Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Male Fragrance Discussion › MFD Archive › Top Notch Sandalwoods?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Top Notch Sandalwoods?

post #1 of 31
7/9/12 at 11:48pm
Thread Starter 
What is everyones input on your favorite sandalwood. So far mine is Santal 33 by Le Labo. Really great stuff, but now I need others to compare it to....any suggestions?

Thanks
Reply
Reply

Features on Basenotes

Basenotes Reader Awards 2013 - Finalists Announced.
Greatest Hits: Annick Menardo
Petals Falling From The Sky - A Report From The Cote d'Azur's Bataille De Fleurs
post #2 of 31
7/9/12 at 11:58pm
Santal Noble
Santal 33
Egoiste
Bois des Iles
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 31
7/10/12 at 12:17am
Real Mysore Sandalwood (e.g. from La Via del Profumo)
Chanel Bois des Iles Extrait
Villoresi Sandalo
Creed Bois de Santal (hard to find)
Floris Sandalwood vintage (the vintage is fantastic, the new stuff purely synthetic)
DSH Sandalo Inspiritu (discontinued)
Chanel Egoiste is pretty decent for a mainstream scent

And perhaps Lutens Santal Majuscule will be a pleasant surprise...
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 31
7/10/12 at 12:24am
Sandalwood by Crabtree&Evelyn
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 31
7/10/12 at 12:29am
Try Bois des Iles by Chanel.

And, relative to Santal 33 by Le Labo, albeit the base borders on being too sweet and artifical, I must respect the other stages of development, and, resultantly, I give it an unenthusiastic "Thumbs Up" rating.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 31
7/10/12 at 12:30am
Creed had two sandalwoods that were very good but are now rare to "hard to find".

Best ever sandalwood: Bois de Santal - some believe this to actually have some Mysore oil in it and I would not doubt it as it is very potent. BdS has been discontinued and is all but impossible to find. I have not seen it sold in full bottles/flacons. Some still offer it in samples/small decants.

Santal Imperial - This is a very good sandalwood from Creed and I believe can still be found in the 2.5 oz bottles via Niemans online. When they are gone, they're gone.

With regard to Creed Original Santal, it cannot be compared to the two above......IF sandalwood is the fragrance you're looking for. In fact, I don't smell sandalwood at all in OS.
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 31
7/10/12 at 12:31am
Montale Santal De Mysore
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 31
7/10/12 at 12:40am
Thread Starter 
I should have also mentioned I have a 10 ml sample of vintage Bois des Iles EDT coming my way soon, maybe some time this week. Looking forward to trying this one, plus if I like it ill have a chance to buy a much larger amount.
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 31
7/10/12 at 12:41am
Here are a some of my favorites...

Bois Des Iles
Villoresi Sandalo
Santal 33
Maitre Parfumeur Et Gantier Santal Noble
Testa Maura Acqua Di Casta
Caswell Massey Sandalwood
Egoiste
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 31
7/10/12 at 3:08am
The only two Sandalwoods I've sampled are Sables and Original Santal. Sables is a strong pungent obvious sandalwood which later dies down the next day (yes the next day) into a creamy vanilla sandalwood. It is also probably more suitable to an older mature guy. Original Santal on the other hand is a very fresh take on sandalwood. The sandalwood isn't so obvious and it extremely well blended and easier to wear. This could be worn by a younger guy and pretty much day or night. Both should probably be worn in winter, especially Sables. I cannot imagine what it would be like in the summer. OS on the other hand has almost got that typical Creed freshness to it. Both are sample worthy.
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 31
7/10/12 at 10:17am
MPG Santal Noble, Creed Original Santal and Chanel Bois des Iles are my favorites.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 31
7/10/12 at 10:27am
Creed Original Santal
Chanel Egoiste
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 31
7/10/12 at 10:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by alfarom View Post

Here are a some of my favorites...

Bois Des Iles
Villoresi Sandalo
Santal 33
Maitre Parfumeur Et Gantier Santal Noble
Testa Maura Acqua Di Casta
Caswell Massey Sandalwood
Egoiste

Great list ! I like most all sandalwood frags even Original Santal. But my favorite is still Santal Noble.
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 31
7/10/12 at 10:33am
You'll have to sell a kidney, but Xerjoff Richwood is pretty potent stuff.
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 31
7/10/12 at 11:55am
MPG Santal Noble is by far my favorite sandalwood fragrance. While the_good_life is right about Floris Eau de Santal being synthetic, I still enjoy that one as well.
Reply
Reply
post #16 of 31
7/10/12 at 12:03pm
I don't know many Sandalwoods. I suspect that some synthetic sandalwoods are to strong and sweet for me - maybe it's just my nose. However there are some sandalwoods I love, which are:

Bois des Iles by Chanel
Egoiste by Chanel
Champagne de Bois by Sonoma Scent Studio
Reply
Reply
post #17 of 31
7/10/12 at 12:36pm
Just save $ and get Demeter's sandalwood.
Reply
Reply
post #18 of 31
7/10/12 at 1:45pm
Egoiste, Serge Lutens Santal de Mysore.
Reply
Reply
post #19 of 31
7/10/12 at 2:15pm
Tam Dao
Reply
Reply
post #20 of 31
7/10/12 at 2:22pm
If you want a great sandalwood that is linear, with projection for days.... My money is Taylor of Old Bond Street- Sandalwood.
Good stuff. I was turned on to it with my Straight razor shaving soap and ASB from the same company.
Reply
Reply
post #21 of 31
7/10/12 at 3:08pm
For a nearly straight sandalwood scent, check out AoS Sandalwood. Better than the Taylor imo, but it does have a bit of a medicinal opening, which fades fairly quickly.

