Santal de Mysore

By the editors · 2 min readChristopher Sheldrake's description is accurate: the spices here nearly cry out. Cumin hits first with a bodily, fermented directness; saffron follows with its metallic warmth; cinnamon adds the familiar sweetness. Wild carrot contributes a brief, unusual earthiness — root-like and slightly dusty — before benzoin begins its work drawing the composition toward the sandalwood. And what sandalwood: the enormous Mysore variety, creamy and dense in a way already scarce when this was composed in 1991. Rose and musk integrate in the dry-down as softening counterweights. This is a challenging fragrance that rewards patience — the spice storm resolves into one of the great sandalwood experiences in modern perfumery.