An Ancient Apothecary

The opening smells very much like my palo santo incense sticks before they're lit - a medium brown, dry, ceremonial kind of woodiness. There's a bitter herbaceousness here too, streaking the brown with shades of green.

The plum is technically a top note, but it doesn't come through for me until the initial woodiness settles. Even then, it's far from fresh or juicy, but more reminiscent of a barely-sweet plum wine, or some kind of healing tonic found in a traditional Chinese medicine store.

There's an 'ancient apothecary' quality here which fits Byredo's description of De Los Santos as "a ritual of remembrance". I personally really enjoy this, though it certainly makes for a more acquired taste.

In the bringing together of earthy woods and muted, purple-tinged fruit, I can see the comparisons to Thé Noir 29, but they're ultimately quite different fragrances. De Los Santos is woodier, gentler and more meditative, while Thé Noir is richer, more opulent, and possesses a certain plush je ne sais quoi that I do find rather gorgeous.

I understand how performance is not usually Byredo's strong suit, but De Los Santos does just fine. It's never loud, but remains present in the air for a good 6-7 hours before turning into a skin scent. I think this is perfect - any louder and the contemplative atmosphere would be lost.