Galavant

Another wonderful creation from Eliam! I am extremely grateful and fortunate to have been able to add this perfume to my collection. It has easily become one of my favorite sandalwood perfumes to wear. Eliam has been able to capture the nobility of sandalwood and enhance it's qualities in a way that is both sensible yet strong. It pays homage to masterpieces as Guerlain's Samsara in a respectful demeanor, without trying to replicate or copy it. Galavant is a classy and elegant, but also playful sandalwood 'soliflore', if you will. There are inflexions to this perfume that give the beautiful nuances usually attributed to sandalwood: there's a lactonic and creamy (almost like fleshy coconut) facet in the opening of the perfume that feels tropical without rendering 'suntan lotion' vibes. The Ylang Ylang enhances the smokey sensuality of sandalwood, by exalting the floral nuances. As the perfume progresses, it transforms into an almost dry sandalwood, reminding me of French oak barrels used to age whiskey or even wine. The vanilla is not sweet, but gives this perfume so much depth. There is a hint of cocoa powder that is also expressed throughout the drydown of the perfume. While I am mentioning certain gourmand-like elements, this is NOT a gourmand perfume. Galavant is definitely unisex, and while I would want to explore how this would smell like on a woman, I do think that on me it renders masculine energy, with an awareness and sensibility of feminine energy. Longevity and sillage are beyond extraordinary; this radiates off skin for the first two hours, slowly setting in and lasting for over 8+ hours on my skin. The scent bubble is very pleasant, especially if you enjoy woody floral ambers. Bravo, Eliam, for this MAGNIFICENT creation. This might well be my second-favorite from the house, after Vespertine. I cannot wait to wear this in a colder evening, by a fireplace, reminiscing of tropical suns and vineyard tours.

Personal: 9/10 - It's gorgeous. I love how well blended and smooth it is. Mass appeal: 9/10 - Almost everyone will appreciate it, since this is definitely soft and quiet. Performance: 7/10 - I'm impressed with the longevity it has, despite not projecting like crazy. Value: 6/10 - It's definitely expensive, but I love it so it's worthwhile. Uniqueness: 8/10 - I've never smelled such a creamy sweet wood fragrance. It's quite unique. SCORE: 78/100 Full bottle buy? YES, it's gorgeous and unisex, so it's shareable! Blind buy? YES, it's expensive but it's so easy to like if you enjoy sweet sandalwood. Recommend? YES, it's a great intimate unisex fragrance. Date night? YES, it's sweet and pleasant and few will dislike it. Office safe? YES, the sweetness could be cloying but its projection lessens that. Pros: Sweet, creamy, wonderfully blended woods. Unisex so shareable. Very unique. Cons: Expensive. Some may find projection disappointing. This is a sweet, creamy, woody fragrance that lends itself perfectly to more intimate settings due to less projection than other sweet fragrances on the market. It's blended beautifully and it smells very well worth the price. Just be mindful of overspraying as too much could get cloying. It's very versatile, almost being a 4 season fragrance (summer is a bit hard to pull off), and working in almost every situation. This could easily be worn as a signature fragrance. Very unique, and one of my favorite unisex fragrances. *Review #18 in my fragrance journey - this fragrance I own as a decant*

Wow! This is so creamy and rich. I can SMELL the sandalwood in this. It’s warm and absolutely beautiful. A must have for fall!

Galavant has a couple of meanings. Aimlessly wandering about, is one. Being aloof and indiscreet with the engagement of and the number of sexual partners, is a second and lesser known definition. The perfume seems to be number two. The ylang-ylang here is naughty and carefree. Bananas, starches, sugars, powders, exoticism, joyousness, recklessness, and blushing sensuality all wrapped up in a bright sunshine-yellow floral accord ushered in by brief and sharp aldehydes. The first time I smelled it I unconsciously smirked. It’s a darn good ylang-ylang accord, one of the better ones I’ve smelled in quite some time. Kudos, Mr. Puente. We fairly quickly get a taste of where the perfume is wanting to go as the ylang-ylang accord starts to meander and shift about - galavant, I guess. Cool and woody seed spices like coriander and cardamom live quietly in the background acting as guideposts for the direction to come. Cool, silky, fatty creaminess begins to set in. We eventually go to a rather predictable but still well-handled sandalwood and vanilla base. The sweetness holds, but as it was in the top and the heart, it is still a pleasant and tasteful sweetness. The floral aspects of the sandalwood are dialed up to be a bit more prominent than the woody facets to make a convincing link to the ylang-ylang that is until the final skin scent when more woods remain, the cool seed spices have fallen away completely, and a gently earthy tonka and vanilla play alongside the sandalwood. Some ever so slight white soap musks are present to keep the levity. Fun! It’s fun to aimlessly wander about... or have an ill-advised dalliance or two, or three, or four, or several more, apparently. It’s one of the less compelling perfumes from this great perfumer-founded brand, but who really wants to take themselves that seriously all the time.... Galavant doesn’t, and I appreciate it for that.

This smells exactly like Samsara/Tuscany Per Donna. 90's sandalwood floriental style!