Tommi Sooni- Eau de Tommi Sooni II

Eau de Tommi Sooni II is a modern (read: light) oriental fragrance that adds color and spice to the familiar Shalimar-like structure. It's a delightful perfume with a bright and zesty opening that's leafy more than fruity. If I were to assign Eau de Tommi Soon II a color it would be a vivid green, that of a lush exotic scenery, slightly humid and full of surprises.

Tommi Sooni is a young Australian brand that currently offers five fragrances. They combine a very classic and elegant perfumery style with an easygoing attitude and try to inject a hint of their local notes and ingredients into their creations. Eau de Tommi Sooni II is a great example of that, as it takes a slightly different route on its way to the ambery oriental destination. There are honeyed creamy flowers in its heart that add to the jungle green and sweeten it. There's a subtle spiciness that keep the fragrance from being too powdery just when you think it's about to succumb, and a gorgeous sweet wood dry-down that avoids gourmand territory by the skin of its teeth. Whoever is responsible for the current and heavily reformulated version of Shalimar should come and get a whiff of Tommi Sooni II to see how it's done.

Eau de Tommi Sooni II has a decent sillage and longevity-- it's probably much bolder and more tenacious when sprayed, but all I've been using dab samples so I never got the full effect, though I can tell you that I only needed a few drops for every wearing. The fragrance has a good backbone and teeth-- you can you're wearing a real perfume.

See other review: Kevin on NST and Victoria on EauMG.

Notes: rhubarb, bergamot, lemon, daphne, jasmine ylang-ylang, honey, vanilla, amber, sandalwood.

Tomi Sooni- Eau de Tommi Sooni II ($160, 100ml EDT) is available from tommisooni.com. My samples were acquired at the Elements Showcase and as a gift with purchase.

Art: Southeast Asia by Yuri Gurbachev.