NEST Fragrances White Sandalwood Eau de Parfum

NEST's new White Sandalwood Eau de Parfum ($25 or $65) surprised and delighted me. NEST sent me a rollerball to try, and I was thrilled to try it, given my love of all things NEST.

A sophisticated fragrance that combines white sandalwood from India and Australia with creamy almond, white musk, and exotic spices, this alluring fragrance balances sensual woody notes with decadent essences. It's just a tad sweet too, which shouldn't have surprised me, given the sweet nature of sandalwood.

Meticulously formulated by the world’s most accomplished master perfumers, NEST Fine Fragrances offers an extraordinary collection of signature scents. The first were introduced about a year ago.

White Sandalwood is housed in a a gorgeous glass bottle uniquely adorned with the original botanical artwork that inspired the fragrance. This artistic collaboration defines NEST Fragrances’ reverence for a modern, stylistic approach to perfumery. The NEST Fine Fragrances collection was inspired by the 18th century British artist, Mary Delany, who, at the age of 72, created a new art form, mixed-media collage. By cutting shapes of paper, painted to capture nature's colors, Mrs. Delany cut and designed them to mirror the exact likeness of various plants, including flowers. She became famous for having created over 1,000 cut-paper, botanically correct works of art.

Laura Slatkin, creator of the NEST Fine Fragrances Collection, explained, "While her work was highly regarded for her technique, what moved me was the actual beauty of her botanicals. There is an elusive, sensual quality to them that resonated with me. Her botanicals are beautiful works of art, and they inspired me to create my Fine Fragrances Collection. Slatkin selected the Russian artist Alexander “Sasha” Solodukho to interpret Delany’s work for the fragrances’ black glass flacons and outer packaging.

White Sandalwood blends some notes I like (with the exception of "exotic spices," which normally means I won't like a fragrance). The notes are white sandalwood, mimosa, acacia blossom, creamy almond, exotic spices, musk, and cedar. The style is described as sophisticated, exotic, and warm.

The first thing I smell when I apply White Sandalwood is almond. A few seconds later, the other notes cut in, leaving me with a slightly floral, very creamy almond that keeps my nose going back for more. As the fragrance dries down, I'm left with sandalwood and musk. To my nose, the exotic spices are missing (fortunately), and the cedar is barely there. I'd categorize White Sandalwood as a gourmand that will cross borders to please both floral and gourmand fans.

Sandalwood is widely used as a striking note in fragrances. The botanical illustration above is white sandalwood. Both the sandalwood and the oil produce a distinctive fragrance that has been highly valued for centuries. Sandalwood smells somewhat like other wood scents, except it has a bright and fresh edge with few natural analogues. Sandalwood has a rich, balsamic, sweet fragrance with delicate wood notes. The oil has a woody, exotic smell, subtle and lingering, and the color is pale yellow to pale gold. When used in small proportions in fragrance, it is an excellent fixative that enhances the "headspace" of other notes.

NEST's collection of fine fragrances debuted at Sephora in September. That means that this week you can use your V.I.B. discount to discover one or more. Each fragrance in the collection is available in a specially designed 0.27-ounce rollerball or a 1.7-ounce spray. There are two new scents: this one and Dahlia & Vines, which I purchased the minute it opened at Sephora. I'll be buying a bottle of White Sandalwood because the rollerball will not last me forever.

I'd highly recommend you check out White Sandalwood when you shop this week. It's an extremely pleasing fragrance, and it's definitely office-appropriate. I love the entire collection. This one vies with Midnight Fleur for my "favorite" designation.

Photos courtesy of NEST/Sephora; indianpublicmedia.org, and wikipedia