07/10/2023

IdleExpatter
18 Reviews

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.
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.