Tam Dao 2003 Eau de Toilette

Tam Dao (Eau de Toilette) by Diptyque
Bottle Design:
Servaire&Co
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7.4 / 10 571 Ratings
A perfume by Diptyque for women and men, released in 2003. The scent is woody-spicy. It is being marketed by Manzanita Capital.
Pronunciation
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Main accords

Woody
Spicy
Green
Fresh
Powdery

Fragrance Notes

Mysore sandalwoodMysore sandalwood CedarCedar CypressCypress MyrtleMyrtle

Perfumer

Ratings
Scent
7.4571 Ratings
Longevity
6.4443 Ratings
Sillage
5.8431 Ratings
Bottle
7.8415 Ratings
Value for money
6.3194 Ratings
Submitted by DirkDS, last update on 07/28/2025.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to
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Tam Dao Eau de Parfum
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Reviews

22 in-depth fragrance descriptions
5
Bottle
5
Sillage
5
Longevity
6
Scent
Drseid

821 Reviews
Drseid
Drseid
Very helpful Review 6  
Sandalwood and Incense...
I tried this years ago and did not like it. I just revisited Tam Dao, and I guess I have done a near 180. I still can't say I love the scent, but I at least like it now. I get some sweet sandalwood at the start that is quite nice, and then the scent turns briefly green. The green transition is brief, but a bit medicinal and unpleasant smelling. Finally the sandalwood returns, mixed with a strong incense accord. Neither the best sandalwood nor incense scent available, but worth a sniff if your tastes run to either of those notes. A mild recommendation from me at 3 out of 5 stars.
1 Comment
10
Bottle
7.5
Sillage
5
Longevity
6
Scent
MasterLi

375 Reviews
MasterLi
MasterLi
Very helpful Review 5  
Dry wood, cedar wood, sandalwood... and even polished wood!
Much has been said about the sandalwood element here. Whilst I do detect the sandalwood vibe I must admit it is faint. I do notice the other woods here being more prominent, such as the cedar wood etc... Overall it probably shouldn't be looked at as an iconic sandalwood fragrance. Definitely a prominent woody scent but not exclusively a sandalwood one. Overall it's warm, very pleasant and the dry-down happens to be very nice. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to go anywhere else apart from smelling like high quality, freshly polished wood. In that way it's quite a linear fragrance. However worth a try, just not the masterpiece others claim it to be. But it is elegant and refined, definitely. If wood is your thing, you will enjoy, but it's not in any way ground-breaking in my opinion.
1 Comment
5
Bottle
5
Sillage
5
Longevity
8
Scent
Steve0580

31 Reviews
Steve0580
Steve0580
Helpful Review 5  
Cedar
Cedar - that's what this fragrance is.

I don't smell much of anything other than that. It's like walking around in a natural wood furniture shop or smelling freshly cut cedar.

To me, that's wonderful! I like the smell of natural wood and cedar.

It's not an overpowering scent and longevity is average at roughly 4-6 hours.
0 Comments
7.5
Longevity
5
Scent
Epimedes

9 Reviews
Epimedes
Epimedes
Helpful Review 6  
Synthesized tranquility
I couldn't decide what the opening of Tam Dao reminded me of until I found a review that gave me the answer: crushed dill! An odd note for sure, but very short-lived. For the most part, Tam Dao rides on the carrier wave of a white-musk molecule that my nose also detects in L'Artisan's Passage d'Enfer, among others. Cedar is definitely present, and sandalwood as well. Both are mellowed down by the white musk base that creates a waxy-smooth effect and binds the whole composition together. Progression is minimal over time, but the scent lasts on my skin for many hours. Despite the linearity, I find Tam Dao well-balanced, inoffensive and rather calming.
0 Comments
7.5
Bottle
6
Scent
Ineverwas

45 Reviews
Ineverwas
Ineverwas
Helpful Review 5  
Serenity Now
Review for the EDT in round bottle.

Well, to be honest, I was a bit worried that there will be too much cedar and not enough sandalwood in the EDT version. But I can happily confirm that it's not the case! Tam Dao EDT is a beautiful sandalwood-centric perfume that's completely unisex.

It reminds me so much of the sandalwood fan my mother used to have, it's almost the same smell, only the real wood was a bit sweeter and muted, while Tam Dao has quite an airy, spacious and solemn feel to it. Like a Buddhist meditation to find inner peace. Which is interesting because I do feel calmer and more meditative than usual when I wear this scent, so the suggestion works.

The sandalwood is not milky or creamy, in fact it feels a bit raw and dry, as if freshly cut - but I do not get the dusty, wood shavings impression from it either which is what allows me to enjoy it completely. Behind the sandalwood, cypress and rosewood are great in their supporting roles, maintaining the exclusive woodiness and adding complexity and interplay. The cedar is also there among the crowd, but not a contender for the dominant note. It adds a touch of masculinity and keeps everything dry and airy.

Overall, a true woody perfume and a wonderful way to relax and think more profoundly about the meaning of life. :)

Sillage and longevity are moderate. A reapplication might be needed after 6 hours.
0 Comments
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Statements

17 short views on the fragrance
SarinotsorrySarinotsorry 1 year ago
8
Bottle
7
Sillage
6
Longevity
7
Scent
Am I the only one who thinks this straight-up smells exactly like laksa and some coconut curries?
0 Comments
FairymistFairymist 8 months ago
9
Scent
Beautiful and serene scent for me. I typically wear it to bed because the longevity just isn't there, unfortunately.
0 Comments
HermeshHermesh 2 years ago
8
Bottle
6
Sillage
6
Longevity
7.5
Scent
Delicate sandalwood with green notes. Powderiness and moisture of the wood skilfully combined. Delicacy costs sillage and durability here.
0 Comments
Slevy7736Slevy7736 3 months ago
hazelnuts & pine needles.

lasts a while and generally stays close to your skin/clothes.
0 Comments
OliveAutumnOliveAutumn 10 months ago
A combination of earthy woods with an almost-sweet herbal spice from the myrtle.
0 Comments
Sterben9225Sterben9225 1 year ago
9
Scent
While not real mysore sandalwood it is still beautiful, creamy and spongy. Has a nice spicy/herbal greenness. Performance not that bad on me
0 Comments
PedroCabralPedroCabral 3 years ago
8
Bottle
6
Sillage
6
Longevity
7.5
Scent
This sandalwood is wonderful! Too bad the performance is poor...
0 Comments
GreMuserGreMuser 4 years ago
8
Bottle
4
Sillage
4
Longevity
5.5
Scent
Very light and inoffensive sandalwood, very weak in performances, not worth the price.
0 Comments
Topfpflanze3Topfpflanze3 3 years ago
7
Bottle
7
Sillage
7
Longevity
5.5
Scent
So dry that you think you sniff pure tannins. You get thirsty just smelling it no joke. Dry woody and slightly spicy. A pass for me
0 Comments
SyddemizardSyddemizard 3 years ago
7
Bottle
6
Sillage
7
Longevity
7
Scent
Only Wood..a lot of wood
0 Comments
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