Les Absolus d'Orient Santal Royal

Santal Royal in the new translucid tinted glass bottle and latest repackaging has been reformulated and watered down, I believe some time around 2021. Current formula code is 15715, the longevity is 8 hours, projection sadly quite close to the body. What a disappointment! I bought this new reformulation in the latest repackaging. The scent is now more transparent and airy compared to its older formulation. I would like to trade it with someone here who prefers a lighter Santal Royal for the older formulation please. Its previous two very slightly different packagings released between 2014 to 2020 with just a tiny tweak between cursive and straight fonts of the word "guerlain" within the gold round graphic emblem on the packaging front, has the older formula code in different forms, 08874M and 08874, respectively. The bottles are both opaque. This older formulation lasts around 16 hours on skin, with beast mode projection! UK Guerlain Client Service Solange had insisted Santal Royal's formula code has remain unchanged in its latest repackaging which is untrue. There is not only a change in formula code from 08874M and 08874 to 15715, evidently printed on the packaging's back, but the scent has clearly been reformulated and watered down. It now no longer has that pungent smoky gasoline leathery medicinal clearly animalic opening on skin, but instead opens directly into its heart notes of silky smooth peachy jasmine rose sweetness and barely smoky leathery woods that has this new found watery freshness, lightness and brightness to it compared to its previous formulation. The very realistic, full-bodied and natural smelling spicy cinnamon that used to be laced on top of the smooth peachy jasmine rose sweetness forming a gourmand dessert accord is now GONE!!!! Nooooooo....!!!!!!! It has now become much less oriental, much more occitan. Much less masculine, much more unisex. Much less deep and complex, much more linear and simple. Much more polite and smooth, but also devastatingly much weaker!! An emasculated toothless floriental it has now turned into, basically. UK Guerlain Client Service Solange: you can now neatly fold and keep your "same formula but raw material/seasonal/harvest variances" red herring trope safely and snugly back in your immaculately dry cleaned and steam pressed Burberry's double-breasted silk-lined camel coloured trench coat's pocket now. ;) Batch code reviewed: 2B02 Formula code: 15715 The current entire Les Absolus d'Orient series has new and updated formula codes, packagings, labels and bottles switched from opaque to translucid glass reflecting post 2021 reformulation except Épices Exquises launched only in 2022. 2025 update: After letting it sit for close to two years, it now finally has good performance almost like its previous formulation; its longevity and sillage have both doubled—this is unbelievable! However, the rose and oud notes don't last as long as the older formulation and are significantly weaker in the long dry down. The shop testers and my bottle when I first got it all had the same performance issues, before they were allowed this extended period of maceration. Not acceptable having to wait that long for maceration to strengthen a perfume's performance to its intended usual strength. Guerlain should release this perfume only when it is ready to be used with its intended and usual performance, not place the burden on consumers to wait to find out if maceration and performance improvements will occur (or not) without any disclaimer or instruction. This shoddiness is bad form for the company.

Sexy oud. Yes, a sexy oud + rose. I love oud and rose together, but rarely do they charm my snake. Guerlain's own Rose Nacree du Desert is beautiful, but it's as far from the bedroom as the toilet at 3 AM. Stuff like Oud Ispahan and Oud Palao and even Arabian Oud's Resala are wonderful, but they do not make me smell sexy. They smell GOOD, but I doubt they would make anyone want to hop on the train to pound town. This one though, this spicy little mamasita right here...This is carnal. This has sex appeal with a capital S. And throw in a capital A as well just to keep things in order. First thing that should be said is that this fragrance is really not about sandalwood, despite the name. I guess these Gallic fellers just like to throw you for a loop with the names? "Hon hon hon, ve 'ave got you again!" Ambre Eternel isn't really about amber. Patchouli Ardent isn't really about patchouli. Encens Mythique isn't really about incense. What is it with these wise guys, eh? Is the joke that funny, Guerlain? Sick burn, we made a fragrance that smells completely different than the name, LOL. Dabbed on em' boys ayyyy. Anyway, I'm sure that sandalwood is in here somewhere, it's just not very prominent at all. This is just a beautiful fragrance. The opening has a blast of a little bit of skank - maybe skanky oud, maybe skanky leather, maybe indolic jasmine, or maybe all three - but it's never too much. It just keeps things interesting enough. The skankiness quickly dissipates, and the fragrance begins it's slow and elegant drydown. Beyond the opening there's very little evolution, but the drydown is just so good. This is rich, opulent, truly regal stuff - leather, smoky oud, amber, musk, cinnamon, creamy wood and this beautiful ripe peach note (which Guerlain does so well) which, I don't know if this will make much sense, just seems to connect everything together so beautifully and adds this additional succulence and juiciness that takes this over the edge for me. It is dark, deep, rich, enveloping, like you spilled some kind of spicy peach syrup on a black leather jacket and happened to be burning bakhoor nearby and some sandalwood incense. It is never too much in one way or another - never too dark, never too sweet, never too fruity, never too smoky - but just right. This is another testament to the skill of Thierry Wasser and a complete knockout stunner for Guerlain. I've been complimented every time I've worn this by my friends and girlfriend, and I'm sure that trend will continue. In my view, this is perfect for a really cold night, something you could wear to a party or to dinner or a show. The opulence of the occasion really should match the opulence of the scent. But I think you can pull this off for just about any occasion, as long as it's cold and you're dressed well. Performance on my skin isn't as amazing as the other reviews led me to believe, but it's still tenacious, and lasts days on clothing. It's 100% unisex, and though I love it, I think this would smell even more amazing on a woman. Like, voulez vous coucher avec moi ce soir. It is enticing and intoxicating; it makes you kind of lose yourself in it. A succubus (or incubus, just to keep things equal) should smell like this. Overall, I'm so glad I got my hands on this, and can't wait to bust it out next fall and winter. 9/10

