Reviews of Tam Dao (2003)
by Diptyque

Tam Dao is a simplistic woody scent with moderate projection and longevity. It doesn't evolve much as others have noted, yet it's a pleasant scent that would be appropriate for basically anywhere and anytime.

No complexity here folks. Just fresh, uncomplicated woodiness. THAT...is not always a bad thing. There's plenty of others in the "sandalwood" arena that offer augmented variations like Vibert has mentioned.

Good scent here.

This is supposed to be Diptyque's great essay on sandalwood. Forget the sandalwood. Tam Dao starts out dry and reserved, with a touch of spice and a whole dump truck load of cedar.

And that's it. Bone dry cedar and sharp spices on a bed of desiccated powder. Pure, simple...wait that's a soap commercial isn't it? Tam Dao is dry wood stripped down to its essence, with none of the potentially distracting notes that soften the edges of scents like Santal Noble or Santal Imperial. It smells like a carpenter’s shop, filled with sawdust. It's also utterly, unfailingly linear, just as many other Diptyque scents. Tam Dao is the Zen of cedar. The bare essentials. The unclouded vision. It's quite the achievement, yet it somehow fails to inspire me.

Rather simple and linear affair of creamy sandalwood. I don't get much movement out this one, but it sit well. Smells natural and good. Can't say I reach for it very often, but it's a nice alternative to incense-based frags when you're in the mood for incense but don't want the church that goes with it.

Diptyque Tam Dao

Diptyque started making fragrances in 1968 but in the last few years they have really begun to make an impact in the scented world. One of these impact makers is Tam Dao which was developed in 2003 by Daniel Moliere. Tam Dao has bcome a sandalwood reference standard because of the heavy presence sandalwood exerts on this fragrance. There are three other notes listed; rosewood, cypress, and ambergris. While many who love this scent mention it as almost a sandalwood "soliflore" it is more than that due to the presence of those other notes. From the top the sandalwood is clearly present but the note that pairs with it is cypress and the fresh cleanliness that cypress adds produces an edge to the richness of the sandalwood. As we move into the heart the rosewood begins to show up . The rosewood adds a subtlety to the sandalwood and as it becomes more apparent to my nose a suppleness to the development. The ambergris is the sweet version which intensifies the sweetness inherent in sandalwood and brings this to a beautiful close. Tam Dao is like a meditation on sandalwood in three acts and M. Moliere has used each of the partnering notes to explore a different facet of sandalwood. For those who like sandalwood Tam Dao is a must try scent as it should expose you to all of the potential it has as a note in perfume making.

I can do little else but add my voice to the chorus of praise. Tam Dao is absolutely lovely, and it's fast becoming my most worn fragrance. The irony is that I almost missed out on its beauty: I tested it in store twice and ended up scrubbing it off twice because I couldn't get past that noxious pine-and-cedar opening. I'm so glad I persevered and discovered the true creamy-soft beauty that lies beyond.

It's a one-note fragrance, but what a note! Depending on the day or humidity or temperature or I-don't-know-what, really - different aspects of it shine. Some days it's all creamy sandalwood and rosewood, others it's cedar and incense, and rarely the pine-green notes take centre stage.

Perfect for all seasons and occasions, this must always be part of my collection.

My wife loved it. I hated it. It's a fine cologne but it's too 80s, strong, draws attention to itself, not to the wearer.

Clean, pure, mellow, simple, and well done. Pure sandalwood accented with cedar and cypress.

There isn't a lot one can say about this fragrance, and that's part of its charm. Its simplicity is uniquely calming.

Mild to moderate sillage; decent longevity.

Recommended.

Flawlessly blended pretty little sandalwood. Very natural, refined and authentic. Lasts long time with gentle sillage. Totally appropriate for both sexes.

Of course this has a lot common with many other sandalwood scents. For instance, Tam Dao could easily be seen as some sort of light version of Santal Noble.

TD is pure creamy vs. dusty sandalwood that has hints of that coconutty smell which is usual for sandalwood scents.

Simple as that. One dimensional with no particular development or depth, but it doesn’t matter at all: It just smells good without trying too hard of anything.


If you find this too tame, I suggest you reach for that Santal Noble or preferably Santal de Mysore (Lutens).

