Sandalwood is a staple note in the world of fragrance, but it can also be challenging. Quite literally wood that comes from the santalum tree and made into a perfume oil, it usually presents itself as sensual, warm, creamy and woody, and is an excellent base note because of its long-lasting richness. Strangely, some people report a pickle-like note when smelling sandalwood fragrances, and that can be due to a number of things. Pickles themselves are cucumbers and therefore have no scent; the herbs used to make them however, create a distinct odor. Perhaps it is a combination of green and marine notes layered with the sandalwood in certain fragrances that create this phenomenon; it may also be that many brands use synthetic sandalwood molecules due to the expense of the real thing. I found a source that said the common addition of cuminum (a.k.a. cumin) in many sandalwood scents is what helps create the dill pickle smell. Either way, below are three sandalwood-heavy scents and their nuances, in case you’re looking for a new addition to your perfume shelf.
Santal Complet by Fragrance du Bois is a scent I had to sit with for many hours before feeling ready to write a review. Upon first sniff, it’s a savory burst of black pepper. After settling, it warms and begins to dance on the skin in a blend of sandalwood, amber and musk. Other notes listed are lemon, coconut, violet and vanilla, but I don’t get any of these. I read multiple sources that described this fragrance as a coconut baked good, but this couldn’t be further from what I smelled. I enjoy this one for its ethereality; influencer Perfumerism likens this one to fairy dust, and I agree – it has an airy, sparkling quality to it. It’s a very pleasant aroma and I like to layer it with other fragrances to make them more interesting.
A sandalwood in my current rotation is Tom Ford’s Santal Blush, a sensual take on the note that reminds me of something a glamorous witch might wear (Nicole Kidman in Practical Magic?). The magic in here is the warm cinnamon mixed with some spicy woods – it feels otherworldly (like an enchanted spell), yet simultaneously familiar. I would definitely consider this one feminine-leaning, but anyone can wear it.
Finally, I had to include a pickle-y perfume to prove my earlier point. To my nose, No. 04 Bois de Balincourt by Maison Louis Marie has this quality – but that doesn’t mean I don’t like it. I find this to be a fresh, spa-like and totally unisex take on sandalwood, easy to wear (it’s not as intense as the above two). In addition to sandalwood, it has notes of cedarwood, vetiver, nutmeg, cinnamon and amber wood. It has similar notes to Santal Blush and yet smells completely different; I’m not sure what in this scent is creating the dill pickle vibe, but it’s something I can’t un-smell.
