Sandalwood Cologne

Sandalwood. It's so natural for olfactory daydreams of Rudyard Kipling’s armpits to spring to mind. The usual associations we all share of Mr Kipling as editor of the Times of India at the height of the British Raj in the late 1880s; his hands smudged with printing press ink, the stale air around his sweating back and arm pits heavy with an overly sweet and cloying perfume of sandalwood, as his punka-wallah servant chews vanilla pods after munching his oniony saag aloo whilst pulling on a large calico ceiling fan using just two toes of his remaining one leg. Yes, so easy to form such generalisations about sandalwood. Why then did I decide to part with 43 guineas at Mr Trumpers esteemed barbershop in St. James? In part it was due to something of an epiphany whilst entering the sullen bunker of Tower Hill Underground station on Tuesday at around a quarter past eight in the morning. A tall swarthy chap with rubber soled leather shoes, an Arsenal football shirt and cheap looking short hair (vainly sculpted into hardened gel spikes), swept past me with an odour that would at the very best be described as reminiscent of an inferior composition of sandalwood (from some dreadful pharmacy body spray that young real estate agents prefer), and at the very worst, should be described as the testicular odour of a boar (a wild pig, if you will) whose pendulous scrotum has been dragged back and forth across the rough bark of the sandalwood tree in an effort to scratch an itch which cannot be appeased with pig's trotters. Struck by this aggressive testosterone fuelled sandalwood, I immediately froze to the spot as Londoners hurriedly jostled by me like ferrets down a rabbit warren. The reason for my consternation? It occurred to me, with a creeping dread, that I did not own a single sandalwood based cologne. Thus the following Friday, I resolutely resolved to obtain said cologne from Trumpers (whilst picking up a tube of rose shaving cream for my imminent holiday in Tobago). I sprayed the back of my hand in the boutique and with my voice cracking in urgency, I confirmed my intention to purchase a small atomizer of it. For the entire journey home on the underground, ignoring the bizarre looks of fellow passengers, I repeatedly raised my hand to my nose and deeply inhaled the powdery arboreal scent like a man sucking in oxygen on Mount Everest and mumbled aloud my thoughts on its composition: “floating notes of carnation ...and jasmine plucking the strings of the sandalwood like a cello, the vanilla dancing.... only to quietly fade... into the embracing petals of the rose”. This was indeed just as Mr Trumper promised on his packaging, a superior cologne from a place called “Mysore” (wherever on earth that is in India, probably a high end department store for high-net-worth upper-caste Brahmins without an outcast in sight). Immediately I was transported to the Kiplinesque Story of “The Man who would be King”, a tale of India, Afghanistan and Kafirestan where Peachy Carnehan and Daniel Dravott set out to be Kings in the days of Queen Victoria and the British Empire – immortalized in John Huston’s classic Movie from 1974 starring Connery and Caine. So there I was, smouldering with sandalwood, sauntering around like a British Sargeant Major of the Raj, a King amongst commoners. That night, alone as usual, I ordered a home delivery from the Bengal Clipper, and as I opened my door, the waft of chicken madras and pappadoms greeted me. I was suitably Victorian in my sandalwood inspired British tones as I demanded to know from the delivery boy on my doorstep as to when the Tiger hunting season was to begin, before sending him away with a harsh word and a cuff around the head and certainly without a tip. Ahhhhhh....dining alone. Warm sensual Sandalwood and an imperious cold uptight arrogant manner – Hoorah! Another first for Britain!

