SANTALINA BOURBON - Exquisite Bourbon Vanilla from Madagascar in Vintage Sandalwood Oil

 Peaceful radiance & gourmand woodiness

Bourbon Vanilla Gourmet Absolute from Madagascar, in pure vintage Sri Lankan Sandalwood essential oil (S. album, artisan distilled 2020). 

A simple pleasure and comforting joy.

From the applicator, it smells like a freshly baked crème brûlée (without any hint of smokiness) and up inebriating pleasure of the promised treat. The opening is rich, full-bodied, gourmand, warm, with a hint of woodiness and spice. Gently it evolves, adding notes of cacao, honey and light suede.

Similar notes will dance at different rhythms, when worn outside of the bottle. It becomes at first surprising experience. While this attar is a powerbomb on the applicator, it starts very gently, almost shyly, when worn.

Usually, an attar explodes with top notes and then reveals it's depth; here it is contrary : the opening is deep, but humming a light tune, then the fragrance slowly develops and expands...

... the experience is a bit like baking brioches, in a way : starting from a promise, and progressively filling the space with fragrance and presence. 

The long dry down is like a honey infused sandalwood : woody with a buttery caramel core and the light occasional dry fruit or floral note. 

The longevity is excellent. It remains a gentle feel good experience all throughout, mostly linear with nuanced facets adding a little complexity.

There is not a hint of flashiness and it isn't a projection bomb. It is not overly sweet, because of the woody counterparts, and the nature of vanilla pods' fragrance.

Santalina Bourbon is both an excellent medium for enjoying vanilla in itself (which is much too strong on its own), while vanilla in its turn also acts as a kind of "booster" for sandalwoood, confering quasi supernatural traits, many of which are simply the ones of good sandalwoods (gorumand, woody), just cranked up a notch or two.

Vanilla is the ingredient that is the most widely loved worldwide (studies say) Something to do with fragrant molecules shared with motherly milk, it is conjectured. Some people really do not like it, though, but most of us do.

Due to the large amount of entirely artificially produced vanilla, not everyone is familiar with the deeper profiles of natural vanilla pods. It is a different experience (more structured and complex, woody, dryer) than vanilla ice cream... yet evoking a similar simple pleasure and comforting joy.

The Scentient experience:

Warm, reassuring, grounding : a quiet and deep aura. 

Socially easy to wear, also nurturing for times on one's own.