Royal Blue

A lovely scent that strongly reminds me of Ocean Oud by Ramon Monegal. Essentially, it’s a deep, dark aquatic in the same realm as Oud Minerale, Unda Maris, Antalya, Abyssys, etc. It starts off very smoky and woody, with wearble oud and styrax (not listed), rounded off by an incense-like aquatic element to the likes of Profumo. I can see the comparison made to AdG by the person below, but it has nothing to do with Azure Crystal. However, this eventually becomes smokier, woodier, and deeper, which at this point shares similarities to Ocean Oud. It reminds me of the earlier compositions of Jean-Claude Astier, which revolved heavily around smoke, woods, and patchouli, but with a dark aquatic touch. That said, the price is a bit of a strech, coming in at nearly $400, which is unfortunately far too difficult to justify, even from a house like Micallef. These brands are really making it hard to support their creations with such outrageous prices.

Very light and watery. I can’t smell most of the notes. Very little sillage too.

ok, ive had this long enough to know whats going on here!, if and when you find a fragrance you like, ITS Great , plenty of things to say about it, and its an easy reach cause its soooo GOOD!.... but what happens when you get your hands on this little gem ? Yes, its good, but its nothing special, its not the one you talk about , its not the one you reach for... and thats because its just LEVEL, there is nothing there in the scent that pops out and makes you want to keep smelling it , nothing draws you in , nothing keeps you in ... but at the same time , its not pushing you back, its just there. LEVEL , the whole time ! But it sticks around the whole time , its there , you smell it , it lasts and projects , just wear it alongside something else and you'll know what i mean. You will smell it over what ever you've sprayed. its good , yes , but its missing that attention seeking element, and that is fine because it works well when you want something , that's not everything else !! that's where this sits, for me anyways , and i have word this a lot! and even in my lifetime I will not finish the bottle because of this exact reason. ITs insanely well done , great quality , but just not that wheelhouse scent I go nuts for. For that to work , it would need something Crisp , a Bite, just something that pulls you away from the LEVEL that its on... But then it wouldn't be the same Scent .... So Stop expecting every fragrance to be the Lead singer and settle for the best damn backup singer you never knew you admired this much just for sticking around when everyone else has faded away .. Peace bishes!

Pleasant woody aromatic scent with an aquatic touch to it, this is a slight reworking of their earlier now sold out Azure Crystal. The scent opens with ozonic and fruity citrus notes and moves to a heart of patchouli, rosemary, cinnamon and geranium before it settles into a woody sandalwood and tonka with slight oud and ambergris. Overall this is a very standard Micallef composition but it does work in spades and has a nice invigorating vibe to it. The unisex scent has moderate sillage and good longevity. Enjoy!

Such an interesting take on a conventional blue fragrance. Take Acqua Di Gio Parfum, make it deeper and a bit animalic.

