Sultan

Sultan is one of 3-5 gourmands I recommend to people, depending on their level of interest, as a signature winter/date night fragrance. Since first wearing Sultan in London and subsequently testing other end-game gourmands, what I've come to appreciate about Sultan the most is that at no point do you get a feeling like the components are cheap (this is my experience with the drydown of Xerjoff's Symphonium). Lets talk profile. Very dense, sweet cloud in the air. Heavy vanilla with amber, nothing floral, nothing boozy. From up close, the driver of the scent is a balsamic/medicinal wood that is present in very few other gourmands - and those gourmands are the ones listed at the top of the "Smells like" section which are Initio's Absolute Aphrodisiac and Atelier des Ors' Lune Feline. Neither of these two are 1:1 - for Initio's AA the base is more medicinal and in the air it's more caramel-burnt sugar than it is vanilla; for Lune Feline the base is more balsamic (turning smoky) and you get mainly a cardamom top note (I would call this scent a combination of Xerjoff's Starlight and Nishane's Ani, combined with a balsamic base; but watch for the drydown where the smoky-balsamic aspects shine). To add: This comparison is for the EDP version of Lune Feline. The extrait version of Lune Feline is more comparable to a hypothetical Amouage gourmand, in that on skin the scent smells more like the darker base notes than it does of the sweeter spices. As it floats around in the air, the DNA is basically intact. When you think about other very sweet gourmands that dominate in the air, the two that come to my mind are Kilian's Intoxicated and Roja's Sweetie Aoud. Just like those 2, depending on how easy or how aggressive you go on the trigger, this can end up quite suffocating. I once put on 10 sprays on a hot sunny day in Knightsbridge and must've had a scent cloak of 10 feet behind me. As someone who is strictly a niche hipster and hasn't tried some of the women's skin products that commonly get mentioned, I would say that as a fragrance, this truly is in a class on its own for blend quality and profile which is why I love it so dearly. I'm not going to recommend it strictly due to the ~€600 I paid for this, but I will take great pride knowing that Royal Crown as a brand prices out most customers and as a result I have something that ~nobody else does. If you can get this for 200, 300 - literally what are you waiting for. I'm sure it will fit in nicely at the forefront of any collection just for the bottle alone.

I did a small course with a friend’s mother who worked in Givaudan. She had a really nice case full of different raw materials to use in fragrances. One day she showed us 3 different “vanillas”. The first one, vanillin, was the one I was more familiar with, the one I normally perceived as “vanilla” in designer fragrances and woman splashes. I actually liked it a lot. The second one she called “bourbon vanilla”. It was quite different, drier and less sweet, I do not remember this one that well, but was the one I liked the less. The last one was “Madagascar’s vanilla absolute”. I just melted smelling that one; it was darker, creamier, fuller and sooo mouthwatering. I loved it. After that course I knew that was my favorite note, followed by natural sandalwood. I wanted a fragrance based on that to wear, looked a lot of vanillas and gourmands, but everyone was just either too feminine or had a vanilla masked with too much spices/ambers/incense; and no one showed me that amazing quality of vanilla. Some months ago I ordered some fragrances from my fragrance “dealer”; he normally sends me small testers to check new fragrances. I did not know this fragrance, but there it was a small vial to check it. I sprayed it and immediately felt that amazing complex creamy vanilla, it was amazing! I kept smelling my wrist all day. The dense almost chocolatey vanilla was always present but some warm wood and spicy smokiness was developing. I just loved it, the smokiness was just enough, it moves it a little into the masculine side but is not cloying as in by the fireplace. Some sandalwood to make it even better! This is just amazing, not only the fragrance but the performance, the vanilla is always there, for 30h easily, it does not start protecting like crazy to become a skin scent after some hours, no! It has that amazing projection for the entire live of the fragrance until I wash it. I love this, my girlfriend doesn’t that much, she calls it “burnt marshmallow”. This is not my favorite fragrance just because it is really sweet, powerful and cozy, so I can only wear it at nights and when going out. 10/10 just too amazing

