Our take
What does Carbone de Balmain smell like?
Balmain launched Carbone for men in 2010, and the name tells you where it is going. The opening blends Madagascar pepper, elemi and ivy. It smells green and resinous with a faint metallic edge. Fig follows, darker than milky, flanked by incense and vetiver. Think of a charred branch rather than ripe fruit. The base softens with benzoin, a sugarless vanilla and white musks that sand down the corners. Nothing is heavy. The smoke never stings your eyes and the whole thing stays fairly straight. Next to Lalique's Encre Noire, another dark woody of the same era, Carbone is less damp and spicier. The second half lacks character, though. Once the incense settles you are left with a polite musky wood. The original is hard to find today, and the Carbone that Balmain sells now is a different formula.
When to wear it
An autumn office woody that pairs well with a wool jacket. Three sprays in the morning carry you to lunch.
It belongs to the Woody, Spicy family. Carbone de Balmain is one of 7 creations by Balmain in our encyclopedia.
