Sandalwood Cologne
Geo F Trumper (2002)

And it is when I had almost lost all hope of finding a worthy replacement for my beloved Egoiste (original version from 90's), that I bought this perfume, blindly relying for the first time only on what I have read around on the internet. Thank goodness the reviews weren't wrong. It is very reminiscent of Egoiste by Chanel, it is true, and it is just as beautiful but also different, while maintaining that very spicy, creamy, slightly sweet and woody accord ... wonderful!

EDIT

after a few days of use, I can only confirm the first impressions and specify some points. It is true that it recalls Egoiste but, unlike the Chanel, this Geo F. Trumper is more scratchy and less round, less floral (the rose does not feel like in Egoiste) and the sandalwood is less evident being more covered by spicy notes. Even the base, late drying, is sweeter in the Trumper, where the sweet and soft but not cloying note of vanilla clearly emerges. Excellent longevity (more than Egoiste) and more than good projection, really nothing to complain about. I confirm, very promoted! ⁝

This came with much recommendation and is surprisingly concentrated and substantive for a Trumper cologne. What I mean is that this does really project, has depth, and lasts for hours, more like an eau de parfum.

There is a splendid atmosphere to it, with notable floral elements such as jasmine and geranium that exalt a smooth, gorgeous sandalwood.

Really, this is the kind of sandalwood that I seek and seldom find: woody, yet creamy, ever so slightly oily and sharp, but just wonderfully sheer, too. I could be convinced that there was genuine Mysore, though my nose surely deceives me, as that would be impossible.

10/10

I had long used the Trumper Sandalwood Skin Food and Shower Gel. This smells just like those and is a very nice extension of that creamy sandalwood scent.

It is very nice, but kind of defies easy categorization. It's inordinately pleasant. Not particularly masculine or feminine. Good for work or casual days.

It is probably a given that Egoiste fans would like this. It's kind of like a vastly simplified Egoiste A touch of citrus and vanilla, mainly sandalwood. Lacks the spice and rosey aspects of Egoiste.

Though a "cologne" has pretty good legs but a bit lacking longevity wise for me. It's a comfortable easy reach with a more prominent sandalwood than many are probably used to wearing.

A classic, British-style citrus-sandalwood-vanilla scent, but with one of the richest, most satisfying sandalwood notes you can find outside of vintage perfumery.

This is a beautiful gentlemanly sandalwood cologne that has a large citric and vanilla feel to it. The opening to my nose is notes of creamy, sweet sandalwood coupled with lemon and vanilla, while the drydown...It's really creamy in scent, like a custard made of sandalwood oil if that makes sense. Apparently a lot of people compare this to Chanel's classic sandalwood fragrance known as Egoiste (though I haven't smelled that one). This fragrance is also a near perfect pairing with Proraso Red aftershave as it contains a near identical sandalwood note to the one in this fragrance. Projection for this cologne is strong while longevity is also good at over 6 hours of good projection. It actually performs like an eau de parfum rather than a 'cologne', and I presume it probably is one. Overall, it's in my top 3 sandalwood fragrances of all time, along with Tom Ford Santal Blush and the discontinued Art of Shaving Sandalwood EDT.

4/5

It just smells like Egoiste. Egoiste and me are not friends. It is just one fragrance that I really can't stand.

If you like Egoiste you will love this. Plus it lasts a really long time for a cologne.

Having not read the reviews of this, I was pleasantly surprised by the depth and complexity of Trumper's Sandalwood Cologne. The sandalwood note itself is the buttery lumberyard type, and it's paired up with a complicated mix that's familiar from feminine "fruitchouli" perfumes (bright violets, strawberry, cherry, rose, jammy patchouli, and cloves) that kind of smells like fruity lipsick mixed with red wine. It also hints at baby powder and dries down to vanilla suede.

I can understand the Egoiste references, but there are elements of Lipstick Rose and Feminite du Bois in here as well. That being said, Sandalwood holds its own, clearly displaying its influences while insistently maintaining its own personality. Nice work.

What I like about Trumper fragrances, as well as those of similar companies such as Truefitt & Hill, is that no matter how far they depart from the accords of a traditional eau de cologne, they still retain a lot of the form and function of the same.

