Sunday, July 6, 2008

Diptyque - Tam Dao


The keyword for Diptyque's Tam Dao is definitely creamy. This is no nonsense sandalwood with just a few additional, anchoring notes. The opening cypress blast is quite herbal and astringent, but quickly it settles into the creamy smoothness that we so familiarly associate with sandalwood in perfumery. Complementing notes include cedar wood - adding a nice balancing dryness to the luscious protagonist, and a subtle use of incense that strongly reinforces the evocative and spiritual quality of the fragrance. The small elephants on the beautiful graphic print of the flacon further pay homage to India and the exclusive main ingredient.

Criticism towards Tam Dao is often based on its lacking evolution and it being somewhat of a mono-note fragrance. Both these assertions are true to a certain extent, however since the rendition of the sandalwood itself is so flawless, in my view Tam Dao easily belongs to the top fragrances in this category despite its limited development.

In slight contrast to its tranquil character, I've found that Tam Dao works particularly well in bar and club environments as the subtle spiciness blends exceptionally well with cigarette smoke.

To conclude, this Diptyque is a warm, spicy and above all creamy take on sandalwood. A serene, Zen like fragrance that'll sooth any troubled mind with its peaceful nature.

Year of Launch: 2003
Reminiscent of: Kenzo Jungle, Gucci Envy, Yves Saint Laurent M7, Lorenzo Villoresi Sandalo
Longevity & Sillage: Excellent longevity - stays on my skin the entire day. Decent sillage - nice but not overpowering output.
Overall rating: 7/10

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Super that your blog is finally live! I'm looking forward to read about your parfume expertise. /Paulie Walnuts

Anonymous said...

Love it! You would think that the size of my nose would translate into me having a keen sense of smell, but no, I am afraid my knowledge of the fragrance world is near enough non-existent. Keep educating us M!

Dickie