Silver Carnations
Possets (2007)

A sharp, bright clove note – searing in its peppery hotness – leads the charge here. It is watery, acidic, and a little plasticky, therefore staying true to the scent of clove rather than to the floral freshness of a true carnation. Carnation smells a little like clove, but it is far less strident and boasts a clear floral softness (or more fancifully, a lace-doily frilliness) that is missing in the spice. If you have ever ruffled the heads of old-fashioned pinks, then you will know what I mean. In leaning so hard on the clove component, Silver Carnation makes it fifty percent of the way to a good carnation, however, the plain jane vanilla that follows fails to flesh out the spice into that necessary floral freshness that defines the other fifty percent. Close, therefore, but no cigar.