Red Santal

To me this fragrance smells like a combination of Blackpepper by Comme des Garçons and Santal 33 by Le Labo.

Cleverly spiced but frustratingly quiet ethical-natural-organical peppered sandalwood; a lovely imaginary sweet spot that's hard to get to, doesn't let you hang out there for long and turfs you out before the enjoyment is even over. It may be kind to the planet but the high price and minimal scent bubble (barely projects at ALL) make it pretty tough on paying customers. I have to admit the clove 'n spice are really nicely done and the central sandalwood accord beautiful (creamy, spicy, not cloying, not sweaty, and really authentic - this is NOT the sweet-paper-dust of papyrus or the generic omni-wood synthetics which are often sent in to sub for absent good sandalwood.) If it were bigger or stronger, could have been a world-beating natural option for the true sandalwood heads. As it is - it just pads off into the distance leaving very little impression behind it. I'd suggest auditioning And perfumes' Sand or Sana Jardin Sandalwood Temple if this "capitalism with conscience" deal is what you are after. Red Santal is only detectable really close in (if worn on your skin) but the frankly weak projection is offset a bit by relatively good longevity - you can still pick up a puff of cloves / ginger / pepper up to 4h after application. I love the concept but the execution's just a bit too austere for me to feel at home with. Discreet to a fault, is what it is.

My favourite from this line - it had me hooked on sniffing. It's spicy, aromatic and naturalistic with a very aroma-therapy oil type scent. It reminds me of Ajmal's 'Ambre Pimente' (if you want a budget version) crossed with Aesop's 'Marrakesh Intense'. I love the spicy clean soapy dry-down. I could be tempted to get a full size bottle if the longevity was better.

As a prior reviewer mentioned, this is all about cooking spices. I don't think it's cheaply done. But it's tough to envision wearing this and NOT having the impression you just finished cooking a fabulous Asian meal, and it's on your clothes and skin ... along with a heavy dose of cloves and a smidge of body odor. If that's your thing, do give this a try.

Exotic fresh spices, the kind you smell when you step inside a Middle Eastern restaurant. As expected, very natural approach, and as expected dry down comes too quickly. And like others, I forgot that sandalwood was in the composition. Still I like the realistic cloves, ginger and pepper notes.

fresh and peppery in the opening, then becomes soft and warm, which I love. the downside is the short longevity on my skin, although I hate when perfumes smell for days.

They've discontinued it now as part of their one out one in policy but it's a decent warm spicy pleasant fragrance. Moderate longevity amd sillage

This is by no means a bad scent, but as others have noted, it's impossible to separate it from its foody roots. For me it calls to mind berbere, the signature spice blend of Ethiopian dishes. In cuisine its piquancy is wonderful. On my skin it's less appealing. I do think these "authentic spice cabinet" fragrances have their audience, but they aren't for me. That said, it does layer beautifully with a few rose soliflores in my collection. I think it might spice up - literally - more delicately pretty scents. But I personally couldn't wear it on its own.

Clean spices as others have said. A little boring imho.

I really wish there were less clove in Red Santal. I went into this hoping for a creamy Indian sandalwood profile, but that’s not quite what I got. The clove note comes on strong and ends up dominating the composition, overshadowing the three types of sandalwood for most of the wear. The sandalwood only really starts to show itself in the drydown, and by then it’s already very close to the skin. It feels like a missed opportunity. I’ll probably have to keep looking for that smooth, creamy sandalwood elsewhere.

A cheap, nasty, poorly blended concoction of cooking spices and pepper. Imagine burying your face in the kitchen spice cabinet and inhaling the nutmeg, black pepper and cloves. It's overpowering for an hour then it disappears (thankfully). Not at all pleasant and not at all wearable.

Definitely a spice bomb. "No," not like V&R Spice Bomb BUT...actually..."yes," kinda does bear a remote resemblance: When I first try anything, I make sure I haven't read anything about it or watched review videos, so I'm coming from a completely unbiased/uninfluenced position. And the very first reaction I had on first sniff was "where do I recognize that predominant scent from?..." ..."Oh...an aspect of Spice Bomb." First time an all-natural has ever even given a hint of the synthetic mess that Spice Bomb is. And to clarify, I do like this fragrance. But as far as Spice Bomb goes, I'd take 1899 in a heartbeat over SB any day. 1899 did what SB was trying to do, and did it right. Back to Red Santal: I'm a fan of natural frags. So this one ranks as a decent one. Remotely comparable to DSH, if you're a fan of DSH, this is worth exploring. My nose reads the ginger heaviest, with clove second, I believe the ginger of which gives that background reminder of SB. I am also considering layering this with another natural I have. As a natural, the projection and longevity seems adequate. This may be full bottle worthy, and I will re-explore it soon. Have tried two others from this line, this is my fave so far. 7 or 8 out of ten, and to counter what another reviewer claimed about it not being blended well...it is very well blended. We can discern individual notes, but def not all of them, and the combo presents a neat and appealing overall scent if you dig spicy.

Everyone has smelled a really overpowering sandalwood perfume, it knocks you back, like patchouli or other hippy scents. That is not Abel's Red Santal- it is a spicy sandalwood but stays discrete and intimate. On my skin, it starts off spicy and peppery and settles into a powdery sandalwood- which is how I like it. If you are looking for a subtle sandalwood with an evolving, nuanced scent, you might like this.

love the soft yet spicy scent. It's slightly powdery on my skin, which I normally dislike, but in this case was good. I do wish it was a touch stronger throughout with a bit more sandalwood (or tone down the cloves?), and had greater longevity for the high price.

Cloves, ginger, and black pepper blend with hints of thyme. The notes above are completely detected. Very clovy, and peppery. Simple and straightforward.