So I originally tried this many years ago when it first came out, I had gotten a max aroma 5ml and it was amazing, super strong, super thick, very addictive. So I bided my time a bit to see if there was a way to buy this on discount, I finally found one, full presentation, the juice was super weak and not nearly as thick smelling. It was from a reputable source. I chatted with someone else who owned several bottles of this, and they concurred that they also bought from the same reputable source at the time and the juice for her was also terribly weak, so we came to the conclusion this went through a bad batch era, I resold it and never looked back until about a week ago, fragbuy had gotten testers in for $199 cad ($141usd) and so it was too cheap not to take a second chance on, i used a 10% off code, which only paid for my provincial taxes, but people in the states ended up getting it for $127 because they don’t pay taxes. So I said to myself I could easily resell and break even if need be. So I got it in, the tester came with a cap which it wasn’t supposed to! amazing on fragbuy for that, this is the black bottle with all gold cap. I lucked out because this batch is just as I remember, super strong, thick and amazing. Couldn’t be happier with the purchase

Always been a big vanilla fan, and as a man it can be very difficult to find a great masculine fragrance with a vanillic base. I owned Nishane Ani before Sultan, and I enjoyed it thoroughly.. even purchased a backup bottle. A few months back my favorite decanter from our favorite FB fragcom group, Fragrance Marketplace, sent me a freebie sample of Royal Crown Sultan. Told me he thought I'd "enjoy it". Well, he wasn't completely wrong... because I didn't just enjoy it, I absolutely fell in love with it! I'm not going to give you a ton of explanation on each note or how complex it is... I'm just going to give you a very simple explanation of how this smells on my skin: "Smoldering vanilla wood chips 🔥🔥🔥" To me, that's the best way I can explain it. The smokiness is like the best incense you've ever smelled while burning, combined with this subtlety of delicious vanilla that compliments the smokiness in the best of ways. Not sure how ppl feel this is "cheap" or "unoriginal".... never smelled anything quite like it and it's definitely one that'll have you secretly sniffing your wrists throughout the day. 🤣🙂

This fragrance is powerful. So powerful that even one spray could be overwhelming in the wrong place. But it’s so wonderful. It envelops you and seems to last forever and ever. When I first smelt the fragrance I was overwhelmed by it’s intensity, not being able to smell anything but labdanum and myrrh. Slowly the vanilla peeks it’s head out of a thick cloud of smoke. Then a dance between myrrh and vanilla begins. There may have been dates, I wasn’t able to tell over the intensity of the myrrh. To me, this what Absolute Aphrodiasc and gold myrrh absolute would smell like if combined into one fragrance. Absolute Aphrodiasc has the similar dirty, leathery, dense smoke-vanilla thing going on. Whereas gold myrrh absolute has the myrrh and incense, just in Sultan it’s amped up. I do love this scent but it’s very powerful when wearing EDIT: Wearing sultan today just made me realize how much I truly love it. Smokey, lots of resins and myrrh, the benzoin + Cistus lab. create the date note, and then it’s topped off with vanilla. Even if I am looking for a dense date note fragrance, this one is pretty stellar

Do you ever come across a fragrance that makes your eyes roll back every time you smell it and makes you wanna sell everything else in your collection? LORD HAVE MERCY this is STILL the most sexy decadent thing I have ever smelled in my life perfect blend of smoky vanilla, dates, fruits, cedar.....it has depth, smells like money, like WEALTH, smells like top tier ingredients were used to make this, my god nothing will ever smell this good again......sorry my other perfumes I have totally abandoned you but this stuff is just incredible, I wish it wasnt $500 a bottle but I GET WHY Sometimes when I feel down, like the whole world is kinda going to shit, I put this on and it just lifts my mood and transports me to a different place. I have smelled everything at Neimans and Saks and nothing even comes close to this. this is outerworldly. Orgasmic. my #1 for life, whoever created this god bless you and I wish you health & happiness for the rest of your life for bestowing this heavenly creation among us.