For an unrepentantly woody scent, Tam Dao is charmingly translucent, in a manner that is identifiably 'Diptyque': graceful, tasteful and measured. For me, it is the cedar note that peeks out most noticeably from behind the dusty sandalwood, with a sprinkling of black pepper and, at base, the vaguest incensey whiff. I find this a comforting scent with strong evocations of childhood; in fact, what Tam Dao reminds me of most forcibly is the mingled scent of rosin, wood and varnish that used to emerge from my tiny, child-sized violin case.

When I first read reviews on Tam Dao I got excited! I knew this was the fragrance I had been looking for. For me it offers the right balance of Sandalwood and is indeed nice and 'creamy'. I'm not experienced enough to offer an indepth analysis but what I will say is it definitely ticks all my boxes. I absolutely LOVE IT!!!

WOW! A powerful blast of dry yet rich cedar greets me. Cedarwood to the max, pencil shavings galore… it’s beautiful! It settles into a gentler version of a woody scent as the sandalwood develops. The wood is creamier than before; and it is sweet, aromatic and very pleasant. In some ways this is a simple scent, “zen” as others have noted. Perhaps due to this simplicity and a kind of austerity; I find it to be enormously pleasing, charming and accessible. At times I get hints of ginger and cloves – I think these are notes from the sandalwood rather than any actual spice ingredients.

I developed an instant emotional connection with Tam Dao and therefore it's hard for me to offer an impartial review; wait, that's never stopped me before.
Tam Dao opens with a resinous accord that brings a vivid image of moist cedar being sawed. Any sharpness settles very soon as a smooth sandalwood comes to the fore. That's where this fragrance evolves to a soothing balm for my mind, almost meditative.
It's unisex and good for all occasions without being generic. Amazing and a top 5 in my collection! Longevity is average.

Creamy sandalwood, dry cedar, crisp herbs elegantly put together without the failing of some "woody" fragrances (of either too much cedar so they turn overly sharp, or too much spice, which can make them cloying).

There is the tiniest synthetic off-note in the middle of its development, but it's almost undetectable and in a way and keeps this from being too perfect.

What a stunning antidote to sweet scents and a great unisex offering. I must confess that this review is heavily influenced by the fact that I fell in love immediately and next time I encounter Tam Dao, it's coming home with me.

The usual sharp Diptyque opening and then there's some strange flowery
--No make that garden herbal earth notes.
There's some sandalwood too, but who cares? This ain't minimalist it's eccentric.

I can picture the older witches in " Practical Magic" wearing this, yet somehow Olive Oil in Popeye also comes to mind.--But she's speaking French!.

I'm sorry, people, I'm confused and so is this scent. Bottom line? You don't have to be an oddball who rejoices in body lotion, and potted plants, but I think it would really help.

Gragh. A spicy dry woody sandalwood scent... Davidoff Adventure did the same thing! Tam Dao adds a touch of a boozy note, probably some kind of vanilla. It's an 'eh' from me.

Tam Dao is a lovely sandalwood fragrance, which is linear and quite dry. It does produce an air of calm within me (hard to explain), but others have mentioned also. TD is behind Santal Imperial and Santal Noble in the sandalwood stakes, but only by a whisker. Best in the Diptyque range by a long, long way.

I'm a sandalwood freak, and always ready to try on new brands. The top notes in Tam Dao smell "right" to me, and I feel the comfort and coziness that sandalwood gives me. But soon an intruder comes out, an unpleasant note that reminds me of gasoline. It disappears almost completely in the drydown, but it ruins my pleasure in the scent.

When I first put this on my arm, I couldn't place what that top note was. After maybe two minutes, it hit me -- it smelled like dill! Freshly-pulled dill right out of the garden. What an odd note to put in a perfume! But that dill only lasted less than 3 minutes if even that, and then it kind of faded into a cedar scent which lasted maybe 5-10 minutes. And then, it seemed to disappear entirely, but every now and then I could smell sandalwood. However, if I sniffed my arm, it disappeared. I could only smell it if I was just going about doing my thing, but the scent of sandalwood surrounded me like a subtle cloud. *THIS* is the sandalwood that I think of when I hear "sandalwood." My mother had a sandalwood necklace, which maybe was artificially scented, I'm not sure. But for years it gave off this wonderful aroma, which made her closet smell marvelous. She told me it was sandalwood, and ever since then, the scent of that necklace is to what I compare all sandalwood oils. My mother informs me that the necklace's scent has faded with time (it's been over 20 years), but I need not mourn, because if I want to enjoy that scent again, I know I can find it in Tam Dao.

