Roi d'Orient

Have you ever been to a Rituals store? Pity! Yes, because entering one of their shops is like visiting a Turkish Bath & Hammam Spa in Marrakech or Istanbul. The soft lights, the display shelves, the relaxing colours, and the smells transport you to the ancestral rituals of Morocco. And so I let this temptation attract me, and I walked around the shop, browsing products to care for the body and perfume the home, until I found myself in front of the exhibitor of the perfume collection, the Iconic Collection as they call it. They display each essence with the only large 50ml size flanked by its colourful box and surrounded by 15ml travel-size mini bottles. That’s all? No, there is more. Next to each perfume, there is a plate describing the olfactory family and three keynotes, and a small glass bell housing a disc of porous material, a sort of ceramic coin. The disc is used to spray the tester and savour the essence. I know that the verb to savour means to enjoy a food or drink by holding it in your mouth to taste it for a long time and make the sensation more pleasant, but the art of savouring the world with your nose is a unique and indescribable experience. That said, I went through all the tags one by one, focusing on the ones whose notes sounded good on my strings. Although at least five had caught my attention, only two of these were love at first sight. I’m talking about Eau d’Orient and Roi d’Orient. Are you curious to know what sensations these fragrances give me? Read on and I’ll try to interpret them. But, before I dive into the fragrances, I want you to know that you can buy two travel-size items for just €25, which is perfect for testing before buying. To some extent, the scent is even more graceful than the "Oriental Essence - Elixir d'Orient / Eau d'Orient | Rituals" and retains dusty, nutty, and smoky undertones as well as spicy and musky tones. Roi d’Orient unfurls with a blast of amber atmospheres. In the initial mix, I get an unexpected anise and liquorice vibe, which is stronger than the mentioned spicy white pepper. A feeble citrusy from the bergamot is present but does not make the opening too harsh. It gets more and more powdery while approaching the heart. The cologne reveals nutty and rosy edges, with a nougat subtlety and sweet amber hints. The more it grows, the more I get the lipstick vibe of the iris, buttery and powdery. I guess the nose behind this cologne went heavy with the Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone molecule, but in a good way. That powdery edge lingers until the end of the perfume’s lifetime. Finally, when the scent dries down, it turns a tinge sweet, with spicy and powdery coumarin from vanilla pods or tonka beans, another hidden note that is pretty clear in the output. Although the fragrance features musk on the base, I get more of the leathery facet, which I do not dislike at all. If I have to match it with another renowned cologne, I would choose Valentino Uomo or Dior Homme, perhaps closer to the former. It is forceful and gentle at the same time. The robustness of its format makes Roi d’Orient suitable for fall and winter months, and better during evening and night out. It is so elegant, intriguing, and refined. That’s all for now. I liked this gem, and can’t wait to try the latest fragrance added to the collection, "L'Essentiel | Rituals". I base my opinion and review on a travel bottle I have owned since October 2022.

This perfume is absolutely spectacular for the price. I have smelled various amber perfumes but specifically this one is amazing, there is just something about the opening that is so captivating, and the dry down is just as good. Maybe it has something to do with my skin, but it sits so well on me. It blends perfectly with my skin and I have definetly used it multiple times in combination with musk bakhoor and it compliments so well. You can use this for layering with other stuff, but you can also use it as a perfume on its own. The amber is so amazing and I absolutely love this hidden gem, comes at a great price of only 60£ for 50ml. My only issues? The longetivity and the projectivity. I feel that this does not last very long, at most 6 hours. The projectivity as well is not that outstanding, I have definetly received compliments for this perfume but it feels like the sillage literally dies after the third or fourth hour. After that, it's only noticebale if you really pay attention to it at close proximity. To be honest, the longetivity, I can live with, but this seriously needs better projectivity, that's the only thing that's holding this perfume back from being my personal all time top 3. As for the gender, this perfume is quite obviously male oriented, I would disadvice women from wearing it. People seem to be in unison that this perfume is a winter/autumn perfume, however I disagree. I think it is very well applicable even for summer weather, however can be a bit too bold the first hour. If used in combination with something more light, this could be the perfect layering to use for a summer perfume. In conclusion, this perfume is a masterpiece. The sharp top notes in the opening are wonderful, it captivates me everytime, and the drydown in itself is a complete wonder. If you love amber as much as myself, do not hesitate to try this at your local rituals store wherever that may be. This is my personal definition of a hidden gem, beyond astonishing.

