Santal Calling

Ahhh...my most favorite milky iris/santal fragrance, my preeeeeeee-cious🥰 Idk how this frag keeps flying “under the radar”, but I can’t say I mind...’cause I don’t. The less people know about this jewel, the more there is for me😄 I first smelled this when I ordered the sample kit from Ex Nihilo in 2023. I loved many of the sample fragrances, but as soon as I got my nose on Santal Calling, I immediately felt my pupils expand and for a few moments, time felt completely suspended. Literally true love at first sniff. With the first wearing of this, I discovered something new about myself that I never realized before— I frickin’ LOOOOOOVE the sweet complex woodiness of nutmeg in fragrances. Upon discovering Ex Nihilo, I started to recognize just how many of my favorite scents (past and present) include this beautifully fragrant spice. Santal Calling immediately became my most treasured, ride or die “🩴🪵” scent, and while I have other lovely ones, this one has yet to be dethroned by any other—that includes Serge Luten’s Santal Majuscule AND Tom Ford’s Santal Blush. I never thought I’d find a santal fragrance that could eclipse either of those, yet here she is. Santal Calling is creamy and ethereal. It’s powdery, yet silky and sheer. Sweet, almost honeyed, but buoyant, and not cloying in the slightest. And hallelujah, can I get an amen?!— not a single sour pickle note anywhere, just smooth velvety goodness (suck it, Santal 33!). Something about the sparkling floral sweetness in the opening notes reminds me of a combination of a crisp, hoppy pale ale 🍺, a very plush rose, and rich pipe tobacco, and I was initially surprised to see nothing like those notes listed. Something about the powdery iris and nutmeg blending with the deep sweetness of the bourbon vanilla maybe🤔🤷🏻 It’s for certain I don’t know, but man, I just dig it! Plenty of milky “👡🪵” type frags abound out there. I even have some of them and I adore them all...but Santal Calling is truly unique. This scent is SO beautiful. Santal Calling is a fantastic olfactory example in balance. Nothing is overdone here. Every facet works in harmony with each other. And while flip-flop wood is obviously the star, the whole composition is so well blended, the effect is of a main note that’s cushioned and softly highlighted instead of brashly spotlighted.This is the most projective and long lasting thong-log scent I currently own. The scent trail it leaves behind me is gorgeous and the longevity is great. I get about 8 solid hours of wear (something that rarely happens with my skin) before I feel any true need to refresh. All throughout the day, whenever I walk and move a hand or arm, I get delicious whiffs of this. Even when I’m able to procure a bottle at a discounted rate, it’s pricey ($245 for a 1.7oz bottle on the company website). A full or nearly full flacon can be found for a pretty decent lower price, but when you find it, you gotta nab it immediately, because this stuff gets bought up FAST. The lowest price I have paid for a nearly full 1.7oz bottle is $185 (Mercari). So yeah, it’s expensive...but with the exceptional performance, very little is required for touch up in a day’s wear, so...it’s worth it!

Mysore sandalwood is one of my favourite notes, its rich, smooth, nutty woodiness sadly relegated to vintage scents as its use has since been forbidden. I have tried many modern sandalwood scents, and find most to be quite harsh. Australian sandalwood, the modern alternative to Mysore, is thinner and harsher, and needs "massaging" in order to smell good to my nose, not to mention javanol or other lab-created alternatives. Santal Calling achieves a smooth sandalwood accord, thanks to the inclusion of lactonic and powdery notes. SC is a sandalwood-dominant scent from initial spray, bold and woody, but pleasantly smooth. It smells undeniably like Australian sandalwood to me, but without the harshness. Nutmeg adds warm, biscuit-like spice, complementing sandalwood nicely. The milk note follows, subtle but adding creamy smoothness that succeeds in tempering the sandalwood. As it develops, some powdery iris creeps in - always a welcome inclusion for me. It is relegated to the background however - sandalwood is king here. There is a soft, musky undertone too that becomes evident as SC progresses - also keeping things soft while allowing the sandalwood to shine. SC fades to a dry, woody skin scent, with powdery vanilla adding a hint of sweetness to the drydown. Sillage is moderate and longevity is long-lasting. It is unisex in my opinion, a transeasonal daytime scent. A smooth, rounded, refined sandalwood with iris and lactonic nuances, I am very impressed with SC. A versatile, high-quality scent that exudes sophistication, this was a pleasant surprise for me. The best modern sandalwood I've tried in a very long time 4.5/5.