It's dusty-woody-medicinal spicy. When I put on Tam Dao, I envision walking up to a dusty attic with 10.000's of books stored there. While walking between the shelves, I see a beam of sunlight shining through the roof window, highlighting tiny specks of dust floating in the air.

That is Tam Dao.

Tam Dao is a warm sandalwood and cedar perfume which is very comforting and peaceful. It is clearly made of high quality ingredients and dries down beautifully with nary a jarring note. It reminded me a great deal of 10 Corso Como but the basic difference between the two is that Tam Dao accentuates sandalwood whereas 10 Corso Como emphasizes cedar. I am certain that if you like 10 Corso Como you will love this. In the name of research, I spritzed my boyfriend’s wrist with Tam Dao who gave it a “thumbs up” and said that Tam Dao reminded him a lot of Paul Smith’s London cologne for men.

From what I’ve been able to glean from various sources, here are the notes: sandalwood, cypress, cedar, herbs, pepper, rosewood.

Boy, if ever a scent put me in a state of calm it's Tam Dao. Not the most multi-layered sandalwood I've worn but, for me, that is the pleasure of it. After the somewhat sharp opening, it settles into a very smooth, buttery sandalwood heart with hints of cedar and a light, smooth amber to round it out. Very tranquil and quiet. Some days just call for this and I think I'll always have a bottle handy.

a dry fresh clean sandalwood
a little bit simple and prosaic but of high quality
does not evolve a lot
perfect for a young man or for office, as it's not an offensive scent

Lovely sandalwood. Not as smooth, buttery and musky as some sandalwoods, although it has those qualities as well. It also captures the spicier, drier, woodier, fresher side of sandalwood. Quite "perfumey", as sandalwoods often are, perhaps simply because the note is used so much in perfumery. I guess the rosewood adds to the "perfumey" feel too, adding a sweet floral quality. Very lovely.

Tam Dao is smooth and very subdue. It reminds me of the scent from books which is stored in the library. Dry and not damp. It wears very close to my skin and very comforting. Tam Dao is not musky but it leaning towards a a briskly roasted piece of wood.

Way too green on the top note for me. It started off with a sharp cypress note and it did not die down. The sandalwood part smelled just like elizabeth arden sandalwood very dry just too sharp on the greens not going to keep this one.

I finally purchased this after smelling it at Barneys/Beverly Hills months ago.

One definitely enters the Far East in this scent. It is subtle, with the smell of just cut wood or perhaps burning wood. It is redolent of a tea house in Japan, bamboo, a rock garden.

Adjectives that come to mind: subtle, dry, woodsy, Asian, foresty, foggy.

Other reviewers have said it doesn't last. But after about six hours yesterday, I still smelled it. It is faint, but definitely present. This is a good thing. I hate colognes which stay on for days and never blend in or disappear.

I really enjoy this and have no regrets about purchasing it.

My experience with true sandalwood dates back to my days in Asia, where my mentor had a chunck of sandalwood heart that we sometimes light up briefly and puts out, creating a heavenly sandalwood aura that lasts and lasts. I am delighted to declare this is probably as close as a perfume gets to true sandalwood. The green cypress top notes makes me go off a tangent and visualize a living tree w/ leaves, and light spice makes the already edible notes of sandalwood seem more delicious, almost a peanut-like kind of feeling although no where near real peanuts. Lasting power is great, lasts at least 12 hours on me w/ moderate application. While not terribly complex I find myself loving this creative simplicity, showcasing the main note not burying it.

Diptyque never fails to innovate. This is a really interesting take on sandalwood. It smells very specifically like unfinished wooden furniture to me, but in a good way. It's fresh and distinctive. It's not my favorite sandalwood scent-that honor probably goes to Creed-but I could definitely see wearing this once in a while. The longevity could be better, but isn't terrible.

Put me firmly in the predictable, linear drydown camp. I blind-sprayed my new sample on a blustery, overcast, winter morning. It wrapped me in its light and fragrant warmth like a cashmere blanket. It is rich and distinctive, but fairly subtle - exactly what I look for in a versatile everyday frag. I can't imagine it offending your coworkers either. As an office frag, it fits the bill far better than MPG Santal Noble, which I find cloying in comparison. These are the only two sandalwoods I have tried, but I intend to sample as many as I can find now, thanks to Tam Dao.