I bought a bunch of these in a travel format during the winter sale this year as I've heard great things. Well, quality presentation. Minimalist, as is the entire brand. I dig it. Dior level atomizers on a product priced this low has already endeared me to them and all of the bath/cosmetic products seem awesome as well. I'm slowly falling in love with this brand. Onto the scent! This is Valentino Uomo without the hazelnut note (or Dior Homme without the cacao note). Should I go further? I wouldn't say it's a clone but it's pretty darn close. Since Uomo is discontinued, this could easily sub for it as it's extremely similar, even in quality. Iris and amber bomb through and through. As it dries down it deviates from the aforementioned two and does it's own thing with a bit of a musky nature that's slightly animalic. Fret not though, this is not a "dirty" scent by any means. Quite clean and powdery. That surprised me though! Definitely has that resinous yet soapy lipstick vibe that has become such a popular DNA. At this price point I was expecting Zara level quality (not great, not terrible) but this is actually an amazing fragrance. Performance on this is better than the Valentino and I've never given the OG Dior a full wearing. About 6-7 hours of longevity, projects well for about 2. Detectable but close after that. The quality of the scent is fantastic so at this price point, I think you're splitting hairs if you're looking for DHI levels of performance. This, like it's brethren, is pretty versatile. Maybe not in high heat but suitable for the office, a date, a formal evening in all climates except a hot humid day. Summer nights may even be acceptable. If you're going to prescribe an age range or whatever, this fits in whatever range you might say for DHI or VU. Meaning, pretty versatile again, to me. I don't think you can go wrong here for the price and I find myself very interested in trying anything this brand has to offer.

This is a very intriguing fragrance! I do not think there are only three components here which amber, white pepper and musk. Perhaps these three scents transforms this fragrance into very cool and warm scent in one bottle. There is a green, zesty opening to this fragrance and then the powdery element of the white pepper comes out after 10-20 minutes. After an hour the amber predominantly holds the fragrance together but the white pepper lingers. There is a sweet element in this fragrance, not too much, just enough for it to be mysterious. It has a smokey quality to it as well. It lasts on my skin for a good 5-6 hours with moderate projection but the heat amplifies the fragrance. This fragrance for me is unisex, I suppose it depends on who is wearing it, very much like a chameleon I should say.

Many seem to be of the opinion that this is too masculine for women to wear, but this is one of my favorite scents - daresay, my signature. If anything, I'd suggest it is a men's fragrance that leans feminine. A man needs presence to wear this rich and sophisticated gender-bender. You know the devil in The VVitch? He smells like this. And he lives deliciously. On me, this is a dark, moody amber with a beguilingly subtle spice. A dark, inky night enlivened by a sparking, smoky fire. A beacon in the dark, over which one may be enticed to sell their soul.

Purchased this in a student sale rituals does in my city (shout out Dundee) after previously smelling it on one of my many shopping trips. After testing it I was hooked on the scent and for the price you can't beat it! The scent is very masculine smelling and musky, the only issue I have is the initial scent disperses relatively quickly so you have to reapply quite often but would overall recommend this fragrance to any man looking for a new everyday scent.

A beautiful scent, true to what it aims for. A smokey amber, smooth musk and a sharp yet pleasant spice. €40 for 50ml at full retail price is great value. I do smell a bit of a familiarity with valantinos ummo. But not enough to really mistake the two. I was going to give this juice a 4/5 for it's awesome scent and rockstar performance. But the handsome bottle design & value easily make this 5/5 for me.

If you want Valentino Uomo minus the hazelnut then this is your jam. Powdery Iris meets sweet amber. Not that waxy iris like Dior homme. Projection is weak when using two sprays but longevity was a good 8+ hours. The amber and iris notes combine to also give off some type of leather or suede vibe- warm and inviting. Easily unisex and should be well received but ultimately it doesn't stand out.

This perfume has the Valentino Uomo/Dior Homme cocoa/ iris vibe, but it is a little sweeter and not that sophisticated in my opinion. But it is a well balanced perfume, with good performance and a bit cheaper than the two mentioned above. I bought the 10 ml bottle to test it, but I will buy the 50 ml one, because I like this one a lot!

Roi d'Orient by Rituals is a regal fragrance with warm saffron, amber, and sweet raspberry notes. It offers impressive longevity (8/10) and a balanced sillage (7/10). The seamless blend of notes showcases expert craftsmanship (9/10), while the accessible price adds value (8/10). A captivating and luxurious choice.