I cannot begin to express how absolutely enamored I am with this perfume. It's so beautiful. Gourmand but sophisticated, smoky but inviting. I fell hard for this one. I never use that word but it's a masterpiece! It's definitely fall and winter and its sophistication lends itself well to formal events. But I love this too much not to wear it everytime I want to. It doesn't project super far but it's very long-lasting. Also, wow is it pricy! I saw people paying close to 500$ CAD for the 100ml when it was released. I would put it in the same category as something like Xerjoff Ivory Route, also stunning.The price has been a deterrent for a while: my psychological threshold seems to be around 250$ CAD. I refuse to pay more for a fragrance. After waiting for over a year, I found a 50ml for 230$ shipped. Your girl gave in. I hear Genre Parfum's Eau de Vanille is a really close dupe. I might get it too because I can never have too much of this 😂.

I have a 9ml sample of this I got a while ago, and now it's finally time to write something about it. After first application I get a loooot of cedar—as callmevil described it as a "sauna room", with that sweetness from the dates and (high quality) Madagascar vanilla popping through. As time goes on, the saffron and jasmine pop out, but I don't get a lot of oud (at least it's not an animalistic oud which I'm used to, something most people can appreciate instead 😆). If I think hard enough about it, I can get notes of chocolate too! This fragrance is extremely multi-dimensional. EDIT: I also want to add that while it is not a note here, I get a biiiiig whiff of Mexican chocolate in the beginning. It could very well just be the vanilla with the cedar and dates, but everything together gives me major gourmand vibes in the beginning, with just the right amount of woodiness/spiciness from the cedar and sandalwood to offset it perfectly.

Warm, balsamic, slightly creamy vanilla-amber with a soft undertone of dried fruits and smoke, perhaps incense or burning wood chips. Not really a complicated scent profile but IMO the only one that gets the formula right. Everything else is too smoky, or too sweet, or too spicy... or too one-dimensional as in something like Tihota or Grand Soir. This is just a warm vanilla with the exact perfect touch of supporting notes. Slowly gets sweeter/fruitier as it dries down. Moderate projection that peaks around 90min and peters out after 3-4hr, 8-10hr longevity. Reminds me most of Lune Feline but with less smoke and spice, which I love because Lune Feline was too smoky for me. Same with By the Fireplace, which is more sugary sweet and goes pure smoke on my skin. Prada LR Black with less powder and more vanilla. Lacks the green accord and freshness of Ani. Smells nothing like the bowl of melted ice cream that is Tihota.

This fragrance is definitely something special. I read the reviews saying that it's only a sweet, vanillic fragrance with not much else going on, and I have to disagree. I get every note listed in differing amounts, but they're definitely all there. This fragrance is definitely a treat to enjoy. It's something different than the usual, but in all the right ways. It's very elegant, sophisticated and modest in it's approach. Thus the sillage isn't going to fill a room as many people would like, but it's still going to make your presence known to those within arms reach. Now longevity is superb on the other hand. 16+ hours and still going at this point and who could ask for more? To me it's more than worth the price of admission, so if you have the opportunity and enjoy sweet, balsamic, resinous and woody scents then don't pass up the opportunity to get your hands on this one!!!!!

It's exactly what I would expect of a $500 woody, fruity gourmand. It has everything in the right proportion, with good but not overwhelming projection. It's kind of iridescent in the sense that different aspects of it float up to my nose and it keeps changing color. My kids love it too. Many woody vanillas, or marshmallow scents, are what I would call cozy. But this one, the dates add a fun element to it. It's not like snuggling up next to the fireplace, it's more like a casual dinner party with great music while it's snowing outside. Edit: I'm wearing it again today. "Playful" is the term I would use to describe it. I got this as part of Scentbox and haven't read the press materials for it, so I don't know what they're saying about it. It's pretty subtle today as I only put on two sprays, but it definitely scales up when you apply more.

Sultan definitely sits differently on every skin. On my husband it is a soft vanilla scent all the way through. On my skin, it starts off as an animalic oud woody scent that has a soft smokiness. It eventually evolves into a soft smoky vanilla with a hint of that animalic oud. This perfume has amazing longevity (still smell it on my clothes the next day) but only intimate/moderate projection - so she needs a lot more sprays. I bought it for 50% off and it is worth it for me at that price. If you love vanilla but don’t like the sickly sweet perfumes that make you smell like an edible pastry, this is a dark, smoky, oudy, soft vanilla that I love. I’ve also received compliments while wearing this perfume. I love Sultan’s animalic oud woodiness mixed with smoky vanilla - but definitely try before you buy.