The first thing to note about this fragrance is it is sweet (and I mean properly sweet)! It becomes marginally less so later on in the dry-down, but it still retains a creaminess. So, the opening: Think of upending a lemon sherbert straw (for those of you the right age to remember and have partaken in such things) whilst simultaneously opening cans of heavily shaken cream soda and old fashioned lemonade in a slightly sawdusty room whilst someone nearby applies some hairspray. If that sounds busy, that's because it is. It's not subtle either. This is very easy to overspray, and if you do then everyone within your half of the house will know about it for a good 5 minutes after you've passed through. The sillage on this within the first 45 minutes is pretty huge. After that it fades to a much closer scent, becoming a skin scent (on my skin anyway) after about 1.5 - 2 hours and staying that way until around the 6 or 7 hour mark, after which it's more of an indistinct aura. Once the opening dies down a bit, it becomes more like an echo of the opening, with all the business still discernible but slightly less full-on, and with the lemon and vanilla very much to the fore, the herbs and spices acting as a subtle undercurrent, the florals wafting gently through and a slightly sawdusty and creamy sandalwood both underpinning and somehow interwoven through everything. For me it stays much like this until the very end of the dry-down when it becomes a very smooth, pale sandalwood with a hint of vanilla. As you can probably tell, I really enjoy this scent. It makes me think of a warm and bright clear blue midday in late May or early June, somewhere with a gentle breeze and plenty of sun-baked (but not dry) grass, maybe in the south of England. That said, it's not without its problems. I often wish the longevity was slightly better, its definitely a more mature (although not necessarily dated) scent, and I can see why some people either only like it or actively dislike it, as I can imagine the bold jumbled opening and overall sweetness may not be to everyone's taste. If compliments are your thing, I'd say you may want to try something a bit more mainstream as this is unlikely to pull them in by the shedload. You may want to try and sample it rather than blind buy it, because while it's not the most expensive it's also certainly not the cheapest either. For the price though, I think you'd be very hard pressed to find something either as unique or as obviously high quality as this, and if my description above has made you go "Ooh, I like the sound of that" then I'd definitely recommend getting you nose on this sometime between now and next summer, ideally in the spring.

Geo F Trumper Sandalwood cologne is probably the best sandalwood fragrance I've ever had, owned, or smelt! Right off the bat, I can tell you that this is a masterpiece that easily deserves a 10/10. Geo F Trumper Sandalwood cologne is elegant, refined, aristocratic, and luxurious. Despite its name, it's not really a "cologne." The "cologne" designation is probably there for marketing purposes to evoke an era gone by. In reality, Geo F. Trumper Sandalwood Cologne behaves more like an eau de parfum, which lasts easily on my skin for 7-10 hours, with an excellent and outstanding sillage and projection the first hour. One of the most versatile fragrances available today on the market. Can be used in the summer heat, can easily be worn by a CEO in a boardroom, can indeed be used for clubbing, night outs, and romantic dinners, can indeed be used and worn by politicians and real royalty, and can absolutely be worn on Christmas Day. Very versatile, can be used day and night, formal, semi-formal, and informal events, and all four seasons. How would I describe Geo F. Trumper Sandalwood Cologne to a person who has never smelled it before? It's light, airy, fresh, floral, citrusy, watery, positive, and upbeat, yet has some depth to it, owing to the sandalwood, spices, vanilla, and leather. It's light, airy, and "fluffy" yet "creamy," sweet, and woody at the same time—if that description makes any sense. It's luxurious and regal, yet versatile enough to be worn on an everyday basis. In the top notes you have lavender, citruses, and spices; in the middle notes you have roses and other floral notes; and at the base you have sandalwood, vanilla, and leather. Basically I'd call Geo F Trumper Sandalwood Cologne a citrusy, floral, light, watery, and spicy sandalwood-vanilla scent with a prominent leather note. It's a very affordable niche scent that punches well above its price point and can easily compete with the very best niche fragrances from storied niche houses such as Creed, Penhaligon's, Floris, Acqua di Parma, and Houbigant. A signature-worthy scent and a masterpiece! Final score: 10/10.

Trumper Sandalwood is a very classy, very elegant fragrance - it feels like luxury in a bottle, with powerhouse performance. The name is a reminder of the days when ladies wore perfume whereas gentlemen wore cologne, as this is a veritable "Gentleman's Cologne" with the potency of an eau de parfum rather than an eau de cologne . A pedigreed gentleman’s cologne built on Indian Sandalwood, the preferred fragrance of Victorian gentlemen that conjures the image of the Raj from the days when the sun never set on the British Empire. The presentation is a stylish homage to the heritage of this beautiful George Trumper cologne. Trumper Sandalwood is fairly linear - as soon as it’s applied it presents as a sophisticated blend of notes that persists over its many hours of longevity with a slightly sweet, spicy, woody dry down. As others have pointed out there is definitely a resemblance to vintage Chanel Egoïste. Trumper Sandalwood features an exquisitely beautiful, rich, traditional Mysore Sandalwood note, in a blend. Unlike, say, Villoresi Sandalo or Lutens Santal de Mysore, which emphasise sandalwood and really bring it to the fore in what evolves as a kind of olfactory tribute - the sandalwood in Trumper remains part of the orchestra, like a violinist in a symphony - you can hear the violin within the music but it never takes the spotlight to perform a solo. The symphony, however, is nothing short of magnificent. Best applied sparingly at first, as it is very potent, and its longevity is nothing short of legendary: In Winter it easily lasts eight hours on my skin. Surprisingly versatile too - it’s friendly and work-safe (if applied with moderation) but also romantic and seductive. Trumper Sandalwood feels like a niche fragrance of superlative quality and considering how much bang you get for your buck, it really is excellent value.

