Eau de Santal

I have tested this for a week now and I can comfortably say I enjoy the scent journey and the airy, smooth, soft nature of this scent. Projection is about 1 hour and then the scent sits fairly close to the skin however, I would expect in warmer Spring / Autumn weather for it to have better sillage and projection as I am testing this is winter. The longevity on my olive skin was about 6 hours, naturally on clothes it will be a couple of hours longer, but all in all pretty good for an EDT, I would not have an issue respraying with a travel sprayer as I am not expecting longevity like most EDP fragrances. The scent is very clean, fresh and not too rich of any particular accord as the blending is just perfect, as expected from a niche house like Floris that uses high quality ingredients. The scent overall is just lovely and very pleasant, sophisticated yet calming, it made me feel good and relaxed and in no way did it smell dated. I have been looking for a nice versatile fragrance with the aforementioned characteristics to be a new signature scent, as opposed to the mainstream ISO E, ambroxian tonka bombs out there and I think I may have found it, but I will need to give this a few more wears in another season. So far I am both impressed with Santal and surprised considering how much flak it has received from some reviews on here, to me this is a highly underated fragrance and I feel its not only to do with the fragrance itself but also with the brand association some people may have with Floris who struggle to identify themselves with such an old fashioned house thats not hip and trendy let alone overly popular. I would think this fragrance would be suited for a professional man aged 26 and up looking for a subtle versatile signature scent that can be for daily use, formal lunches, interviews, the office or even just smart casual events. Anyway don't just take my word for it like all fragrances you must test this and see how it performs with your skin. Peace :)

About a month ago, I was looking for a warm spicy-vanilla fragrance for late fall/winter. I bought decants of Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille, Spicebomb Extreme and Herod. While I can see why people like those fragrances, to me TV was way too sweet and SE’s opening was way too harsh. Herod I liked quite a bit. The thing is I only would want to wear it when in the mood for sweet tobacco, which is rare. My search for a new winter frag continued. I saw a review for Floris Santal from Wafts from the Loft, and I ordered a bottle. After first spraying it, I wasn’t so sure I’d like it as the spices in the opening are quite bold (though not harsh like SE). After a few minutes I liked it more. After 15-20 minutes the spices settled down and I began to appreciate this gem. I soon decided Floris Santal was what I’d been looking for. The citruses nicely compliment the cardamom, nutmeg pepper and clove in the opening before the smooth lavender and vanilla become apparent. The spices are perfectly blended and balanced and not overly bold at all. Just perfect. The spices and lavender continue as the citrus fades, then vanilla and woods become more apparent in the drydown. As the drydown continues, it becomes much like what TV would be like if 90% of its über-sweetness were removed and woods were added. Tasty spices and vanilla, and the sandalwood, are what remain after a few hours. I just love this. I love the way it evolves. It’s become my signature fall/winter scent. It’s perfectly elegant. I’ll wear it until early spring before putting it away until the fall.

A lot of people like this one among sandalwood scents, but to me it's really an odd mix. Of all the sweet, vanillic sandalwoods, I recall thinking that this stuff takes the cake, going beyond the sweet concoctions of Trumpers Sandalwood and Truefitt Spanish Leather, though I'm not getting that as much this time. The opening is still reassuringly sharp, but with a very christmas-wreath sharpness and some leather underneath. There's a period in the mid notes where I find a surprisingly smooth and suave nutmeg, without its usual bite, and this fits nicely over the coniferous wreath notes. This phase is like a more refined and balanced Rocabar, with less vanilla. I thought I remembered cherry cough syrup emerging from the forest notes last time, but now I'm only getting smooth and slightly medicinal wood. Finally it hits me, though: some kind of unearthly mango or banana, the same that appears in spades in Lucky Number 6, making a sort of fruity oriental over the wood. It's much more restrained here, though, and doesn't upset the overall balance. If I didn't recognize this surprising connection, and a sudden similarity to Gucci Envy in the final base notes, I'd have just said Floris Santal is an unnaturally sweet woody oriental. Since I found those links, though, and especially the fruit component, I've warmed up to it as if I suddenly got where the scent is coming from.

