DRIES VAN NOTEN
SANTAL GREENERY

2022

PERFUMER
Nisrine Bouazzaoui Grillie

Bergamot
Grapefruit

Fig
Violet

Sandalwood
White Musk

‘The union of two opposites, yet perfectly and poetically balanced: resilient sandalwood with the lively, green leaf of fig – the everlasting and the ephemeral together.’ –  Nisrine Grillie

When I tried the Dries van Noten line in store, the second one that stood out after Soie Malaquais was Santal Greenery.

This one opens with a very sharp and zesty citrus. It’s almost neon green, but mostly grapefruit at first. Perhaps there’s some unlisted petitgrain providing the green here.

After some moments the fruitiness changes a bit. Violet and fig are listed. In store I was expecting this to go fully creamy, but that’s not the case. The fig remains on the cleaner, brighter side and it remains a tad sharp overall; crisp is maybe the better word for it.

Same with the sandalwood; I don’t get any creamy or lactonic touches here. It’s a clinically clean, juicy and zesty fragrance. Nothing overly exciting, but pleasant. Frankly, this could easily be a shampoo one can buy for a couple of bucks; that’s the vibe it gives off.

Yet, I’d probably pick this over Soie Malaquais after having worn them side by side twice, but neither will make my wishlist.