![DrB1414]()
DrB1414
1
THE Sandalwood
Ensar Oud Santal Sultan Pure Parfum. Review based on the Original release.
One of my favorite perfume compositions from the house and one that has satisfied my quest for the perfect Sandalwood-centered blend and rendered all the others I owned redundant. Hence, I decided to keep this one only.
Now, whenever the question: "What is the best Sandalwood perfume around?" comes up, people in the know will recommend that you stick to good old pure Sandalwood oil. And I agree. If you want to experience the most of what this precious ingredient has to offer, it seems there is no better alternative, especially in spray format. I almost gave up, and then I tried Santal Sultan. It is everything you'd get from the pure oil and more. It uses several other key ingredients that help push out some of the wood's facets, complement and emphasize others, and as opposed to the neat oil, it boasts immense performance in projection and longevity.
The scent profile is not overly complex, yet you will still get more out of it compared to the neat oil, as it blends several sandalwood profiles. On top of the full-spectrum flavor of the wood, you also experience zesty-citrus-like facets, spices, a plethora of aromatic qualities, and a slightly ambergris-laced dry-down with a faint yet enticing allure.
The opening is dominated by aromatic facets from the rosemary, some lavender, verbena, and lemongrass, all gently augmented by spicy touches. There is a citrus punch to go with it and a faint pineapple-like note that is incredibly satisfying and natural-smelling. This introduction hints at a Fougere with a heavy Oriental base structure, as the wood-laced heavy body is already perceivable underneath. From here on, the Fougere-like opening recedes gradually, allowing the full-spectrum sandalwood aroma to take center stage. It never unfolds identically. Sometimes, the sharper, cedarish facets come forth, others the creamy-milky ones, yet overall, it behaves as a rich and buttery sandal. The latter is probably my favorite textural facet of this material and dominates on my skin. As mentioned, it gets a touch musky in the late dry-down (after 12 hours or so), which only adds to the beauty of the experience.
It is a tenacious performer. I only use half a spray, giving me a solid scent bubble while it lasts (well over a day on my skin).
Since I got my bottle of Santal Sultan, I have neglected my Mysore Sandalwood oils. I love it that much. It wears as the neat oil while offering more. I can't think of a better composition focused on this precious wood ingredient, and although there are many around, most either smell off or don't offer enough. Much like with "Oud" perfumes. For anyone who loves Sandalwood, I can only recommend that you try the pure oil neat (make sure to invest in a high-quality one) and that you at least sample Santal Sultan. I did hear the current version is slightly different, but I'm sure it is just as good.
IG:@memory.of.scents
Amber
Cedarwood
Jasmine
Lemon
Mimosa
Mysore sandalwood
Patchouli
Pineapple
Rosemary
Painter