I finally got around to trying this popular, oft-reviewed scent. There's not much more I can add to zztopp's review. I'll just agree with him, on all but the Creed plug, but that's only because I have not yet tried Bois de Santal. I don't doubt it's more interesting than Tam Dao, because I had the same feeling of incompleteness, an unfinished sense from Tam Dao. It started off greener and sharper than I thought, was lighter than I expected it to be, as well as drier, and less complex. On top of that it never developed all that much. It then disappeared too soon. I can't say that I was totally overwhelmed by it as so many others here - many of whom I respect and with whom I often agree - seem to be. I'm a little let down. As far as "sandalwood" scents go, I prefer Santal Noble and Santal de Mysore (though those are more like gourmand scents) and Profumum's Santalum (though that's more about myrrh).

woody, spycy, not sweet. Not so parfym-like.
I wear this when geting dogs out. It´s good, but not so good that I would wear it in everydaylife.

Lightest, smoothest sandalwood I have ever smelled; invokes a great sense of tranquility from the moment it goes on. The only downside is that lasting power isn't so great, but it smells so good I don't care. I'm shopping for a full bottle as we speak.

This is a light and creamy sandalwood that is so irresistible. I had never been into dominantly woody fragrances but Tam Dao converted me. For those looking for something just as delicious, try Bois Farine - quite different but very much in the same class.

A wonderful scent for woods lovers. It reminds me of a fire wood in winter, it's warm, smoky, spicy, and it's delicious either on a woman or a man.
It's sophisticated, complex, yet simple, constant and not too overwhelming. Nearly perfection.

Wonderful. I put this on the top of my list of light Orientals. It is a sandalwood fragrance, but rosewood and cedar share the leading role throughout its development. It is a woody fragrance rather than a pure sandalwood. This is fresh wood, like new lumber. I love the smell of freshly cut lumber. It sweetens as time goes by, but always maintains a faint, lemony, piney influence from the woods. Meditative and refreshing.

Tam Dao is one of the most lauded fragrances from Diptyque line, and while it is a very well made fragrance, there are a few issues which keep it from attaining total glory.

Tam Dao introduces itself with a burst of piney and green note of cypress. This sharp note combines with cedarwood to give a woody smell, which then leads in to the main heart of sandalwood. Thats where the evolution of this fragrance stops, and you get to experience a rich (albeit) dry interpretation of a sandalwood note. It does it quite well, that "treasure chest" smell. Unlike MPGs "sweeter" Santal Noble, this is a "dry" sandalwood. The longevity is great, and sillage is fantastic.

Unfortunately, after a couple of hours with no evolution, Tam Dao can get boring and feel "unfinished". I prefer something like Creeds hard-to-find Bois De Santal, which takes the sandalwood note itself through various transformations. If you are looking for a fragrance with a solo performance by the sandalwood note, Tam Dao should be at the top of your list. If you want a fragrance with a sandalwood heart with a supporting act, try Bois De Santal or some of the other offerings.

TAM DAO is only product of Diptyque that i tested.
it's of those specific perfumes that needs special taste and is not suitable for all.
those who tested it like it very much.
that first 10 golden minutes after wearing it is unforgettable and after then is still good.
it is not one of my faves but i tested it sometimes.

Notes:

Top Notes: Cypress from Italy, Myrte, Rosewood.

Middle Notes: Sandalwood from Goa, Cedar.

Basenotes: Amber, Vanilla, White Musks.

Another one of my top 5. Having tried many of the various santals and sandalwoods, finding none that really came close to the mysore eo that I use for a benchmark, then came...Tam Dao. This is one scent I have back ups on. Compliments are many. Sometimes I'll hit myself on the chest with a spray as I walk past the dresser just for the heck of it. Always nice.

This is wonderful for colder weather, a smoky, incensey sandalwood. Very sexy and mysterious. I think of Mata Hari, Luisa Casati, Theda Bara and the like. I can't compare but it allows me to delude myself for a while.