If you like Valentino Uomo, and you want to use your hard earned money wisely you should at least give a shot to this fragrance, I paid 10€ for 10ml and right now I have both on my skin and they smell really close... Lovely. UPDATE: Three shots: neck, chest and right wrist. 10+ hours of longevity Smell delicious

This is one of the best cheap fragrances for fall/winter when you are indoors or outdoors you can wear it anywhere in the cold season. And this fragrance has a good sillage and can be smelled close without getting to strong for your nose. It is like dior homme or Valentino Uomo but sweeter. 9/10

Smells very similar to the Dior homme line and Valentino Uomo. It's a male fragrance by the way, not unisex. In the Netherlands it's also much cheaper than the designers named before. I can't comment on the performance since I own Valentino, and this would be a redundant purchase.

This is a beautiful, strong, modern, sexy fragrance from Rituals. It is close to Valentino Uomo, but a lot stronger and with a lot more density. Lasts all day and projects very loud. This beauty gave me tons of compliments already. Love it for fall/winter!

To my nose it is almost identical with Valentino Uomo, not so refined like it, but also good! I might say that it is a little sweeter than VU but with good logevity! I love VU so of course i love this one too! It's a 9/10 from me!

I bought this perfume as a gift for my man, oh how i go feral when he wears this great scent smitted by this scent, peppery amber comforting sexy male scent altho i can see some women wear this as wel, if you like it.

This smells like Gris Charnel Extrait. Very cozy for the colder months and can lean more masculine with the predominant woody and spicy notes, but it is lovely for the prize

Once again, smells absolutely magnificent, but its abysmal longevity completely ruins my enjoyment. No point in getting it - doesn't even last for 30 minutes.

I really love this scent. Gives me that Arabian feel when I smell it and just smells quite regal

Sweet yet unisex. One of my fav... reassuring and sleep inducing. A loveeee

This reminds me of Paco Rabbane 1 million prive. I love it.

Great fragrance, picked it up from the Rituals store in my hometown of Würzburg. The whole Rituals line of fragrances is quite good especially considering the price. This particular one stood out to me as being quite a bold fragrance and I ended up buying the 15mL bottle (for 18 euros ) shortly after testing it. Honestly, the performance of this fragrance is not very good, it only lasts about 1-3 hours, I had people about 3 or so meters away from me ask me what fragrance I was wearing as they found it pleasant so the sillage is quite good. I could smell it on my skin outside of the 3 hour mark however that's literally with my wrist pressed against my nose. The dry down of the fragrance is pleasant, it mellows out from its very sharp opening top notes after only 30 or so minutes. The dry down accords are a bit better than the opening accords, I personally find the top notes teetering on the border of too powerful and harsh on the nose, but not a huge issue.

Loooove this one, my favourite from Rituals! Really spicy and mysterious! I can describe the smell but most people people already did, many cities in Europe have Rituals stores, just go inside and give their scents a smell, they got some great stuff! It really has this wellness kind of vibe, love to spray this on just at home after I took a bath. A thing I'd like to add though, many people here consider this to be a winter/fall smell, and it is, but to me it has more than enough freshness to wear on summer nights as well! (Although I must say I'm not the biggest fan of very fresh and bright fragrances at night to begin with, not even in summer, unless it's reaaally warm outside, as in above 20°c) Anyway, if you're into spicy wellness-center kind of scents that smell really calming and relaxing, hop by a Rituals store and try their stuff (the others they sell are great too), you'll love it!

It may be similar to Dior Homme or Valentino Uomo but sadly there is no iris note. There is a powdery vibe which combined with the amber does kinda mimic iris but it's not like a makeup note which you get in the aforementioned products. Projection is moderate but I only use 2 sprays. Longevity is a solid 8 hours. I can see it being a restrained hybrid of the two but less powdery since there's no iris. Not as sweet as Uomo but more than DH. If you find the iris/makeup note too much in the aforementioned products then this will likely be perfect for you. Well blended, good longevity and cheaper than the other two.

Fresh spicy? I get zero white pepper. I do get an iris or orris root note that gives it a powdery slightly make-up like vibe. The amber adds a good bit of sweetness and also some sharpness. It doesn't feel heavy and can be worn in the spring. Feels quite unisex and really depends on your skin if it it becomes musky. On my skin it is slightly musky and gives it a masculine vibe. On my gf it remains sweet and powdery. Perfect for a couple as they can both wear the frag and yet still smell slightly different but not clash since it is the same fragrance. Projection is good with 2-3 sprays and last 8-10 hours.

