Les Absolus d'Orient Santal Royal Guerlain for women and men

Upon smelling this, I instantly had a sense of vague familarity. What is it similar to, I asked myself. It didn't take long to realize: Chanel Egoiste. Could be a flanker, as basically it's the same scent, without tobacco, but just as sharp and spicy. The accords and notes here don't convey how sharp and spicy the scent is. Besides that, I get rose, cinnamon, and more sandalwood than oud.

3-4/5

Read more of my perfume reviews at The Scent Stories: thescentstories.substack.com

Rich lady vibes. The opening smells like rose, smoke and wood. The leather and the peach starts to come through on the dry down, which is a lovely combination because the peach lifts the leather. The drydown for me was this heady leather smell with a hint of rose. You probably won't like this if you prefer sweet perfumes but you'll love it if you're into oud or florals. A very mature scent-- I wouldn't imagine someone younger than late twenties wearing this.

I love this fragrance! Maybe it is not the most original scent profile on Earth, but I don't care and I love it anyway. To me, this is a gorgeous oud - rose - peach combo, I do not find the sandalwood is the main character, despite its name. I think it is totally unisex, and I really love its fruity sweetness which is not cloying and not juvenile. It is warm and uplifting and a touch mysterious. Definitely a Middle Eastern style fragrance, but very wearable indeed. To my nose, the oud is a bit smoked in the beginning and then becomes sweeter and never skanky.

Is this the most universal oud-rose combo? It is just in the middle, between masculine and feminine, it smells very very nice, it is long lasting and it's not too middle eastern. That makes it absolutely wearable oud-rose fragrance for everyone. A little bit more "dress up" but still can be worn casually, just with less sprays

I ADORE this scent. Unfortunately, the longevity is really poor for me. When I bought this at Guerlain, I was stuck between Santal Royal & Cuir Intense. She described Cuir Intense as the loud party boy at a nightclub spending Daddy's money, and Santal Royal as the refined gentlemen wearing a linen shirt on his yacht.

A really gorgeous powdery slightly fruity oud with a woody undertone. It's classy, I can imagine Alexis Carrington wearing this in a fur coat in the snow sipping an espresso martini. I love to layer it with Musc Ravageur by FM. 8/10.

This is so beautiful. I had to buy a backup bottle. If u can find yourself an older bottle, buy it . It will be worth the money. One of my favorite fragrances in my collection

i like it. end of.

When you first spray it you get an extreme synthetic smell of oud, but the dry down is woody seductive and dry, perfect for a date night, or a formal occasion.

this is a typical oriental roseoud combo, but my gosh the blend here is heavenly. such a smooth, addictive, rich smell
beautiful oily, sweet, dark red rose, a hint of oud and sandalwood - not sweet but woody and dry.
yet another beauty from the house of Guerlain

This is much better than I expected. The Oud is not overly strong - I get more of a Cinnamon Rose smell. This smells like an upscale party during the winter holidays. Very classy and opulent, and just a nice overall smell. I would even wear this to the office without hesitation.

Wow I was expecting something way different coming from Guerlain, this definitely leans middle Eastern. The oud is the dominant supported by the rose and sandalwood. It smells great my GF says it is her new favorite out of my entire collection... Of 137 bottles... It performed wonderfully in the cold as well. I'm currently layering it with two sprays of Tom Ford tobacco Oud and I love the combo might be my new go to for super cold days.
10/10 this is a masterpiece imho

A two-for-one review tested for 2 and a half ish weeks:
1. Les Absolus d'Orient Santal Royal is beautiful rose 🌹, oud and sandalwood 🪵 fragrance. In the opening it can be sharp if you're not expecting it. But as it's worn it's warm,dark and firm. When you're wearing this, you understand clearly why you're wearing it.
On a women's skin, it's elegant and asserts dominance over the La Vie Est Belle wearing ladies without being loud or obnoxious. She's the HBIC and everyone knows but are still comfortable in her presence😏.
On man's skin, this becomes dark, mysterious and dangerous. A "bad boy" whom doesn't care to hide it and still humbly appreciates the subtle glances. Because men, you will smell great but some people will be too shy to tell you. So, with that attention you might want to start the conversation😉.
Sillage and projection are great and if you're an over sprayer can be massive🗯. Longevity on my skin was 9+ hours and for the price I think it's fair but discounts are out there.
Scent: 7/10
Performance: 9/10
Value: 5/10
Overall: 21/30
*******
2. The popular clone (short and sweet):
At your local discount stores and websites there is a clone called "Glorious Royal Santal" by Milestone Perfumes. The notes are the same but they are poorly muddled together and kind of sour smelling😵💫🤧 until you hit the one hour mark where you clearly have your synthetic oud🧪🪵 and very pleasant sandalwood. My friend Vinny paid $17 for this. And for the same performance, why not?
Honestly, I prefer the original. It's more natural, a tad creamier, doesn't assault your senses; and there's a clear path for the notes to all have their spotlight.

Verdict: If you're not on a budget, look for a sale/deal on the original.

I was going to buy myself Patchouli Ardent for Christmas, but as I was smelling it in the fragrance store I looked at it and decided that I should smell it. Instantly I fell in love. I usually prefer sweet vanilla fragrances but this one ohh man it hit me right in the heart 🤣.
Today I was throwing my clothes in the washing machine and the outfit I wore the day before still smelled like crazy.
Yesterday I was wearing it and a couple of hours (maybe 6 hours I think) I entered my sisters room and she asked me what fragrance I was wearing.
I had a couple of girls ask me the same thing the first time I wore it.
Literally my mother liked it so much she went to the store and bought it for herself lol.
Sorry for bad English guys it’s my second language 😊

Longevity 11/10
Sillage 10/10
Projection 10/10
Smell 11/10

Overall 10/10 fragrance

The opening is impressive. But this perfume reminds me of the "kaaba smell". A room scent. A friend who works in the perfume business in Konya city gave it to me as a gift. As far as I understand, it is easy to make such scents.

It's more sandal perfume than anything else. Oud is just to create complexity and oriental vibe, but it is still French Guerlain oriental - very subtle. Its rather dark, slightly sweet, and spicy. I wear it in a hot and humid climate to the office - it is not too much. Perfect.

No discernible oud here. Rather a general woodiness, a mixture of sandalwood cedar driftwood and so on. Cinnamon is prominent, adding a powdery and softly spiced aspect. Leather is prominent but soft and not animalic in the slightest. Rose is prominent and slightly jammy. Peach brings a light touch to the fragrance. Very pretty and elegant scent, crowd pleasing and likeable. Not the deep dark oud I was looking for though, so a pass for me.

Smelled great on paper. Turned into playdoh in 5 min. Great silage.

A majestic ode to sandalwood.

Les Absolus d'Orient Santal Royal, a creation by the storied house of Guerlain, is a fragrance that pays a rich and opulent tribute to one of the most revered ingredients in both perfumery and incense: sandalwood. As part of Guerlain's Les Absolus d'Orient collection, which is inspired by the olfactory treasures of the East, Santal Royal is a scent that captures the essence of luxury and timelessness.

➡️ First Impressions:
The bottle of Santal Royal is a piece of art in itself, reflecting the luxury and heritage of Guerlain. Its design, elegant and regal, perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the Middle East with a special oriental motif. Upon the first spray, the scent immediately asserts its presence, a bold and captivating invitation into its aromatic world.

➡️ The Scent:
Santal Royal opens with a vibrant and slightly spicy blend of neroli and cinnamon, creating an inviting and warm introduction. This initial encounter is both intriguing and comforting, setting the stage for the deeper, more complex heart of the fragrance.

The heart of Santal Royal is where the sandalwood truly comes into its own. The sandalwood note is rich, creamy, and enveloping, exuding a sense of majestic elegance. This central note is complemented by accents of rose and jasmine, which add a floral sophistication, and a touch of oud, which introduces a smoky, mysterious quality.

As the fragrance settles, the base reveals a harmonious blend of leather, amber, and musk. These notes provide a sensual and enduring finish, grounding the fragrance in a base that is both luxurious and compelling.

➡️ Longevity and Sillage:
Santal Royal is a fragrance known for its impressive longevity and strong sillage. It is a scent that makes a statement, lingering on the skin for hours and leaving a memorable trail. This lasting power and projection make it an excellent choice for those who want their fragrance to be noticed and remembered all day long.

➡️ Versatility:
This fragrance, with its rich and opulent character, is ideally suited for cooler months and formal occasions. It exudes a sense of sophistication and confidence, making it a perfect choice for evening wear. However, its luxurious nature may be a bit overwhelming for casual or office settings.

➡️ Conclusion:
Les Absolus d'Orient Santal Royal by Guerlain is a fragrance that celebrates the splendor and sensuality of sandalwood. It is a scent that is both timeless and contemporary, a luxurious journey through the richness of the East. Ideal for those who are drawn to bold, woody, and spicy fragrances. Santal Royal is more than a perfume; it's a statement of elegance and an homage to the enduring allure of one of perfumery's most precious ingredients.

Was looking for a cheaper alternative to portrait of a lady, as I was finding the longevity of my last bottle, to wane. I got the 125ml
Perfume and hair mist, the scent is delicious, spicy, oud and even notes of rose for me. But this does not last on me at all. I can spray it in my apartment and not smell it on me by the time I get outside. I have had health issues so wondering if my skin has changed but I am still on the hunt to find something in the vein of POAL that lasts on me!

