De Los Santos vs Grand Soir

De Los Santos is a polarizing but ultimately well-regarded Byredo release with strong performance and complex evolution. While the opening is divisive and medicinal, the scent transforms significantly in the dry down, rewarding those who wear it on skin rather than sampling on blotter. Community consensus suggests it's a 'grower' fragrance worth trying despite its premium price.

Grand Soir is widely praised by the r/fragrance community as an exceptional niche fragrance with a strong opening that develops into a sophisticated amber-vanilla composition. The community strongly recommends sampling before purchasing (MFK offers 6 samples for €14) and notes that while it's not similar to Carlisle, it's a masterfully crafted scent with impressive longevity that many consider a collection essential.