Cloon Keen Castaña is a perfume inspired by winter and roasting chestnuts. This nutty vetiver reminds me of being in Japantown/Nihonmachi on a balmy winter day, roasting chestnuts cutting through the crisp air. The feel of soft scarf wrapped around my neck and touching my ears. The starchy aromas from small bakeries, the faint smell of ice melting on pavement…
Castaña is a roasted, gourmand vetiver. It’s one of those nutty vetivers like Hermès Vetiver Tonka. But, Castaña isn’t as sweet asVetiver Tonka. Castaña opens with a toasty vetiver and a spicy peppercorn medley. It becomes a warm, toasty fragrance with cardamom and steamed milk. This perfume sounds “heavy” but it isn’t. It’s sheerness is what makes it a stand-out. Instead of wearing like a wool coat, it wears as the softest pashmina and silk shawl. It’s a sheer “wrap” of a fragrance. It wears rather linear as toasted vetiver with sweetened rice starch. At the dry-down it still wears like this but it becomes nuttier than the heart.
Castaña is inspired by childhood memories of Andalusia, but it reminds me of Japan. The roasting chestnuts, the sweetened rice starch, the delicate spices…I really like this one.
Notes listed include Haitian vetiver, cassia and jasmine. Launched 2011. PERFUMER – Delphine Thierry
Give Castaña a try if you like nutty fragrances or not-very-vetiver-vetivers. Try it if you like Hermes Vetiver Tonka, Olfactive Studio Lumiere Blanche, Bvlgari Omnia, L’Artisan Parfumeur Bois Farine and/or Serge Lutens Daim Blonde. It’s a unisex fragrance that could work in any season. I actually think this would be a great “daily” fragrance as it’s interesting but not obtrusive.
Projection and longevity are average.
The 1.7 oz bottle retails for €70 at Cloon Keen.
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Nutty vetiver. It’s a really good one.
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Was most interested to read your take on Castana. I ended up buying a promotional tester bottle of this that was used during the sell-in to stores, because when the fragrance was officially launched, I realised it had changed and become appreciably more nutty! The PR lady at Cloon Keen had one bottle of the earlier formulation knocking about and I snapped it up. For while I don’t mind nuts in a perfume (Dries Van Noten springs to mind), I am not nuts about extreme levels of nuttiness and the finished version was more realistically nutty than I cared for. But offsetting that I do appreciate the ‘not-very-vetiver-vetiveryness’, as you say! 😉
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I usually dislike nutty fragrances…I can tolerate the occasional nutty holiday candle but as far as on my skin, no. This one is nutty but for some reason I like it. I think it’s the sheerness of it all. Actually, I think your version is probably better than the one I have tried!
I’m a fan of the not-very-vetiver-vetivers. I like this one and Vetiver Tonka. Well, I do like salty vetivers but I think of those as more marine scents.
Those are about the only two vetiver scents I like as well(!), apart from the salty ones to which you allude – scents like Miller Harris Fleurs de Sel and the one from The Different Company whose name escapes me. Sel de Vetiver? And there’s a Heeley I think in that general vein. Would be glad to send you a sample of the ‘proto-Castana’, if you are curious to compare the two.
Vanessa recently posted..‘Oh Sienna!’ Lidl Suddenly Diamonds review: a BOSS Orange dupe for a Paltrow sum
I like those as well. Annick Goutal Vetiver is nice too (hear it’s being discontinued).
It’s a generous offer but I would hate for you to! It’s so difficult shipping these things internationally. I’m always scared the post is going to bust me 😉
As difficult as it is to describe a fragrance with words, you’ve really got me interested to try this scent out.
I livedin Japan for a little bit, and they do have some lovely, delicate smells over there.
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[…] Cloon Keen Castaña EDP (sample) – This is a really excellent gourmand vetiver that I wish I’d hear more about. Full review. […]