A Special Occasion fragrance.

Oud, Leather…Dark & Oppulent, certainly not an every day fragrance.

Leathery rose oud, zero clue why this is called santal anything. Smells great though!

ugh! I'm so frustrated by this fragrance. I can't tell if I hate it, love it, or everything in between. It's all over the place. Its like a riddle I have to solve. Its like looking at a freaking impossible penrose staircase paradox.
It's weird. Sometimes the scent bubble around me smells like an incohesive mixture of 20 year old rancid bottle of creamy vitamin E lotion and old pungent 19th century library books. Sometimes its more mysterious and intriguing with subtle woody, oudy, musky, slightly leathery, slightly floral, spicy, creamy notes. Sometimes it just straight up reminds me of the smell when you enter a very old cathedral--old, musky, woody, pungent, incense, with a subtle hint of.... fruit--smells good because it's nostalgic and evokes memory, but do I really want to smell like an old cathedral???
I don't pick up any rose what-so-ever.
I mean, at times, I think I get the hype, but it's just too confusing. I could never feel confident about wearing this or while wearing this.
I wish I could be like all you cool people who totally "get" this.

Santal Royal--oh man, how I wish I smelled whatever so many of the people who've commented on this fragrance are smelling! I've been hankering for an elegant, high-end rose/sandalwood combination for YEARS, and was excited by the words from those who said that this was an oud that non-oud lovers could like.

When I finally got my sample, I was horrified by the smell that emerged. The oud absolutely drowns out everything as Santal Royal opens with an intensely permeating pungency that reminds me of an animalic hing/asafoetida without the garlicky notes. A sickly sweet rose follows quickly behind. Is there sandalwood in there? I can't tell because I can only stand it on my skin for a minute before I go scrub and put on something else to kill the oud. I finally sprayed it on a paper so I could smell the dry down over a longer period of time. What has emerged is an incredibly sweet rose backed by a sandalwoody oud, or an oudy sandalwood, that is tolerable, but not for me.

I will let my decant sit for a while and see if oud and I can come to an agreement over time. But for now, not for me. And no, I don't have cheap, terrible taste as one reviewer implied. Oud and I just aren't friends.

Open with oud, then goes to jammy rose(almost raspberry jam) and leather, not sandalwood.Smells Louis Vuitton bags.

MORE FEMININE, I love to smell it on females, attractive, sensual, romantic.
When you smell it, you would imagine alluring lady, dressed perfectly for a party, ready to take control there.

Soft, powdery oud on a bed of opulent roses. What a beauty.

CinnaMOUD. A sweet rose and light jasmine shy opening then you get a blast of cinnamon, oud and peaches. Gorgeous leather dry-down. This is beast mode projection, careful with the trigger.

I love this fragrance. There is not another rose/oud fragrance that I can even tolerate. Most smell like pickles to me. I don’t care for sandalwood, and yet, this fragrance does it for me. I think it is so sexy. It makes me think of extreme heat and frigid cold. It is exotic and mysterious. I don’t honestly feel up to this fragrance. I’m not special enough. This is what Indiana Jones, Queen Latifa, and Natasha Romanova smell like. It is stunning and bad ass. I don’t wear it often, but it isn’t so strong that it couldn’t be worn daily if you are special or particularly bad ass. I am not going to describe the notes of the fragrance. It is woody and fresh and dark.

For Santal royal I would like to ask Mr. Thierry Wasser were is the sandalwood this is again a rose oud combo fragrance that you can find nearly everywhere. Jasmine was used with the rose to give it a floral touch while peach and cinammon used to give it spicy fruity touches but the star here is the rose oud and leather. There is no sandalwood in this fragrance. I feel that this fragrance has montale characteristic. Nothing special in this fragrance you can find alot more interesting fragrance with same price. This fragance has been reformulated as the longevity and projection not the same as used to be especially for 2022 batch.

Add me to the list of people who have no idea why this fragrance is called "Santal Royal" when sandalwood is nowhere near the dominant note in this. This is basically a strong oud fragrance with leather and rose and some other florals and peach to back it up. And yes, there is _some_ sandalwood here too... but to be honest, not very much.

At first I thought I didn't like this at all because the opening is harsh and gasoline-like; but once it quiets down, it's much more interesting and palatable. In the transition to the heart, I had the distinct impression of hot cinnamon (much like Red Hots candies). By the time the gasoline-like accord entirely dissipates and the peach note kicks in, it's actually genuinely pleasant.

Unfortunately the big opening is just overwhelming for me, though, as much as I enjoyed the drydown. Overall, I don't enjoy this as much as other oud-rose fragrances I've sampled, as much as I usually like releases from the house of Guerlain. There are others posting here who clearly really dig this scent, but it's just not for me. I would really recommend sampling this first and not blind-buying it, given how polarizing it is (as the comments show).

Here is my blind review, without referring to the notes pyramid or other marketing materials.

Santal Royal opens with a gorgeous modern fresh rose, crisp, heady and yet dark. There is an undertone of smoked chilies, adding an short lived yet intriguing and unconventional spice element. A woody element is apparent, which with time reveals notes of virginia cedarwood, sweet sandalwood aromachemicals, and a smoky woody driftwood element which is often labelled as "oud" (but not oud).

Compared to Oud Essentiel, the safraleine and suederal "leather" note is dialled down, and the base seems to include an MFK BR540 inspired accord of ambroxan, ethyl maltol, hedione and moss replacer, providing projection and sweetness. This was also copied by Initio in Oud for Greatness - so you can expect a similar modern effect.

Overall it is a very nice scent, although the synth sandalwood is always overshadowed by other, stronger elements. For the price, I wouldn't buy it.

یک عطر عودی،میوه ای،نیمه چرمی گرم و شیرین
یک شروع اسپایسی و میوه ای در بستری از عود و چرمی صیقل خورده که فضایی بوزی و تخمیر گون میوه ای تا نیم ساعتی همراهی می کنه..
در ادامه فضای عطر کمی پودری میشه به واسطه ی مشک و چوب صندل؛همچنین عود به عنوان یک بستر و پایه برای بقیه نت هاست و فضا رو عربی طور یا انیمالیک نمی کنه.رز هم حس تر و تازه ای داره و حرمی نیست.
نسبت به قیمتش ارزش خرید پایینی داره .بیشتر مناسب خانم هاست و پخش و ماندگاری قابل قبولی هم داره.
**************************************************
scent:6/10
longevity:7/10
sillage:5.5/10
purchase value:4/10
***************
overall:5.6/10

شبیه به عود همین لاین فقط چوب صندل هم با دوز قوی اضافه شده و همچنان پاس
-----------
Scent & Quality: 7/10
Longevity: 8/10
Sillage: 8/10
Creativity & Uniqueness: 4/10
Affordability: 5/10
-----------
Overall: 6.4/10

My favorite fragrance of all time hands down. Nothing else matches the complexity, sophistication, longevity, and presentation. One spray on the neck will last all day, but not be too overwhelming for people around you. It walks the razor's edge between being noticeable and being annoying perfectly. There is one caveat, this fragrance is too fancy for lack of a better word to wear 95% of the time. I actually sold my bottle because as a college student there wasn't enough opportunity to use it. When I was graduating high school however, it was the perfect fragrance to pair with a nice suit and an expensive restaurant. I will certainly purchase it again after college. Overall 10/10, treat yourself to this if you can.

The peach in this is the grandma that shuts everyone up with dessert after everyone is done arguing over dinner

Ah I love this perfume. On me it’s very sandalwood heavy, but I love that. I have an older version and a new bottle from 2019. I have to admit it has been reformulated and the older version is 100 times more powerful and beautiful. I wish I had more than 30 ml left. I’ve been using it sparingly. The newer bottle is still good, I still love it, but I’m not gonna buy anymore. I’m gonna seek out a vintage bottle .

I don't like obvious rose smell in fragrances, but this I love, mild rose and peach are perfectly blended together with a bit of cinnamon and sandalwood into a creamy delight, it's like gourmand, want to eat it how delicious it is, sprayer smelling is addictive

10/10

Beautiful rose oud combo. It's strong and sooo long lasting

I decided to buy a decant of "Spice Must Flow", because some people said that it's very similar to "Santal Royal". These two perfumes are also similar to each other, as Apple Mac and Tetris are similar to each other..."Santal Royal" sounds expensive, you feel every note of this masterpiece, but "SMF" is like a castrated version of perfume: only dirty rose and tobacco, brazen chemical cheap smell...I'm ashamed, because I thought there were perfumes as beautiful and high-quality as Santal Royal. No, there are no others)

With an OTHERWORLDLY TRAIL befitting majesty at a time when monarchs were part god, this rose-oud-sandalwood beauty will get you noticed. 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. Has an amazing trail and powerhouse performance, but has a dressed up vibe. IRL this would be perfect for a dressed up night out. (Opaque bottle with gold writing)

Contrast to Sehr Al Sheila Swiss Arabian:
These are different, but have similarities with rose-oud. Sehr Al Sheila has a more forward patchouli and falls somewhere between Armani Prive Rose d'Arabie and Santal Royal. Both have excellent performance.

Contrast to Oud Touch Franck Olivier:
These are different, but there are some similarities with rose-oud caramel. OT leans more to scents like Oud Ispahan Dior. Both have excellent performance.

