great balancing act between deep smoky sweetness and bright, sharp, almost medicinal woodsiness.  it's so compelling to my nose, and i was sniffing my arms on the sly all day! 

 

many hours later, it quiets down into a soft, sweetened cedar with a breath of smoky patchouli to it.  i like this stage very much too, and it's almost like the perfume changed to match my energy level as the day wound down. 

 

Edited January 7, 2023 by MamaMoth

[Alaeidrel]

I'm one of those people who loves BB/RR but can't really wear it because there's something just a little too heavy in it for the high note - it might be the vanilla. But ever since @Bluestblood let me sample her BB HG when I visited, I have been absolutely in love with the chewy spices in it. This trois is literally the chewy spices from BB/RR without the vanilla and I am in love. I almost don't want to post this so that other people knowbecause I need to go buy more bottles.

[roseus]

I love a smooth, lightly sweetened patchouli. The caramel adds a richness to the patch. The smoke is light, just helping to keep the sweetness in check, and the cedar a dry, woody undertone. A gorgeous, super cozy trio.

[zankoku_zen]

Caramel and dirt. Medium throw and wear length.

[Little Bird]

Reading other reviews, I was expecting a stronger patchouli and cedar, but this is very caramel dominant on me.  I'm surprised at how much I love this blend because strong caramel notes are almost always too sugary for me or else they smell fake and candle-like, but this is just dreamy.  I immediately went and ordered a full bottle after spending the day with my decant.

This starts off smelling like a caramel coffee (with several extra shots of caramel) spilled over a cedar chest (dry and kinda spicy cedar) and the patchouli shows up as a tiny hint of chocolatey 'chouli.  As it dries down, the caramel actually gets stronger on my skin and reminds me of melting blocks of caramel on the stovetop.  A very thick, very sweet, intense, strong, warm, realistic caramel.  The cedar and patchouli are a barely there whisper in this stage, drowning under the caramel, and smelling like a hint of spicy, dry, dead leaves note.  It feels very Halloween to me (candy and a rustle of dead leaves).  A half hour in, it's much the same, but the smokiness starts to come out.  It turns into thick caramels and a pile of dead leaves that's been set on fire and starting to smoke.  I love this stage where it smells more like crunchy, spicy dead leaves and a hint of sweet, sappy smoke.  Then, around a full hour in, the cedar and patchouli are nonexistent on me and there's no impression of dead leaves or smoke.  It's thick, sweet caramel with powdery undertones that come off as creamy and elegant rather than dry or baby powdery, and a hint of bright, sugary muskiness.  It's basically what I always wanted Prada's Candy to smell like.  Authentic, realistic, rich caramel, elegant powder, and pleasant, non-screechy musk.

[DiZZysTARdust]

this is very caramel forward on me. while i don't seem to get patchouli or cedar as distinct notes, they are definitely making themselves known because this is a really unique non-gourmand caramel. it's delicious and more like a caramel musk than foodie-leaning. i can only guess this is the patchouli and cedar notes making themselves known but definitely not present for me as their usual selves. this is somewhat vaguely sweetish in the bottle and actually seems very similar to the in the bottle scent as it dries, with a pretty decent throw. i wondered if the patch/cedar would outlast the caramel but they never became more detectable. this lasted like 6+ hours on me, with the throw decreasing but still there up close.