Chestnut Vulva

[Jenjin]

Sweet chestnut, vanilla cashmere, toasted cardamom, and caramel.

[OxfordComma]

Smells like warm cardamom rolls and freshly roasted chestnuts. No bready notes, but more the sugar and spice filling of the rolls. Spicy, warm, almost woody as cardamom sometimes pulls, backed by a 'round' nuttiness. Sweet spices without being the typical cinnamon bun or pumpkin spice scent.  I think the vanilla cashmere is just supporting everything and keeping it cozy. 

[vanilla323]

This was an almost burnt nutty vibe at first but then the vanilla and cardamom come forward. A little perfumey but still nice. I think chestnut is a non sweet nut for me. It was cozy but just not sweet and foodie enough for me. I wanted more caramel and vanilla I think. 

[blair]

warm, spiced cardamom and freshly roasted chestnuts, toasty and nutty with an almost round chewiness to it. the cardamom here is softer than in Perfectly Normal Childhood, and as it dries, i get a hint of brown sugary sweetness that brings out the woody, earthy tones. this is like a cardamom spiced Mont Blanc, subtly sweet and smooth with a hint of spice. nutty, cozy, sweet, yet not quite foodie. 

[ghoulnextdoor]

Chestnut Vulva is an unexpected autumnal fantasy of comforting warmth. Velvety chestnut puree, smooth and sweet, with a subtle hint of milky creaminess; a touch of unsweetened cocoa powder adds unexpected depth, grounding the sweetness with a hint of earthiness, like fallen leaves crunching underfoot, while geese fly low on the horizon. Cardamom's delicate floral spice is whipped into a toasted meringue, a luxurious garnish in a thermos full of this enchantingly warming fall beverage in the dying light of an October afternoon when the spring sun showers seem a long way off.

[Laughing Seagull]

Roasty chestnuts and toasty spices! I would've guessed this was a Yule if I didn't know better because it reminds me of Christmas markets.

 

Even though it's sweet chestnut with caramel, it's not a sugar bomb. It's just a little bit sweet. I agree with the "cardamom roll filling" description from OxfordComma. Occasionally hits close to Chimera.

 

It's quite long lasting and becomes just slightly sweeter as time passes, but never loses sight of its toasty spice base.

 

Verdict: A cozy, low-key wintertime scent. Nice non-cinnamon spice.

[dancingchair]

This is lightly caramelized and spiced warm chestnut on me. The chestnut is so dry that it could almost pass as wood bark. The toasted cardamom almost smells like cardamom incense. It's just a smidge smoky. The dryness of the chestnut almost gives the cardamom the impression of clove. The vanilla cashmere is a soft blanket wrapping up the whole perfume. It's foodie for sure, but it isn't a sugar or a spice bomb to me

 

Usually, my skin amps spices to the point where the other notes are an afterthought. Here, the spices share the stage. It'll be very nice in the fall and winter.

[doomsday_disco]

I agree that this chestnut is woody. It is not a dessert-y mont blanc-esque chestnut, but a fresh one. The cardamom adds a slight smokiness that makes me think of the roasted chestnuts (Maronen) at Christmas markets in Germany. The vanilla cashmere in this takes it in a more sophisticated route so that it is not as foodie as one might expect despite things like caramel and cardamom in the notes. And it's nothing like the cashmeran note in so many Arcana scents that I dislike (for those who were worried about the cashmere note in this). In addition to adding a touch of sophistication, it also contributes to the cozy vibe of this scent. As for the caramel, it's there, but it is never a main player on me. I'd actually say the caramel in Red Lantern is much stronger than it is in this one. It adds a welcome sweetness to the scent that prevents the chestnut from being too dry and woody.

 

I like this, but I'll have to spend more time with it to see if I need more than the decant. But the decant is a keeper! I agree that this would be a nice scent to wear during the colder months when you're craving something comforting and cozy.