Contrast to Intense Cafe Montale:
These are different, but there is a similar balsamic-vanilla quality in the drydowns. SR has more forward oud, while IC has a coffee note in the opening. Both have excellent performance.

Contrast to Oud Vanille Franck Olivier:
These are different, but there are similarities with rose-oud caramel. OV falls somewhere between Santal Royal Guerlain and Oud Bouquet Lancome. Both have excellent performance.

Contrast to Opulent Oud Lattafa:
These are different, but there are similarities with rose-oud and caramel. OO has a more forward patchouli in the opening. SR outperforms.

Overall: Amazing scent profile and powerhouse performance, 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 (opaque bottle) I recommend it. It's a love for me. Enjoy!

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

Edit: 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.

Do you remember that moment in the movie "Perfume: the story of murderer", when the main hero Jean-Baptiste stands in front of the crowd and waves a perfumed handkerchief? I think, that handkerchief smelled Guerlain "Santal Royal", such a strong impression was made on me by this smell...My type of skin is cold, if I wear this perfume in winter or autumn, I only feel rose,rose,rose...But in hot weather it's a real poem of beauty: deep oud, rose, leather, peach, smoke...I imagine how gorgeous this perfume sounds on people with hot skin.

Two types of people. Those who like and appreciate Santal Royal. And those with dysfunctional nose and bad/cheap taste. :)

Santal Royal is a nicely composed oud-rose scent featuring a lovely smooth sandalwood note. It features a nice leathery drydown too. Simple and high-quality, it is nothing too unusual - traditionally Middle Eastern in style, but suited to western tastes.

SR opens with soft, woody oud - inoffensive enough for people who dislike oud. Rich, jammy rose follows, forming that classic accord. I get a subtle sweet fruity undertone - the peach and neroli at play. Sandalwood emerges after a little while, rounding out this scent to perfection. It is smooth and slightly creamy - an excellent rendering of this beautiful note.

A soft, animalic amber accord emerges in the base, leather-like and musky - a natural progression of the oud. It fades to a musky, woody skin scent. Sillage and longevity are moderate - it is strong initially, but fades quickly.

A unisex woody scent, SR is a great example of a commercial rose-oud scent that still pays homage to tradition. Best worn in autumn/winter. A good modern offering from Guerlain. 4/5.

Even though I am not a fun of oud fragrances but i like that one

Florals are only at the top, so the femininity in the drydown it disappears and becomes a very oriental , sweet , intoxicating and somewhat cloying. I’ve been wanting this fragrance since I began my journey and I do find it amazing especially for an oud beginner perfume. Very artistic and wearable.
Also It is quite affordable in comparison to all oud frags with ingredients so decent, It’s almost as If I’m moisturising my skin. 9,6/10 can’t wait to buy this

Guerlain Santal Royal (2014) - sandalwood rose-oud - Often, reading reviews confuse us. Placing negative preconceptions that would otherwise be a delight. In this case, I assumed this perfume was a sharp synthetic mess, yet was greeted by jammy Roses - deep and rich. I also get a classical stone fruit-spiced chypre structure hiding in the background, reminding the wearer of the legends this perfume house is known for. Sandalwood gives off greenish hues but complimented with a well-constructed Oud-musk accord that is warm and sensual. Projection is powerful, yet is delivered through a beautiful sillage. A must try.

I really wanted to like this, since I love oud perfumes, but it's extremely strong and almost suffocating. Very persistent and "in your face", so do not blind buy. It's powerfulness reminded me of Oud Palao by Diptyque.

Opening smells like some nice tobacco smoke. Rose and spices, peach provides the sweetness. Sweet but bitter-pungent at the same time.

I like it much better later when the sandalwood becomes apparent. The dry down is wonderful and very visual to me. I see it as a clear film, like soaking gelatin leaves on cold water - it's like this wonderful halo that arrives out of thin air now and then. Sandalwood is a key player most likely, smells like a hint of natural ambergris as well.

Edit. If you want a more dominant sandalwood note, try their Santal Pao Rosa!

I'm really not a fan of oud but this... oh this! It's just a perfect blend of rose / jasmine and oud. You can all the beautiful flower notes as it opens, then the oud which is very present, but not overwhelming and not too animalic. It just softy quiets down to a beautiful santalwood and oud smell.

Take this review with a grain of salt as I'm no oud expert, I've only tried a few Montale and Lattafa fragrances but this, I love.

In terms of performance, this is above average to me. Lasts very long and projects more than most of my fragrances!

I also think it's very unisex but maybe ever so slightly masculine because of the oud.

Do not refer to sandalwood when buying this perfume, because personally I can't find it at all.
I burn sandalwood powder on charcoal, and I find this scent in Santal Blanc and Santal Majuscule by S.Lutens, and Etro Sandalo.
In this presentation,I find the Oud/rose combo with a hint of Jasmine, the rose is very subtle.
This perfume would have done better to be called Soir Royal or whatever, Santal, just to give it a nice appearance.
When it comes to endurance, I don't understand that huge wake as we seem to say.
Would it be reformulated,I wouldn't be surprised.
Sorry Guerlain but you are becoming pure marketing, I will definitely turn the page with your production.
I will keep Shalimar as the only brand reference.

A wonderful thing about this perfume is it's well-balanced with all its notes recognizable and shining-----except for sandalwood. It's the quietest of all and alas, that can be its nature. There is a strong and perfect oud, a beautiful amber, a syrupy rose, plenty of peach and neroli and jasmine. The right touches of cinnamon, musk, and leather are there. Would I buy a full bottle? I already have a 3.4 of Amber Mystique, which scratches that amber-oud-rose itch, albeit Les Absolus d'Orient Santal Royal is finer, drier, and less spicy, so they are not terribly close cousins, just related. Still, if I had tried this sample before buying my Amber Mystique, without question I would have bought this. It's smooth, inticing, and signature-worthy.

It opens with a spicy and sweet rose jam syrup, while a smoky and dusty note reminiscent of old leather with a hint of tobacco adds depth. In the drydown, the distant notes of oud and sandalwood become more noticeable. The fragrance is well-blended, giving the impression of a velvety chocolate filling. It's a very intriguing scent that combines sweetness with depth and complexity.

I will preface this statement with this: I like the note of Santal wood very much. Additionally, I like the house of Guerlain VERY much. But this fragrance is horrid. I got a 5 ml decant after a reviewer recommended and I can’t stand it. It smells like wet leaves, but in a bad way. Like wet leaves left in a garbage bag for 3 weeks in the heat. It also came off very linear to me. The opening was bad, and I was like “alright I’ll give it some time and see if the mid and dry down are any better”… nope. Not for me. One thing I will say though is the performance on this is very good. Unfortunately because it took forever for the scent to go away, but good for those who like it. Also it is super unique. I’ve never smelt a fragrance like this one, it’s just not for me.

This is yet another one of the fragrances I wanted to try for years and I finally scored a deal on a bottle! I fell in love with sandalwood and have come to realize it is my favorite note(s) in fragrance.

However, the name is a bit misleading because this opens with a gorgeous rose, maybe the best ive had my nose on. Slightly green, not too fresh, definitely not too mature, just right. The fragrance then slowly dries into a woody masterpiece that I cant get enough of.

This feels like the crescendo of my fragrance journey over the past few years. Searching for what I love (sandalwood) and coming to find what I despised and ran from (rose and the house of Guerlain tbh).

Funny how these things tend to be. Quite the microcosm I suppose? Guerlain deserves my praises on this one, maybe I should stop the hunt… but what fun is that.

Santal Royal is the perfect name for this perfume! I smell luxurious wood in the base. There's a sweet, almost syrupy peach and a hint of cinnamon on top of it. After a few minutes, I'm noticing soft rose and jasmine notes. There are multiple layers in this perfume and I love them all!

Well..I smell Oud, tons of inky, woody, nagging oud. Yeah there is some sandalwood, jasmine and rose somewhere here...ambroxan and asphalt notes to make it even more difficult to understand.
Too niche for my taste. Masculine, dark and bizarre. Not for me.
Sample it first.

strangely reminds me of Tom Ford - Lost Cherry. cause i do smell cherry in here.. anyone?

What is keeping me from buying this perfume are the brutal reviews from professionals for this perfume. I get the opening is not great (yeah, it does smell a bit like fruit beginning to spoil), but come on! Giving it one star to Guerlain for lacking 'creativitiy' for this particular scent blend, bla, bla...
This perfume is really a statement, and is that familiar sweet rose, oud & sandalwood but with a little more uniqueness. I had to wait for the drydown to witness it doing its magic. I could not stop smelling my arm- the way these notes transformed on my skin was something special. I sprayed it in the afternoon, woke up the next morning and still smelled it on my skin.
I rate this as overpriced because as an Arab I know you can get this combination for cheaper.

If you like this perfume and you can’t afford just have Musc Oud from Ibrahim Alqoraishi house, smells 95% the same for 50€😊
Also long lasting and very good projection

Ok just smelled this at the mall. Off the testing strip it smelled amazing, you first get a fresh rose that blends perfectly with the woods in the back. After a few minutes on skin though, I got an animalic fecal oud smell that was disgusting, plus it projected pretty strongly.
So test on your skin before you buy, especially if you're not into funky oud notes.