Quality beautiful scent! So unique and classy! It does remind me of Lune Feline at first but they’re actually so different when you compare side by side. Lune Feline is more gourmand and the cardamom is so strong. It projects so much louder than Sultan. Sultan is somewhat gourmand but not so gourmand even there’s sweetness in it. There is prominent warm smoky cedar that makes it smell like you’re inside the sauna room. The oud note is pretty detectable and not so animalic. I never smelled something like this before. Very beautiful! It is a 10/10 scent. The only thing I can complain is the projection kind of weak at its cost. It lasts very long about 9+ hours but stay close to my skin.

I am in love with this. It’s vanilla, dates, soft spice, & tiny bit of oud. I do not like oud but the oud in this is so mild and the other notes overpower it do I don’t mind. It does smell similar to Initio Absolute aphrodisiac but I prefer Sultan. Sultan is rich and deep. It smells expensive, which it is. Also the fragrance is a beast. Projects week and have great longevity. I wouldn’t really classify this as an edible foodie gourmand but of a more upscale gourmand. This fragrance is for cold weather (fall & winter) and is perfect for date nights and special occasions. If you like initio absolute aphrodisiac or Kayali vanilla Royale sugared patchouli you might like this.

Vanilla Art. The opening — resinous, dry, dirty vanilla with a dusty and almost overbearing hay note. Dates, syrupy, also dry, sticky, but not gourmand. The drydown - deep sticky vanilla pod sweetness, and a resinous smoky veil. Much more ~safe~ and generally pleasing in this phase, albeit less exciting and interesting. The drydown is reminiscent of elements of “Tihota”, with an edge. I find this to be the most similar to “Vanille debauche” from Kyse, as they share the same dried fruit and vanilla, but with a bit of tobacco. If you aren’t into this 300+ price tag, that will give you almost the same impression and project much louder / last longer.

This is a really well balanced fragrance on my skin. It’s warm, velvety, there is something elusive about it. I keep smelling my wrist like I am trying to find a note within the scent. The opening is slightly smokey but still sweet and full of vanilla. The myrrh and vanilla marry perfectly. The rose and jasmine are subtle. The notes are all very well balanced It’s not cloying or nauseating and I’m extremely sensitive to fragrance. I only need 2 sprays. It stays close to the body but is noticeable. I think it’s what Yennifer from the Witcher would smell like. Soft, smoke tinged, worn black velvet with a hint of spice. 9/10

Beautiful fragrance, does remind me of Lune Feline by Atelier Des Ors and Gourmand Coquin by Guerlain combined together. Sultan has those spices that reminds me of Gourmand Coquin and smoky vanilla that reminds me of Lune Feline. Overall I do love the fragrance a lot more than the Lune Feline, mostly because Lune Feline has that smoked ham in maple syrup feel for my nose while Sultan doesnt. But I think I love Gourmand Coquin more than Sultan since it leans more feminine while Sultan definitely can be worn by men or women equally. Quality is very good and amazing performance which for the price is what was expected.

I just tested it on my skin once. It immediately reminded me of initio absolute aphrodisiac. I think it’s because of the high quality vanilla. Then I got a tad bit of smoke, which I guess came from the oud note. Not longer than two hours later, I found the vanillic scent become a bit more chocolatey; perhaps it’s because of the dates. Also, as time went by, it was a little fruitier and thinner than absolute aphrodisiac or other vanilla-based frags that I own. It’s very goumand-ish and lovely. The subtle woodsiness and smokiness make it sensual and undoubtedly unisex.

this is my favorite scent of all time. it's a beautiful, smooth, dark, woody vanilla, and over time the scent gets warmer and sweeter rather than mellowing down, but there's a bit of petrichor that balances the sweetness perfectly. i found myself frequently sticking my nose into my elbow just to get lost in it. it's being wrapped in warm blankets in a log cabin in the rain; it's the smell of comfort, with just a hint of seductiveness. it smells as expensive as it actually is. i'd love to save up for a bit and go all-out for a full bottle of this to wear forever.

