Hey there Posse, The moment I held this Carner Barcelona Rima XI bottle in my hand it was love. So heavy and blocky, a gorgeously minimalist black and clear box that fits my hand like it was my measurements that they’d used. I can see these bottles being the choice of the modern, sleek and wealthy suit set who like things to be substantial yet quietly luxe.

Rima XI by Sara Carner and Sonia Constant for Carner Barcelona 2013

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Guatemalan cardamom, Madagascan black pepper, Moroccan mint, saffron
Heart: Ceylon cinnamon, Indonesian nutmeg, coriander, Indian jasmine sambac
Base: Virginia cedar wood, Australian sandalwood, Vanilla absolute, Laotian benzoin, amber, musk

Rima XI is created after this last verse of Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer’s poem Rhyme 11 (I am ardent…).
This is the English translation.
I am a dream, an impossible,
vain ghost of mist and light;
I am bodiless, I am untouchable:
I cannot love you.
Oh, come, you come!

Rima XIs opening is fun and herbal and full of the dry sizzle of pepper which doesn’t last long before the spices and vanilla/amber take over. While it is lovely and sweet, and smooth, the spices keep it also dry and a little dusty. Does the fragrance match the poem for me? No, not even a little bit. Rima XI is all about the soft cuddly warmth of surrender in your lovers arms, the deliciously beautiful moment when you feel safe, respected and loved. This is the sweet cool spring or autumn Sunday mornings where you lie between sleep and awake knowing that someone you choose to be partnered with is beside you. It might also say that you have beautiful bed linen too.

PDI

Rima XI is warm, comforting and playful. Quite fragrant for its first hour but after that I get a soft hum that stays around for ages getting quieter and more diffuse till at some point that I can’t even tell it disappears. If you get it on your clothes though you’ll still smell it 3 or 4 days later when you get them out to wash. Seriously good longevity.

Further reading: Olfactoria’s Travels and Bonkers About Perfume
Parfum1 has $120/50ml

Have you tried any of the Carner Barcelona range? Is amber your thing?
Portia xx

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