Tam Dao - Eau de Toilette

No one has reviewed this in so long, I'm jumping in to say it's been a long time favorite for years. Any season is appropriate and it is a wonderful calming scent whenever you want to simplify your day. I do wear both the edt and the edp. I prefer the edp because it has more going on--more richness and intrigue as you wear it. Both are full bottle worthy if you love sandalwood.

Pretty straightforward sandalwood. Not very complex. More masculine than unisex. If you like woody sandalwood this should suit you. But I expected something more complex than a linear sandalwood for this price.

I'm particularly obsessed with this one. I don't think it's super complex. I definitely get the cypress in the top notes followed by sandalwood and cedar. As it dries down it gets increasingly cedary to me. It's a very relaxing and comforting scent. Very casual. I spray it on just for myself when I need to unwind. If you like woody scents this is a must try. As a warning, there is a certain chemical nature to the top notes that not everyone seems to like. I've been told it smells like chloroform! Still love it though.

This is my favorite scent of all the scents I own. Tam Dao is Goa Sandalwood, and it is sublime. It is wood shavings, but it is also cerebral, calming, subtle. It does not project strongly, but rather goes on subtly and stays present in a very respectful and mesmerizing way. If you can imagine Japan, sitting in a hot bath with the steam rising, while outside there is snow falling, you may picture Tam Dao. There is also rosewood, cypress and ambergris. So there are several woods in this formulation and some pine. Tam Dao is all about the woods, with an effect of bringing you into the woods, under the trees, inside the canopy of the forest.

Don't expect hidden depths from this fragrance. From the moment you spritz to the moment the last few scent molecules leave your skin, this is all unapologetic sandalwood. I get very slight citrus and stronger chypre notes as well, but what dominates is the sandalwood. It's dry and fresh and will make you feel squeaky clean. My problem with this fragrance is that it doesn't change as you wear it, and that doesn't allow you to fully appreciate the prism of notes that make up the sum of its parts. I like perfumes that keep me going back to my wrists because I get a whiff of some new note or new combination of notes that keeps things interesting.

The opening of this is lovely, I get dry yet creamy sandalwood and cypress. On my skin during the dry down it unfortunately went slightly plasticy - almost a playdoh in a wood cabin scent.

Tam Dao is a dry, spare, edgy sandalwood so photorealistic you can smell every pore of the wood, yet the scent is cooling, peppery, dry and light. The opening surprises: a noseful of makrut lime leaves -- green, not floral, and dry, not juicy -- that wakes you up. Open the box made of dry, precious woods: sandalwood and possibly rosewood or guaiac. Enjoy. On drydown, Tam Dao gives a funky note that sandalwood-eschewing infidels will call 'stinky.' Tam Dao is a stiff but floaty metallic silk ikat in iridescent colors. It wakes you up and makes you think, then comforts you with rich sandalwood.

I'm a long time fan of Diptyque and one my favorite candle has always been Santal. For years I wondered why they never made a room spray and/or EDP/EDT to match in straight Santal. The Tam Dao EDT for me is the closest most authentic sandalwood I've found. I pair it w different somewhat richer, deeper musk oils to achieve a layered, sexy, signature scent. Le Labo's Santal33 is too strong and heady and intense -- gives me a headache. As does Maison Louis Marie No.4. Some other sandalwood like Atelier are just too sweet with too much vanilla for me. I love how Tam Dao EDT opens w a peppery flourish that almost grounds the scent. It dries down on me initially as a true oud and then finishes slightly sweeter. Total sultry winner.

EDT vs EDP comparison: Overall, scents are very similar, but longevity and projection justify the price difference. EDP has a strong cedar presence, especially during the first hour, while EDT is more or less a sandalwood soliflore. I detect a hint of lime zest at the top of the EDT. EDP is very reminiscent of Santal 33 at first - a wood furniture accord that some might find difficult to wear. EDT is quite linear and lasts about three hours on my skin with low to very low projection. EDP dries down beautifully to something very similar to Gypsy Water- ambery, cashmere musk with a touch of lemon and pine (the cypress, perhaps?). Projection is moderate to low, lasts about six hours.

very beautiful and warm but not sweet. combines well with other scents too - I spray L'ombre Fauve or Frederic Malle Musc Ravageur over it when I'm in a sexy mood, and WOW!

Tam Dao is quintessential sandalwood. It starts off fresh and a little soapy, a little spicy and cedary, but soon mellows into a rich, warm, complex sandalwood. It is sweet enough to be sandalwood, but not vanilla or amber. The awesomest thing about this scent is that the woodsy undertones remain quite consistent. They start off a little sharp, but then compliment the buttery creamy sandalwood. I almost bought this, but found that the woodsy aspect turned a bit smokey on my skin. It smelled divine, but a little too butch for what I was after. Although this is an androgynous scent, I'd say it is on the more masculine side because the woodsy aspect remains so consistent.

creamy wood, sandalwood like mysore or venatu, not the dry sandalwoods that are less desirable more available sort. This is creamy and rich and obviously mixed with some labdanum and musk, maybe even ambergris. Very nice but wears close to the skin and lasts maybe 3 to 4 hours on my skin

Lovely, light, simple and smokey.

I love sandalwood! I have smelt real sandalwood but could never find one that was just right, this one is! It does have a musk scent also but that is a plus for me as I think the two go hand in hand. Tam Dao is perfect IMHO.

it is a yummy scent...but far more musk than sandalwood to anyone who has actually smelt real sandalwood. It's a delightful, sexy, sweet musky wood, very comforting to wear. (But definitely not sandalwood!)

its beautiful but strange. an almost dusty scent, a bit like incense. you can really smell the sandalwood but its so much more complicated than that. lasts quite well but dries down a lot so you end up with a skin-but-more scent.

lovely sandalwood scent...definitely a must for sandalwood lovers!

This is a really lovely scent. My only complaint is that it has no staying power. If you don't mind reapplying several times during the day, I think you'll love it.

I read the review of this scent in the seminal "Perfumes - the Guide", and the review was done by Tania Sanchez. She was not complimentary, saying that, while a beautiful smell, it was not a beautiful perfume. WRONG, WRONG, WRONG! This has a beautiful sandalwood note, and I believe its strength is its beauty. Based on Ms. Sanchez' review, I had purchased the rather expensive "Bois de Iles", from Chanel, which she described as a sandalwood. First, that scent is barely there, and one has to hunt hard for the sandalwood note. When I tried Tam Dao at the Scent Bar, my immediate thought was, "That's it!" Now, I layer the two scents, the Tam Dao first, and then a light spray of the Bois de Iles. A beautiful and mutually beneficial combination, the Tam Dao giving a spine to the scent, and the Bois de Iles giving the scent a bit of refinement. This is a beautiful scent all on its own, and I think it is indeed a must for sandalwood lovers.

Sun-warmed wood, soft and smooth to the touch. Precious carved object indeed. Where have you been all my life? You are my new best friend.