With all sincerity this is quite literally one of the best if not THE best Oriental fragrances I have ever put my nose on. I have been hesitant to write a review as the fragrance has confounded me. Upon initial spray it is an unholy but wonderful blast of very strong oud and rose. Whilst many deride this fragrance as just another in a long tedious line of Oud rose combinations this one is deceptive. Yes it does start off in this fashion (and it is in my view a superbly executed rendition of a very Middle Eastern type of Oud rose fragrance) but dries down into a supreme sandalwood with Oud still enveloping. The Oud is not a dull western rendition (think TF Oud Wood) not an animalic offensive Oud... rather it smells like a hauntingly divine scent of fermented grapes (one type of Oud scent I really like - also found in Arabian Oud’s Woody Style). It is so incredibly rich, so opulent, exquisite and oriental one could be forgiven for feeling quite overwhelmed by this. Smelled up close on the skin it will intoxicate you and the real magic is floating in your scent trail two metres behind. Naturally anyone can wear anything but I would imagine that this fragrance does confuse those seeking traditional sent profiles as the Jasmine and peach in the opening may suggest a feminine sent offputting to some men whilst the dark rich overpowering Oud and other notes as it dries down may deter some women. It is beyond any convenient taxonomy. Neither feminine nor masculine (nor unisex?) neither purely Middle Eastern and certainly not occidental, not a guerlainade yet a manifestation of what guerlain is all about... supremacy in blending and quality. This fragrance is one of the best value vs quality, very accessible to buy and really is one of the best fragrances I have ever put my nose on. Thank you Guerlain. I too can now feel like the Ottoman Sultan or Shah of Iran!

This is stunning to me. This is rich, opulent and Oriental. I love the combo of Oud/rose/sandalwood. 🪵🌹🔥✨✨✨ I had written a review a few months back based on a sample from Guerlain and it wasn’t a favorable review. However, I have changed my mind since. It starts as a massive Oud bomb and takes you on a journey. The rose in this scent is soooooo beautiful and Red and imposing without being cloying. To me, this is well balanced. The Oud is the reigning item here, it is sitting on its throne from beginning to end and I love it. But the rose and sandalwood as well as the other notes do bring balance to this fragrance and it is a very nice blend. This is not a sweet scent at all. It is very woodsy, incense-y and rose-y. It reminds me of being in an old church. It evokes a sense of mystical quietness, it invites you to sit still...at least, it’s my personal take on this... Longevity: not bad, 6 hours Projection/Sillage: imposing at first (20 minutes) but it settles down to a nice bubble afterwards. Price: it’s pricey but I bought it from someone who no longer wanted it for a nice discount. I would not have bought it at retail price otherwise. Season: for me, it definitely is a winter/cold weather scent. Beautiful fragrance but this is very much an acquired taste in my humble opinion so I definitely recommend you sample it first. This, to me is more of a cold/frigid weather scent. I do not see this on me at the height of summer but every one is different, right? Fortunately, I live in a place where winters are long, cold and sometimes even arduous 😰 so yay!!

A trail fit for royal demi-gods... This rose-oud-sandalwood beauty will get you noticed. with its otherworldly trail befitting royalty at a time when monarchs were part god (makes me think of Xerxes in the film, 300). The note from the brand states this was launched for the opening of Harrods Salon de Parfums, and there is definitely a Middle Eastern vibe. Opens with a burst of white floral & oud with clean & violet touches, that deepens into a spicy rose-peach heart that has velvety, honey, sweet, violet, cinnamon, peppery & oud nuances, all resting on a leather & sandalwood base. Overall: Has an amazing trail and powerhouse performance, but a dressed up vibe. IRL this would be perfect for a dressed up night out. (Opaque bottle with gold writing). This is the perfect scent to wear when you want to be mistaken for royalty. This has recently been reformulated (clear bottle) but if you get a chance to try any of the earlier versions, I recommend it. It's a love for me. Enjoy! Contrast to Opulent Oud Lattafa: These are different, but there are similarities with oud, rose, cinnamon & amber. Santal Royal has a more forward sandalwood, although there's something that reads like sandalwood in Opulent Oud. Santal Royal outperforms. Update 04/24/25: Sprayed this once yesterday, and it's still going. It's mainly a leathery oud & sandalwood scent, but yesterday there was a lot of rose & peach that read like honey as well. It's quieted down to oud-sandalwood this morning. It could be worn year round, but I'll reserve it for cooler months. Still a love.