Day #23: Fragrance - Serge Lutens Santal de Mysore
My Ratings: Scent - 10/10. Overall - 10/10.
The best spicy (non cedar) sandalwood I've ever tried. Initial application gave me a huge hit of pure sandalwood oil so I had to compare it to the samples I have. Thanks to a couple very kind basenoters I actually have a decent amount of pure oils to compare against now. The sandalwood note is very close to the smell of Mysore - to my nose. This sandalwood note is not alone however. There's also a really nice pepper note and there's an Oriental note - it's not cumin but it's something similar. This gives the fragrance a very nice sweet note that helps to balance out the spice. As it dries down it doesn't change a lot but instead smooths out even more. The sharp pepper in the opening mellows, the sweetness levels out, and the sandalwood backbone becomes more prominent. There's also a "resinous" note in here that adds some weight to the fragrance.
This fragrance is rich, and wears heavy. Projection is moderate due to the concentration but sillage is amazing as is longevity. Just because of how heavy this is it lasts and lasts. Performance is one area where I couldn't imagine anyone feels this is lacking.
Overall, Santal de Mysore is outstanding. The one warning I'd say is, you have to like that Oriental note because I think it is on an equal level to the spice and the sandalwood in this. For me, it adds an amazing smoothness to the fragrance, but I understand that some aren't the biggest fans of cumin like notes. It wears and feels heavy. The fragrance is rich and the quality comes off as amazingly high. This is not for someone looking for a "light" sandalwood. Due to the heavy nature of this fragrance it feels perfect for fall and winter. Even the early days of spring is probably fine but I don't think it works for summer. It comes off as heavily masculine due to the spice. The type of person I'd recommend this to is someone looking for a very good sandalwood that is heavy and rich, wants a spicy note but not cedar, and doesn't mind or likes an Oriental note to be mixed with their sandalwood. Yes it's expensive but this is one hit hard for me. Do yourself a favor and give it a sample, maybe it's not your style but it's without a doubt worth trying.
My Wife's Thoughts:
She liked it quite a bit. I don't think as much as Tam Dao but this has a nice Oriental lean to it that in this cool weather is really nice. She picked up on that and thought it was good. I think what held her back a bit was just how heavy and rich it can smell / wear. It really is a deep fragrance can almost be overpowering if you apply too much. For her it skirted that line a bit but overall she came away positive from it.
Next Fragrance: Serge Lutens - Santal Majuscule
