Santos Concentrée by Cartier

SANTOS CONCENTRÉE: One of the best barbershop scents ever created. For me, it’s a state of mind; it dresses me up and makes me feel good. I absolutely love the lavender they use here; there’s plenty of it, but it’s nuanced by a very fine sandalwood. It feels slightly green, with noticeable nutmeg and a resinous touch in the depths. This smells like the world’s best shaving foam. The performance is incredible; it lasts all day. Santos Concentrée leaves a mark; it’s potent yet gentle at the same time. It denotes dignity, neatness, and calm. It is far superior to its predecessor, Santos. I keep a bottle from 1988 as if it were gold. A must-buy for collectors; it is hard to find nowadays. Supreme quality and exquisite craftsmanship; they no longer make perfumes like this. JGS

Very, very similar to Dior Eau Sauvage Parfum. Very vintage, a spiky, spiced bergamot with the classic Cartier DNA that all their fragrances have; I am a fan of the Declaration line, I don’t like the Pasha line at all. Now I have tried this Santos and it results in being very similar to the Eau Sauvage Parfum, but adding the classic Cartier DNA which almost all their fragrances carry; I don’t know what it is… Like an incense or a smoky background touch that gives them that elegance and masculinity that characterises them. I like it. Despite being a classic. It is a jewel of perfumery. It doesn’t last as long as the Dior but it fulfils its purpose. They should make a serious Parfum version, the definitive alpha male perfume, perhaps adding a vanilla or Iso E Super in the base.

It has a strong ‘dirty’ herbaceous tone at the opening, signifying that it is rugged, a raw smell of wild plants as much as is currently missing; this would surely scare young people in current designer perfumery. Subsequently, it has the strong warm spicy and rascal tone of chilli, base woods with a very creamy sandalwood, nutmeg, etc. The olfactive pyramid, due to the tenacity of the notes, should be the following: Opening: Bergamot, Verbena, and Basil. Heart: Chilli (in turn an accord of aldehydic notes and eugenol), nutmeg, lavender, geranium. Base or Dry Down: Sandalwood, Patchouli, and Amber. This is an impressive olfactive work, Tony Montana in a bottle. There is also a review on my YouTube channel, Javier Díaz S. Medrano. It would help a lot if you took a look there hehe.

Beautiful perfume, gorgeous. It took me years to start appreciating these aromas. Totally masculine, eighties, a powerhouse that screams ‘here I am’ with a strident, soapy, spicy, and oriental opening, then it calms down. But it doesn’t disappear like the 90% of colognes selling for $80-100; it continues its path with the old-school barbershop air, projecting a lot, where you pass leaving a mark and where you arrive marking territory. This approach to perfumes of the era has helped me appreciate the golden age of perfumery, which closed with a flourish in the 90s, where masculinity was masculinity, perfumes were transgressive and important, creativity prevailed over marketing, and they didn’t try to sell dirty waters in industrial quantities without thinking about appreciation, but for a demanding public with a keen sense of smell. I love you, Cartier Santos.

Designations for variants are rare, but Santos Concentré is not the concentrated version of Santos, or at least that is how I see it. An interesting creation, faithful to the 80s: formal yet more relaxed than the original, now friendly and welcoming. It opens with vigorous sandalwood, bergamot, basil, nutmeg, patchouli, and chilli, over a sophisticated soapy frame. It is spicy, soapy, and peppery. Linear behaviour; the notes diminish while maintaining the soapy and herbal frame until the end. Adult and classic style, yet timeless due to its cleanliness and lack of animal notes. Firm masculinity, decisive, with careful manners and chivalry. Like any Cartier fragrance, it carries the refinement and lordliness of the house. A splendid example. Rating: 8.5.

I found it at a very cheap price online, I live in Chile. Very good price-quality ratio. This Santos reminds me of a perfume an uncle used, surely from the 80s, I am 44 years old, it is a perfumon, it lasts a long time and the place where you apply it remains impregnated for hours. It is vintage, it doesn’t achieve much acceptance among those under 30, the spicy chilli note is very good and I would like it to last longer. Its opening is like a cloud that scares a bit, but a friend who uses it (I passed it to him) doesn’t give the sensation of chemical heaviness to others. It is vintage, it is elegant, it is notable; the basil gives it a lordly touch. The truth is it is a perfume that by price should be tried. It is for winter, for formal wear, it is a gentleman’s perfume, I don’t see it as very jovial. This perfume reminds me too much of one of my uncles and for that reason I wouldn’t use it, I don’t have a good relationship with him and it brings me bad memories, what a pity.

It possesses the complexity of Bel Ami, the elegance of Chanel Pour Monsieur, and the colour of Lapidus Pour Homme. It performs like Kouros and smells as good as Heritage. It is incredible that something so beastly good isn’t in shops and has to be bought blind. Straight to the top of my collection.

Santos Concentré by Cartier has its history written: there are lovers and those who dismiss it as ‘for old men’, a short-sighted view. It takes the original from 1981, lowering the pepper and adding chilli and bergamot for more brightness to the basil-lavender, with an explosive soapy character. High density, but with a sharper citrus edge. Intense, yet four sprays are enough for hot days; its best use is late evening in mild or cold weather. Recommended if you like aromas with character that say ‘here I am’. An 80s jewel, coherent, timeless, and without ruining your bank balance.

One of the most sophisticated and elegant orientals out there, with almost no resemblance except Jacomo by Jacomo. The chilli gives the power, a dry sweetness with a vanilla that doesn’t appear on the list, a strong touch of Amen by Mugler, rubber and cappuccino, then the amber. The dark green notes of juniper and exquisite patchouli are great, adorned with basil and geranium. You enjoy it smelling on your arm while having coffee on the terrace, even better if it’s snowing. It is a work of art; if the name ‘Concentré’ scares you, don’t worry, it is to refine the notes and be a delight. For open spaces, day or night, but it shines more in the cold. The best part: it is still available.