Skip to main content

Carven Homme

Image
By
Carven did something special in 1999. They created and released this sleeper. I am very fond of this discontinued gem not only because you can still find it for good prices, but because it's so damn good.

Carven Homme opens with an exceptional accord of citrus, rosewood and lavender. This is a surprisingly robust top and startled me the first time I experienced it. It wasn't because it smells odd or eccentric. It got my attention because it's conventional, yet kicks ass and is on par with some of the best citric woodies I have owned. I love wearing Carven Homme because this fragrance has some serious presence and possesses all the notes I have come to enjoy.

Bergamot, Rosewood, Lavender, Juniper berries, Coriander, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Patchouli, Leather, Tobacco, Benzoin and Incense.

After the opening settles down into a comfortable citrus-lavender-wood, new players begin to slowly insert themselves into the composition. Carven Homme, during most of its duration, has a terrific swirl effect on my skin and succeeds in enveloping me for hours. The spices begin to appear and are tuned to a polite volume. They add an interesting quality to the lavender-wood combo. What is very good indeed is when the tobacco note gradually becomes a reality and that doesn't take but 15 minutes. If Carven Homme stopped right here, it would still be good to go, but it has a few others to come yet.

The drydown takes a substantial amount of time to come to fruition on me. It does this every time I wear it. The top and heart accords are commendable for their longevity and once Carven Homme does finally decide to wane, a subtle, resiny vanilla appears to bring this home.

Talk about bang for your buck. Carven Homme has slipped through the cracks and is now out of production. Do yourself a favor and sample this when you can. One of the better, unknown citric woodies and a huge thumbs up from Aromi.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Black Suede by Avon

By
Nutmeg, Clove, Amber, Musk, Moss, Wood Notes. Yes.........I am reviewing one of the Rodney Dangerfield's of fragrance. Black Suede has been gracing medicine cabinets, for better or worse, since 1980 my friends. If you're expecting me to inform you ( like others may have already ) that Black Suede is a nasty scrubber, you will be disappointed. On the other hand, if you're expecting a glowing review claiming it's a diamond in the rough, you won't hear that from me either. I will say though that Black Suede doesn't deserve the hate it's received and most of that is due to snobbery aimed at Avon products in general. I kid you not when I state that a close relative to this fragrance is Cacharel Pour L'Homme. The array of spice in both ensure comparison, but the "smoother" of the two is Black Suede due to its implementation of Amber. While wearing Black Suede, one can detect a hint of "drugstore". That quality doesn't manife...
1 comment
Read more

Chanel copying Guerlain. Why?

By
                      Last month, I had the pleasure of trying Comète by Chanel, the latest addition to their prestigious Les Exclusifs line. This fragrance follows the release of Le Lion in 2020, another standout in the same collection. Like Le Lion , Comète is a beautiful perfume that captures the essence of Chanel’s refined elegance. However, both fragrances bear a striking resemblance to classic creations by Guerlain, leading me to ponder the direction Chanel is taking. Chanel has a great fragrance history. Not as hallowed and old as Guerlain but for past three decades it has far outshone Guerlain. In my view, no other perfume house has come close to Chanel’s excellence in this century. This makes their recent approach of echoing Guerlain classics somewhat perplexing. Have they run out of fresh ideas? Is Roger Dove at the helm of their fragrance division, or have they perhaps...
Post a Comment
Read more

Teatro Alla Scala - Krizia

By
I tried Comete by Chanel today and wanted to write about how Chanel is going by the way of Roger Dove - copying old masterpieces. I did not know where to post that and then I realized I have been neglecting this blog. When I logged in I saw an unfinished post I wrote a year ago about Teatro Alla Scala by Krizia. Teatro is the best full bodied floral - better than any Chanel or Patou. Even better than Gucci L'Arte.  A brief background: Teatro Alla Scala is an Opera theatre in Milan. The bottle's design is an homage to the theatre and the perfume an homage to its sophisticated patrons. I wanted to write a symphony for it. Maybe some day. For now here are few notes I wrote comparing EDT vs EDP.  And if you don't have Teatro, your wardrobe is incomplete Rose, Jasmine, Tuberose. Jammy berries (more in EDP) . Honey note listed is probably the jammy part Vetiver & moss - more in EDT Rose and carnation is more than jasmine and that is what separates it from other florals like J...
Post a Comment
Read more