Breaking down the four main elements I get from this fragrance. They all blend together quite nicely. 1. SPICES - This is a soft spice. A bit similar in style to Five O’Clock Au Gingembre from Serge Lutens in the opening. It is almost cozy spicy rather than blistering or pungent. And I get the impression of maybe nutmeg or cinnamon. 2. CITRUS - The citrus here isn’t overtly juicy. Rather, it is a nice lemony glue to accentuate and brighten the main scent profile. 3. FLORALS - The presence of lavender and a bouquet of other fresh florals provides the airy aromatic freshness of the fragrance. I have to say I don’t quite smell any rose. (There are probably people here who know more about specific flower smells than me.) 4. WOODY BASE - Oh God, it is really nice. Give it some time to come out! It gets better, and better, and better, and better as it dries. Its like a fat greasy sandalwood that smells so opulent and sweet; yet still remains civilized and respectful. Amber and leather is listed as well. I don’t get any resinous or animalic notes from this, really. I would hesitate to put this in an ambery or leather category. Rather, this is a fresh aromatic gentlemanly fragrance with a sweetened creamy base of luxurious and realistic pale woods. You could classify this as an oriental fougere. Leans toward the mature masculine direction but I think it is still easy wearing. Can elevate this to a suit and tie but just as easily wear with a clean white t shirt. Classy yes, pompous no. This is top shelf stuff. Smells like it was made by someone who really cares. 9.1/10

Ok... After spending quite some time with this fragrance now I am going to attempt to give it what it deserves... This is a hidden gem that many just don't know exists... It is WONDERFUL stuff... I will make a couple comparisons in this little write up... This fragrance to me basically sits shoulder to shoulder between Chanel's Egoiste and Egoiste Cologne Concentree... All 3 scents are very similar and I have all 3 sprayed on me right now... Going back and forth between the three (and a bag of coffee ^_^) think of them like this... Egoiste has way more of a rose feel to it then the other two combined and because of that I feel skews more formal... Geo F Trumper's Sandalwood has this 'freshness' early in the composition that the other two do not possess and has more vanilla in the base then normal Egoiste and because of these two points I feel that while still mature it is by far the easiest to wear... Egoiste Cologne Concentree has more cinnamon early on and this 'dustiness' to it that is hard to explain. Think about the 'dusty' feel you get from L'Air du Desert Marocain and you will understand what I am talking about and it skews even more sophisticated because of this... All 3 are wonderful fragrances and as time goes on they come closer together with Sandalwood and Cologne Concentree becoming the closest to each other by the final drydown... Sniff them all out if you have a chance to find out which you prefer as they are all stunning... 10/10

I totally agree with the Egoiste comparisons. There are a lot of similarities there but... Trumper's Sandalwood feels like a more prim and proper cousin to Egoiste. The spices in Trumper's composition give a real polished vibe, while with Egoiste there is a slightly animalic and earthy element with its amber musk and coriander notes. Egoiste comes off more cigarettes, leather jackets and beers with chasers all night, to Trumper's Sandalwood's long jacket, driving gloves, smoking pipe and proper pours at the local. To put it simply, I own both and love them equally but with a discerning nose you can tell which fragrance works in certain social situations. I will end the comparison rant there. Trumpers Sandalwood is spices (no one spice dominates), wood and leather (the patchouli only bolsters the leather note, this fragrance stays woody and never veers earthy), blended to perfection. This is a cologne that is built for autumn and winter and performs like a champion in a cold air. There are no performance issues with Trumper's Sandalwood and it works even better with body heat, so apply on the pulse points and on the chest. This is a fragrance that can be worn in the office or out on the town for leisure. Trumper's Sandalwood dresses up or down and is perfect for the 30 and up crowd. Give Trumper's Sandalwood a few sprays when true down time is punctuated with a bit of sartorial decadence.

