Santal 33 by Le Labo

It’s an absolute beast of a quality. Even though its DNA is the most copied, nobody matches it with the quality of its ingredients. It opens with a light, natural cardamom, not spicy, just on the initial burst. The star is the sandalwood, which gives creaminess and a milky touch. There’s a clean leather, cedar with iris and violet for a woody, powdery heart without being heavy. Amber and papyrus form the base. It’s extremely versatile, suitable for almost any occasion. On fresh days, up to 20°C, you can wear it all day without issue. It has good concentration and lasts around 12 hours. The trail is special; not invasive but noticeable. At first, it might feel a bit ‘heavy’, then it moderates, but you always notice it. A man or a woman could love it, and the price is fair for what it offers. You can smell it in the street, especially in areas with a certain class, but it’s not a ‘seen-it-all’ scent. It’s refined and not offensive, though some might be scared off; but if they smell it on someone else, they struggle not to say it smells delicious.

It smells like a shop selling santería items 😂. I use other more challenging scents like Gucci’s Voice of the Snake or Cuoi by Orto Parisi, but this one smells odd. I don’t understand the hype; it reminds me of a shaman’s shop or those who do cleansings with copal in the centre of Mexico City.

I wrote a review about it two years ago and received comments that it’s a good perfume for a high price, but many people say it’s invasive and smells like a cobbler’s shop or something very old, like furniture or my grandfather’s shelf. It’s a scent that generates good acceptance in me; I’m a lover of spices and novelty. Unfortunately, the hype seems to have destroyed this fine fragrance.

I think it’s a good perfume, more suitable for autumn and winter. I believe it is entirely masculine, nothing unisex in my opinion; on a woman’s neck it only makes sense if it has been scented by her partner. It’s not particularly youthful either; it’s a deep, mature fragrance.

For every day, it adds nothing new and resembles many perfumes, yet it is beautiful all the same.

It’s one of the luxury perfumes that, although it has an almost exact clone (Bravo Monsieur), has a unique touch. Santal has a sweetness that makes the difference for me to like the original and not the clones. The charm is the trail, not so much smelling it on skin.

Wear this on a rainy day walking down the street with that aroma of wet earth; you’ll spend the whole day sighing. Look, I have 20ml of this and a great dupe that isn’t here called Stallion 53.

The citrus notes aren’t felt; they just give shine. A bomb of ISO E Super and ambroxan, with the violet and orris butter (ionones) very prominent alongside the sandalwood. A dry, transparent sandalwood with a green touch like juniper or cypress. The edges are polished with a slight aquatic note and a minimum touch of vanilla that doesn’t sweeten but rounds off. It’s not to my olfactory taste, but it’s an interesting composition, quite a classic.

I gave it several opportunities and didn’t like it, but as I always say, you must know the copies to appreciate the original. I got Le B’eau Paradise Garden by Jean Paul Gaultier and didn’t buy it for taste but because it was fashionable; little by little it reminded me of Santal 33, but I must say Santal 33 has greater quality, feels more natural, and has a double meaning in its scent; that makes it special.

A polarising aroma; it may not even please sandalwood lovers; it’s a peculiar and ‘rough’ interpretation. The opening smells of bright eucalyptus, accompanied by citrus although they aren’t heard alone. It’s a bomb of ISO E Super; I think half of it is this molecule, and there’s lots of ambroxan; it gives duration and translucent character, crystallising the white floral and boosting the violet, with an overdose of ionones to masculinise. Carrot seeds are perceived, adding dryness. The leathery note is minimal and the protagonist: the sandalwoods, a mix of quality sandalwood with synthetic molecules like potent javanol. Masculine perfume, mature, elegant, versatile, and with undeniable character.

Opens strong on wood, but within minutes shifts to something creamy and velvety. Its trail and projection are among the best I’ve tried.

Plainly put… the opening is top-notch, the projection is excellent, and it lasts a long time. At 50 and a lawyer, it suits me; my children wear it and don’t mind, all because of the corrido, haha. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone under 35.

Many who listen to Peso Pluma are young, and this fragrance doesn’t fit a party-loving profile. It’s elegant, for special occasions. Saying it’s horrible or just hype doesn’t seem fair. Niche perfumery is expensive; there are cheaper options, but for someone coming from designer fragrances, it can be a challenge. There are always decants or inspired versions. The important thing is that it smells incredible and, as the song says, conveys luxury.

If you’re looking for sandalwood, this is it, with little cedar. I think it’s unisex (it has very masculine and very feminine notes), but for women, watch the amount and it depends on the occasion. I detect leather after the opening; it’s more of a supporting note. No one mentions it, but at the start, it smells more like cinnamon or both than cardamom. There’s more iris than violet, and yes, there’s a slight powdery sensation. The amber makes the sandalwood sweeter and deeper.