An excellent alternative to Valentino Uomo albeit slightly lesser in quality. It's not as widely available so this will make a great alternative and it seems to last quite a long while (on a test strip). It smells similar to Dior Homme only so much as Valentino Uomo does - It has more of a hazelnut quality as opposed to cocoa. Out of all the fragrances I tried in the Rituals store this stood out the most. A good purchase for someone who is into this type of scent.

This fragrance is surprisingly very good in my opinon. It`s sweet yet has this sexy and almost intense smell. I first smelled it on this guy I date and I really liked it. It's honestly a smell you want more of. Even if I like it a lot especially since I got to smell it on the guy I'm attracted to I feel like the fragrance is missing something. It's a good basic smell if you top it off with other perfumes, but it ́s still nice on it's own!

Indeed similar to Dior Homme and Valentino Uomo (by memory, more similar to Uomo), very well blended and natural, gorgeous bottle and box, the second best from this line. Lasts well too. A little bit cheaper then Uomo, so worth checking it out. Top quality juice, maybe even better then Uomo.

A winter weekend at home, cuddling with your loved one. Anticipating what's to come you look for things to do - maybe a workout, a sweet treat with tea. A candle light, you are totally relaxed. By evening, the scents blend; a dark sweetness, a fruitiness. A long winter ahead.

Funny thing is, on me, it smells like something spicier and inbetween Jo Malone Myrrh & Tonka and Versace Eros, but a fresher version of it. Considering the price tag of this one there is nothing to really complain about! A blind buy for 15ml version!

I've got this as a blind buy on Rituals' Christmas sale with a couple of their other fragrances. Smells almost identical to Valentino Uomo. Roi d'Orient has a sweeter lighter more synthetic smell comparing to Valentino Uomo's deeper more rich scent.

Even though Iris is not listed as an ingredient, it smells a lot like Iris. As a big fan of Valentino Uomo, I really like this one. The problem with it is that the longevity leaves a lot to desire. I have to say it lasts much longer than Zara 90.

Probably not the best to wear on its own but I could definitely see this being a great layering perfume if you wanted something with a strong amber smell. Overall on its own it's alright, not great but not bad either. 6.8/10

I loved this when I bought it, not really sure how I feel about it now. i feel it's just a touch too masculine unfortunately, it smells super clean- a little like aftershave or shampoo, but at the same time like a candy.

I used to loveee it. Am using my forth one these days. But something happened.. and now days it seems flat, synthetic. Still good though.

Valentino Uomo is a cousin of Dior Homme, Roi d'Orient is a cousin of Valentino Uomo , so Roi d'Orient is a cousin of Dior Homme ...

Nice one! This is a not to expensive one (10ml for €10) but smells realy expensive. Nice and strong

Amber and musk for the most part. A nice cozy scent. Great for snuggling. Lasts a good while too.

a great scent, here in the UK its £39.99 - and yes its incredibly similar to Valentino Uomo.

Dior Homme EDT (old formula) clone, but sweeter and simpler. I like it.

Getting used to the new fragrantica look may take some time, but boy, do I like the new more nuanced option to chose not only love, like and hate, but also ok and dislike. Roi d'Orient is one of those fragrances, where none of the prior options really felt fitting. I definitely don't hate it. It's absolutely pleasant and inoffensive, but do I love it? No. Now, do I even like it? Well, let's put it that way, I wouldn't go out of my way to buy a bottle and if someone gifted me one I most likely would hand it on... so... The option to vote it as 'ok' just seems the most honest to me. The opening has a fresh zing to it. That's when I can best perceive the pepper. It then quickly dries down to a very soft spicy amber, very much a skin scent on me. There is a definite SPA feel to it. 5-star hotel lobbies in India like to use a similar concoction as room scent. Longevity in hot Mumbai weather is rather poor, but as long as I'm in the AC it definitely lasts as a background whisper for 4-5 hours. Like many other Rituals fragrances I've tried, Roi d'Orient seems to me a good option as a final touch after finishing your SPA treatment or after visiting the pool or gym. It does have a bit of an aroma therapy appeal and I can absolutely imagine that used this way it would deepen your relaxation and extend your experience for the rest of the day. That being said, even for that purpose I don't really see myself reaching for it. I'm personally just missing some depth or some kind of twist or a certain oomph here. But it's definitely... well... okay.