We I Blind bought it, as I love Guerlain Designer ones Like Ideal Homme Line.
Plus got it for $95 at discounter so no harm there. It smells really good.
If you need a long lasting oud& rose combo this is it. I did 8 spray (i am an oversprayer/or not a sissy sprayer), so for me 8 spray is restraining myself :D.

People across room can smell it
Scent: 9/10
Longevity: 10/10 (Considering most(all) Designers stay max 3 hours on my skin, this stayed 7hrs)
Sillage: Beast/10 (Ohh Man, people will smell you even in large public spaces)

Testing it today, it is amazing. It really is. There is fruity sweetness, and it is unmistakably oriental, sweet and dense. Perfect for cold fall and winter nights. I want to douse myself in this, no matter how strong it is. It is just that kind of "let me enjoy myself for once" scent. This is a celebration of life in a bottle.

I love this. This is my pirate fragrance.

Strong as all hell though. ONE spray is all you need and whatever you do ladies, don't spray your hair! This will stick for dayyyyys.

Beast performance - can be too strong so be careful but this is beautiful and sexy. So sexy.

i get it niche ain't for me ..
smells harsh and linear after the video from curly scents i was soo excited to smell it
sprayed it on my blouse and the whole day my mom keep day there is something smells very bad in the air guess what the me 😂😂🥲💔

I am obviously not smelling the same as the people who say this is generic. I am used to oud and this one is definitely not the easiest one, it has an animalic scent leaning a bit skanky that sometimes is off putting but other times I kind of crave it so for me it's definitely not an everyday scent. By the way I've never had a single compliment when wearing this, I still wear it though because I wear perfume for myself anyway..
The dry down is addictive, no sweetness whatsoever it's just dry, smoky, incensy, very woody with slight hints of dark roses!
This is sexy but not feminine at all, it takes a bold personality to pull this one off don't blind buy it!

The first time I wore Santal Royal Perfume, people were asking me what kind of perfume it was. They said they could detect the distinct scent from across a room!

Mentioning its elegant and charming features in every sentence is like branding yourself with your own personal advertisements—people will know you're fashionable without even seeing anything else on display besides this one high-quality item (which happens to also be highly functional).

It's hard to put into words, but this scent is just pure delight. The warm spicy accords meld with the animalic notes in a way that makes it feel both intricate and satisfying at once, while the woody components add depth on top of all these other aromas for an experience like no other!

I just love this perfume! I put just a little bit from it, because its performance is so good! It is heavy aroma, so I prefer the cold months to wear it. It is the first so spicy perfume I have and I am very curious to try similar aromas. Also, I have noticed that the aroma changes during the day and gets better and better. Will buy it again :)

Another rose-oud fragrance
No sandalwood here
It’s the rose oud I don’t need
I already have a lot of superior scents from the same category such as the night by FM and Indonesian oud by zenga
And this scent doesn’t come close to the ones I mentioned before
So to put it bluntly it’s a redundant purchase for me
Performance is good

Great Value at discounters. And a great choice for people who wants to get into 'OUD'

What a marvellous scent!!

Sandal wood definitely holds the whole composition together and couple of hours after sprayed it’ll showcase its beautiful and harmonious union with agar wood on a soft bed of cashmere musk.

It’s definitely more floral at first but then the fruitiness takes over and you can definitely smell amaretto-like cherry notes of bitter almonds mixed with the C14 aldehyde, much more bitter than your sweet peach accord and on dry down wrapped in a delicate smoky, somewhat leathery veil.

It’s a masterpiece!

Some ppl say it’s overpriced but when compared with disappointing and pricy Tom Ford’s juices, I wouldn’t be surprised if I’d be asked to pay more for this!

I’d like to see it in a nicer bottle, it’s the only reason for me to take a point away. A chunkier, ruby red and gold bottle with a heavy cap and a robust tassel. More is more is royal!

9/10

A beautiful, (albeit not the most accessible) smoky wood and rose fragrance. I say wood and rose because I actually do not believe this is an overdone cut and dry oud rose combo. Rather, it is a very pleasant combination of smokiness, woody notes (sandalwood, cedar, and synthetic oud), and a gorgeous juicy wet rose that is complimented very nicely by sweet peach, cinnamon, and amber. Many say this is a dry fragrance, I have to disagree. I find it very rich, sweet and creamy. It is somewhat reminiscent of waking into a hookah lounge, although it is lacking a tobacco note of any sort. Performance is great, expect longevity of 8+ hours, with 2-3 hours of solid projection. It will last on clothing for days. If you like rose based or oud-rose fragrances but are looking for something more unique and interesting, or perhaps you find Louis Vuitton Ombre Nomade just a little too bold, give this a try.

I have this in the hair fragrance and would describe it more as a rose oud. Deliciously rich and lasts until you wash your hair again - which was two days in my case. The hair fragrance was half the price of the perfume and I could not tell any difference in complexity. Luxury in a bottle!

Suit at night. Killer

Despite its name, this is not a sandalwood-based fragrance. It's mainly a rose-oud fragrance with some fruity notes from the peach and some creaminess, which I assume is from the sandalwood itself. I really enjoy the initial spray although it is a little abrasive, if you wait for the drydown it becomes much smoother and enjoyable. I wear 2-3 sprays, more than that becomes too cloying.

I got this for a very good price and I wouldn't have spent retail on this. It is a nice fragrance but I'm not sure it's worth its current price tag. I got this in the spring season and can't wait to start wearing this in the colder months.

I've hated this fragrance for the longest time because of the overuse of synthetic oud rose and lack of a prominent sandalwood note in it. However, it appears that recently (~2021??) there has been a reformulation/rebalancing of ingredients possibly from the maturing of the majority Mysore sandalwood trees planted in Australia during the late 90s that are now able to be harvested. (My experience previously was a Guerlain sample vial and a tester bottle back in the mid 2010s).

The synthetic oud is significantly toned down and is more of a base for both the cedar and sandalwood. With this the sandalwood accord is the most prominent of the 3 woods and has a nice creamy albeit cliched exotic spice nuance. Rose is present but nowhere near as much as it previously was but still adds a small amount of heat and plushness giving just the right level of verticality. Longevity has changed going from 14+ hours to about 7-8 with projection also being softer.
I suspect some people will say "Santal Royal is shell of it's former self" but it's much more enjoyable in it's current state than it ever was. The improvement from icepick in the nose rose oud to well done but cliched exotic sandalwood is still an overall win in my books.

Very dry and even sun-burning rose with very strong musky notes. The scent is phenomenal and captivating! Highly reminds me exhausting way through a desert.
Technicality 4/4
Scent 3/3
Performance - projects as bitch and holds on skin >10h, on clothing - don’t even try to wash out 3/2
Price 1/1
11/10, but a) take a few samples before buying - a challenging scent, b) this should be at least your 15. fragrance, no less

Tamed dry rose-oud.
Rose oud perfumes are like a glorious, black, but wild, unbridled Arabian horse; better adored from afar, or approach it with care and at your own risk. It might kick you in the head and give you headache for the whole day.
None other than the masterful house of Guerlain can tame such a beautiful beast. The white florals here balance the rose, and the smooth sandalwood rounds the oud, which is smokey but not very animalic.
I still wear max 3 spritzes and away from my nose, (on the wrists and back), given I’m a heavy 10+ sprayer, but rose-oud combos tend to be the only perfumes to give me headaches.
Alluring.

I tried this at the Neiman Marcus store and was very disappointed in the fragrance. It opens up as syrupy (almost medicinal) and synthetic notes. Somone here mentioned that the sandalwood feels inauthentic and more like a powder, and I agree. There’s something “off” about the scent; it’s very dry and definitely not a safe blind buy.

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!!

So angry on myself that I blind bought this hyped perfume. It is the pretty standard synthetic oud/rose, with such monster performance that one single spray is too much. To my nose Memoize London Superbia/Tristitia is doing a similar thing better. But why bother with this synthetic mess when there is things like Oud Maximus out there.

I really don't know how I feel about this fragrance anymore. I've samples it many times, and over the past few years the more I try it the less I like it. I don't if there's a new batch but it has a sweet ashtray vibe that's very off putting. I used to love it 5 years ago when I first smelt it, now I feel as though Guerlain has done something to this.

Santal Royal has a Dna of rose-oud combo, but it is fairly lower on rose and instead enriched with sandalwood. The oud note blends very well with sweet and woody notes and cinnamon adds a hint of spicy depth on a musky amber base. The twist comes from the woody sweetness that sandalwood provides, instead of the dramatic sweetness of rose. The base is however, very ordinary with musky amber notes. Overall a dry oud woody scent.

Santal royal is easily worn, the arabesque quality of rose-oud is decreased with sandalwood. But the dry down is really boring.

As i tested the Les Absolus d'Orient line, I was not disappointed with the compositions; they are masterful. But some of the notes are synthetic and not on par with niche houses at all.

As Santal Royal is a fairly good quality scent, I strongly disagree that Les Absolus d'Orient is a comparable niche line. I saw a 125ml bottle for 260 Usd, i think it is overpriced.

This is a very good and pleasant Sandalwood and Rose/Oudh fragrance. It's not unique, but it's done very well here, very pleasant, very smooth, and not too sweet, as some of this style are.
It has pretty good performance, average projection, and very good longevity.

But there are half a dozen other very similar and pleasant frags with identical scent profiles, some more affordable, but not as smooth and as well blended as this one.
Personally, I prefer Acqua di Parma Oud, which I find similar.

