Oscar de la Renta - Santo Domingo

Picture: Santo Domingo de Guzman 
Montage by Elvisanti1, Wikimedia commons

Santo Domingo is the unisex offering in the new Oscar de la Renta Essential Luxuries collection with fragrances created by Calice Becker. Santo Domingo is a tribute to Oscar de la Rentas birth place, the capital of the Dominican Republic. The fragrance captures the flowers, spices and colors of this island country.

Santo Domingo starts with a citrusdominated accord reminding of the start of Aramis classic Tuscany but greener and with a smoother, musky touch. As Santo Domingo dries down, the white, milky, musknote gets almost predominent as it wraps the slight smoky, spicy, tobacco into a pleasant creamy blend. It's the same construction as in Granada also from this line, where the orangeblossomnotes are wrapped in the same creamy musk. The impression of a contemporary creamy/milky Tuscany also remains during the whole dry down. Another fragrance Santo Domingo reminds me of is a much gentler and polite variation of the herbal, spicy, smoky Eau d'Iles from Maître Parfumeur et Gantier, a fragrance that also founds its inspiration from the scents of the Caribian Islands.

Santo Domingo is a well crafted fragrance, the notes interacts in a very balanced way and the fragrance has no sharp edges.  Santo Domingo, just as Tuscany, is a fragrance well suited for wearing in the office. Even if smooth in texture, Santo Domingo is clearly present during the whole dry down with a medium sillage and longevity for at least a day. The review is based on Santo Domingo worn by the picky Mr Parfumista and he likes this fragrance much.

Santo Domingo is another example of the good fragances of the Essential Luxuries line. I experience the fragrances as wellcrafted and balanced, subtle and refined in the same time as these fragrances are very easy to wear. On the other hand, they are not especially innovative or distinctive. All of the fragrances feels warm and comforting in their apperance and these fragances are well worth trying for those who are searching for a    wellmade and wearable everyday scent.

Rating: 4

Notes: Mandarin, citrus, bergamot, coriander, geranium, tobacco, vetiver, patchouli