Santalum

I tried this fragrance at a local boutique, and couldn't stop thinking about it for the week following. When I returned the next weekend they were sold out, let me know that Fiele's website was also sold out, and graciously sold me their tester bottle. I owe them my life for that, as Santalum is one of the best sandalwoods I have ever experienced. From initial spritz to drydown Santalum is incredibly creamy. The woods are wet (as compared to other sandalwoods that are usually dried/incense adjacent) and clean, like sun-soaked branches washed onto the shore. The sweetness of the vanillas aren't trying to be the star of the show - rather a rich, fresh vanilla bean compliment. Beautiful - the warm white florals gracefully pair with what Fiele has listed on their site as an "espresso musk" to create a sensual coffee breath scent (never though sensual and coffee breath would be said in the same sentence lol). Tobacco/fire ash cuts through to round everything together. Putting on an old cabin blanket, sitting next to the fireplace while someone smokes a pipe, drinking decaf coffee after chopping wood all day. This is a fragrance I want to wear for my entire life! Fiele is great house to keep an eye on, the other scents I sampled at the boutique were also beautiful, even though Santalum stole the show.

This is gorgeous, I pick up a creamy sandalwood and citrus note in the opening. It’s so creamy it feels tropical, like there’s a soft coconut note in here even though it’s not listed. Santalum is not linear, it changes to a more dominant Jasmine-tonka-vanilla gourmand (if there is such a thing?) in the middle. The oud note is in the background, almost undetectable but it’s what gives this scent legs: a long life on my dry skin means very good performance. Oddly I feel this is all season appropriate. I can easily imagine wearing this in the tropics as well as cold weather. In fact, it’s light so I would love to fall asleep in Santalum’s cloud of yumminess. Edit: I love this so much. High quality Sandalwood from New Caledonia makes this scent feel so warm and pretty.

I've worn this 5 times before reviewing. One reason is: it's difficult to detect. When I use a heavier hand it projects more, but truth be told it is a skin scent (as in, nose to skin in order to detect scent) But I do like it. This is a 'metallic, dry woody' to me. Almost as if a vein of copper is running through it. A West-Coast, free spirit vein meant for those who may have gone skinny dipping once or twice (or who have lost count...) I can't see this fragrance offending anyone (indeed, should anyone detect it on you). I echo thewaterlog below, this house deserves more attention. This is the first of 7 samples that I'll be reviewing, so i"m dong my part.

WOW, WOW, WOW I think this is my favorite floral sandalwood! I can’t get enough of this, it’s beautiful. It’s perdominatly a creamy sandalwood, but the soft Jasmin and creamy orris root puts this one over the top for me! I know in the comments people state it doesn’t last or project and on my skin it’s just the opposite it last a good 8 hours. I’m excited to try more from this brand! Beautiful🌼

This is such a beautiful fragrance from a brand that, I think, deserves much more attention for it's quality. It reminds me of my years living in California, a bohemian vibe but leaning more sophisticated than crunchy granola. Good projection without being cloying, and solid longevity. This is pleasant without being sterile, and has just enough grit to keep it from being too safe.

This is one of the loveliest sandalwood fragrances I know. It does not last very long, but it is definitely a pleasure to wear, day or night. Lately Fiele has released Zingiber, a ginger bomb that is not yet listed on Fragrantica. Very nice too! (Though I must say, all of their fragrances are very pleasant.)

I’m so in love with this, I’ve nearly finished the bottle. This was my first introduction to sandalwood. The orris makes this feel like rich old lady in an incredibly sexy way.

Fiele loves a bold, florid, indolic jasmine, and that note understandably divides reviewers. It's a note I've come to appreciate, and it adds an elegant, elevated facet to a fragrance that might otherwise smell somewhat 20th century music festival-ish (no disrespect meant to 20th century music festivals or their scents). The piercing indols aren't particularly long lasting, though, and when it mellows after an hour or so, what you're left with is a smooth, almost whipped sandalwood soufflé. It has a dessert-like quality, sweet, warm, and comforting. At the same time, it doesn't feel season-specific. I do wish the coffee note was a bit more prominent since a touch of bitterness would nicely compliment the scent's sweetness. But overall this is stunning.

A wonderful surprise: I didn't know a sandalwood-forward scent could be an intimate skin scent. I am incredibly picky with sandalwood fragrances. Most are way too overpowering: too intense, nose-tingly, headache-inducing. Somehow this fragrance is light and remains close to you. It's beautiful for layering. Lasts a lot longer than you would except. If you're looking for a sandalwood bomb, this is not it. It's subtle and lovely. I also love jasmine and orris so the combo really does remind you of clean, sun-warmed skin. My favorite fragrance I've found this year. Edit October 2024: Still a great scent, just stopped reaching for it. Ended up selling it.

I love fiele, particularly Juniperus & Pogostemon, but this was incredibly boring and stale for me. Not offended, this is just how I found out I'm not all that crazy about sandalwood.

On me this comes through as a sugar bomb with a slight white floral accord. It doesn’t last a long time at all, but I don’t want to smell like candied jasmine anyway. Don’t get me wrong— I love jasmine, but I was hoping for dry sandalwood, not saccharine jasmine. Take this review with a grain of salt because my skin tends to pull scents sweet in general, but this is so in-your-face sugared on me that I can’t smell anything else. I’ll pass my sample along to someone who’ll enjoy it more. Fiele in general is lovely, as are all of Capsule Parfumerie’s brands.

both the sandalwood in here and in Boswellia come off very cardboard esque, which sucks because the fragrance is otherwise enjoyable as it’s an airy and light sweet jasmine with wispy tobacco and subtle vanilla. The sandalwood just sorta ruins everything for me here, and that’s annoying as an avid sandalwood lover

I found this randomly when I recently visited the MOCA's gift shop in DTLA. Spritzed some on my wrist and was pleasantly surprised. The sandalwood and jasmine notes were beautifully divine and the scent lasted on my skin for the majority of the day.

I sampled this today on a deadly cold afternoon in January. In the shop I smelled sandal, civet and some gentle sweetness and jasmine. Really nice, niche ingredients. Funny that civet is not mentioned in the pyramid. Would have sworn. Love it!