Le Labo Santal 33: new fragrance

An open fire… The soft drift of smoke… Where sensuality rises after the light has gone. This is how niche fragrance brand Le Labo introduces their latest release, Santal 33, based around the myth of the American West and the beckoning scent of wood.



SANTAL 33 is the second addition to the classic perfume collection since the creation of Le Labo in 2006 and was inspired by Santal 26, the brand's cult candle scent.
The main ingredients/notes entering Le Labo's Santal 33 are Australian sandalwood (NB. this is a different variety with a different scent than the traditional Indian Mysore wood), papyrus, cedarwood, cardamom, iris, violet, ambrox and a leather accord.
The new scent is presented in a 30% concentration of essential oils, classified as an Eau de Parfum but it could be considered as an extrait.

But what inspired the new scent, you ask, wondering on my mentioning the American West on top? Here's what they have to say: "Do you remember the old Marlboro ads? A man and his horse in front of the fire on a great plain under tall, blue evening skies - A defining image of the spirit of the American West with all it implied about masculinity and personal freedom. This man, firelight in his face, leaning on the worn leather saddle, alone with the desert wind, an icon so powerful that every man wanted to be him and every woman wanted to have him...
From this memory is born SANTAL 33: the ambition to create an olfactive form inspired by the great American myth still a source of fantasy for the rest of the world...A perfume that touches the sensual universality of this icon... that would intoxicate a man as much as a woman... that introduces our use of cardamom, iris, violet, ambrox which crackle in the formula and bring to this smoking wood alloy (Australian sandalwood, papyrus, cedarwood) some spicy, leathery, musky notes, and gives this perfume its unisex signature and addictive comfort."

I would have loved to mention the ingenious mock-tweets that the Le Labo PR machine has sent along (one of them includes a well-known ~among perfume circles~ authoring duet who smashed the rest of them with a bludgeon and which implies they'll do so for this one a priori), but I suppose lawyers would be working overtime in that eventuality. They're hilarious though, I had a belly laugh; great job, chaps!

The new Le Labo is a Colette exclusive until May 15th for €110 for 50ml/1.7oz. Later on it will surface at the usual suspects.

info via press release, photo by Jen Dessinger via Le Labo manipulated by me