For less straightforward, but very good sandalwoods, there's MPG Santal Noble, Diptyque's Tam Dao, Lorenzo Villoresi Sandalo (<- a bit crazy!) and I happen to like both the Floris and Trumper's sandalwoods, although neither are really all that sandalwood-y. Also, since you can rest assured that nearly no one is making true mysore frags at this point, you may want to check some cheaper ones, too. Nandita is dirt cheap, and has both a regular sandalwood oil as well as a patchouli sandalwood oil that will both knock your socks and possibly boxers off.

Oh, and Egoiste gets an honorable mention, even though it's probably more of a rosewood accord, I'd be remiss not to recommend it at every opportunity.
Reply
Reply
post #22 of 31
7/11/12 at 8:13am
Kerosene's latest fragrance, Santalum Slivers, is a really nice sandalwood scent. It's blended with some nice citrus notes as well.
Reply
Reply
post #23 of 31
7/11/12 at 8:17am
Egoiste and Santal 33

Also, Santal Noble, unfortunately this one does not last long on my skin but it smells good.
Reply
Reply
post #24 of 31
7/11/12 at 9:15am
1. Vintage Santal Noble by Maitre Parfumeur Et Gantier
2. Limited Edition Bois De Santal by CREED
3. Sandalo by Lorenzo Villoresi

Those are my top 3 for perfumes containing large amounts of genuine Mysore Sandalwood oil.

I also like profumum's sandalwood scent, in both formulas. And while the darker OGformula may have had more actual indian oil in it, I find the newer formula to be more friendly and approachable.

And yes, Egoiste is great, but not particularly sandalwood-centric. AOS Sandalwood is an excellent example of the drier, less buttery Australian Sandalwood oil.

Haven't yet tried Santal 33, but am quite eager to.
Egads!!! waddup Eric B !!!
Reply
Reply
post #25 of 31
7/11/12 at 9:22am
This thread seems to be another reminder that I should resample Santal 33.

I'd go with Diptyque's Tam Dao and Lorenzo Villoresi's Sandalo. If Taylor of Old Bond Street's sandalwood EdT is anything like their shaving soap, it should also provide a decent reference point.
Reply
Reply
post #26 of 31
7/11/12 at 10:02am
Sandalo Inspiritu (DSH) absolutely beautiful composition, sadly discontinued.
Santalum Album (La Via del Profumo), pure Mysore in alcohol EDT
Amouage Santal Attar, like a good Mysore EO with a bit of tasteful and unobtrusive support.
Bois des Iles Extrait, nice stuff, the EDT also nice but a bit 'perfumey' - if you can handle it, then fine.
Santal Noble (MPG), beautiful stuff, a desert island for me, but more of an illusory composition suggesting sandalwood
Crabtree & Evelyn Extract of Mysore Sandalwood EDT, 80's vintage - if only we knew then what we know now!
And don't discount Samsara - it's a bit clunky but it does the trick.

I wish I had tried the original Creed and Floris in their day . . .
Reply
Reply
post #27 of 31
7/11/12 at 10:19am
Great lists from the previous posters, may I add just one?

Reply
Reply
post #28 of 31
7/11/12 at 10:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Reminiscent View Post

Great lists from the previous posters, may I add just one?


Sandalwood & Jaipur Homme - I dont' get it ??

I get cinnamon, cardamon and Cedar wood in my Jaipur Homme EDP - but sandalwood, not at all.
YMMV of course. But Jaipur Homme has nothing to do with sandalwood to my nose.

My favorite sandalwood frags are:

1. Le Labo Santal 33
2. DR Harris Sandalwood
3. Chanel Egoiste
Reply
Reply
post #29 of 31
7/11/12 at 1:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by the_good_life View Post

Real Mysore Sandalwood (e.g. from La Via del Profumo)
Chanel Bois des Iles Extrait
Villoresi Sandalo
Creed Bois de Santal (hard to find)
Floris Sandalwood vintage (the vintage is fantastic, the new stuff purely synthetic)
DSH Sandalo Inspiritu (discontinued)
Chanel Egoiste is pretty decent for a mainstream scent

And perhaps Lutens Santal Majuscule will be a pleasant surprise...

What he said ^
Reply
Reply
post #30 of 31
7/14/12 at 10:09pm
Sandalo by Lorenzo Villoresi
Tam Dao bY Diptyque
Santal Noble by Maitre Parfumeur Et Gantier
Reply
Reply
post #31 of 31
7/17/12 at 8:13pm
Art of Shaving Sandalwood is wonderful. A must try if you are interested in a great Sandalwood.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: MFD Archive

Features on Basenotes

Basenotes Reader Awards 2013 - Finalists Announced.
Greatest Hits: Annick Menardo
Petals Falling From The Sky - A Report From The Cote d'Azur's Bataille De Fleurs
Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Male Fragrance Discussion › MFD Archive › Top Notch Sandalwoods?