Floris Santal Review: This fragrance starts of with a fairly subdued spicy opening. The spiciness comes from the cardamom mixed with a hint of pepper. Just like with everything else in this scent, the pepper never feels brash or abrasive to your senses. Sitting behind this spicy concoction is just a little bit of citrus. The opening then leads into a soft lavender mid, with a creamy sandalwood base. It amazingly accomplishes all of this with a fresh airiness to it all. It's a beautiful fragrance in it's simplicity and is one of my absolute favorites. This is one of the fragrances that gets compared to the classic Gucci Envy on occasion. From what I have tried, this is the smell that reminds me of Envy the most. It just so happens, that for my personal tastes, I actually prefer this one. It has a lighter and brighter smell to it than Gucci. This is a perfect fragrance to add to your Fall and Spring Rotations. Also, if you find the Extreme version I would definitely pick it up. It's a bit stronger than the original and would be quite a find. Best Age Group- 30+ Best Season(s)- Fall/Spring Occasions- Formal, Work, Casual Projection/Sillage- Moderate Longevity- 7 Hours Smell- 10/10 Overall- 10/10 YouTube Channel: theaveragecologneguy

I finally got my hands on a beautiful bottle of Floris Santal.. My interest in Floris Santal started when I was seeking a replacement for my beloved Gucci Envy.. Well my bottle came today and it is gorgeous.. Beautiful clear glass bottle with a light greenish colored juice.. Without hesitation I got ready to go out and I sprayed it on.. I immediately noticed not only is it similar to Envy but it smells amazing! From the initial blast, you can tell that this fragrance is very good quality and it has a lot going on.. It is far from just sandalwood like the name would suggest.. It is a gorgeous green cocktail of spices, woods, olibanum, and a hint of citrus.. Both Santal and Envy contain a lot of different notes, some are the same and some differ.. But overall they are very close to each other.. Envy is stronger, richer, and darker.. Envy contains alot of incense which gives it a darker feel.. Santal is like a lighter, brighter version of Envy.. The two are very very similar! Santal smells like an exotic love potion for men.. It smells sexy, but classy and sophisticated.. It has decent projection and longevity.. I feel great wearing this and I am happy I have found a great replacement for Envy!

Classic (read: subtle), airy, mildly-Oriental barbershop sandalwood. In the opening you get a sharp burst of cardamom, lemon, and bitter grassy green notes which leaves you wondering why it's called Santal at all. They stop shouting fairly quickly, and then sandalwood, vanilla, lavender, and spices slowly bloom over the course of the day. What you're left with is a milky, soapy, smooth-powdered sandalwood scent that soaks into the skin, a fresh crack of nose-tingling black pepper, all lightly warmed by frankincense & spices that whisper a touch of the far east - think lacquer boxes being traded from wooden ships at Hong Kong harbour. The sandalwood pulls rank, acting like cream swirled into coffee, harmoniously blending everything into a cosy and classy territory. Personally I've come to love this, and it's a great everyday spray for the price. In terms of projection, it's not going to announce you to the next village as you leave your house, but you WILL enjoy a quiet confidence in the dry down, and project a sophisticated aura for those lucky enough to be close to you. Intense version available for those who desire more power. 9/10.

I've spent the past several days wearing either Dunhill's Indian Sandalwood or D.R. Harris' Sandalwood, both of which I really like. But this morning after shaving and bathing I used Floris' Santal after shave, followed a few minutes later with 3 sprays of the EdT, and it has been one delightful morning. The sandalwood isn't front and centre with this one, but it is rather a thin veil over each and every one of the other notes. This gives it a quite rare ethereal quality that I've found in few other fragrances, most notably in Penhaligon's Endymion cologne. Santal doesn't smell "like" Endymion, but the two have a similar almost angelic quality with which I am quite taken. And as Thomas Aquinas tells us, each angel is a species unto itself. Such a desirable scent. In typical Floris fashion, it is ever so discreet. Many confuse Floris' discretion with a lack of performance. I don't think that's the case. The fragrance is there, but it becomes a part of me, and not something that either precedes or follows me. I appreciate that. And in any case, if I feel like I can't smell it there's still more in the bottle!

