Carner Barcelona is new niche house created by Sara Carner. She launched two perfumes last year and is coming out with a third – Cuirs – in the fall.
I was lucky to receive samples (the carded samples of the house are very generously sized and come with a sprayer, a fact that makes me happy, that is how we like it!) and since D600 for one is not very descriptive when it comes to the perfume itself (didn’t we just discuss this?), I had no expectations.
“A perfume that captures the urban lifestyle and the Mediterranean spirit of Barcelona; A vibrant spicy perfume with a touch of mystery.”
-from the website
What I found behind that name – it stands for Avenida Diagonal 600, the headquarters of the line in Barcelona – is a spicy iris that is at once new and familiar.
D600 was created by Christophe Raynaud at Givaudan and includes notes of black pepper, bergamot, grapefruit, cardamom, iris, jasmine, cedar, vanilla and vetiver.
D600 opens fresh and citrusy, a blast of pepper spicing up the sparkling bergamot and grapefruit notes. But soon the floral notes arrive, soft, smooth, very feminine and tender. The iris is most prominent to my nose, a light grey, vaguely powdery iris laced with cardamom, one of my favorite spice notes. This iris is not cold and forbidding, but inviting and soft. It is accompanied by a white jasmine that is round and muted, not loud or domineering at all.
The heart is my favorite part of the perfume, it is bewitching in its simple and unassuming beauty. The drydown is a soft woody vanilla-vetiver blend, where I would have loved the emphasis to be more on the vanilla than the vetiver, since this vetiver has a tendency to turn a bit harsh and bitter on me, which is a bit jarring after the loveliness that is the top and heart of D600. Over the course of its development the perfume turns from light grey with a rosy glow, to dark grey-green in my synesthetic mind.
I wouldn’t mind smelling like D600 at all, it reminds me of a Barcelona I only know from Carlos Ruiz Zafón’s excellent book “Shadow of the Wind”, a story about a boy named Daniel, who is initiated to a secret book store and allowed to take one book home. His choice, “The Shadow of the Wind” by an unknown author called Julian Carax, is fascinating and the boy tries to find out more about the author, but finds somebody else instead…
This book is beautifully written and creates a wonderful world to lose oneself in, as only the best novels do.
There are perfumes that allow you to do the same. As only the best perfumes do.
Thanks for giving us the lowdown on this new niche house, B, sounds really promising. Decent sized samples with sprayers are always a good sign! I love a warm iris like Equistrius and cardamom is my favourite perfume spice so D600 sounds lovely. Also love Shadow of the Wind, as you know, so that’s a nice link. It’s so true that the best books and perfumes create ” a wonderful world to lose oneself in”.
I was surprised, how lovely this is. I wish they would have given it a better name though, so uninspiring…
It might put people off before they try the scent.
I remembered you liked this book as well, do you know Zafon’s more recent ones?
Agree, I think as we’ve discussed before with so much choice around an uninspiring name is an easy reason to disregard a new perfume. I haven’t read any other of Zafon’s books but I love getting recommendations so please send a reading list of your favourites anytime!
5 EUR for 2.5 ml sample (including shipping) not that bad but unfortunately they do not ship to the U.S. I might try it eventually but even after your nice review I’m mildly interested. The book, on the other hand, sounds very appealing. I’ve added it to my “books to buy” list. Thank you.
Well, at least you liked the book… 😀 I believe this brand will come to the US eventually, maybe you’ll try it then. It is a lovely perfume!
I loved Zafon’s book, too. Great writing and a very good story.
Indeed, I wish I could write something like it. 🙂
I can tell you that you have a wonderful gift for writing, even if it is not fiction. And I certainly think you should try to write fiction if a good story ever comes to mind!
I think so too. 🙂 Thank you very much for your encouragement.
So pleased you are another fan! I have not read Shadow of the Wind yet, though it is sitting on my shelves, but I did thoroughly enjoy the sequel, with Angel in the title?
This is such a haunting perfume, and in my view Raynaud’s best work to date.
I don’t think many people have tried that yet, as soon as they will it is going to take off, I’m sure. It suffers from its unimaginative name, I think.
I did not read the sequel yet, but now that you remind me, I certainly shall.
Oh do do! The Angel’s Game that’s it. What I call a “rollicking good read” – not high literature, but a great Gothic yarn that kept me enthralled till the final page. In fact, I was in the DACH-Laendern when I read it, and finished it – with regret – in Herisau! :- )
It’s on my reading list! Who could resist that recommenation? 😉
I received 5 ml of D600 in a split and it was love at first and last sniff! Just got my 100 ml through an ebay seller located in Italy and this one has moved to the top of my fragrance loves. I get no jasmine or grapefruit from it, just a gorgeous woody spicy iris that lasts and lasts until the drydown which thankfully on me is all wood and creamy vanilla, nothing bitter in it for me. I catch the wafts of this all day long and it is a very classy but also comforting scent. I don’t know how you could wear it and not feel confident.
Hi Kathy,
I’m glad you found a perfect scent for you in D600. It is really a beautiful perfume. You reminded me to wear it again, I will today. 🙂
i just bought the CUIRS and it smells really really good i luv it
That’s great. Enjoy your new perfume!
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