Is the smell of this scent revolutionary? Something you've never smelled before? No. BUT it is one of the best executions of this scent profile. I see it compared to Santal 33 here, and I see in comments people are likening it to The Noir 29, and I totally get both comparisons. It straddles somewhere in the middle, but still has distinct differences from either. On a side note, I have to say I've smelled a few scents that are frequently compared to The Noir 29 - (Ourside Dusk, Abyssae from L'Artisan, etc...) and I really love all of them. I think its a scent profile I enjoy and the iterations and nuances of new releases are different enough that I don't mind it. This is another example of that. You can see where inspiration was drawn, but it's different enough. Imagine the creamy lactonic (but distinctly sandalwood feel) of something like Milky Musk (I say Milky Musk vs Santal 33 bc to me it's much creamier than Santal), mixed with that resonant and familiar The Noir-esque aroma you can discern in The Noir, Dusk, Abyssae etc. It's in here too. TL;DR - if you like I do, enjoy describing scents like movie pitches: a milky, frothy, creamy, iris-y, sandalwood-y version the noir 29. Or a more soft floral, tealike, gently spicy Milky Musk. So wearable; so stunning. It feels periwinkle.

Woah... this is one of if not my favorite sandalwood I've smelled to date. It is my first time smelling a milk accord like this one and I find it so realistic and beautifully creamy, blows my mind how well it goes with sandalwood. It leans more feminine but as a sandalwood lover I am absolutely wearing this. The slight touches of vanilla and nutmeg reminded me of sweet condensed milk, reminds me of when I made tres leches cake. Don't get me wrong it is not gourmand at all, there is absolutely no sweetness in this in fact it's more on the powdery side it just gave me that association when I was thinking about the concept of smelling milk and if that is an appealing smell at all, and in that context and in this fragrance, it easily is. It just works. It seems so simple and effortless with how luxurious that sandalwood is, the milky take on it, and the blending I just get a truly premium experience. It feels truly special to me. I love when a fragrance feels worthwhile. I love when the quality matches the marketing. I am an Ex Nihilo fan from now on.

I ordered the 7.5ml traveler of Santal Calling just to try it out. I have many Ex Nihilo bottles and a few other travelers and decants, and I figured Santal Calling was next on my list. I sprayed it once on my wrist and damn- this fragrance was projecting off my arm like crazy for hours- off a single spray! I loved it. Whenever I moved my arm, I would get a whiff and I thought I was smelling something else, something I sprayed earlier that day, but lo and behold, it was the Santal. The scent was light, sweet, woody, and wonderful. The single spray lasted hours. It reminded me of Bond No 9 Governors Island a lot (even though they don't share the same notes) sort of like an oak or chestnut cabinet, or pencil shavings in the best way possible. The sandalwood scent, which I'm normally not a fan of (I'm looking at you Santal 33) is one of the BEST sandalwood scents I've ever come across. I can't wait to give this a full wearing so I can get that scent bubble and detect more of the notes, and I really can't wait to get a full bottle of this one.

wow; this is stunning, and i was blown away by it on first sniff. creamy, sweety, iris-sy goodness, with a dash of green spice from the nutmeg. it's beautiful - it has a cold, otherworldly, alien scent of the iris & milk, combined with a cosy, comforting, familiar hug of musk, vanilla and sandalwood. the sandalwood is gorgeous - so smooth, opulent and rich. i'd overall classify it as a very pretty and clean scent, though a lactonic, iris-forward take on clean, rather than a floral. soapy, powdery one like diptyque's fleur de peau edp (another instant love of mine). the longevity is impressive - it wraps you up in a comforting, soft hug all day long. this is exactly my type of perfume that is also beautifully crafted. i've started sampling some other fragrances from ex nihilo and have been thoroughly impressed by them as well - there's something about how their fragrances settle and develop on skin that is just so smooth, they're experiences as well as perfumes. 10/10, i went and purchased the full bottle after first wear!

