For your lady, would Samsara fit the bill? Load of jasmine and some rose. Smells very Indian to me.
For yourself, Montale's Attar is Sandalwood and rose with some nice spices (saffron is one of them). Smells gorgeous and not too "niche" or "challenging". And it projects and lasts very well.
Edit: Ooops sorry I missed: "they have to be releases that I could obtain fairly easily in a mainstream shop." So I guess Montale is out? Still, I think Attar fits your description quite well and isn't all too difficult to obtain.