Gris Charnel Eau de Parfum

I've finally found a signature scent for Fall/Winter. This is a masterful, smooth blend of toasted cardamom, warm, sweet milk tea, and an almost floral fig leaf. I personally wouldn't call this notably oriental/floral; to me, the base notes are actually slightly leathery. Not an old, hypermasculine vintage leather, but a soft and luxurious, full grain calf hide. That base leaves you with this feeling of being in a fancy clothing boutique or a bookstore somewhere in the Ginza district. Smelling it now reminds me of cracking open a book in a coffee shop; yeahhh spiced chai latte and the woody, fresh pages of a new book. Its lovely. I don't think it's for everyone, however. It may be a bit soft and floral, not as loud and gourmand as some prefer for these warmer seasons. For me it's now a top 3.

I already had Gris Charnel first, but kept hearing about how nice Liam was as an inspiration. I like Gris Charnel quite a bit, so I wanted to compare them. I'm a bit ashamed to say I like Liam more. I sprayed both on my arms to test them as I got a sample of Liam and already had a travel sized of Gris Charnel. They start off on initial spray VERY similarly. But then Liam mellows out the more vegetal opening of the Gris just a touch, maybe after like 15 minutes. The Gris still has that more complex/bitey vibe, whereas Liam smells warm and smooth. I prefer Liam admittedly on my skin. A very very cozy scent. Gris is nice and I def like it, but through the mid and base, I think Liam actually performs better and is smoother.

It’s a really pleasant scent—I wouldn't call it the best I've ever smelled, but it’s certainly not bad; it’s definitely good. I find it slightly masculine, though it could pass as unisex. It has broad appeal and is a safe blind buy—clean, sweet, and arguably unique—but its projection fades after 2–3 hours, settling into a skin scent that lingers very faintly for about 6–7 hours. Personally, I feel that if a perfume lacks longevity, it’s useless—regardless of the price. I’m curious to try the *extrait* version if I get the chance. If longevity and projection aren't major concerns for you, you should definitely go for this unisex fragrance.

To me, this is a dry and cold scent. It is very linear and falls right in the middle of unisex. I would say the color of the liquid matches the experience. This is not a scent that will overpower people, and it is different in the sense that it is more muted with a cold cardamom, wood, and tea. To my nose, there is no fruit or vanilla in it. If I had to describe it as a place, it would be a bookstore on a rainy day in England that also serves tea.

Cozy and classy. Makes me want to be close and intimate. Perfect daily daytime scent. Love it on a grey cold day. First niche in my collection without a vanilla note and made me appreciate the finer things. True unisex. Can be a compliment getter but only if someone gets close enough although I had a brash dispensary worker in NYC hound me for the name. Extrait is amazing too but wanted something different and this was perfect.