5 sandalwood scents that are not Le Labo Santal 33
The warm, creamy allure of sandalwood has long captivated the perfume world, though it was Le Labo’s Santal 33 that catapulted the note into cultural ubiquity. With its smoky, spicy edge and effortless blend of woods and florals, Santal 33 became a global phenomenon and an olfactory badge for the in-the-know. You'll get a whiff of it at boutique hotels, trendy cafés, and city streets—it's almost instantly recognisable. Beyond this now-ubiquitous scent, there’s a world of nuanced sandalwood fragrances that offer a fresh, sophisticated perspective on this timeless note.
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Where does sandalwood come from?
Sandalwood comes from the heartwood of trees in the Santalum genus, prized for its rich, creamy aroma and natural oils. The most coveted variety, Mysore sandalwood (Santalum album), is native to southern India and has been used for centuries in perfumery, religious rituals, and traditional medicine. Due to overharvesting, Indian sandalwood is now highly regulated, leading perfumers to source alternative species like Australian sandalwood (Santalum spicatum), which offers a drier, greener profile. Regardless of origin, sandalwood remains one of the most cherished and enduring materials in fragrance.
Diptyque Tam Dao Eau de Parfum Tam Dao
Diptyque Tam Dao Eau de Parfum Tam Dao offers a purer, more meditative take on sandalwood. Where Santal 33 leans into leathery, smoky accords, Tam Dao is all about clarity and softness. Centered around Mysore sandalwood, it’s elevated with cypress and myrtle, creating a creamy, almost milky dry-down that feels serene rather than assertive.
Byredo Super Cedar
While technically a cedar-forward fragrance, Byredo Super Cedar’s interplay with sandalwood results in a streamlined, modern woodiness. Unlike Santal 33’s rugged, smoky character, Super Cedar is brighter and cleaner, evoking freshly sharpened pencils and minimalist interiors. It’s sandalwood stripped of bohemian flair, leaning into Scandinavian cool.
Bois des Îles Exclusifs de Chanel
A 1926 creation by Ernest Beaux, this sandalwood perfume from Chanel offers a vintage take on sandalwood that predates the trendiness of Santal 33. Rich with aldehydes, ylang-ylang, and vetiver, it envelops the creamy woodiness of sandalwood in a luxurious, almost velvety warmth. It’s less urban edge, more timeless elegance.
Comme des Garçons Wonderwood
Comme des Garçons Wonderwood lives up to its name with an overdose of woods—sandalwood included—layered with oud, cedar, and vetiver. It’s denser and darker than Santal 33, with an almost chaotic richness that feels bold and avant-garde. Where Santal 33 aims for smooth sophistication, Wonderwood revels in textured complexity.
Santa Maria Novella Sandalo
This Italian classic takes sandalwood back to its roots—literally. Sandalo is a straightforward, unembellished sandalwood perfume, that emphasizes the creamy, slightly sweet facets of the wood itself. Absent are the smoky, spicy accents of Santal 33; instead, Sandalo offers a pure, meditative experience that speaks to tradition rather than trend.
For those seeking sandalwood scents with depth and distinction, these five offer a welcome divergence from Santal 33’s well-trodden path—each revealing a different facet of this endlessly captivating note.
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