Tam Dao Eau de Toilette

UMMMMMMMMMMMM UMMMMMMMMMMM THIS IS ONE of the sexiest fragrances I have ever smelled in my life. Wowwwwwwwwwwwwwww. It can be unisex, but can see more women potentially rocking this; original type of women who don;t follow trends. I mean.. look at the rest of my scent profile... sweet, gourmand, sometimes headache inducing and I needed that SOMETHING... I didn't realise I was a big fan of woods until now. I always loved CEDAR - it is one of the sexiest notes for me. The least 'sweet/gourmandish' scent I own is probably the body shop white musk... which would go amazing mixed with this. Tam Dao first, then white musk. I'll tell you a little story: I went to an upmarket shop, it was early in the morning and I followed the host up the stairs... I am almost certain she had this perfume or something similar. It reminded me of Diptique's scent profile.. then later - and luckily - there was a store that held Diptique that I went by. I smelled the cap of all the perfumes and realised it could have been this. I was too shy to ask as I hadn't had a conversation with them. It's very sophisticated, upmarket and in no way immature. It's serious, sexy and cozy and INTIMATE. It goes a little sweet after the top notes settle. It's incredible. I wasted a lot of money and time trying to chase the next gourmand scent - I didn't realise I am such a fan of this SEXY scent. It's like I had a fragrance ephiphany. I won't get tired of this anytime soon, and can wear it into my older years. I'm so proud of this find. Special event, every day and signature scent. Now I understand the one fragrance does all sort of scent and in my eyes it's this one. Looooooooooooooooove! Masterpiece! It's not overdone. You will stand out. Those sweet perfumes - I find them sexy sometimes. But this one... I find sexy always. It doesn't try hard. It could be work appropriate but I haven't tried it at work yet. It's so unique I almost want to gatekeep but we are a community - I hope you love it as much as I do and I am writing this in hopes it never gets discontinued. Also I thought I didn't like sandalwood but DIptique does it amazingggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggly! I didn't realise I barely explained the scent itself - it could be everyday as it has that fresh laundry element to it - so if you put it on an outdoor jacket that you wear a few times without washing it's totally fine. It will smell fresh instead of overly white flowers or fruity/gourmand. It's peppery, has sweet sandalwood, a hint of sexy white flowers, the sharp confidence of cedar which all blend into this unique scent that makes me want to kiss my lovers neck... I won't censor myself - this is what we are all about here. Perfume is not just a smell, it's a place, a time, a feeling, a memory, an anecdote, and even a signature. It leaves a sexy scent trail. Also I would never want to wear perfumes to bed after showering butttttt I think I could easily do it with this one. THAT says something!!! Laundry effect.

Really a very nice scent. I tried both the EdT and EdP before I purchased and I had a clear preference for the EdT. Both smell nearly identical in the opening (the EdT DOES have the famed cracked pepper note), but the dry down is completely differently. The EdT dries down to what is largely a woody note that I would best describe as what tropical wood carved items smell like. The EdP dries down to a more pronounced Sandalwood scent but finishes very sweet with some vanilla which I personally found to be more feminine. Longevity on the EdT is outstanding in my opinion. I own Floris and Penhaligon's and Tam Dao EdT last quite a bit longer than any Floris or Pen fragrance I own. The EdP has almost silly longevity. I had a scent strip from Nordstrom's that I had in my office that was sprayed with 3 quick sprays and it stayed on the strip for days and filled my office with its smell. So based on my experience, I would say that if you're a gentleman and want something more traditionally appropriate in a variety of settings, the EdT is definitely the way to go. If you are lady and looking to add this to your wardrobe, I would recommend the EdP for its slightly more complex middle and base notes and sweeter dry down. Overall, I believe this is a fantastic fragrance that has found a niche spot in my wardrobe that is heavily skewed towards cologne/citrus scents. It is the woody masculine fragrance I have been looking for for some time.

This is my memories of Vietnam (former Indochina) in a bottle. In the summer of 2017 I visited a department store counter with at least a dozen of Diptyque fragrances. After testing one of them, I teared up from being overwhelmed with nostalgia. It reminded me of my ancestral homeland - Vietnam. My mind was flooded with most fond memories from childhood, and very specific scenery of a big-big tree next to a French style house with humidity stained walls in Hanoi. Then my memories shifted to Asian wooden furniture, ancestral altar incense sticks, and a courtyard with mandarin trees. It was a whirlwind of memories from just one whiff. Being a broke college student, I didn't purchase it, and didn't even bother to remember the name of that nostalgic scent. I didn't even realize the perfume was named after a place in Vietnam (actually spelled Tam Đảo). A few years later, now living in a small town, I wanted to find this perfume, but there is no department stores that carry it. I only knew that it was by Diptyque and that reminded me of Vietnam. Thanks to the community on Fragrantica I figured that Tam Dao must be it! I ordered it blindly, but knowing deep inside that it must be the perfume that is named after a place in Vietnam. The house of Diptyque captured the essence of Vietnam perfectly.

I agree with those saying this is a subtle masterpiece. Not all the fragrances have to be complex and evolving. Actually sandalwood is my favorite element in fragrances, and I don’t mind at all if a straightforward sandal note is there from beginning to end. I wish Creed Green Irish Tweed stayed there in the fresh forest opening instead of evolving into a niche Cool Water. I wish Pasha Cartier EDP stayed there in the second hour with reminiscences of Ralph Lauren Safari instead of evolving into flowery notes that don’t go very well with my skin. So the fact that Tam Dao EDT is kind of unidimensional is a blessing IMHO. I don’t get cedar focus notes like many of the reviews mention. For me Tam Dao is a much subtler and approachable Tom Ford Santal Blush or Kilian Sacred Wood. I love sandalwood but not on steroids, when it becomes too creamy or waxy. Tam Dao EDT has the perfect balance, even better than the EDP version which brings other notes, longevity and evolution. Tam Dao EDT is a sandal fragrance I could wear all year and in any occasion, even coming out of the shower, not thinking about it or paying attention or trying to appreciate its dimensions. I get around 4-5 hours on my wrists until it becomes a skin scent, and 6-7 hours on my neck with just one puff. What a beauty.

Tam Dao is one of my favorite perfumes. Here, you have a complete wood scent; it isn't gourmand, citrusy, or spicy. Just pure wood. However, it isn't a basic or raw scent. I think it's a clever composition, mixing sandalwood with other woods and just the right amount of sweetness to give it a creamy nature. Tam Dao isn't trying to project masculine, bold, fresh, or sexy vibes, and that's exactly why I love it. Its simplicity and naturalness make it stand out among similar profiles. You get a calm, warm, and nurturing scent. Somehow, I like to wear it when I'm feeling thoughtful or sad. It has a kind of soothing effect on me. This is a fragrance for personal enjoyment only. I don't think anyone would receive compliments while wearing it; it's not as strong as others and has low sillage. Other comments are right when they say its longevity is too low for its price. However, in this case —and only in this case— I love the scent so much that I really don't mind.