What else can I say about Geo F. Trumper Sandalwood other than to agree with so many others and publicly state that it is a fantastic creamy sandalwood fragrance, with subtle hints of other woods, all wrapped in blissfully dapper aromatic tones. It is signature scent worthy, for sure! This cologne elicits a gentleman's confidence & charisma, evokes thoughts of professionalism, and exudes a feeling of subtle charm. All-in-all just a wonderful signature scent for the man in charge, who knows it, yet puts the needs of his team first and foremost; the type of man who succeeds by developing his people and letting them take the credit for their successes. Although a very different fragrance--to me at least--it is on-par (quality wise) with Chanel Egoiste, which is the other truly SUPERIOR designer sandalwood fragrance in my Scent Armory. What else can that hasn't already been said about this little gem? It's just a gorgeous men's sandalwood cologne. Performance is solid in that I get an honest 6-hours and projects moderately on my skin, which is actually quite perfect for this type of fragrance. Trumper Sandalwood is not a compliment magnet...instead, it is perfectly suited for a day in the office, attending church, or going to a more formal dinner event. It can be worn any season, but I find that it is most appropriate during the Spring-Fall and during the daytime.

Finally getting around to this one...a real favorite, though it's a bit of an oddity among sandalwood scents. This one took the throne of Egoiste a while back among my sweet wood scents because it didn't have as much harsh blast at the beginning, and seemed slightly more masculine. It's one of those fragrances where the alcohol fumes cover up the first of the top notes, but then they break through: sharp citrus, dry herbs and spices. (This stage lasts for longer on tissue paper than on my usual cloth, where it's brief enough to be inconsequential.) As that fades, more sweet wood comes into play; it's initially a bit medicinal from the remaining herbs, but becoming warmer and creamier. Here begins the stage that most people refer to: a sublimely smooth, mellow, soothing sandalwood/vanilla mix, just slightly soapy, and without the twangy edge that a lot of straight sandalwoods have. Compared to their other offerings, it lasts for an eternity and stays strong all day. I also agree that it's not that different from their Spanish Leather, which lies between this or Egoiste and a sweet herbal leather like Bel Ami. And if Original Vetiver can be good without having much vetiver, then I won't criticize this one for not being a pure, hard-core sandalwood.

One of my best discoveries in fragrance. Scent, quality and performance are excellent. The opening is a blast of rough spices; peppered all over deep woods. It's very dense, and feels like a battle between warm, smooth sandalwood and fiery spices. After a while, the vanilla starts to come through, adding more warmth and a bit of sweetness to the cologne. At this point, the patchouli and leather become noticeable. Of course, the gorgeous sandalwood is present throughout. No roughness remains; just sophisticated smoothness until the very end. It is elegant yet masculine, exuding a very clean feel with its slightly soapy nuances. The quality is extraordinary in Sandalwood Cologne. I would not guess the price is as low as it is; easily beating most sandalwood-based fragrances that are 3-4x its price. On top of the fine quality, it's also blended beautifully. Performance-wise, 2 sprays of this beauty does it for me. 12+ hours of longevity, projecting very nicely in the cold for about 3-4 hours. Excellent performance, especially considering it's an EdC. Refined masculine masterpiece.

My most favourite sandalwood fragrance to date. I discovered it whilst I was searching for an alternative to Chanel Platinum Egoiste. Chanel PE starts off with very dark woods almost like polished mahogany and eventually settles to an irresistible sandalwood rose combination. Sandalwood Cologne opens up with a pungent spicy lavender accord, reminiscent to a typical fougere. Thankfully, it settles rather quickly to a buttery and slightly salty sandalwood accord with hints of rose and other florals as well as leather in the background. Performance on this is great, it projects for at least 3 hours before coming in close and I can smell it clearly on clothes the next day. This one is clearly the stronger performer of the two. You would have to have them side by side to tell them apart but I do agree that this one is more polished and PE slightly more rough due to the woods. It would suit any male 20 years and up dressed casual or smart. I can see it being used in all seasons apart from the hottest of summer days. Overall 9/10.

