The last decade within artistic, niche and exclusive perfumery was marked by a very clear and certainly oriented transformation due to competition and demand. Artistic creation in perfumery began to be guided by the artifice of false rarity/scarcity and by the need for high performance. What is said takes a backseat as long as the olfactory words sound sophisticated and the volume is high enough.
That's why Santa Sangre stands out to me as something genuinely exclusive and rich, aiming above all at the symbolic and olfactory message it builds. Rajesh Balkrishnan and Dmitry Bortnikoff are not just combining rare and exotic materials, there is a sacred reverence and inspiration, a desire to bring perfumery back into connection with the divine and the sacred, to transport us into the spiritual through our sense of smell.
No wonder the lotus flower is a major protagonist here, with its symbolism meaning the purity of body and mind and rebirth. In Santa Sangre there is an airy quality, as if the elements were orchestrated with the utmost care and reverence so that this purity, delicacy and lightness of the flower were transported into the perfume.
In a structure that sounds classic, Santa Sangre opens with a bright, juicy and vibrant citrus of pink grapefruit combined with a more floral and sweet touch, a cheerful creaminess of vanilla flower and the refined sensuality of Indian sambac jasmine, adding a touch fruity on the way out.
In the body, the lotus flower blooms and shines, being adorned by the joyful sweetness of the flowers that precede it, but bringing its delicate floral aroma, slightly almondy and serene to the composition. It brings a sense of calm and lightness that is extended by the precious sandalwoods of the base, continuing the spiritual connection that is conveyed by the composition. A soft aroma of resinous and sweet incense permeates this moment of relaxation and serenity by the combination of benzoin with dragon's blood incense. It is an ethereal and delicate final phase typical of the best existing quality of Indian sandalwood. Santa Sangre always flows with delicacy, serenity and with the use of quality with a purpose and not mere ostentation, something very rare in current perfumery.
