Cardinal fragrance notes
Head
- White Linen, Bay Rose, Black Pepper
Heart
- Labdanum, Frankincense, Myrrh
Base
- Vetiver, ambergris, Patchouli
Where to buy
Latest Reviews of Cardinal

Though it is very dry, it is not tremendously dark or smoky, and therefore, not forbidding. The aldehydes lift the spirits as well as the scent itself, and the papery-sweet benzoin makes me think of vellum sheet music soaked in vanilla, strung out over a line to dry. I appreciate the elegantly-slanted, sideways approach to church incense that Cardinal employs because it gives me the vague whiff of spirituality without dragging me back to Mass.

While the price per ml is similar for both fragrances, with Avignon offering a 50ml bottle for around $95 and Cardinal costing $180 for a full 100ml bottle, it ultimately comes down to personal preference. A sample of both fragrances would be a good idea to determine which one suits your taste better before committing to a full bottle.
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An early afternoon in a southern European country. You see a young man, not quite a cardinal yet (a priest perhaps?), walk through the dark halls of an abbey's courtyard, the cold stone floors smoothed with time. Fresh-faced, his white collar starched, a stack of books under his arm, absorbed in thought. Sunlight streams in from between the pillars, catching specs of dust in its golden beams. A still and peaceful scene.
Just when you are tempted to look away, the young priest breaks into a skip.
