Tam Dao 2012 Eau de Parfum

Tam Dao (Eau de Parfum) by Diptyque
Bottle Design:
Servaire&Co
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7.7 / 10 486 Ratings
A popular perfume by Diptyque for women and men, released in 2012. The scent is woody-spicy. It is being marketed by Manzanita Capital.
Pronunciation
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Main accords

Woody
Spicy
Green
Creamy
Earthy

Fragrance Notes

Mysore sandalwoodMysore sandalwood CedarCedar CypressCypress CorianderCoriander

Perfumer

Ratings
Scent
7.7486 Ratings
Longevity
6.9401 Ratings
Sillage
6.4401 Ratings
Bottle
8.1371 Ratings
Value for money
6.6195 Ratings
Submitted by TheDrake, last update on 07/23/2025.
Interesting Facts
Tam Đảo ("Three Islands") is a summer resort in Vietnam.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to
Tam Dao (Eau de Toilette) by Diptyque
Tam Dao Eau de Toilette
Eidesis by Aēsop
Eidesis
Chromodoro by Astrophil & Stella
Chromodoro
J'approchais un mystère. A.C. by d'Orsay
J'approchais un mystère. A.C.
Damier by Les Bains Guerbois
Damier
Evening Safari Drive by Zara
Evening Safari Drive

Reviews

18 in-depth fragrance descriptions
6
Pricing
7
Bottle
6
Sillage
7
Longevity
9
Scent
IdleExpatter

18 Reviews
IdleExpatter
IdleExpatter
Helpful Review 6  
Singular sensation
Tam Dao is a triumph of focus, showing what's possible in perfumery when a house lets itself celebrate and elevate a single note (or, well, ok, kinda two notes - more on this below).

I spent huge portions of my childhood camping in the pine forests of the northeastern U.S., and while a northern white pine or balsam fir obviously isn't the same thing as an Indian sandalwood or Lebanese cedar, there's a reminiscent, coniferous quality to Tam Dao that brings me back to those days.

It's a tremendous fragrance.

Tam Dao is dry, warm, mildly creamy sandalwood and cedar. Think freshly cut wood drying in the sun, or a green branch you just snapped off a tree on a summer day. A previous Parfumo reviewer described it as smelling like a dry sauna, which is very accurate.

And that's it. That's what you get here.

This is stripped-down, linear, nearly photorealistic perfumery. There's no evolution over phases, no complex blend of notes, no interpretation needed. It's as uncomplicated as can be, and magnificent for it. It's tranquil, calming, and sophisticated.

If you're looking for something more creative or interpretive or multifaceted, this will disappoint you. But if you can appreciate the artistry and sophistication in a tiny number of high-quality ingredients singing in absolute harmony, you will enjoy Tam Dao.
0 Comments
Lbss92

1 Review
Lbss92
Lbss92
Helpful Review 4  
Sauna vibes
Boy if this is good. Now you need to really like the scent of a piece of spruce wood. It starts with a very high dose of Iso E super or something similar on a bed of javenol, its not so creamy but almost spicy (i guess thats the coriander but isoesuper is also quite peppery lets face it) With this I am not saying it smells synthetic but it reminds me of those molecules. I absolutely love it! It smells of a wooden chalet, the inside of a steaming hot sauna, woodchippings. Drydown is the best because i finally get the lime which adds this quirkiness, the olfactive accident I guess. Vanilla is there to reinforce sandalwood and add some depth. I am not sure what amberwood smells like but anytime i see it listed theres some sharpness and incredible longevity added to the fragrance ( I am thinking to L'homme a la rose MFK). Going to comparisons there was a moment (having tam dao in one hand and gypsy water in the other) in the beginning of the drydown which they almost smelled identical but opening and drydown are in completely opposite directions. Tam Dao is a fulfilling 360 degrees woody experience (actual dry bark guys) whereas gypsy water goes citrusy and and somehow sweet. If you are searching for something like Gypsy water
i suggest Tulsivivah! from Miller et Berteaux which is a super happy and comforting sandalwood with oranges and lemon, that fragrance really needs more attention and love because its great! 10 out of 10 Diptyque again, never a disappointment

in fact the accident is mirtle, which makes sense it enhances the smell of sandalwood. Last thing I promise, i dont get the name. Or I mean this could have to do with what we associate with smells, because of what i said I would think this as a very western oriented fragrance and instead it is made thinking to asian forests. Just great how we come to things from completely opposite angles of perspective
0 Comments
7
Pricing
8
Bottle
7
Sillage
6
Longevity
10
Scent
Zakaria80

10 Reviews
Zakaria80
Zakaria80
4  
The Pencil Forgives..
I like using a pencil since I was a little kid.. The pen also does the same job, but you can not correct what you have already written without making a smudge first and writing it again..