Possibly the best masculine vanilla I’ve ever smelled! The price is absolutely insane and the most it’s worth is $220 max. Despite the price thought this is in my top three and I love it. The dates and vanilla just blend amazingly and the projection and longevity are a 10/10. Even if you are a super heavy sprayer I can’t imagine how you could do more than 4-5 sprays of this stuff I do 2 and that’s plenty. Someone mentioned the difference of this scent on paper vs skin and it’s definitely the biggest difference with anything I’ve tested. Anyways 10/10.

I will always keep a bottle of Sultan in my collection. I sampled it and immediately bought a bottle before I even got to the dry down, I liked it so much. I get much more of the dried fruits and dates on my skin, with a smoky undertone. The vanilla sits as more of a background note on my skin, which seems to be the opposite to how most others describe it, but that's fine with me as I have tons of other vanilla based fragrances. Sillage and longevity are incredible with this one. Highly recommended for those who like sweet, gourmand type fragrances.

I have a special relationship with this fragrance - although it is a beast in terms of longevity, it’s so soft and comforting. When I was young, my mom used to wear this vanilla body spray from the body shop and when we would watch movies I’d lay on her tummy and always have this gentle and warm smell. I’m not saying they’re dupes at all but it does have this lovely coziness, almost like camping out in the woods with toasted marshmallows. It’s inoffensive and an easy everyday wear (excluding the price point).

This is magic. Dried fruits on steroids, with touches of vanilla, not the synthetic one, dates, myrrh, Woods,. I don’t detect saffron and Oud distinctly, but I suppose they are there as a solid, manly base that keeps flowers at bay. It’s thick, not sweet, not a“gourmand”. It’s rather balsamic I would say. It’s something new that cannot be compared to any of the fragrances I have smelled so far. Very concentrated, oily, not a sillage bomb, but with a good 8/10 hours longevity. Highly priced, worth it, though

Deep, rich vanilla sweetened by a distinctive date sweetness. I really enjoyed it, but that's really all I get, and that's ok. Similar to Amouage Material, but Material has more incense and more going on (that I can detect) with better projection. Sultan has good lasting power, comes out like oil. Unfortunately, not great projection at all--maybe that's why I'm not getting the other nuances. Way overpriced for what it is. I can find a similar real vanilla oil for cheaper on amazon.

Wow! This scent is amazing: sweet, woody, vanilla, perfection! Royal Crown Sultan has created magic with this one. Somehow, they've managed to make a very sweet scent - not overpowering to where it wasn't still masculine. The woody notes in this balance out the sweetness from the dates; the vanilla and saffron gives it a creamy texture. I haven't worn this out yet - but I already know this is going to be a head turner for sure.

Whats magical about RC Sultan is that its continuously projecting 3 different scent profiles, Fruity Florals, Sweet Vanilla, and A photorealistic Sauna room. It’s hard to smell all 3 at once but you can switch from one scent to the other just by thinking of it.. its simply amazing. Scent 10/10 Longevity 12/10 Projection 9/10 Cons the incensy start may not be for everyone but it doesn't stay for long.

This is literally heavenly. It so sweet but the masculinity of it is never thrown off balance. Immediately you’re hit with these pungent cotton candy sort of notes, yet the oud just sits in the back of your nose creating this fragrant, creamy and vanilla fusion of oud and candy. If you’re from the Bmore area think about a cotton candy snoball with egg custard! This is definitely a treat.

Got an 8ml decant in a trade so my opinion isn't attached to a price point. This stuff slaps, absolutely beautiful and sweet. Like other people have stated, it can smell like a marshmallow. But if focus more, I get a whole bunch of spices and sweet smells. For personal tastes I prefer a little more bitterness but there is no denying this is a high quality perfume.

Woody vanilla with close sillage. I'm not really getting all the different notes listed here, but it is nice. I certainly would not pay full price for this. Was this reformulated? My bottle does not look like the one above. It appears black with no green in the cap. And it doesn't seem as beast mode as the reviews below suggest...it seems more airy to me.

Sultan is a high quality oriental spice gourmand fragrance. It's a smoky vanilla with chocolates, honey and oud. Not sure why this works but it does for me. The silage is monstrous and the longevity is forever (not literally). Beware, it's very strong two sprays is more than enough. But for the full bottle price Lune Feline may be a better alternative.

