Have you ever visited a volcano? I had the opportunity on the Greek island of Nisyros, a beautiful cruise away from Kos. If the volcano wasn’t fascinating enough, an interesting fact about Nisyros is that the local delicacy is tomato ice cream, and I can assure you, it’s delicious! The volcano is dormant, which allows visits to the crater itself, to take in the sights and smells. If you can get past the reek of sulphur, (many can’t), you’ll be struck by the dry and dusty landscape and the sheer scale of the crater.
It’s difficult to imagine the power and ferocity of an active volcano, but thanks to Santal Volcanique we can get a sense from the comfort of our own home. Maison Crivelli has taken on the task of representing the scent, power and beauty of an erupting volcano with Santal Volcanique, and is brought to life by the website and sample blotters, which is unlike anything I’ve encountered from any other brand. Maison Crivelli offers exquisite attention to detail as each fragrance is given its own discovery experience.
First impressions are important, and Santal Volcanique starts well – pulling the bottle from the crisp white packaging, everything feels of the highest quality and the bottle timelessly designed. The initial spray takes you straight into the heart of the volcano, spice and smoke billow, smooth and enveloping. Maison Crivelli describes it as glowing spice-clouds, and right they are.
As the scent begins to dry down, the spice accord sweetens with ginger and cardamom, as if the smoke had lessened to a smoulder, revealing whats below. My favourite part of the scent however is the coffee note, a true delight when used well, and it certainly has been in Santal Volcanique. To my nose it’s freshly roasted beans, retaining the smokey quality of the scent and elevating it to a level of fascination for my nose, I simply couldn’t get enough of the coffee note.
As the scent progresses further, the smoke fades away further and the notes of ylang-ylang and sandalwood, luxurious and creamy, it feels like you’ve escaped the danger of the volcano and arrived in safety. Smoke lingers gently, reminding you of the journey you’ve undertaken, and the delightful coffee is ever-present.
In terms of performance, expect projection of 2-3 hours and longevity of 10+ hours. Whilst the smokey element of the scent was present for around 5 hours, the buttery dry down stays on skin for a further 5+ hours, offering great performance. Santal Volcanique would best fit the cooler months but is extremely versatile in the occasions it would suit.
I’ve spoken at length before about how fragrance takes you on a journey, how great perfumers can set a scene or transport you around the globe. Maison Crivelli seems to have received my memo and created a line of fragrances that does just that. If you sample the line, make sure you use the blotters and play the interactive element on the website, it’ll bring the whole experience to life.
Does Santal Volcanique smell like an erupting volcano? I couldn’t say, but it certainly smells fantastic and has made its way into my personal rotation.
Availability
Santal Volcanique is available from Maison Crivelli – €234 for 100ml
Disclaimer
I was gifted my bottle. I was not paid for this review, opinions and photos are my own.
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