The pencil forgives.. it can walk on its toes.. it can transition from pale to bold depending on how much you are going to press it against the paper.. it can be silent like a ninja or ferociously loud..

A playful pencil that can draw black teeth on perfectly sterile posters or French moustaches on mythically expensive paintings.. just because it is fun to do..

A pencil next to a blank A4 paper on a beautiful thick wooden table and a glass of buttery milk..

I am 41 years old and I still use a pencil..

One of the most beautiful scents I have ever experienced..

10/10

Ps A small piece of advice.. spray it on clothes rather on skin.. it lasts for days.
1 Comment
7
Sillage
8
Longevity
8
Scent
Kurai

388 Reviews
Kurai
Kurai
3  
My next sandal?
The EDT version Tam Dao Eau de Toilette has been a regular in my office rotation for quite a while. Its blend of cedar, sandal and cypress woods gives off a long lasting mellow mood. That really gets me through the day.

More recently I stumbled upon a sensational sandalwood note in Bois des Îles Eau de Parfum and that triggered a new quest for a sandalwood perfume. Since I already had good experience with Tam Dao Eau de Toilette and I read that the EDP formula had even more sandal, it made sense to explore this one first of all.

To my nose, the EDP and the EDT are almost interchangeable. Clearly, the components come from the same bottle. They form the same dry, barky woody dimension. More sandal? Not sure, that may as well be an effect of the increased concentration overall. One significant difference is how the EDP feels more 'spicy'.

In the end, no doubt this is a great woody scent. If I ever finish my EDT, I will replace it with the EDP. That much is sure, but there is no point in having them both. Alas, I must continue my quest for an even greater sandalwood.
0 Comments
Mlleghoul

445 Reviews
Mlleghoul
Mlleghoul
2  
Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness
Tam Dao from Diptyque is a perfect poem of a scent that I love wholeheartedly and which others have most assuredly spoken of more eloquently than I could ever hope to. A dry, woody composition with notes of cedar and cypress, sandalwood, rosewood, and musk, it’s an understated and Introspective fragrance, evoking the meditative shifting light of the afternoon sun as it deepens into the melancholic shadows of evening as daylight dwindles.
It recalls for me the oft-quoted line from beloved poet Mary Oliver’s The Uses of Sorrow:
“Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness.
It took me years to understand that this too, was a gift.”
0 Comments
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Statements

17 short views on the fragrance
Jbl775Jbl775 8 months ago
8
Bottle
6
Sillage
7
Longevity
9.5
Scent
Addictive creamy woody santal scent. High class and a masterpiece.
0 Comments
BamBamNYCBamBamNYC 2 years ago
9
Bottle
7
Sillage
7
Longevity
7.5
Scent
Mostly dry cedar with a smidgen of sandalwood. Relaxing temple
0 Comments
FreshKatsuFreshKatsu 2 years ago
7
Bottle
6
Sillage
6
Longevity
8
Scent
A relaxing sandalwood forward scent with citrusy/herbal tone at the start. Something to wear to a temple or meditation retreat.
0 Comments
giolito420giolito420 4 months ago
Gorgeous, woody, serene. In the rotation for days in the office.
0 Comments
RagasRagas 4 months ago
10
Bottle
6
Sillage
8
Longevity
8.5
Scent
Perfect office or leisure fragrance - woody with whiffs of cypress. Masculine - the scent of a gentleman.
0 Comments
ZekayZekay 2 years ago
My absolute favorite. This scent is peace of mind in a bottle for me. Taking a walk through a forest breathing in deeply the wonderfully woody air.
0 Comments
ItchynoseItchynose 6 years ago
8
Bottle
6
Sillage
8
Longevity
7
Scent
A woody cornucopia for hardcore wood lovers: Cypress, sandalwood, cedar, rosewood and some pencil shavings for the dry down.
0 Comments
RiviaelRiviael 1 year ago
You can smell the incense in top and mid notes. Then I mostly smell the cedar notes. I think it’s a great base for layering!
0 Comments
JSO60JSO60 1 year ago
10
Bottle
4
Sillage
5
Longevity
10
Scent
It's a very comforting and intimate fragrance that lasts six to seven hours on my skin.
0 Comments
SimonexxSimonexx 4 months ago
9
Scent
I love that it smells dry, savory, chocolatey and peanutty.
0 Comments
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