This is bold and unapologetic - you wear that when you get in a place and you want everyone to know you are there. Love it. Very strong, absolutely a night time fragrance to me, crazy projection and longevity, I wore it to a ballet once and oh God, the people 3 seats behind and in front of me were smelling it and commenting on how strong it is. I dont care - I love it. Its mature and it smelled under my hair on the next day. I cannto wait for another fancy occasion to bring this one out.

Mature, luxurious, resinous, rosey, fruity, animalic, sensual, thick, and absolutely unapologetic, this is a creation like no other, and I f*cking love it.

I loved the initial opening, but it dried down to just hamster cage on me 😅

This scent has obsessed me. I just used up my tester and went in on a full bottle. It’s so powerful! I want my whole life to smell like the dry down of this one. As others said, it opens almost harsh and cloying but quickly emerges into a very juicy rose and oud combo. This stuff will hang around forever and seems to blend in well with other incense/rose/woody/leather scents so my winter coat for example is a real mess of lingering scents but it works. I tend to wear this one differently - full sprays on the skin are too much, so I walk through one spray and let another fall over my hair. This perfume is a wonderful hair scent and makes people go “mmm” and smell me when they get close. My only wish was that it was a little creamier or more solid under all the loud forward notes, sooner than 6-8 hours it takes to become a skin scent.

This is a very powerful and long lasting fragrance. The dry down is more sandalwood and oud. I don't get much rose or even jasmine in this. The name also suggests that this is a sandalwood and oud scent. Overall value for money and one of the nicer (atleast for me) creations from Guerlain.

Initial opening is LOUD ... so very loud and I always sneeze repeatedly for 1 minute or so .. lol ... The opening fades quite quickly leaving a lovely oud and rose . I am not a rose scent lover but this one is different ..I think the rose is in the back seat and the oud in full control.. The dry down is what makes me go ga ga! a lovely mellow sandalwood sillage wafting about me .. it is simply divine. I reach for this one often. . Definitely unisex and a winter and fall scent .. Longevity is amazing and sillage is pretty darn powerful .. 9/10

ok this is going to be detailed.
so, first of all, it seems to me like the grandmother of Cuir Intense, in a way?
I hope I'm being objective here since Cuir Intense is one of my favourites. ever.
when I sprayed it the first time, all I could think was: oh, "it's Oud, again" .
me being in a country where most of the local perfumes contain Oud, or similar sniffs of it, it is kind of the usual, nothing "mesmerizing".
However, as soon as it wears down ( and by that I mean whilst my nose gets used to it which is in a matter of minutes ) I start to get the notes that I LOVE.
Musk, Powder, Amber and ALOT of rose/floral, all at ONCE.
this is what got me to think " oh, that must be a wonder to make". I mean, how could you mix all of these at once and get something good, yet alone splended? well done.
honestly, I'd give it not a higher than 8/10. it could be a little less "overwhelming".
and I would've appreciated the base notes to be more prominent, they might be long-lasting that's for sure.
but I'd expect a good heavy sniff on my velvet jacket after a night out.
I'll give this a month or two or three.
I hope I change my mind, atleast to a 9.5 !

My main issue with many of the oriental Guerlains is that their names don't really correspond to the compositions in the way the Art and Mattiere titles do. In this case I was hoping for a sandalwood solinote but instead I got an opaque oudy molasse where all notes are trapped in sticky sweetness. The sandalwood is barely noticable and only makes an appearance in the deep drydown as a base (clearly synthetic) when most of the notes have evaporated. No softness, roundness, transparent creaminess or soft floral muskiness. All the qualities of the material that make it attractive are missing. For someone with western sensibilities this comes across as a fragrance with neither structure nor finesse. An olfactory burka that even manages to obscure the identity of the person wearing it while at the same time lets their presence be known. If that appeals to you by all means go for it. It left me cold.

I have a 125ml tester for sale if any is interested. You can message me

Merry Christmas to my wonderful Fragrantica family🎇✨🎅 A special wish and hug goes out to those of you who are spending Christmas alone this year💖

I decided to wear my last few sprays of Santal Royal today. On me the rose pushes all the other notes into insignificance; it dominates. Never thought I would ever enjoy wearing a rose forward fragrance, and here I am actually finishing a bottle. Over the years I wore this in winter mostly because it is a warm, spicy rose. Never did get either of the top notes. It just goes straight to rose, and then I'd get bits of oud and leather in the dry-down that at times gives me a tobacco scent. Extraordinary performance from Santal Royal: this lasts well beyond 16 hours.

I won't be replacing it though. I have another great rose fragrance in Noir de Noir by Tom Ford, which I rate higher. Another really good one is Issey Miyake's L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme Or Encens. It is very similar to Santal Royal with a sexier dry-down.

Have a lovely day, my good people. May you always be blessed with peace, good health, prosperity, happiness and love💖⭐

At first this is just the typical rose oud combo. However, as it dries down the leather really comes out and it diverges from the norm. I'm not a huge fan of cinnamon in fragrances, but that bit of spice combined with the amber note adds a warmth that most other rose/oud fragrances are missing. Compared to Jo Malone Oud Roses, which is one of the few other oud rose scents I truly love, this is much more leathery and spicier. The Jo Malone is definitely fresher, greener, and almost soapy in comparison (which is probably why I live it so). The mature scent of this one is very little rose, and primarily a woody, spicy leather with a small touch of our (definitely not barnyard). While I like this, it definitely fades down to a generic woody leather, which is nice but not groundbreaking. While it's not bottle worthy for me personally, I can see why it would be a winner for other people.

Like, Holy Cow!!! The first spritz smells like poop to me!! As in fresh cow patty! So as first impressions go, that was not nice...

However...

After about 20 minutes, a most beautiful Oud smell emerges and I must say, it is very very strong but sooooo beautiful!!! Quality Oud here, no doubt.

After an hour, the most wonderful rose comes out and my Goodness!!!! It is so worth the wait!!!! The rose is so sweet and so sultry! It’s an absolute pleasure!

This scent is a masterpiece in perfumery. I am blown away. However, I am not giving it a full Love because there is a terrible and almost revolting 20 minutes of Cow-just-pooped-in-the-middle-of-the-living-room smell at first and that’s why I won’t give it my full approval.

Blast me if you want, I completely understand...

This scent is hard for me to describe. Clings like nothing else, fills a room. Can be slightly "sneeze inducing" for me. However, it's just a beautiful scent.

I get mostly oud and rose, but with a nice sandalwood dry down. The mix is so wonderful that breaking the notes apart, for my nose on me, is almost impossible. There is something haunting and also glistening. The scent is enveloping.

I love this scent, but really can only wear it in the winter and usually in the evening. The lasting power on clothes is incredible. You can smell it on your clothes days after spraying.

I love this scent and think it's really quite masterful. I really can only wear this in the winter, and normally in the evening. I think this would work wonderfully on both men and women. Maybe not so much in the office (though I do wear it there sometimes).

a masterpiece !

My review has miraculously disappeared from this website. Well, I don’t want to repeat myself. I would call this one “Thick Dirty Black Rose”. Rest my case.

Yes Mikeaveli. Check the internet.

I ordered a discounted great looking 75 ml bottle of Guerlain Santal Royal blind. Stupid me, but I like blind buying so it’s my own fault. I think this fragrance is a bit of a mistake by Thierry Wasser. There must be something wrong because from such a genius perfumer I expect excellence. This is one of the worst perfume blends I smelled. The heavy thick rose is so strong that it dominates the top, the middle and the base. The other notes are pushed away entirely by this synthetic rose extract. There are a lot of iso-e super molecules involved in this fragrance. Yes, I smell oud, some cinnamon and a very mediocre sandalwood. There are no white flowers and musk. The frag’s development is linear and it’s very strong and the longevity is almost beast mode, especially on clothes. If this was a good perfume with such a performance this could be a masterpiece. But it’s regrettably not in anyway. The name has absolutely nothing to do with sandalwood whatsoever. I would name it “Thick Black Dirty Rose”. The bottle looks great so I keep it but I can’t really think of any situation when to spray this. What a shame.

A fantastic scent with rose, oud, incense, musk, amber and peach that projects and lasts! One of the best and my go to for fall and winter.

This with a light spray of Santal Majuscule is heaven, better than either of them on their own

Whilst I appreciate this for what it is, it doesn’t feel wholly authentic. It gives me the impression of a very masterful perfumer who has done a half-job because his heart and soul isn’t in the creation. I. Other words, it’s very commercial.

There is a dusty, medicinal oud that is encapsulated in the most beautiful, syrupy Middle Eastern rose. The rose is glistening and dynamic. I’m really not picking up much sandalwood, despite tenaciously searching for it. The texture resembles sandalwood powder, more than the scent. Excellent performance and completely unisex. It’s an austere version of an Oud Rose combination.

Finally getting around to writing about this juice. I'm not going to compare this to Kilian..it wouldn't be fair to either. Nonetheless considering how often I would wear it, I would get my monies worth with Santal Royal by Guerlain.
I bought a bottle over 3 years ago and I still enjoy the smooth aroma of Arabian oud mixed with a hint of rose which complement each other. Sandalwood and leather gives the fragrance a well balanced aroma.
After several hours, the constancey of oud and rose blend is prevalent without it being skanky on me. Perfect during the late fall into the winter...amazing during the evening.
Longevity and Sillage is better than decent.
Guerlain has always come out with quality products over the years. Often companies try to cut corners and cheap out on low ingredients. This might not be considered a niche fragrance but if I did blind smell test...most wouldn't know the difference.
In my opinion this well worth the value for what you're paying. High quality...9/10 Kudos Guerlain

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!

