The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
The numbered Eau de Tommi Sooni series suggests something deliberate, Steven Broadhurst building a trilogy of core house themes rather than chasing seasonal trends. Number II takes the green-oriental path, drawing on Southeast Asian imagery: fragrant canals, sacred sandalwood, honey offerings. Broadhurst approached perfume as autodidactic study, learning molecule structures and raw material interactions before composing. This one arrived in 2011, part of a small, considered collection where each scent has a distinct narrative to tell. The series structure implies exploration rather than repetition, asking what an Australian niche house has to say about an exotic, warm, floral territory far from home.
What makes Eau de Tommi Sooni II distinctive is its restraint within richness. The green opening, rhubarb and bergamot, arrives sharp and slightly bitter, like crushed leaves underfoot. Then the yellow florals bloom: ylang-ylang and jasmine bringing a narcotic sweetness that could easily tip into heaviness. The Narcissus adds a powdery, almost indolic depth that bridges green and sweet. But the base is where it earns its longevity: vanilla and white honey wrapping around sandalwood to create a warm, creamy foundation that doesn't cloy.
The evolution
The opening announces itself with a tart, green intensity, rhubarb biting at the edges of bergamot and Amalfi lemon. Citrus lifts it briefly, then recedes as the heart takes over. Within twenty minutes, ylang-ylang floods in with its characteristic thick, almost waxy sweetness. Jasmine adds a different texture, cooler, more transparent, while Narcissus introduces a powdery, slightly animalic depth that most wearers either love or find unsettling. The transition to base is gradual. Sandalwood arrives first, creamy and warm, followed by amber giving weight and vanilla giving softness. The honey persists throughout, threading sweetness into every phase without ever becoming gourmand. On fabric, expect the drydown to linger for 8-10 hours, the sandalwood-honey alliance holds late into the night, softened to a skin-warm whisper. On paper, the green opening fades fastest; the honeyed sandalwood drydown outlasts everything else.
Cultural impact
Eau de Tommi Sooni II occupies an interesting space: it's sweet enough to appeal to mainstream oriental lovers, but green and powdery enough to intrigue niche collectors. The Southeast Asian imagery, canals, sacred woods, honey offerings, positions it as escapist luxury rather than status signaling. It's the kind of fragrance a collector reaches for when they want to disappear somewhere, not when they want to be noticed.
