Tamboti Wood by Susanne Lang

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.