I’ve tried the Sandalwood a few times now and I have been pleasantly surprised each time. I have had only previous experience with Vanuatu sandalwood and it was not a very good one. Although I have rarely given away or thrown away an entire bottle of oil I was very happy to send my previous bottle into oblivion. I am extremely fond of sandalwood and to think that Santalum austrocaledonicum was so much less appealing than India’s Santalum album was quite distressing. It was in hope of finding an austrocaledonicum sandalwood that I liked that I tried the one from Summit. Although, IMHO, it is not as creamy, smooth or multi-layered as the Mysore oils I so enjoy, it is a very pleasant oil with good substance and an enjoyable aroma. The first time I tried it I thought it smelled considerably drier, rougher and woodier than my favorite Mysore oils, but today it smelled smoother than I remembered it, and I smelled some faint green, vanillic and cinnamon notes that I hadn’t noticed earlier. I am very happy to have made the purchase and look forward to seeing how it develops as it ages.
When I speak with my perfume friends I will certainly share my (positive) impressions with them. In fact tomorrow I am hoping to be able to attend an industry perfume event at which many perfumers will be present (including some natural perfumers).
Marian, New York, USA