everyone's right, the performance here is kind of atrocious but it's also one of the best things I've ever smelled so....... the performance can actually be a little weird though in that it'll be gone within a couple hours and then several hours later I'll still be catching slight whiffs of it out of nowhere. anyone who gets close enough will surely be able to smell it. if i smelled this up close on a guy I would be obsessed. the accords above list this as primarily spicy, but the spiciness is more of a soft accent the vanilla and woodiness to me. the lavender here is so nice too but u wish it were a bit more prominent. one of the most pleasant lavenders I've smelled. people call this gentlemanly but i think that might be more due to the floris brand. it feels youthful to me. not very energetic, maybe a little sullen as well, but it's not serious or stuffy at all. it's soft and cozy and a little sexy. warm but with a cool side. you could wear this with a tux for sure but it's just at home with a big hooded sweater.

If there is one fragrance whose performance issues I could forgive, it is Floris Santal. This one changed my perception on the strength of fragrances, where I began to appreciate beauty in subtlety. The note pyramid gives the impression of a rather bold, peppery, and heavily woodsy masculine aroma. However, it is as mentioned, quite understated, and never really promised to be much of a powerhouse. As obvious as the sandalwood is, it never really dominates the composition, and gives way to other notes like cardamom, nutmeg, pepper, and vanilla. So yes, it can in fact be called a creamy sandalwood fragrance, though the sandalwood is gracious enough to take a back seat in order to yield an aromatic and vanillic scent. Clearly, what we have here is a rather simplistic scent, but it somehow manages to trigger an inexplicable high in me, almost like a narcotic effect. I don't exactly know how, but Floris Santal came knocking on my door. I opened it, and the rest is history.

Wow! I got this fragrance instantly and that's saying something because it goes on a distinctive journey. Opens with lavender and lemon with a soapy spice of cardamom which remains but settles back after a minute or so. Then waves of boozy coconut, nutmeg and black pepper. Then the kick of the spicy woods in the base with some olibanum in there...it's awesome! 'Sandalwood done right.'... is my opinion on this, it's just a masterful composition which clicks with me. I have to say it's instantly similar to Gucci Envy, a scent I sorely miss but Floris Santal might just be even better. It's not strong and performance is pretty average but I can live with that. It seems a little classier and more refined to my nose but I'm going off memory as I haven't smelled Envy in years now. I certainly wouldn't pay Ebay prices for a bottle these days, just get this. I'm getting this, no doubt about it.

Well I have finally had the chance to wear this for a while now and during some warmer Spring weather where I have found the fragrance opens up a lot more and performs much better with both projection and longevity. I managed to get a discounted bottle online and it is worth every penny, there is nothing else in the market you can buy that smells like this. I managed to test the discontinued Gucci Envy a mate had in his collection, indeed it has strong similarities but also notable differences and by no means is Santal a clone. Needless to say, Envy was a wonderful frag with cult status I remember well from my younger years and I am happy to have something that reminds me of it. This formulation of Santal works well with my skin and I am happy to say I have finally found my signature fragrance for Spring and Autumn / Fall happy days.

This is undoubtedly one of the most refined and beautiful barbershop sandalwood fragrances available—elegantly spicy, with a distinctly masculine sophistication. Unfortunately, its performance leaves much to be desired. After the initial spectacular opening, the scent quickly dissipates, leaving only faint traces that require deliberate effort to detect. Reapplication becomes necessary—often as frequently as every 15 minutes—to maintain its presence. I so wish it had more staying power. Edit: When I realized that this is like a sweeter, calming, smoother Bois du Portugal (a regal though potent sandalwood, which can come across as abrasive to some) I could not resist purchasing a small bottle. Such a desirable scent! Despite the underwhelming performance I am considering buying a bigger bottle when my 10 ml runs out.

An absolutely superb scent that exudes warmth and masculinity. If you're looking for a classic, but not dated, men's scent this is it. It's better suited to winter like most warm, sandalwood scents, but I find it pleasant year round. It starts off very nicely with sandalwood and a touch of clove. As it develops, the cedar appears, along with lite touches of cardamom and vanilla; the dry-down is a creamy combination of vanilla and sandalwood, but remains warm and elegant without ever getting sweet or powdery. I don't get any lemon or grass from this as the notes suggest, just sandalwood all the way thru. It can easily be worn from day to nite, fitting in everywhere. It has, like most of Floris' scents, great sillage and longevity and is for mine, THE way a gentleman should smell.