I held back on this one.....due to my owning many scents with "rose/oud" combos.
But....now that I own it.....I am soooooooo happy with this !!!
IMO, this is not a true rose/oud combo scent..ok the rose IS there and lightish Oud...the sandalwood is prominent IMO. Woodsy/amber/floral/sandalwood.
Great performance too. Just shy of masterpiece status.
Classy, elegant .
Big LOVE.

This is a beast mode fragrance, fill the apartment and other floors even, stick on clothes for days.
A balanced oud rose smell by the middle east style. I would like to smell it on my mom as I feel it gets to the feminine side a little bit.

Extremely classy and beautiful fragrance, suitable for special occasions. Longevity is excellent, lasts more than 14 hours!

Santal Royal is amazing, but it is nothing like what I expected. With a name like that, I thought I would find opulent oud, glittering rose, and smouldering sandalwood chips. The notes and bottle suggest an Arabian fairy tale. Instead, I find myself in a prohibition-era speakeasy. There is ashy smoke in the air, the scent of worn leather upholstery, pungent cocktails, and whiffs of a stranger's heady rose perfume. There's a grungy but elegant ambience to Santal Royal. Also, Santal Royal is a 1-2 sprays maximum fragrance. It is very, very, very potent. Even with 2 sprays I was going anosmic!

Fantastic fragrance!
its in my top 5 scents. The scent is dark, mature, intoxicating and sophisticated. The oud and rose are match made in heaven, the jasmine gives a bright touch in the opening but disappear quickly, and the peach is really delicious and gives it a sweet twist.

Absolutely gorgeous! One of the best oud and rose combos out there.

Different, but much better than Rose d'Arabie or Oud Ispahan imo. And I don't get many similarities with Santal Noir tbh.

Great longevity, but would love to see this projecting a bit more.
Overall an almost perfect scent.
9.85/10

Intoxicating, refined, elegant and opulent. This perfume is a true masterpiece that requires a mature nose to understand it’s beauty. Once I spayed this on for the first time, I just couldn’t stop smelling myself all day. Its that addictive. i can see this worn in colder weather or night time all year round. Its sexy and can be a date night fragrance that would charm anyone that smells this on you.

I was so excited to get a sample of this perfume, the full size bottle looks so sophisticated and luxurious. But when sprayed it smells like a car garage stinking by petroleum and hundreds of sandalwood incense sticks. It's so chemical, heavily overwhelming, the oud note is far too intense for my liking. I couldn't detect any other notes coming out - absolutely no rose, peach or jasmine, it was just the awful petroleum note for good few hours, very slowly fading out. I have to admit I liked it after 4 hours when it got more gentle, the petroleum started to disappear and I could smell very pleasant warm spicy sandalwood. It's real shame, the sandalwood was beautiful but the opening is unbearable for me, so I won't be buying.

High quality Middle eastern type of a scent. The opening was little bit harsh on my nose but 1 minute later, it transforms into a smoother and sexier oud rose type of a scent. Has a little spicy aspect in the background. With time, it become more & more rosey on my skin. Very elegant and upscale, scent that you wear when dressed up. It is a mature scent but sure will capture attention. Performance is great and more for winter and fall. Great job Guerlain.

Yes, this is a rose oud, is a rose oud, is a rose oud. If you're not a fan of oud fragrances or you already have more than one of this kind, you probably don't need it. What sets it apart from many others I tried, is the balanced composition and the soft powderiness. It's elegant, sweet but not too sweet, unisex and smells classy.

Elegant oud and leather, rich rose. Very, very classy.

as an arab its love for us we use this perfume for special days

This reminds me of my grandfather and extremely hairy guy at the gym choking people with something strong. Its a no from me. Good that I came to this page because I have been eyeing at Ombre Nomade for sometime. its good to know its a no go zone too since they are similar..

Always check the profile of person I say to see what sort of perfumes the person likes to get where one is coming from for any particular review.

I am glad I could sample this before buying, because it's not an easy one.
Of course, it's a superb quality perfume, you can feel the ingredients are top notch.
On my skin, this is a blast of Aoud followed by a timid rose, but for the rest of the time this is smoke, Incense smoke (and again, it's not listed! the pyramid is off). Not a note I am really keen on.
I cannot sniff a single note of white flowers (Neroli, where are thou?), and this is a pity, as it could make Santal Royal a tad more fresher.
Santal Royal is a wintry perfume, definitely. I cannot see anyone wearing this in high temperatures, as it is cloying.
It is a huge perfume based on Aoud and a smokey incense. Not a lot of flowers,indeed. The dry down is sort of woodsy but very very dry and cold.
To my nose, it goes associated to a gentleman. Good sillage and superb longevity.
I like it, but it will not make it to a full bottle, alas.
Must be sampled before buying.

Another nice but common oud-rose scent. Inoffensive, mass-appealing oud accompanied by a sweet rose. Very similar to Oud Ispahan and Ombre Nomade, less similar but still completely reminiscent of Oud Palao, Oud Fleur and Sohan (just off the top of my head - there are probably more). Not unique in the slightest, but again, nice. Exceptional longevity.

Thank god I smelled this after the sheer horror that was Bois Mysterieux. Wow, this is beautiful. Immediately it made me nostalgic for something, but it's really difficult for me to place what or where. Actually, upon reflecting, it hit me: this specific potpourri that we had in our house growing up. I remember sniffing it regularly and being intoxicated by the scent. That memory is here in Santal Royal but more alive, fresh, and pungent.

The opening is a little harsh with the rose and slightly animalistic, but as it dries this sweetness comes out that is fruity. Smells like peach cobbler sprinkled with rose petals and dare I say a really nice air freshener for the car. My description probably does this no justice--it's just very complex, rich, layered with florals, sweetness, and slight smoky vibe. I'm having a hard time detecting the woody notes but as I'm sitting here I'm noticing them come out as it dries down.

It's very unisex. I tend to notice that most scents on my skin smell on the sweeter side. Wearing this as a man would be bold for me, but it takes boldness to wear pretty much anything Guerlain. Because it is so rich, heady and expensive smelling, this is a scent that is to be worn for a special occasion or with nice clothes. I truly believe this is what God would smell like if God had a scent.

I’ve been using this lovely perfume for the past three years” winter,spring and autumn” and I’m always getting compliments.

A lovely mixture of wood, oud and flowery touch. Very classy combination and it’s unisex however more on a feminine side.

Would definitely recommend.

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

I have many sandalwood fragrances and this and santal majuscule are my two most unique. SR is very well blended and high quality. Not a beginers fragrance. Definetly for older noses. Cant say anything bad and it will last easily to the next day. Smell for yourself and you will love it. I recommend.👌

Santal Royal is a luminous fluffy joyful Rose + Oud perfume that can be worn all year around, it also does something that I wished Rose Anonymous could do, with more supporting notes (jasmine, peach and cinnamon etc) to give it more dimensions, neroli elevates the entire composition while the sandalwood and amber makes it rounded, creamy with depth. Very enjoyable and beautiful. Love at the first sniff! As soon as my 20ml travel size is used up, I will go back to Guerlain perfume shop for a full size bottle.

Love this, probably my favorite fragrance ever.. However I’ve only had multiple samples, never been able to get my hands on a full bottle.. I love wearing this year round hot or not outside! Opulence in a bottle

This is a very elegant, classy fragrance. I scrapped my initial review because now that I have had more time to play with this fragrance, I've come to appreciate it more. I get a lot of woodiness and rose. I'm unfamiliar with the scent of oud on its own, but it is used (sparingly) in some of the fragrances I own, so I assume the strong wood note is the oud, as it doesn't smell like sandalwood (which I pick up on more in the drydown after the fragrance has settled on my skin). I'd consider this a unisex fragrance for sure, maybe slightly masculine-leaning, but a woman can definitely pull this off. I, myself, will probably use this in layering under a more delicate fragrance (it's lovely under Jo Malone's Mimosa & Cardamom) to take off the edge a bit. While it's a lovely fragrance, I will probably not purchase a full bottle once my decant runs out, as the price makes it too steep to solely use for layering, but I feel that I am not the right person to pull off wearing this on its own.

This is an absolutely beautifully composed fragrance. Wow. The opening is not to like but after 20 seconds this dries to a real masterpiece. Having smelled oud satin mood. For me this a better fragrance. Exudes class. 9/10

The opening is quite harsh and screechy with the apple,oud and amber. After about half an hour a nice rose and sandalwood combination emerges which smooths things out a bit. The problem though is the sweetness from opening and synthetic oud completely ruins what is actually a decent sandalwood note. I guess in the mean time there is still Samsara EDP as the main sandalwood from Guerlain :/.

1/5

the moment i sprayed this, i was greeted by candied (lemoned rose, or may be that’s the peach i was detecting?) rose-oud combo. i love that. then slowly bitter leather peeks in. right when i was wondering ... where is the sandalwood ... it showed itself in the background.

it is a lovely fragrance, i enjoyed it so much. but, if you are looking for sandalwood dominant fragrance, this might not be for you.