Really nice fragrance. As many have said, it's a sweet, lemony, creamy sandalwood. Great bargain and totally unisex. My only complaint is with the cap. I don't care about presentation usually. The thing is so flimsy and cheap it's almost embarrassing. One thing I would like to add is in regard to people saying it smells like egoiste. It has a similar vanilla/rose/sandalwood dry down, so it's certainly fair. I haven't smelled egoiste in a few years, but I remember it being heavy, sticky, and vanillic. The Geo F. Trumper wears much lighter and is citrus-forward by comparison. The overall vibe of the fragrances are very different, even while having similar notes. If you want egoiste, don't think this is a cheaper copy or anything like that.

Absolutely superb. Citrusy top, floral heart, creamy woody base. I smelt this as a teenager in the Trumper store on Curzon while I was getting my first ever wet shave (a present from my step mother). I knew something smelt incredible but couldn't figure out what it was exactly (they store so many scents/creams on the shelves by the shaving and hairdressing section). I got a sample of this years later in my twenties, and knew immediately that this was the smell I was trying to figure out. It was such an incredible rush of nostalgia. Although Rive gauche/beau de jour/Paisley/champ d'influence are more stereotypically barbershop shaving cream scents, sandalwood will always be my quintessential barbershop scent. Overall: 9.5/10.

have tested some of this out, this is an outstanding sandalwood fragrance I am enjoying this one quite a bit, elegant comes to mind I can see why all the love on this fragrance, not too heavy though. one I may buy. another sandalwood to check out is the art of shaving's sandalwood cologne ,I don't see it in fragrantica's data base, that is also a marvelous one to consider if you like sandalwood fragrances, it smells wonderful to me, I think it would wonderful as a splash as well that you apply liberally and not be over the top.. the art of shaving's has more of a classic men's fragrance to me. but both are excellent sandalwoods for my taste.

Old School, yes, but old school like Sean Connery being voted Sexiest-Man-Alive -when-he-was-60 old school. The blend is perfectly aristocratic, genteel, sophisticated, and yet manages not to feel stuffy or dated. It comes across as sharp, almost astringent, when first sprayed but soon smooths out into a warm spicy, floral, woody blend that is heavenly. This would be a great one for someone starting to venture into "mature" fragrances. I don't know if it is a mass-appealing scent but this is one that makes you care not what others think about your perfume. You feel like a king wearing this all day, so let the fragrance-plebes smell cake.

The quality and performance were completely unexpected. The opening is classically barbershop aromatic lavender and spices, quickly leading to a spicy carnation. What steals the show here is the gorgeous sweet, woody, vanillic base. I get sandalwood aromachemicals, patchouli molecular distillates, vetiver, tonka and oakmoss replacer materials. The packaging claims they use mysore sandalwood - the kind that is now in very short supply and government prohibited for international sale until stock in current plantations improve. I think we can safely ignore the marketing BS and appreciate this lovely fragrance for what it is.

I liked this scent off the first impression/wearings and knew this was going to be a staple scent for the colder months. I just sprayed this after not testing it for most of summer and man I can't wait for the temps to drop a bit. My bottle is about 2.5 years old and its really matured into something more beautiful than I remember. There's a warmth and richness to this scent that reminds me of some kind of winter holiday spiced cider. Warm and soothing spices. I love hearing the British slang/saying 'That's Class!' - that's the perfect definition for this scent.

Took receipt of this today and am about 4.5 hours into the first wear... and wow, do I like this! I’ve not had my nose on Egoiste, at least not that I can recall... so I can’t speak to the likeness to that. However, I really enjoy this fragrance and I can see... er rather smell... why it is this gets rave reviews and is hovering around the 4.4 mark. This juice is quite lovely. Definitely glad I blind bought this one! Highly recommend and imho, was a great blind buy purchase and I think both full body and blind buy worthy.

Blind bought this "I know dodgy move" based on YouTube and fragantica reviews and like others I'm blown away at this fragrance. Fresh, deep rich of a very high quality and a real under the radar find . Cannot believe the price on this . I have many high end fragrances that cannot compete with this . Insane projection and longevity. I would put this on around 4.50 -6 . A definite must and no brainer to add to your collection. Will definitely need to put my nose on more of their offerings!

I bought this during the summer and didn't get the hype. When the temperature started to drop, something told me to pick this up. I AM IN LOVE. It's gentlemanly, soft, sophisticated and sexy. I am in love with the woodiness of it. It's simple and appealing. My nose only picks up woods, nothing else. I mix this with other winter/fall scents and it's just *chefs kiss. I bought the deodorant version of this and it doesn't add anything to the longevity. I would say just purchase the cologne.