Santal Majuscule (2012)
by Serge Lutens

Redolent of Secret Obsession by Calvin Klein. Is that because they both contain rose and sandalwood?

Sultan Hossein Mirza in Promenade (RIGHT part) BY Kamal ud-Din Behzd
V-F

A great bitter cacao, dry and dusty, paired with a jammy rose that works very well creating a delicious smell. This changes after about one hour as the cacao dissipates and a soft, creamy and refined sandalwood takes a place in the blend. The jammy rose takes a turn also and now I seem to get a dark red rose, maybe it's the result of the rose and cacao settling down and blending together. The transition is smooth and it has moments when it's mouthwatering. The end is mainly a soft, creamy, slightly woody, slightly sweet rose.

Yet another terrible scent from Lutens, purporting to be "great."
I had to look up Majuscule, thinking it French, but non, c'est Anglais - the opposite of "Minuscule."

A Great Sandalwood, they proclaim. Don't you believe it. No sandalwood here at all. The usual sharp, bitter, nasty Oud scent they are SO fond of. Rose, Cocoa, Tonka???? Where???

The dry down does get points for being less nasty than the opening blast. I suppose the tonka is winning points here! I smell more cedar here than the purported sandalwood.

When I go back to my vintage scents, redolent of REAL Mysore Sandalwood in their compositions, the mere thought of the word "Santal" in a Lutens creation, sends shivers up my spine. They don't know the meaning of the word or the scent itself.

Pass it by, folks. Invest in Guerlain's Vol De Nuit or even Caswell Massey's Tricorn for those who must watch their budgets. Who had a clue back in the good old days that real sandalwood would disappear forever.

Very oriental/Indian smelling. I get some wood, but certainly not much. Mostly spiced up florals, mostly rose. As previously mentioned dark and rich. Hard to pull of for most men, probably but I think this is lovely to be honest.