The most obvious comparison I can draw for Sandalwood is Trumper's own Spanish Leather. The two are clearly part of the same evolutionary line; just different clades. Spanish Leather is darker in tone, Sandalwood somehow "blonder"; yet both of them immediately impart those "sensual waves" of fragrance that Trumper's is so fond of talking about.

Sandalwood starts off immediately spicy for me, and I don't really detect much of the citrus that others talk of. However, the idea and execution of a heart made up entirely of florals is interesting, and to have this retain a masculinity is a terrific achievement. But it's all about the waves of spice, wood, and vanilla, with perhaps just a touch of leather. Spanish Leather seems to attract condescension for its inclusion or otherwise or strong leather notes; Sandalwood, by virtue of its name, has no such pretensions, and appears to gain a critical benefit for it.

This is high quality stuff, and has set off my interest in these spicy eau de colognes again. I suspect that it won't too long before I add one of them to my collection. I would recommend Sandalwood to anyone, and suggest that it's an inexpensive way of getting started for enthusiastic newcomers who want to explore male perfumery beyond the easily available designers on the high street.

The opening of this on initial spray is similar to the wonderful moment of initially spraying Egoiste, the beauty of the sandalwood having been waiting to escape. From there, it is a different perfume with its own merits, with citrus playing a role.

The longevity is fantastic, I can smell it throughout the wearing, and there is an agreeable development to a sweet, skin-scent base. I only know of this perfume brand from someone sending me an unsolicited sample, but I am mightily impressed, and curious to try more of their perfumes.

Majestic alternation of spicy hesperides (lemon but also orange I suppose), floral notes, aldehydes, aromatic patterns, balmy sandalwood and starring leather waving in a perfect symphony harmony. What a surprise! Synthetically lovely. The leather/suede is soon fruity-floral, peachy-like, aromatic (notable lavender), joyful, spicy (coriander, cloves, cinnamon, may be cumin) and silky. I'm absolutely smitten by the Egoiste's flashback (and vaguely catch the Biagiotti Roma Uomo/Paloma Picasso Minotauro's vibe). Patchouli, rose/carnation, cinnamon, prickly-aromatic spices, sandalwood and amber/vanilla come up gradually increasing the Egoiste's vibe in the air (probably the Chanel's one standing out more spicy-oriental in vibe- due to a stronger ambrette seeds presence- while Geo F. Trumper Sandalwood playing more suede veined and woody). The prickly dusty sweet spices play a basic role in order to enrich the wake (together with hesperides, suede, oriental notes and woods). The final wake is warm, dusty, vaguely minty (still the lavender in the background) and fruity (like orangy-peachy) in a virile way.
P.S= not for the lovers of typical sandalwoods.

Regardless of the negative reviews of this fragrance, I'm giving this a thumbs up!

Why? We'll firstly, let's not slate the fragrance for not being 100% crystal and diamond! like you'd expect from Creed, tom ford, etc etc.
It's a very very affordable delightful and long lasting fragrance, which I don't think is sickly or deserves a negative for its failure to not be perfectly sandalwood or patchouli. (there are MANY more frag houses that do the same and charge you 4 times the price for the privelige)
Secondly, anything purchased for under £40 direct from a house, is not going to be the most long lived and give the most presence, APART from this. Under £40 and it's the longest lasting frag I have tbh, even longer lasting than Creed aventus, and Acqua Di Parma Oud concentree.

In all honesty, if it was £120 for 50ml like some creeds I own, I'd be more likely to think before buying again, but seeing as it's so affordable, and does last, and does smell rather masculine and nice, it's added to my collection for my work days.

For so little money, it's worth a punt.

A great sandalwood scent, waxy, dense, sweet and slightly syrupy but discreetly aromatic, woody, rooty, with a nice aftertaste comprising nuances of hay, patchouli, cocoa, licorice and oak moss. Cumin and cloves, bergamot, a slight floral breeze (lavender) complete the composition. As minutes pass a floral accord emerges better, you smell more clearly the tasty density of rose and carnation, which makes Sandalwood come closer to many 1980's fougères, for example Versace l'Homme. It then finally evolves on a soapy-woody accord, noble and refined, and it also emerges a subtle leather base, nice and well-executed. What I personally do not enjoy after a while is a persistent vanillin note, which works for a while, then becomes a bit cloying, mostly because of its artificial sweetishness. Apart from this, a good scent in the "old school mossy-zesty fragrances" segment.

7-7,5/10