Absolutely smashing! I just love the well balanced composition. It's pretty potent scent without being loud. It's sophisticated and at the same time cockey. You have to know how to wear this. Be prepared for getting compliments. Absolutely unisex scent.

This is a more tame version Roja Dove’s Amber Oud...or you can say RD Amber Oud is a loud version of this😁.

It’s a pleasant rose/oud DNA with smooth leathery vanilla undertones. Personally, being used to louder oud fragrances...I find this one very mellow and pleasant right off the initial spray.

Longevity and projection are above average.

I like this a lot...but it doesn’t do anything extra vs. my other oud/rose DNAs. This could be a good entry to those looking to get into this classic combo.

I don't suggest smelling this up close. It has to diffuse in the air and leave its flinty trail to be understood as a beautiful work of art

I find this to be extremely similar to Lomani’s Black Rose. Similar – not the same – but to the point where the similarity is overwhelming.

They seem to have the same medicinal-smelling rose-oud (but I find the rose is more apparent in Lomani). There is no patchouli in the Santal Royal but to my nose they are close enough to the point where since I have Lomani Black Rose I would not feel the need to purchase the Santal Royal.

I have to say that the blending, performance (longevity-wise) of the Guerlain is better and it is a better composition. However, they are both great, and, as Bigsly wrote, with all the “oud” fragrances available now such as some of these Lomanis, it’s up to you whether you want to spend as much and not purchase one of these instead of the Guerlain.

Oozing luxury and excellent taste. Initially, I wasn't balled over by her. I was expecting her to be a heavy blast like her sister Bois M. She's not. More subtle. Oud -rose, but not too rosy, which I'm not keen on. I can't comment on sillage etc as I've only just received her. Just so far I'm impressed. I can smell the elegance unfolding. Shall be a beautiful day regardless of the weather, me thinks.

Santal Royal is not a typical Guerlain scent, and the smell would make more sense in an aluminium Montale bottle.

It opens with accords immediately recognisable: spiced and glazed stonefruit, joined by the combination of agarwood & rose.

Fruits and rose increase in strength, as does cinnamon. The heart is syrupy and spiced, and oddly leaves the back of my nose very scratchy. The nose feel is unpleasantly sharp as the scent develops on my skin.

A base of woods and dark, slightly harsh leather begins to peek through. The woods transition from oud to creamy sandalwood to dry synthy woods. In the dry down, the scratchy, sharp feeling thankfully dissipates.

I must say the namesake sandalwood is polite and mild compared with the other notes - only a creamy hint.

Performance is very good - Montale like!

Overall, however, I don't rate Santal Royal very highly. It manages to smell too sharp and too harsh for much of the heart, and comes across as too synthetic without much sandalwood in its faux-Arabic presentation. Most of the notes, apart from the cinnamon, lacks definition and refinement.

If rose + oud or a good quality sandalwood is what you're after, there are plenty of better scents out there.

Firstly, I'd like to agree with the reviewers below. This isn't really a sandalwood fragrance, it's a fruity fresh take on the classic rose+oud+saffron combo. Secondly, I'd like to offer an #ohhellno to that opening... I know that it's an absolute and that means solvent extraction, but lord have mercy it is HARSH. This is an experience I can only liken to huffing petrol fumes.

Fortunately this lasts about 20 seconds and then we are blessed with an increasingly familiar peach-rose combo highlighted by white florals and supported by sweet and spicy woods. There is a dryness at the back of the palette indicating the presence of oud or an oud accord. Leather is present although it's really the saffron that is most prominent from that accord. Creamy sandalwood emerges deep into the dry-down which gives a smooth textural quality that honestly leaves me a bit speechless, perhaps the name sort of makes sense but rose and oud still dominate. The composition feels fun, classic and mature in a very vibrant way and it develops in the most satiating fashion. All is forgiven for the harsh opening because projection, sillage and longevity are all enormous.

Peach and rose combinations seem to be everywhere right now, this is definitely less sweet than the majority of them. I think it's a job well done, I'm just struggling to understand the name.

I really regret buying this one. I blind bought it because I thought it had Mysore Sandalwood in it but no, there is no Mysore in here. It’s been banned for use anyway so I don’t know why perfumers still claim they use it. This is a very weak skin scent of rose Oud. The nasty poop kind of Oud. I hate Oud. I didn’t think Oud would be ALL I’d get from smelling this one. What a disappointment this was. I love sandalwood and I get zero sandalwood. Just that nasty poopy Oud . I am getting rid of this one on eBay. I have a 30ml decant. I’m just glad I didn’t buy more. My good friend owns a perfume store and sold me a 30ml decant for a great price.

i get some vibes from t-rex zoologist. i don't know what makes them similar but they really have something in common.

The initial spray is very overwhelming and slightly foul. Much better once it dries down, because all that's left is the rose and oud and smells fantastic.

I'm starting to think my nose is broken. Immediate impression is superglue and petrol. It's this weird thing that the rose and cinnamon combo seem to do to my brain. This fades almost immediately into powerfully spicy real cinnamon on a bed of roses in a wooden box. The cinnamon fades over an hour or two, exposing some powerful smooth sweet woods. I sprayed some on after an afternoon shower and by the next morning I was still shrouded in sweet spicy roses. It projects like an absolute beast too. From that and the listed notes you'd think this would lean more feminine. Maybe it does. But to me it's unisex and I really love it.

Santal Royal is a beast of an oud fragrance. The initial spritz is strong with cinnamon coating the white florals. After that shock, the jasmine and neroli dance around to make their presence known. The dry down is when the magic happens. The rose and peach make appearances on and off stage without taking the spotlight. The amber and musk also come and go, while the oud sets the stage for this beautiful performance of a fragrance. This is not for the faint of heart, it's a deep and complex composition...but for those who can appreciate the brilliance, will marinate in a masterpiece.

Fantastic oud, well balanced. Nostalgia triggering, takes my mind back to the souks in the Middle East.

I really cannot decide if I love or dislike this! One thing is certain though - whatever perfumes I own that have oud as a note never really prepared me for the intensity of this oud!! I literally gasped at my first spray. I could detect the sandalwood, but it seems to really be struggling to come forward against this overwhelming, petroleum-scented beast of a note, and it takes patience to wait for the fragrance to find it's balance.
I feel rather unsophisticated having never experienced an oud quite like this, which I can only attribute to it being more Arabian compared to the kinder, gentler European ouds I am familiar with. Still, I am intrigued, and will not write this one off just because it is so challenging. I think it's a matter of training my nose in order to better acclimate my nose to this style of perfume. I adore Ambre Eternel and have faith in Guerlain. Time will tell if it's for me.

What a great scent!Not only it smells great,but it lasts forever!I must add to review below,that it has nothig to do with oud palao by dyptique,(this is also just my point of view,but olfactive experiences are so subjective)so if you find oud palao repulsive,as i do(too animalic for my taste)this is not that type of scent.This has zero animalic notes,and it’s very easy to wear,definitely much easier than oud palao.Santal Royal is not a beginners scent either,you have to have some experience in wearing a perfums,and it’s not for youngsters.It is heavy,long lasting,more night and cooler weather scent.

This fragrance is sublime and gives me a peek into a world far above my social status. This is how I imagine a gentlemen's retiring room amongst the landed elite to smell in the early 19th century. Full of fine tobacco smoke and top notch port and single malt mixed with a refined floral aroma that is neither cloying nor linear, but pleasantly and exactly as the hired helped would have intended. I have the tester for this and have been wearing it for days. Like I said, this smells too rich for my blood. I want the full bottle but at the same time I almost feel like I am putting on a pretense by wearing it. It is literally and figuratively too good for me.

Oud's power to elicit polarising opinion is tempered well with complementary notes. Some may find a sudden start on top; others soon discover it's base is worth the wait.

This is a great Oud fragrance. Its the fecal kind of Oud.
Im glad I dont get much rose. I don't care for Oud / rose combos.

I have Oud Palao by Diptyque, so I wont need this until I run out.

I got an early bottle of Oud Palao with less rose. It's a great Oud at 1/2 the price.
Sorry, I looked on eBay at prices for this, $150 for a 4.2 ounce Tester. So its about the same price as Oud Palao, slightly better than Oud Palao perhaps.

Rating: 9/10

God bless. John 3:16

First Impressions: Thick, syrupy sandalwood. Hints of Geo Trumper's Sandalwood. Wearing it side by side with Guerlain Oud and I prefer Santal Royal...less sweet, drier, and less risk of going coy. Not my style, but high quality.

Drydown: Still some faint whiffs, but not as long lasting as Oud Essential. Very nice.

Scent: 8.5, Longevity: 7.5, Overall: 8.5

To me, this smells very much like shisha (sometimes called muʽassel) which is a sweetened tobacco (usually with molasses or honey) that is smoked out of a hookah.

To say the vibe of this fragrance is somewhere between a hookah bar and having sex in a church is about right.

As a nice, Catholic girl the scent is vaguely familiar to me in the context of going to Sunday mass (holy water, maybe?) And yet, there's an undeniable sexiness, teetering on animalistic. The juxtaposition of holy and vampiric renders this a very intriguing scent.

If I had to simplify what this fragrance smells like, I'd say a neroli/wood/musk mix, but there's definitely a very slightly sweet undertone, as well. It's heady as hell, smells expensive, and is not for daytime nor the faint of heart.