A very pretty sandalwood ideal for early spring or autumn. Shines in sunny but chill days. To me it is perfectly unisex (and I tend to rate a lot of unisex fragrances as a little masculine). I can't say anything about the pickle scent, because sandalwood doesn't give that note to my nose. But it is a little peppery, earthy. It is creamy without being too sweet or lactonic (I would have love a little more pronounced lactonic profile). Smells similar to Guidance's drydown, but Santal Calling is way more toned down, more wearable, airier, lighter. It is a very pretty, elegant and calming scent. I wish it projected and lasted a little longer (taking it price into account), but it is one of the prettiest sandalwood out there. To add: The sandalwood note is similar to Santal Basmati's: clean, creamy, a little fresh too, a little smoky. So interesting.

This is my first niche fragrance and I really like it although I'm a man, the opening is very harsh alcohol smell which is awful but after a few minutes it turn into this really pleasant almost body odor scent in a good way, in the opening you can definitely smell that nutmeg alongside with the powdery milk alongside and iris with hint of the sandalwood base note, the dry down you still get that milk and iris but the sandalwood note and vanilla note is very amplify which make it almost like a vanilla milk lol.This is definitely a more refine, elegant and classy scent For me I would say that this is a more feminine leaning scent which many others would agree, but I definitely think that anyone can wear this for any occasion and you definitely be unique when wearing this. I haven't try it on skin but on paper it definitely last about 6 hours

This one holds such a special place in my heart ... not just for how beautiful it smells, but because of the memory attached to it. I was invited to the launch of Blue Talisman at Maison des Parfums, one of the most exquisite niche fragrance boutiques in India. And in the middle of all that sparkle, I was gifted Santal Calling by Mr. Benoît Verdier himself. They even engraved the bottle for me ... i still feel so happy thinking about it ... The scent? It’s like being kissed softly on the forehead by someone you trust. Nutmeg milk, iris, vanilla, sandalwood, and musk ... it’s creamy, comforting, and elegant beyond words. A perfect balance of warmth and gentleness. I feel embraced by love every time I wear it. This isn’t just perfume. It’s a memory, a feeling, a whisper of grace. – Bhavna Darira Chesan

WOW! What a beautiful floral take on sandalwood. Right off the bat I get florals, not very much nutmeg or spicy notes (which, frankly I’m glad). Then a creamy sandalwood emerges that’s smoothly blended with iris. If you’re looking for a very woody sandalwood dominant fragrance, this one might not be it. To my nose it’s almost 50/50 sandalwood/iris. I can see where some might think this is feminine leaning, as iris can come off lipsticky, but I think it’s perfectly balanced here with sandalwood and milk that it can be unisex. I really don’t see the comparison to Santal 33 at all. Santal 33 is much more mossy, leathery, musky, where Santal Calling is floral, creamy, and powdery. This is immediately going on my wishlist.

I absolutely fell in love with Santa Calling by Ex Nihilo. The scent is simply irresistible—there’s something about it that’s hard to put into words, just incredibly delicious and addictive in the most elegant way. It has that kind of aura that makes you want to keep smelling yourself throughout the day. If I had to mention one thing, I do wish the projection were a bit stronger. The fragrance is so beautiful that it deserves to be noticed more—it’s almost too good to stay so close to the skin. That said, I’m already obsessed, and I genuinely hope Ex Nihilo releases an extrait version in the future. This scent has so much potential to become something truly unforgettable with just a bit more intensity.

