Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle Tres Van Notton — Dries Van Noten par Frédéric Malle: A Sandalwood Classic

The first thirty minutes are brighter and more citrus-forward than the reputation suggests. Bergamot and lemon flash across the top, quickly joined by a dry, almost leathery saffron and a dusting of nutmeg. It reads crisp, elegant and slightly austere, like a well-cut coat before you have warmed it up.

Between one and two hours the sandalwood takes over completely. It is creamy rather than sharp, milky rather than resinous, and the jasmine softens the transition without ever announcing itself as a floral. Cloves and patchouli add a gentle, dusty spice that keeps the creaminess from tipping into dessert.

From four hours onward the fragrance settles into a warm, powdery vanilla and tonka base, cushioned by guaiac wood, musk and Peru balsam. The sandalwood never leaves; it simply becomes the texture of the whole thing. This is the phase people describe as milky tea and speculoos biscuits, and it lingers well past the eight-hour mark.