I get a blast of smokey chocolate when I first spray this - reminds me of Comptoir Sud's early 2000 offerings. I also get a bit of Absolute Aphrodisiac with this one. I would say it's fairly linear and not super long lasting on my skin, but it is super YUMMY. If you can find this at a discount, it's worth it, but definitely not at full price.

When I tried this on paper the dry down reminded me of a high end cigar shop, but it changed on my skin. On my skin the dates become more pronounced and provide an almost chocolate note. I could then understand why some refer to this as a gourmand fragrance (even though most of the notes are not edible). It’s definitely in my “love” category.

More sandalwood than vanilla to my nose, but a beautiful scent nonetheless. This is a cross between Maison Margiela’s By The Fireplace and Initio Parfums’ Absolute Aphrodisiac so if you like either of those fragrances you’ll most likely enjoy this.

best-in-class vanilla. WHoaaaaamygod. I have tried Absolute Aphrodisiaic and while I understand the comparison, to me, this is superior. If you are a vanilla lover, this is an absolute must. It's such a warm, natural, bold, deep, sweet vanilla.

A smooth blend of gourmand coquin and musc ravageur is how I would describe this. If you have either you don’t need this but it is a nice fragrance. *Update it’s a need! The smoothness and depth haunt me. I will be purchasing a full bottle ☺️

this is sweet burnt sugar overload! it smells like a sugar stick! but in a very sexy way! this to me and on me smells like S*x that is what I think every time I spray it! super sexy sweet scent great for date night.

I fell in love and bought a bottle before realizing this smells exactly like a smokier Tihota. Tihota is slightly more wearable and cheaper. Make sure you try both before committing to a crazy expensive bottle!

Gourmand to the nth degree. A fantastic vanilla forward fragrance. Reminds me of Mercedes Benz Club Black and Kilian Intoxicated. If you like those, you will like this.

DELICIOUS. Reminds me of vanilla extract, but a bit more "perfumey." What I'm saying is, it's the closest to vanilla extract that you'll get from a perfume. Yum!

Nice smokey Vanilla with fruits yummy. 9/10 - I wish it projected more but it does last a very long time.

Beautiful and smells strongly like expensive and luxury ingredients, reminiscent of Arabian nights.

All I can say is that Roger M72 review nails it Beautiful fragrance

Maybe the best fragrance I’ve ever laid my nose on.

Like Ani + Lira + smoke, wood, and some incense

What can i say it’s a must have

Very honest review, ive been 2 years into niche fragrances and recently got my 100ml bottle of sultan Opening starts with a sweet very balsamic/resinous feeling and a weird fruity smell most likely dates which im new in smelling dates as a note in fragrance, important to say it has an incensy vibe at the beginning? Kinda in the same as babycat opening too but not as dry/dominant smell just a bit. Also having a ‘fire’ aspect like burning woods in the background this smell stays for around 1 hr? Then it dry’s down into a sweet (not gourmand) very subtle and gentle vanilla (similar or i could say same vanilla smell as by the fireplace drydown from what i can remember) Some dates, labdanum, myrrh, etc but most of those notes fade pretty quickly and dry down is basically just vanilla.. no saffron, no oud not many florals either... Similarities: not a unique fragrance at drydown, opening is kinda new to me in a weird way. Closest fragrance i think would be by the fireplace cus both have the burning woods feeling, both are balsamic and both have a pretty similar if not same vanilla drydown with the difference with sultan being the opening that lasts 1hr, similar to absolute aphrodisiac? Yes also in that same vanilla cathegory that would be the second closest fragrance to sultan imo and thats it... not similar to babycat at all... just 1 note they share which is the small incense touch but nothing really dominant in sultan... i dont like babycat tbh its a pretty boring incensy vanilla but the incense is that kind of church incense smell so not a fan..: sultan incense goes more dark/burning? If you know what i mean Longevity: extrait de parfum i got 12hr skin longevity i got pretty dry skin most fragrances dont last that much on me.. this is decent i guess ive gotten way better longevity in stuff like tony iommi and baccarat Proyection: pretty small Sillage: almost no sillage pretty close to skin all the time (poor) Conclusion: i payed 300dls for it so not so disappointed dont get me wrong smell is pretty good in the drydown cus im a fan of by the fireplace but i really expected more of a ‘beast’ sillage i want people to smell me and this is more intimate and close to skin so im pretty dissapointed in that aspect considering this is an extrait de parfum Niche/oriental harder to pull version of by the fireplace with similarities to other fragrances very long lasting but small sillage, nothing outstanding or mindblowing about the fragrance, bottle 10/10, packaging 10/10 also, but the smell and how it performs is the important part so overall 7.510 just barely an 7.5 imo nothing outstading and at least u could get good sillage from what you are paying but no... not even that by the fireplace is what 100 dls? And lasts about the same and sillage is even better quality is not much different so... yeah consider all this before purchasing 😄

