Santalorium

The Mysore reference matters because the material has long carried a reputation among those who follow raw ingredients closely, valued for a particular density and smoothness that other sandalwood varieties tend to lack. Pairing it with rosewood signals a deliberate choice to work with woody materials that carry their own distinct character rather than reaching for the usual suspects.

The evolution

The opening is almost startling in its brightness. Italian and bitter orange hit first, sharp and zested, the kind of citrus that wakes up a room. The sandalwood starts to surface soon after, pulling the orange down with it, warming the edges as the two notes trade dominance. The cinnamon arrives in due course like a thread of smoke, not hot but present, weaving through suede and tuberose with a quiet persistence. The oud is quiet. It stays in the undertow, adding resinous weight to labdanum and vanilla without ever pushing toward the barnyard or medicinal bite that some associate with agarwood. As the hours pass, the wood grows dominant, creamy and dense, the orange fading from an active note into a suggestion, a ghost of citrus that lingers at the edges of perception rather than commanding attention.