Beautiful Sandalwood Alert 📣 Santal Calling aims to modernize the Santal 33 domain. The Ex Nihilo is much more elegant in the opening, and evolves into a creamy sandalwood. The experience feels very soft and luxurious. There's moderate sillage, and definite trail, well past the 3-4 hour mark. Highly recommend, but I wouldn't spend this dough if I already had Santal 33, which I do. They're barely similar. no “dill"/leather in the in Santal Calling. the milkiness instead is still so, so good as a replacement, and it's definitely the more modern option. however, may not have the same legs and complexity as Santal 33 🤤 this is definitely a must try! 8.5 or 9/10+

Creamy, very lightly sweetened and spiced, beautiful sandalwood fragrance. Love at first sniff! I love that it's warmed up with vanilla rather than amber, since I sometimes feel like amber just takes over a perfume. I got a tester of this, put two healthy sprays on my hand to check it out, then about 20 minutes later I went outside to meet the UPS guy who was about to bring a package up to my house. It was a windy day, and as he was handing me the package he said, "oh man, you smell SO GOOD! What are you wearing?!" Then he wrote down the name for his girlfriend. And that after just two sprays on my hand on a windy day. I'm gonna need a full bottle.

Very nice. Smooth, sweet, milky and elegant. Opens with a beautiful lightly sweet, sandalwood and real milk note. Leans feminine for sure. It's in the midtone area. So not light and airy but not deep and heavy. The iris is very light and well blended. You have to really close your eyes and smell to notice it. It has good projection and longevity, it's pretty unique. How a niche should be. Only slight negative is it's linear. if you like milky lactonic Frags- this is great. I personally don't like this DNA....but that said; this is bottle worthy. Ex Nihlo is a great niche brand. I find their quality to be top tier.

This is a very balanced and incredibly precisely composed sandalwood scent. I don't see vetiver anywhere in the fragrance notes, but I smell it very dominantly, which gives it a refreshing character. Not harsh, just softly enveloping you like a light muslin scarf. I read that someone called it Intelligent Chic, which, whatever that means, I can absolutely agree with. I don't get many compliments on it, but I've noticed that when I wear it, people like to sit closer or lean close to me. (Which is typically my reaction too when someone else smells good. :) Sillage is great, and two sprays last the entire day on me.

This is one of the best perfumes I Have ever smelled. It is like a warm hug which is sexy and mysterious at the same time. It has a very slight smokeness to it when sprayed that disappeared afterwards to leave a sweet but classic smell lingering. I cannot stop smelling it, truly addicted to it. I also get so many compliments with it. It is a more intimate smell in that sense since the projection is not amazing, which happens sometimes with very sandalwood centered scents. It is classic and elegant, I could see myself wearing this for the rest of my life. So in love with it.

This fragrance is a true masterpiece. The nutmeg, milk, and iris exist in remarkable harmony, blending together with effortless elegance. I can hardly recall such a naturally beautiful woody scent that feels so authentic and never synthetic. It has excellent longevity, yet its sillage remains refined. By the way, I don’t keep many sandalwood fragrances in my collection, most of them feel a bit boring to me. For me, this fragrance isn’t particularly beautiful because of the sandalwood, but rather because of the other ingredients.

Gorgeous sandalwood perfume that immediately goes on my want list! I get strong and beautiful sandalwood right from the beginning. Smells milky and like iris, reminding me of Iris Porcelana with more pronounced wood. Certainly a good dose of musk, but I don’t notice any nutmeg or vanilla. Reminds me of many sandalwood fragrances I love like Milky Musk, Radio Bombay, Santal 33, Molecule 4. All of those have subtle differences, but a similar sandalwood profile. Sillage is great. One spray to the wrists last the entire day on me.

For me Santal Calling is the scent of a luxurious woman ✨ It has a beautiful woody-milky and slightly powdery sandalwood note, delicately sweetened with vanilla, which adds softness to the fragrance. 🥂 The spice of nutmeg is beautifully woven into it, giving the scent a sensation similar to champagne bubbles that slightly tickle the nose. As for the projection, the fragrance has a strong sillage, especially in autumn when it’s humid and cool. On my warm skin, the scent lasts for 7-8 hours, 🕰️ which is quite impressive!

Embarking on an olfactory journey with this, drawn by my fondness for Santal 33 (in its sublime perfume oil iteration). Now, utterly captivated, Santal Calling ascends to the throne of my signature scent. A curious phenomenon: it seems to grace the senses of all around me, yet eludes my own perception. But perhaps this is the way of new fragrances, a gradual awakening of the senses. If Santal 33 embodies edgy modernity, then Santal Calling evokes the timeless elegance of Grace Kelly at her most refined.