i find that it smells like a dry sauna in which the wood has been pre-brushed with a mild vanilla extract solution i was expecting more from sultan it's not bad per se, but it's not at all how u would imagine a sultan to smell like it lasts on my skin for 4-5 hours with mild projection (these are all based on 1 spray testings multiple times on different days) it's too rounded for me, as in blended too much which some may call masterfully it's good, really but worth the price? not to me I gave it 3 full wears and imo it was pretty linear. The opening was a bit sweeter than the dry down, the dry down is quite natural smelling. I haven't said this about anything else, but it's obvious that there's very high quality oils used in the composition. That being said, it wasn't a wow perfume with the monstrous projection everyone talks about, sure it had very good lasting power (~ 6 hrs) ALTHOUGH I HAVE A SUPER DRY SKIN and I know people who swear by the projection/performance, so i'm guessing it's a skin chemistry thing in my case I have heard from people who have tried/owned multiple bottles of Sultan that some of the testers are very diluted, to the point that the juice is so much lighter if you compare bottles side by side, and that the light juice tester bottles didn't really have that beastly effect. My decant would do, I won't personally spend $400 on this, but it's signature worthy, just very expensive. The opening is particularly interesting because I was getting spices and a dry fruit date-like quality, but that was gone in ~ 20 min and afterwards the dry vanilla sauna stayed for the entire wear.

I recently acquired a decant of this and upon first spray, I was immediately reminded of Ivory Route by Xerjoff. Of course, these fragrances are not the same - but they could easily be part of the same family, or style, of scent. The opening is sweet and spicy. I get the vanilla and what seems to be a cinnamon accord. The note breakdown shows dates as part of the top notes. As a regular consumer of dates (both fresh and dry), this had me confused. Dates do not have a particular aroma to them. If anything, fresh dates have a mild honey-like smell while dried dates do not have a smell at all. The sweet spicy opening is reminiscent of something one might smell wafting off a Christmas dessert. As the fragrance begins to develop on the skin, the true magic happens. Suddenly, the spices fade and a lush, creamy vanilla peeks through. The vanilla projects well and remains on the skin for hours. Others have mentioned tihota and I have to agree. The vanilla used in this is straight up vanilla without the frills. Personally, I find the fragrance to be quite pleasing although I do think it is ridiculously overpriced. There are other fragrances on the market that are similar and rival the performance.

Have to agree with the review under about the dried fruits and dates are the main players on my skin for the first couple of hours, however turning more to a dry vanilla/powdered sugar afterwards (reminding me a bit of Nishane Ani but alot dryer). This is probably the longest lasting fragrance in my collection having applied it 20+ hours ago and can still smell it. At the 12-13 hour mark when I applied today’s fragrance (Elysium parfum cologne) it still radiated of my skin and outperformed said fragrance. But at that point it had become so powdery and dry that I didn’t really enjoy it. For the first 4+ hours it’s a «love» but gradually going more toward a «like» and finally a «meh».

On the fresh put, I was told immediately "This smells like cloves & spices" They even brought me the bottle of cloves, and damn, it does lol. So, take some cloves & spices with some incense, and you got this fragrance. It's a nice like for me... but not a love so, this won't be a permanent fixture in my collection... even if the bottle looks cool to have it there. Cold Winter & Fall days only and can go either way as far as for a woman or man.