Santal Pao Rosa

This is a really cool fragrance - something out of the ordinary. It has several stages in the journey which is quite unusual these days. Most fragrances are very linear or have a quite boring and predictable journey. This one is quite different. The opening is beautiful - rose, cardamom, some oud (light version, not barnyardish at all) and all underlined by woodsy notes. Pretty quickly it transforms into kind of a abrasive australian santal. Not the mysore kind but the one used in Santal 33. It's like a prettier, more rounded up version of santal 33 mixed with rose and cardamom. The dill aspect of it is there. If you know you are sensitive to this kind of saw dusty, dill-ish smell then this might put you off. I personally don't like fragrances that are only pretty. I want them to be more, to add something that sticks out. And this works well here. After an hour or two it turns into santal royal, or might I say - what santal royal should have been. Much more well blended and harmonious. And now about 6-7 hours in the figs are really coming out. All in all - this is not for everyone. It's not your average scent by any means and definitely not by Guerlain standards. (Guerlain is usually more of the creamy Samsara sandalwood and less dirty). For me this is one of the most interesting perfumes to leave Guerlain i recent years. Most of the new stuff is IMO pretty boring. All of my favorites are in the past. With that being said - I'm happy I bought it and will cherish it!

Review #2... almost a year later... revisiting. What a beautiful, comforting scent. If anything could fall under relaxing aromatherapy — Santal Pao Rosa would definitely qualify. It's a (not so much) understated regal, mature calmness. Sandal wood is very different from Guerlain's Santal Royal. You could get both and have completely different frags. I do get that "pickle brine" vibe - which I embrace and love, because it somehow connects me to my grandparents' old house where they used to cook and make preserves (yes, pickles, too) with lots of fragrant savory herbs. I guess it is this savory nature of SPR that keeps the sweetness in check, subdued, but somehow very present - as a potential that never truly realizes. There is that tension that I find most exciting about this scent, its vehicle if you wish. I am also getting patchouli, which doesn't seem to be among the notes. In the Chanel M-lle Coco direction, that is. I really like how, as the scent develops on my skin, the saltiness fades out a little and yields to sandalwood, oud and some creamier notes never crossing into the openly sweet territory. I first got a 2ml sample as a compliment from Guerlain and then got myself a 10 ml splash-on bottle for a reasonable price (which is, 1/10th of the 100ml bottle),I will be on the outlook for a FB if I luck out to find one for less than the Guerlain's exorbitant price. Bottom line: definitely worth trying if you're into mature sandal-creamy-salty-savory

Ok, I'll start by saying I fell in love with this fragrance the second I sprayed some on me at Neiman-Marcus. It's just fabulous, dazzling even. Understated, at least for me; I usually go for the heavily asserted stuff. This isn't, at least not for me; most of the other reviewers who were put off by the oud must seldom wear oud. To my nose anyway, it's all about the sandalwood and to a lesser degree the cardamon. The oud that is there isn't the Middle Eastern influence oud/oudh I'm used to. The big problem for me is the price. This stuff retails out at $385 a bottle, and even rosequeen isn't rich enough or reckless enough to drop that kind of money on a perfume. And I'm fairly certain most people aren't either, even here. I managed to get a 10ml bottle apparently made by Guerlain (same bottle design, label, etc.). Not a spray though, and it really smells better sprayed than dabbed on. At least the little 10ml mini has a screw top, which is fortunate since it was pricey enough too. There were enough negative reviews of this here that you'll really want to test this a couple of times before you take the plunge. But I find it delightful. It lasts about 5 hours on my skin when dabbed on, and maybe 6 or 7 hours when sprayed. I don't think the sillage is very strong. If you love it, you may not mind if a roomful of people can't smell it.

This one took me by surprise - especially because it says Oud. Guerlain typically has gotten quite bold with the way they use Oud but this one sits different. This feels like if you took either Papyrus Oud 71 from Parle Moi De Parfum or Comme Des Garcons' 2 Man and added a creamy sandalwood to it. All three have a very similar vibe to them. The oud is more wood than fecal and there's very little by way of sweetness. I will say it's quite masculine. But it's Guerlain - so it is blended spectacularly with the best ingredients and that's very apparent. This feels like an evolution for Guerlain with Delphine Jelk. Considering the big shoes she has to fill, she's doing a spectacular job. This collection has always been "pretty" to me, if a little safe. I'm now excited again because if this, Tobacco Honey and Cherry Oud are any indication, this collection is finding some bondage gear in the closet. 9/10

OMG !! This is wonderful to me. The opening of myrrh, figs and sandalwood is spectacular on my skin. Today it is colder here and windy, this fragrance is so beautiful on my skin. I don't detect anything from Oud, which makes me really happy. If you are a fan of the Oud, it is not here. On my skin it is a mixture of sandalwood, fig and dark roses, which give an almost gourmet background, (as @fragancias has said, it is a raspberry vibe) but nothing overpowering. Really for me it is an exquisite fragrance, more on the feminine side, but in a man I think it would be super too. The sensation of a woman wrapped in pink satin on the bed, would be the image of this fragrance for me, I find it really sensual. It has spectacular duration, 24 hours on the inside of the elbow. I cannot stop recommending this, for me it has become my favorite perfume at the moment.

Well, there is a first time for everything. Normally I avoid pronounced sandalwood; and oud is the note I loathe more than any other note. All I can think is that Guerlain's ingredients are of a different or better quality? These notes are smooth. No sensation of my nostrils being burnt. What a turnaround for me. All of the above listed notes are in there but somehow Santal Pao Rosa ends up being more than the sum of its parts. It is smooth with no jagged edges. On me, the scent lasts for over 24 hours. It is powerful but not annoying. One or two sprays was more than enough. I would probably spray a little of this on a scarf or on some part of me that isn't too close to my nose. I would say that a bottle of it would last me several lifetimes as it is so intense to my nose. A decant would be more than enough.

