Cold weather calls for the smooth, warm, and spicy appeal of this Indian wood. Most fragrance aficionados know it’s time to switch up their go-to bottle when the seasons start to change. The lighter-than-air, cooling scents of summer — citrusy, aquatic, fresh — are cycled to the back of the collection, while richer, warmer selections come to the fore. As temperatures drop, it’s natural to turn to colognes defined by amber, wood, spice and smoke. They hang close to the body, hidden against the skin beneath sweaters and outer layers, and offer a heady reward for those close enough to enjoy them. Sandalwood is one of the cornerstones of the perfumers “warm” scent vocabulary. Rich, creamy, woody and resinous, the scent is distilled from the Indian Santalum album.
The wood has a long and mystic tradition in Hindu and Buddhist ceremonies, and remains one of the world’s most sought-after ingredients today. Below, a selection of four Creed fragrances that harness the scent’s storied appeal.
Created back in 1936, Tabarome channels the masculine sensibility of another era. Tobacco leaf, ginger and aged leather work in tandem here to create a seductive accord, while sandalwood and patchouli offer a musky counterpoint. Rich and enveloping, like a fireside cigar that’s just been cut.
The purest distillation of sandalwood’s addictive nature, Original Santal promises an olfactory journey through the subcontinent, as creamy tonka and warm cinnamon orbit this cologne’s woody core. Bitter coriander and piney juniper and rosemary round out the robust profile.
They call it “liquid gold.” For centuries, the first families of the Middle East have perfumed themselves with oud, and today the rest of the world is following suit. Created to capture the allure of a Persian palace, this cologne has all the sensual, smoky, animalic appeal of a classic oud, with citrus top notes and luxurious sandalwood to help lighten the blend.
Cedre Blanc
A paean to the American forest, Cedre Blanc is (not surprisingly) dominated by white Virginian cedar, with strong undertones of laurel and cardamom. A white floral heart of jasmine and water lily add delicacy, while base notes of vetiver and sandalwood impart understated, earthy depth.
