Tamboti Wood
by Susanne Lang

Tamboti Wood is a soft wood fragrance, it reminds me the sweet aromatic base of CdG kyoto but without the incense note. Not bad but not complete and overall inoffensive.
2,5/5

3rd March, 2011. (Last Edited: 29th March, 2011.)

Tamboti Wood is at the top of my wood scent challenge. I love it's authenticity and ability to serve as a base for layering on, or on its own. On it's own, its an outdoorsy fresh deep wood scent that tends to mix mysteriously with everything around me in captivating ways. If you sniff up close, it's nearly a reality scent, also fully welcome as a room scent. It can be cooling or warming, and very importantly, it does not get harsh as wood heavy scents have been wearing on me. Its longevity is decent - I can still smell its subdued influence 8 hours later.

I compared Tamboti Woods to a LOT of other wood types. Jack Black Signature Black Mark is quite macho, cologne like, and stark in comparison. Coze PG02 by Parfumerie Generale is harsher with it's sativa and lack of refinement in the woods layer, but it has the warmth of vanilla that Tamboti lacks. The dry down of Epic Man by Amouage also gets into the very woody realm that rests more along the lines of Tamboti Woods, disappointingly since it opens with such majesty. Comme des Garcons 2 Man totally lacks the instant gratification that Tamboti Woods has. Whereas 2 Man initially blasts out a chemical onslaught, Tamboti brings it's best right away from the open and runs linear out to the dry down. I must say that 2 Man ends up "finer" in the woods by dry down and is more alpine, wood shavings and atmospheric than Tamboti, but after a few trials, I just don't have the patience with 2 Man's opening.

Ultimately, Tamboti is now a staple wood scent in my wardrobe and I use it alone or to layer with an uncountable number of scents that gets a nice woody grounding or sprucing up. It is among the most unisex fragrances we own.

5th March, 2010.

I sniffed a bunch of things at Anthropologie and decided to wear a spritz of Susanne Lang Tamboti Wood. Reaaallly different from everything else I've smelled: Tamboti (an sacred African tree), cedar, sandalwood, vetiver. The top notes reveal an unusual chemical. I feel like it could be the Tamboti tree's natural defense against insects. The bulk of the performance is dry-dry-dry woods, somewhat like a black tea. Wholly unisex. Not FBW but def a thumb up.

7th November, 2009.

A pleasing "white" soft wood with a touch of sweetness to it due to a rich vetiver and I think patchouli base. Very nice and airy. Fairly expensive but a good smell none the less.

17th January, 2009.

Smelt lovely on the tester (soft rich wood) but not so when applied to my skin. It had a sort of greasy sheen and longevity/sillage was poor. Don't see it as feminine at all. It reminded me of Encre Noir by Lalique, which is preferable imo and much better value for money.

Kaern

9th April, 2008.

Not quite as exotic as I was expecting, but I find it intriguing nevertheless. It’s a very dry wood fragrance, and, yes, it does have a somewhat exotic tinge to its woodiness. I get a combination sandalwood and cedar in the first accord quite standard for a sandalwood fragrance. This first blast is rather strong but quickly settles to a lighter sheerness where the more exotic wood – the Tamboti – rises to slight dominance of the balanced accord. From there it remains light, linear, and dry for an acceptable drydown. Basenotes lists this as a feminine fragrance, and I can’t understand that at all – the only thing about it that could be considered feminine is the sheerness and translucency that it eventually develops. That translucency does not make it feminine, but it keeps if from becoming too overtly masculine. It is definitely a unisex scent. In a way, Tamboti is a bit of a disappointment because it isn’t as exotic as I anticipated, judging from its name. But it does deliver a subtle warmness that is soul satisfying and easeful, and that I wasn’t expecting.

11th December, 2007.