Smells kind of like a parma violet sweet. Poor longevity for me though.

Like newly varnished wood and spice cabinets and licorice. Or an old home for sale that the owner's doused in perfume to hide the smell of mothballs. it's an excessively cozy, somewhat boastful little thing with misplaced intentions. creature comforts. I imagine if the Toad were ever to house-sit for Mole, poor little Mole would return to a nest reeking of this. Still home sweet home, after all.

This is just the type of fragrance that I don't get along with. Review after three applications. It is sweet, it sugarry, and discerning individual notes is hard. This would be easy to wear for a woman. It reminds me strongly of Daarej pour Homme and I traded that away really quick. Tiny bottle but I will not finish this.

Uhh I'd say this smells kind of like a headache, too musky

This is one of the worst fragrances I’ve ever purchased. I honestly don’t know how the frag score is so high. This essentially smells like an spicy Amber/Tonka hand sanitizer. Very harsh smelling with an unpleasant sweetness in the opening. I’m not exactly sure what they were going for with this one but it comes off as a complete mess. The fragrance leans feminine, do not blind buy!!!

Instant love! Amber, musk & Pepper. Perfect. Not loud, not skinclose. Just perfect. A scent for colder weather.

To summarise, Roi d'Orient is a spicy, woody amber. I'm one of those girls that's obsessed with Dior Homme Intense and anything similar. I've been missing DHI and happened across this, which at first sniff is really quite similar. It was initially quite linear so I bought it on the spot. In the first few hours it wears on me exactly as it smells in the bottle. I am quite confident that it contains ambrette, because this is what sets DHI apart from both DH and the Valentino offerings. I haven't smelled ambrette as a raw ingredient, but I immediately recognized what RdO shares with DHI. White pepper on the other hand is quite distinct and has an almost incense-like character, which is not what I smell here at the front. Roi d'Orient is powdery, but I wouldn't say that it's a distinguishing feature that is because of a distinct iris note. I also get a sense that there is vanilla here, giving it sweetness, and something else that lends it an aromatic quality. Perhaps that is where the white pepper comes into play, rather than lavender. There is a BUT, however. There's a spiciness that you can detect right off the bat. It's what first registers as a woody-spicy ambrette. It reads that way for a long time. Roi d'Orient is quite linear through most of its development and it is long-lasting, but something happens in the final drydown. That spiciness morphs into what comes across as a somewhat unpleasant, armpity vetiver. It also goes through the same development on clothes, which is how I know it's not just how it acts on my skin. I still like the fragrance overall, but this is something to be aware of and I suggest trying it out beforehand and giving it enough time to go through the whole development.

sweet generic "oriental" vibe. first impression. more later. 25.7.2020: third wearing: roi d'orient is still sweet generic. reminds me of going into a perfume shop in any indian city, a mix of spices, pleasant but nothing special. the attar wallah is offering and suggesting. this one is "mughal prince," excuse me, it's "roi d'orient." one could climb into the "way back machine" to pre-covid lockdown evenings, going to a movie house in 30C weather on the first weekend of the release of the latest bollywood blockbuster in a small south indian town. floral/spicy atmosphere almost to the point of suffocation.not to say this is bad. this is just going to a crowded theater in a small indian town on a hot evening. an experience but not necessarily one that needs to be repeated. the dilemma is whether life is too short to bother with this. having a full bottle of something that does not excite means giving it away or simply ignoring it until it ends up in a garage sale. some may find this soothing, enveloping, memories--it is reminiscent of many many other scents. but those are not the ones you have bought for yourself but which are simply there, very noticeably. nothing subtle. for a eurocentric perfume, it does give me a convincing sense of the real south asian subcontinent. not a king rather the average man

Roi d'Orient IS NOT the best smelling fragrance from the house but may be IS THE best overall package. For me Rituals.... has made a smelling-discovery while making Sultan de Muscat but forgot to provide the plush smell with a respectable longevity to it. Roi d'Orient may have that adequate longevity but missed out on that beauty of the smell; here the smell is rich, aristocratic and elegant but has the pinch of wildness that only a man should have. Though Unisex it still inclines towards masculine lot. I have it, I love it and I will buy it again when my current bottle finishes. I just wish Sultan de Muscat had its longevity. 4.5/5