Tam Dao smoothes the notes—rounds them out and presents them in a nuanced package. Except for immediately after application, there is little in this scent that stands out from anything else. The notes, whether woods or florals or sweets or resins, all have about the same calming intensity level. Tam Dao soothes, it smoothes, and it enwraps. This fragrance operates on the same principle as the burning of incense—one continued accord contributing its essence. Tam Dao provides what burning incense provides—a scent for peace, for meditation, for spirituality. Tam Dao might not be as multilevel as other fragrances, but its subastral emanations provide a needed grounding of tranquility in a world where change is thrown at us at a frenetic pace. This is an important fragrance.

I spent so much time searching for a fragrance that smelled similar to Donna Karan's Black Cashmere, but for a man. Until Tam Dao. A beautyful incense with a hint of herbs and citrus in the top note perhaps it is: dark, smoky, sophisticated and uplifting at the same time. It evokes far away places, deep ancient forests, churches burning incense and spirituality.

A pleasant scent but, like some others, I find this a little too simplistic to wear very often. The lack of evolution is the main problem for me. Almost any scent becomes tedious if it doesn't change all day.

Yes, sandalwood, and that about says it all. Cedar and amber echoes in the base and it has decent lasting power but I quickly got bored with this scent as with nearly all Diptyques. More woodsy (think pencils) than say the sweeter MPG Santal Noble.

This isn't really a scent to impress or turn heads. I find it more relaxing and calming. It has a soft sandalwood note, which has a 'wet' feel to it. It reminds me a lot of Passage d'Enfer but without the incense note. Unlike other wood-dominated scents, it isn't dry or pungent so you wouldn't describe it as being very 'woody'. I find that it stays rather close to the skin and doesn't really have much sillage. It's more for the wearer to enjoy. All in all, I think it's the benchmark sandalwood frag.

Sandalwood is one of my favorite notes...except not in this fragrance. I don't get the "real" sandalwood...I get an imposter, some note trying to be sandalwood. My husband says it smells identical to Snuggle fabric softener. Not good...

Irresistibly sensual

I’ve never understood the praise that this fragrance gets. This smells exactly like a blend of Sandalwood and Vanilla. Sandalwood and Vanilla combined make an excellent fragrance, but not a complete marketable fragrance. I find this fragrance a little too simple to warrant purchase. This smells exactly like the Sandalwood Vanilla soap I use. I just don’t get it.

Tam Dao is an essential in my scent wardrobe. The best. I do wish it lasted a bit longer, but love to re-apply anyway. Tam Dao is pure, and at times, sharp sandalwood. The intial spray has a slight medecinal quality like the agarwood in M7, but Tam Dao turns all rich, smooth and DIVINE. I get a hint of cedar and amber, too. I love to wear Tam Dao with a linen tunic, dress pants and lots of bohemian neck chains for a sexy night out.

Like others have poited out, creamy is a key-word here. Warm, spicy, creamy, luscious sandalwood with a hint of smoke to sharpen the edges a bit. Extremely suited for clubbing actually as it blended superbly with cigarette smoke (before the ban here in Sweden in my own case). I get the same vibe as with YSL's M7 for some reason. I don't think women should wear this, it's just too ruggedly masculine in all it's woody glory.

Tam Dao starts titilling you with crisp notes but it stings a little bit to give you more long lasting pleasure after, drifing you out to the Gange's sides covered by sandal woods where white dressed Indi pilgrims pray walking through burning ritual stack of sandalwood.
In a word spiritual harmony!

A dream of sandalwood! Not for hot days, but as soon as days get colder! Will be my favourite cooler parfum.

It is really really good I just hoped it stayed a bit longer on the skin...

absolutely the most aphrodisiac scent that I've had

Creamy top notes, intensely woody dry-down. Outstanding mono-note fragrance. It's true....it smells absolutely divine!

One of my faves. This is a clean fresh scent with crips topnotes that mellow beautifully into a full and grounded sandalwood. Though the sandalwood most suerly dominates, this is not a simple scent, but confidently and cleverly complex. A very slight pinch of sweetness with no cloying heaviness keeps this fragrance from being too sharp. A comforting, clean, and attracting scent for all genders.

This is a very fine, elegant and restrained scent (almost spiritual) devoted to a pure, creamy heart note of Sandalwood. Around this heart is built a sweet harmony of rosewood and cypress while a slightly marine and animal note of ambergris earths it. Very classy and hypnotic, not a strong lasting one, but one which stays close to the skin for a few hours.