SOTD - Serge Lutens Santal Majuscule

This is probably going to seem a bit churlish coming from me, but I still don't really 'get' Santal Majuscule. I mean, it smells fairly good, I suppose, but I still don't equate the experience with the mainly highly-praised reviews by fellow bloggers.

I especially still do not understand why the Lutens line needs this one when it already has Jeux de Peau, to my nose a very similar construction, but perhaps a bit more 'foody', particularly the opening.

Still, in fairness, Santal Majuscule hardly smells bad and I didn't not enjoy it; I merely wasn't blown away to a place that others seem to have been. Then again, that is the beauty of perfume, and to an extent, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, or the nostril of a perfumista, I guess.

Serge Lutens Santal Majuscule and friends

So I tried Santal Majuscule for the first time today. What can I say? A very nice sandalwood perfume. A very good one actually. One I like. 

And yet. And yet. I'm asking myself, what does it bring to the Serge Lutens line that hasn't already been covered by Santal de Mysore, Santal Blanc and the more recent Jeux de Peau? My personal opinion is that Santal Majuscule and Santal de Mysore have the most in common, particularly in the dry down. Having just said that, Jeux de Peau, once you get past the bread, yeast and pastry opening, is very similar too. And that is where my problem lies with Santal Majuscule - as lovely as it is, it seems to me to be just a variation of a theme. 

I'm sure there will be some of you reading this, thinking I am just nitpicking, and being a pain in the arse, which I probably am. I'd buy a bottle of Santal Majuscule, no question about it. But present me with all four Lutens sandalwood perfumes and how does one choose? For my money, I'd still go with Santal de Mysore.