Yes this resembles Envy, a much more subtle, less macho formula.. only this lacks the ginger, mossy feeling & incense smokey depth of the legendary juice & adds a creamy dapper vanilla. FS initially opens a bit fresh & for literally a few seconds I can smell the citrus. Quickly after the light warmth & intensity of the sandalwood, vanilla & spices kick in. Lavender & Vanilla are what keeps this profile balanced, interesting & delicious. Quite intoxicating. Heavy vanilla gives me day long headaches, but here in the dry down it’s just the right amount mixed with the perfect notes. Edit: 11/15/24 I got this sweet patchouli amber smell at the dry down.. Pleaseeee nooooo! I hate patchouli smells. Hope this never happens again 🙏🏽

Signature scent material right here. I'm a huge fan of cedar and sandalwood and this one is fantastic. The pepper, nutmeg, and lavender blends seamlessly with cedar, vanilla, incense, sandalwood, and musk to make a concoction that gives of the creamy woody vibe of masculine, well mannered, gentleman. This reminds me of the drydown of Histories De Parfums 1828 which is one of my favorite fragrances of all time. However, floris is a little more airy and lighter which should give it a little more versatility (although 1828 is pretty versatile). Can be worn in just about any situation or weather. Full bottle on the way. Another hit from the storied British House of Floris. 🇬🇧 Scent 9/10 Performance TBD

This is the subtle sort of fragrance that fades into the background. I think this is why it's rated as low longevity if you're waring it you do tend to forget about it. For me at least it's actually still there 16hr after I put it on. The combination of low silliage and such long life is new to me though I know they're independent. The scent it self is a very classic spicy wood. For me I don't get much of the citrus top notes though the pepper and spice heart comes up quickly and hints of lavender, sandalwood, and vanilla play hide and seek all day. Great office scent. People probably won't remark on your cologne, but they will think you smell good...

This sauce is getting me all-day performance from three sprays, and it is a lovely concoction. Sandalwood is the star of the show, accentuated by clove/tobacco/vanilla to the dry down, and once it settles in it's a familiar and comforting post-shave barbershop, but classed up to eleven. My favorite part of it is the fresh opening, which I did not expect, these bright notes of cut-grass and a sharp citrus that just pop and rouse the senses. The composition is high art, and that doesn't happen by accident. This one was a labor of love. It's mature, yet full of vitality and vibrancy. Year-round versatility, too, as far as I'm concerned.

Got a sample from lucky scent..oh this is the BEST lavender and sandalwood scent I have EVER hot my nose on. Period. I want to know if it has ever been reformulated? I ask because the bottle has changed . I think this could really get a lot of love if more people knew about it. Amazing scent ! Edit update** I still love this stuff! In terms of scent, one of the best in it's category of scent, but the longevity is pretty poor. If you enjoy this stuff I highly recommend you try eight and bob - Egypt. It's amazing and the longevity is about the same maybe a little bit longer, but adds a little more sexiness to it!

I was intrigued by the blend of notes and ordered my boyfriend a sample. I love it on him as it’s an intimate, and soft scent that I love smelling on his skin and in his beard. It has a clean soapiness and gentle aromatic warmth that makes me picture him emerging from a hot, steamy shower and getting ready for the day ahead. A classic fragrance that doesn’t smell like a generic men’s cologne, and works all year round. Spritzing into hands and patting onto facial hair after oil really makes the scent last longer, and I personally do think for the price it last reasonably well.

This fragrance evokes the essence of an oriental fougere, with a classic and timeless scent profile. The opening top note of grass carries a subtle bay leaf quality, adding an aromatic freshness. As the fragrance develops into the mid and dry-down stages, the rich lavender and smooth sandalwood blend seamlessly, with a hint of vanilla providing a creamy texture that adds warmth and depth. True to the style of most Floris fragrances I’ve encountered, Eau de Santal is both elegant and understated, embodying a refined simplicity that lingers without overpowering. Bravo!