Sandalo 
Lorenzo Villoresi (1995)

Dry, bitter sandalwood, tastefully composed from seemingly immaculate ingredients. Perhaps a bit too subdued for its own good.

A tale of two scents.

The first one, to lift a phrase from another review, is almost too lovely for a man. Rosewood, rose, lavender, trace neroli, and sandalwood? 4-6hrs, perhaps. A few steps from perfect and by itself I doubt I'd wear it much, honestly.

The second one is a nutty, creamy, sun-kissed, 2nd-skin type sandalwood that remains with just a slight memory of the first. It lasts and lasts. Perfect.

I place Santal Noble and Santalum on the top shelf, Sandalo is close.

Reflection BY Lucian Freud 1985

The opening blast shouts wood, neroli and lavender, resulting in a wood impression that is more on the brighter side, but nonetheless it is an intense, serious start. The drydown introduces a pleasant rose note, mildly sweet and of medium intensity, blending in nicely with the wood.

Now about the wood. Initially is is somewhat nonspecific on my skin, but in the drydown the sandal declares itself. Like all good sandalwoods it is discrete, not intrusive and not easy to catch. It is not of the same unparalleled quality as in Creed's Bois de Santal, is less intense than in Chanel's Bois des Îsles (the original vintage formulation), is less vivid than in Egoïste's Cologne Concentrée and - maybe mercifully for the sandalophile - lacks the cedar that is so often added in (Tam Dao, Le Labo), but it is a very pleasant and convincing specimen made of a high quality ingredient.

The patchouli that arises in the base is unusually soft and mild, and together with a fairly subtle musk tone blends in gently, avoiding an overpowering of the sandalwood, whose delicate structure is often overlooked in fragrances and overwhelmed - see Original Santal.

This is a very good sandalwood and a nice autumn scent. The performance is outstanding, with moderate sillage, excellent projection and a superb fourteen hours of longevity. 3.5/5.

Wood and incense. Mysterious and elegant.