I’ve been wanting to try this fragrance for a long time and to write a truly detailed, layered review—to finally solve the mystery around it. Some people on Fragrantica say they smell coconut, others say they don’t. Some claim there’s fig, others say there isn’t. Some compare it to Acqua di Gio, others to a “generic blue designer fragrance.” In short, I couldn’t find a single concrete review explaining what this actually is, what it smells like, or whether it’s worth anything. I’ve also read multiple times that it’s not worth the price the brand asks. On the other hand, the bottle is beautiful, the presentation is high-level, and the limited edition status adds weight in terms of perceived value. The presentation is truly decent and “royal.” The trunk-style packaging resembles other brands we’ve seen, but M. Micallef does have a very unique and attractive bottle design, along with the color. The downside is the name “Royal Blue”—because that “Royal” sets high expectations. So let’s clear things up: what actually is Royal Blue and how does it smell? I’ll be real, honest, and brutally grounded—as always, especially when a fragrance costs €345. Buckle up, let’s go. OPENING: The fragrance opens very, very similarly at moments to Saint Mariner from the niche house Parfumerie Particulière, created by the fantastic Anne-Sophie Behaghel and Amélie Bourgeois. Although Saint Mariner isn’t my cup of tea, I clearly caught that association in the opening. But very quickly—very quickly—it becomes something else. What emerges is a more intense version of Acqua di Gio (just slightly, like Saint Mariner mentioned above). After about 10–15 minutes, it smells neither like Saint Mariner nor Acqua di Gio, although your brain will keep subconsciously pulling you back to those associations. Still, it becomes something else. What exactly? It becomes the scent of a cheap “blue-ish” cologne—but made in the most refined way possible, using the best raw materials on the market. And yet, this fragrance belongs on a shelf in Bipa, maybe Douglas or Müller—but not among the main designer lines. Rather, down in the section with Diesel, S. Oliver, or maybe at the very bottom shelf where forgotten Baldessarini fragrances sit... collecting dust next to Roma Uomo by Laura Biagiotti or some old Trussardi releases. Visually, you can now imagine where this fragrance belongs and in what price range. Maybe it is “royal,” but like a royal whose title was given long ago—only to undergo reformulations since 2003 and become a “meh royal.” A worn-out royal that now carries only a sketch of its once-glorious crown, resting on soft blue velvet with a golden frame. As the fragrance develops, depth appears. And yes, you can clearly smell high-quality materials and oils—but they’re just... there, in the background. The core of the fragrance isn’t strong or distinctive enough to elevate it beyond a standard “blue” scent into something that truly deserves the name “ROYAL BLUE” in bold capital letters. Unfortunately... there’s nothing truly royal here. The blue color has faded, and it gives off a vague association with designer fragrances from the late ‘90s to early 2000s. If I switch off my strict, analytical perfume brain and approach this in a basic, average, or layman’s way—not shallow, just simplified—then I’d say: It’s a blue-themed fragrance. Fresh. Absolutely 0.01% coconut—there is no coconut here. Maybe, just maybe, there’s some overripe fig because I sense a kind of sweetness mixed with a cold freshness—an “ice cold,” glacial type of freshness that quickly transitions into something deeper. Overall, it’s a likeable scent. Mass appealing. No need to overcomplicate it. It’s definitely a crowd pleaser—but not in the way you’d expect in 2025/2026. It clearly carries a slight retro vibe from the late ‘90s to early 2000s. No doubt about it. It feels like the crown of a “blue fragrance line” for summer 2003. In today’s context? This is a very average, standard EDT blue fragrance. But let me put it this way (those who understand, will understand): Imagine a Mexx fragrance—generic, ordinary, a bit “meh.” Alcohol-forward, mixed composition—but still pleasant for under 2 hours. A €25 Mexx I used to wear in high school. Now imagine that same Mexx—but made with truly high-quality ingredients, packaged under a “royal” name, in a beautiful blue bottle with a gold cap, inside a luxurious black box, released as a limited edition. Dry down? Honestly, I won’t even bother going deeper—I’ve said enough. FINAL VERDICT: Is it worth €345? Not even in the wildest dreams. Is it pleasant and likeable? Definitely. Does it belong on the bottom shelf next to forgotten Baldessarini, Trussardi, and Roma Uomo releases? Yes—that’s exactly where it belongs. I truly expected a lot from this, but it definitely doesn’t deliver what I was hoping for. When I saw the notes, I imagined an interesting combination of fig and coconut—maybe something along the lines of Jacques Fath Curacao Bay in a different interpretation, or at least in that direction. But this? This is a total FLOP. I don’t know where this brand is heading, but for example Notorious XO is a really fun treat—not to mention the cult classic Desired Toxic. Micallef... seriously, get it together. EDIT: After 5 to 6 hours from the moment I wrote this review, the fragrance is still on my skin. So yes—it was on me the whole time while I was writing and observing its development. Additional conclusion: DRYDOWN: Very much in the style of Saint Mariner—that type of scent. Glacially clean/cold, absolutely not in the “blue” direction. The first association that comes to mind is white, not blue. And then, in the distance—when we talk about the clean/white/blue genre—it leans toward something like Jeremy Fragrance’s Office One. Almost sterile clean. I’ll repeat: the fragrance does contain high-quality ingredients. The drydown sits close to the skin, but it’s still noticeable. Overall, my opinion hasn’t changed much—it’s still average, especially considering the price, the name, and I’d even say a misfired theme with that name... but hey, creative freedom. This is definitely not for a younger audience—it leans more toward a mature vibe. I’ll give it a 6/10, mainly because it’s M. Micallef, the bottle is beautiful, authentic, and the color is truly stunning... presentation-wise, wow. But realistically? It’s probably closer to a 5/10.