For a while, I’ve wanted to review Le Labo Santal 33 since it’s such a unique and captivating fragrance that has garnered quite a following for a niche perfume. In fact, I was surprised I hadn’t done so before now, and it’s an oversight I’d like to correct.
Le Labo is a house known for its boutique focus and creativity in fragrance-making. For some of their scents, we feel they’ve really developed some wonderful ideas that have changed our thinking (Vetiver 46), while others seem to miss the mark (Oud 27). If Santal 33 is any guide, its release caused a 2 block line outside of its NoLiTa boutique. Our question was whether the fragrance itself was worthy of the fanfare.
Le Labo Santal 33 (2011)
Le Labo Santal 33 (2011): A sandalwood is a sandalwood is a sandalwood, right? Not necessarily. Each perfumer has their own twists, and though many are a simply unremarkable use of the core component — making the perception of the scent dead common — others offer a much different perspective. Le Labo’s is a welcome addition as it tends to break the staid mold of all that we’ve come to expect as a Santal.
The top notes include spices, violet and cardamom, which is genuinely noticeable in this scent. The heart includes Virginia Cedar, sandalwood, and leather. Oakmoss, musk and amber round out the composition. What you’re smelling is not just a wood composition — given the number of different woods presented — but a play of spices and an undertone of leather to add a bit of warmth and a well-honed edge.
The result? Foremost, consider the concentration which is at the level of an eau de parfum (around 30%), so powerful is an understatement. Moreover, the sandalwood is supported by the spices, the aromatic woods, and both the leather and amber. This makes for a very good balance, yet a ruggedness that isn’t over-the-top. I would not consider this anything other than a masculine fragrance since there is very little to endear feminity to this. The smell is one of a room bright with woods, natural aromatics, and a muted but ever-present warmth. It wears very closse to the skin, but also projects nicely. Upon warming, this becomes much more forceful and opens wide to capture the wearer. Again, power here is an understatement.
This is a perfect fall/winter scent, reminiscent of autumn leaves and harvest aromas, of smokiness and comfort, best mated to a more rugged wearing profile as the longevity is simply nothing short of amazing (to that end, I’ve tried washing it out of clothes to little avail). Woody? Yes! Aromatic? Again, yes. Leathery? Still a yes, though only mildly. Animalic? Very much so. A good office fragrance? Yes, but be careful to not overdo as a little projects into the next day. This is better outdoors where the sillage is a bit less cloying but nonetheless enjoyable.
Is it worthy of the hype it’s been given? That depends on whether you’re seeking a very mild and subdued sandalwood scent, or something that makes a much more individual and masculine statement. With that said…
Rating: 4.5/5. Highly recommended. And I say that I’d recommend this with some level of caveat. This isn’t a scent for everyone, and the sheer power of the fragrance might be one that others consider overwhelming. Your mileage may vary. It’s a perfume strength scent that could be considered heavy or cloying or simply overpowering if one is a fan of a more subdued sandalwood perfume. It also has a very rugged profile. Compared to say Creed’s Original Santal, this is far more pronounced, perhaps even untamed by comparison.
It’s also unique. Where you’ve smelled a normal santal in the past, this will change your perceptions, and you certainly won’t be the most dead-common scent in the room.
Bottom-Line: This is for the man who truly appreciates how the beauty of sandalwood can be realized as far more than a footnote in a fragrance. Santal 33 is properly augmented in a genuinely masculine way.
I'm Andrew Buck, the man behind the words. I'm a published author, project management practitioner for over 20 years, work on Wall Street, and am a fragrance aficionado. I've had a passion for fragrance for 30+ years, and enjoy trying scents and adding to an expanding and rotating collection for some time now. This site is dedicated not only to fragrance, but also to the notion that quality matters now more than ever. 