Simply sublime! This fragrance smells personal, during the winter we would have torrential downpour. My friends and I would step out of the foyer and watch the rain form into puddles, the bark of the trees were soaked and turned red, the air was cold and gentle. When it would brush up against your face it felt so special and would create this fizzy feeling in my airways which honestly made me feel alive. Ohhhh, gone are the days... I do not get the resemblance to Santal 33 which smells rather rancid to me, Santal Pao Rosa is so smooth, spicy, cold, and yet manages to capture that childhood memory so effortlessly. This is definitely something that would wouldn't want to smell like but definitely something that I want to smell.

When I got into the Guerlain boutique, I was looking for a new fig note. I tried Santal Pao Rosa, and a very old scene from my 5-year-old childhood memory triggered: my father holding my hand in the old streets of Madinah city, heading to the Prophet’s Holy Mosque. Those streets were full of Attars’s shops burning myrrh and frankincense to attract clients. The memory was full of colors and scents, full of a secure and peaceful feeling. To me, it was nostalgic. I bought it without hesitation. Memories hold more significance than olfactory analysis! If I have a chance to rename it, I would call it the Orient’s Bazaar

I sampled this one on a blotter strip while I was in Paris and it was a hard pass. I purchased a few other fragrances and the associate put a sample in the bag. I recently tried it on skin one evening after my shower and couldn’t keep my wrist away from my nose. I immediately placed an order for a 100ml bottle. Sandalwood and cardamom are the major players here. The rose adds a slight sweetness to the dry composition. My nose doesn’t detect much oud. Its not for everyone, but those who can pull it off will be pleased. It’s divine. Commanding. It exudes elegance, sophistication, and confidence. Beautifully crafted.

Oh, wonderful stuff, instantly put a smile on my face. I have samples and have been enjoying Santal Pao Rosa for several wears now. It's almost like meat roasted on burning sandalwood, served with ketchup. In a good way. The woody and milky aspects of sandalwood come through strongly, it's myrrh probably that reminds me of barbeque, some nuttiness and sweetness... Very interesting and unique, strong yet soft, quite unisex. Lasts all day and survives a bath. Guerlain site lists notes of sandalwood, damascus rose, fig, hazelnut, cardamon, agarwood and myrrh.

I really, really enjoyed wearing this. I didn't look at the entry before wearing, so really had absolutely no idea of what to expect. On my skin it was mainly sandalwood, oud and (I thought) labdanum. Its quite an inky oud. After about two or three hours, I came here and saw that fig was listed. I tried to find it in there and thought I did but it may just be a case of mind over matter. Who knows, really. It's fairly linear on me after about 30 or so minutes, but I don't see that as a bad thing necessarily.

Spicy, dry, woody goodness. I’ve been searching for a sandalwood dominant fragrance, and came across this by chance. While this is a bit more spicy than what I was looking for, the sandalwood is exactly the type I have been hoping to find. I bought a 30ml decant to see me through until I find the ‘perfect’ sandalwood, but this is a great fragrance in its own right. Ever so slightly sweet yet spicy and woody meaning it’s perfect for my tastes.

So, so grateful this perfume has come into existence. I feel magnificent wearing it. Friends around me literally inhale me when I have it on. I could not help myself; I bought a back up bottle of 200ml. I never want to be without it. This even might be my all time favourite perfume, also because how I feel when it is ‘a Santal Pao Rosa’ day. I get giddy in bed in the morning knowing that I am going to wear it.

I've marked this one a "love" on the rating, but it doesn't come without its criticism. Lovely rosey/wood opening and great longevity. But most of this longevity is just the sandalwood being a one-trick pony. And for the really high price, I want the pony to do more tricks. They could add another note to it or something so the mid and drydown isn't so one dimensional.

Smells like a more woody & spicy version of L’Ile Pourpre from Liquides Imaginaires. A beautiful composition of florals, woods, spices & fig. I also get a strong oriental incense. So far, Neroli plein sud is my favorite in this line from guerlain. Followed by Herbes Troublantes, Oud Nude & Santal pao rosa.

Having received a sample of this one I was initially, MEH but I went back to it and decided to give it a couple of consecutive days of wear and I actually love it . This is a much thicker scent from the L'Art and la Matiere collection. On the hunt for this one now, if anyone is moving a bottle on.. msg me

There's something sharp & varnishy in the scent but I don't hate it! Definitely a standout of the collection; interesting direction for Guerlain 😉 *Btw the green "sandalwood" here is a fantasy note made popular by Santal 33, so don't expect anything milky/buttery, musty, warm, or tranquil/meditative.

Beautiful fragrance. Love the sandalwood + rose. Got 4 samples from L'Art & La Marière from Guerlain (unexpected, thanks G.!) and this one stands out, along with Neroli Outrenoir. $360 for 100 ml is a bit too much though. I don't care as much for the bottle (it is beautiful).

Could smell pungent to some. But very deep and mysterious. It fills the room with a nice mix of floral, amber, oud and woodsy notes in a soft, whispering manner. It encapsulates and forms a scent bubble around me. A very high quality and nicely blended parfum.

I remember really loving this - a very sweet, spicy opening, almost cinnamon-like, with woody depth. With time the sandalwood showed up more but it didn't feel too sour, it was smooth and linear in the drydown. STUNNING