Santal Noble (1988)
by Maître Parfumeur et Gantier

Santal Noble: it has a wax like spicy/herbal opening accord..gradually moving in to a very disctinct spicy concoction which is almost deep, dark & powdery, but ...almost like a balm....people expecting Tam Dao kind of sandalwood would be suprised coz both are polar opposites in approach...think of this as a syrupy, dark, spicy concoction, with wet sandalwood barks ..it's kinda intense but yet beautiful.
Lovely accord of deep sandalwood minced with florals and vanilla with a lush, ambery drydown. amazing accords all the way till end...one of the best scents ever...and longevity you ask? it stays forever :) get the vintage formulation while you can...this ones not to be missed.

Regal.
Might make you feel like bestowing knighthood on someone: " In the name of God, St. Michael and St. George--and Santal Noble."
What an incredible blend of woods and aromatics playing on the sandalwood theme.

Sampled the original formula first that has the coffee note, enjoyed it enough to purchase a FB and received the reformulation that has the fig note and no coffee.

Normally I'd be very disappointed in a transaction such as this, but Santal Noble in either formulation is a terrific take on vanilla woods with a dash of vetiver.

Hands down my favorite MPG and one classy smelling bottle of juice.

genvy5 said this
"Buttery sandalwood cologne which reminds me of a very humid and stuffy library with archaic tomes and old frail men rummaging through them."
This is SPOT ON.
Though he gave it a thumbs down, I kind of liked it. Go figure

Buttery sandalwood cologne which reminds me of a very humid and stuffy library with archaic tomes and old frail men rummaging through them. In a bad way.

I have had very controversial and strong reaction to this from the first time to the last.

Good things first : It is absolutely masterfully blended woody scent. To my nose balance is perfect, and it has a smooth and subtle development to it. Coffee beans mixed with precious woods and amber is very deliciously taken care of here. Its almost majestic, almost overwhelming. Very dark to me. Like a hypnotizing, sweet and warm shadow of a living mahogany tree.

Bad things : Although beautiful scent, I agree with some that there is something very “formal” in this scent. It smells very refined and luxurious, very mature. (=not my style basically) Its aristocratic and extremely serious scent. If there is a humour in this scent, it is extremely dry kind, yet intelligent and witty. Santal Noble smells like a grandpa I never had, and it kind of makes me sad.

Also I should mention that Santal Noble has always reminded me the way my woodcraft class-room use to smell back in the days I was in high-school. I have smelled numerous different woody perfumes, but believe it or not, nothing has ever given me so clear impression of that certain place and smell.

I hated school more than words can say, for certain reasons, and so unfortunately I cannot find this association as a pretty nostalgic whiff from the past. Everything else.