Tabac Santal

Tabac Santal , as you'd expect, is dominated by a heavy but fresh pipe tobacco and boisterous, grainy sandalwood. It's rich, brown and very earthy. In support there's a big wedge of cacao-like patchouli, accented with elemi and metallic lavender, some spicy nutmeg and in the base deliciously thick oakmoss and vetiver. For once it's quite different from other Annette Neuffers (the whole range seems to share a common set of materials and the various configurations can seem bewilderingly similar at times) but Tabac Santal still has her customary robustness. You feel you're wearing something a little raw, punchy and statement-worthy. Ultimately whether you like this will depend on your fondness for intense earthy, nutty, brown tobacco and dark, grainy, woody-mocha accords. I don't think I love it enough to fork out for, but then again... it dries earthier, mossier, more naturalistic, the patchouli fading. It becomes more cypress-like and smoky and I enjoyed the vetiver as it pushes its way forward.

This is a very dense fragrance. Maybe because I've been binge watching "Great British Baking Show," I keep thinking of ginger cake. Not because the ginger or even the spices are that prominent but there's that dense, dark texture. It's all lightened and lifted by the the lavender. The dark heavy aspect seems to be mostly the patch and tobacco with the woods and resins providing back up. I found this very pleasant and comforting, easily unisex although the lavender does bring it squarely into fougere territory. Lovely work.

Lavender BALM. It's the lavender soothing balm that heals body aches. So when your muscles in pain you just relax and make grandma create that soothing balm to swept away into a fairy tale of high, it just relaxes your body and make you dreamy! Lavender, elemi, patchouli, lapdanum, and oakmoss are the major notes here, then comes the black pepper, olibanum, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and cedar. This is quite spiritual and relaxing, but quite heavy. amusing blend.