Sensual oriental scent. There is a beautiful, perfectly blended mixture of oud, rose and sandalwood that I sensed from start till end. First perfume where I could enjoy the oud, and it did not burn down my nostrils.
After spraying this base scent was surrounded by a strong smoky leather cloud, this lasted circa for an hour or so. This period was definitely the masculine face of this fragrance. After that the leather and smokiness started to fade and in another hour or two only a dash of that remained.

Then the sweet notes started to come to the surface. The oud-rose-and now creamy santal combo, with beautiful peach, cinnamon, warm amber lingering around became a mesmerizing rather feminine scent, unspeakably beautiful. The dry down is magical, could not detach my nose from my wrist!

This is a perfect autumn scent, can be worn for a nice walk on a weekend, also on special occasions/events.

I loved the whole experience. I expected an enormous sillage but luckily it was not that, bold, but still modest enough. Longevity is brutal.

Update: I got surprised on the next day. Above note was written testing the perfum by applying as a mist. Today working from home I applied a big generous pond on my arm. Result: I’m speechless.
Opening was that beautiful feminine sweet oud-rose-santal creamy-boosy combo, with sweet flowery undertone and even a bit honey-ish. I was totally overwhelmed. 10-15 min later the smoky-leathery cloud came as before, but less dominant than yesterday. It is an absolutely stunning scent.

This opens as a plasticky mess, but settles down within a few seconds. Once it settles, the the oud and a dry sandalwood make their presence known with rose waltzing in and out lightly behind the two. When you get a whiff of it, you smell the rose but then it's gone and it's pure spicy dark and smokey woods, until you let go and catch another waft again. There's some spice that blends in really nice with the woods, which must be the cinnamon but I can't really distinguish it as cinnamon, it's more peppery. Personally, I don't get any other notes besides these four. I don't get any jasmine or neroli or amber and definitely not peach.

I don't understand how people say it smells feminine because to me, it does not - in fact i think the contrary. It's very woodsy, smoky, and spicy with an elegant rose, decidedly masculine. It smells like camping in the woods by the campfire.

It lasts over 12 hours and projects a good distance, so be careful with the sprays.

9/10

In the opening the sandalwood is very smooth and addictive however the Oud adds a medicinal tone I really don’t like.

Bitter animalic sandalwood.

Does remind me of Oud Ispahan, as some have mentioned.

The bitter oud/rose/sandalwood combo is quite heavy, woody, and animalic. I would have not been surprised if I saw civet or any other animalic notes listed.

If you see potential in this scent and want something more redefined and less polarizing, try Oud Essentiel from the same line by Guerlain.

The quality is excellent.

This is a cold weather wear for the mature (35+).

"Like"

Guerlain Santal Royal EDP opens with a strong projection of very sweet, floral, oud, and fruity notes. The opening is projecting, aromatic, mature, and pleasant. The oud and rose are the most prominent notes, the oud is dark, bold, and elegant; the roses come up with a pinch of neroli and jasmine, two white floral notes that also add a soft citrus touch. The peach and cinnamon are soft touches, the cinnamon comes ups as slightly spicy and sweet. The leather is a projecting accord, noticeable but not strong; the sandalwood and amber make the fragrance sweet and dense. The musk is a light touch. The most noticeable opening to the dry-down change in this fragrance is the sharpness of the opening which smooths out once the sandalwood and amber develop making the fragrance slightly powdery, also the intensity takes one step down from strong to moderate. Once Guerlain Santal Royal EDP has reached its full dry-down, it can be summarized as a moderate projection, resinous sweet, oud, and roses fragrance, with sweet spicy and soft fruity accords. The fragrance feels bold, classy, dark, delicate, dense, elegant, exotic, floral, formal, heavy, high-quality, imposing, intense, mildly leathery, mature, nicely-blended, mildly powdery, resinous, very sweet, warm, woody and pleasant.

BATCH REVIEWED: 2020.
WOW RATING: 8/10. A quality, very sweet, mostly oud and roses fragrance, impressive.
DISLIKE RATING: 6/10 The oud, leather, and roses tones are very strong.
UNIQUENESS: 8/10. Oud and roses fragrances are relatively common, but this one has a unique touch with the white floral, spicy, and soft peach.
MASS APPEAL: 2/10. This fragrance is better suited for those that appreciate is tones.
PROJECTION: 5/10. Very good, about 5 feet around the wearer.
SILLAGE: 6/10. Very good, about 6 feet behind the wearer.
APPLICATION: 4 atomizations.
LONGEVITY: 5/10. Good, about 5 hours with 3 of moderate projection.
SEASONS: Winter, fall. Also, temperature-controller environments.
OCCASIONS: Formal events, outdoor gatherings, casual, holidays, vacations, clubbing.
VERSATILITY: 3/10. Limited a fragrance better suited for winter and fall.
GENDER: Unisex. The oud note feels masculine whereas the floral note has a feminine touch. This contrast will cause that some women will find it masculine and some men will find it feminine.
AGES: 30 and above.
RECOMMENDATION: Guerlain Santal Royal EDP can be found for about $130, it is a great sweet, oud and roses fragrance, ideal for those that appreciate oriental fragrances containing these notes.
BLIND-BUY: No, sample it first.
SIMILAR: These are examples of fragrances in the same genre. Tom Ford Noir De Noir features sweet, roses, patchouli, vanilla, and oud notes; Louis Vuitton Ombre Nomade EDP features roses and oud, a great fragrance; Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud Satin Mood Extrait de Parfum brings roses, oud, and sweet vanilla; Mancera Black to Black is a strong sweet, rose, warm spicy, oud, leather, and floral fragrance; Guerlain Santal Royal EDP is a pleasantly sweet, oud, roses, and cinnamon fragrance.
SUMMARY: A moderate projection, resinous sweet, oud, and roses fragrance, with sweet spicy and soft fruity accords. The fragrance feels bold, classy, dark, delicate, dense, elegant, exotic, floral, formal, heavy, high-quality, imposing, intense, mildly leathery, mature, nicely-blended, mildly powdery, resinous, very sweet, warm, woody and pleasant.

Beautiful fragrance, exquisitely blended from top-notch ingredients...BUT, it's purely feminine. My wife loves it!


There's no way this can be described as unisex.

One of my all time favorite perfumes. Really fun strong honey note at the beginning then a great complex Smokey delicious Oud. It’s so distinctive and long lasting, it brings back great memories of the trip where we bought it. And my mom loved it so much that we got it for her.

Sexy as hell!Blended to perfection.I could recommend it to blind buy,if you’re in that type of fragrances.Woman,Man,no difference,smells fantastic on either sex.This oud is not skanky,dirty,poopy or soever,I just adore this type of oud/rose combo.I can’t praise enough this scent.Haven’t bought a full bottle yet,but i think it’s only matter of time.Big,big thumb up!

Superb. Love the rose in this that really lifts the blend along with the musk which underpins everything. Faultless.

One of the sexiest aroma I have ever bought. I just love it. It performs the best on my skin.
This is the fragrance I am going to buy again and again.

I'm a big fan of this scent. Forgetting individual notes for a moment, it gives a warm, oriental spicy scent, which expertly blended, so no one note overpowers. Perfect for cold, sunny mornings or evenings when it's slightly cooler.

Starts off as super smooth, somewhat unctuous, and balmy with a soupçon of metallicness. Soon you will find plenty of leather and smoky oud in the mid-dry-down phase. This particular oud strongly reminds me of Amouade Interlude man.
Not what I expected.
Screams class. In my top three.

Opens with a huge blast of sandalwood, real sandalwood. Than the oud notes come to the surface besides a piquant rose note. If this fragrance could be a color, it would be a off-white. It also reminds me of Tom Ford's Oud Wood.

Cons: Great for sunny cold mornings.

This scent is complex, dark, mysterious, and sexy. But it's not for everyone. Rose isn't the strongest note here. There's a lot of oud and that may turn others off. Sandalwood and cinnamon kinda serves as a base for the fragrance, lifting the oud and rose notes.

To my nose it's smoky, woody, spicy, and a bit sweet. It's unique and to me is not unisex but can really be either masculine and feminine without being really in-between if that makes sense.

It's a fragrance for the night, specifically bed room activities. As many of the reviews have stated it is strong and lasts long. I would recommend only using a couple sprays before going out and letting it settle too. And by a couple I really mean no more than 2.

Oh my god. What a fragrance! It’s addictive and I cannot stop smelling it!
Neroli and jasmine set the mood well, then it goes into a rose and oud combo resting on a bed of cinnamon. The rose and oud work together wonderfully and it draws me into the scent! Very warm, dark and mysterious.
Lovely bottle too: the dark bottle reflects on the dark scent, and the tassels are a great finishing touch. Even the cap is gorgeous, with the engraved symbol on top.
The longevity is out of this world! Lasted 14 hours on me with two sprays! The scent reaches out massively too, and really makes people intrigued by you.
Thierry Wasser has made a masterpiece. What a perfumer, and what a creation he has made.
10/10 from me. Perfect blend of sweetness and wood. My signature scent.
I cannot stress enough: buy this! It is truly the greatest Woody fragrances I have ever smelled! And the price for it is brilliant! Buy it!

I cannot describe to you what this smells like (although I have to say the rose in here is not very prominent), but I can tell you this thing lasts and lasts. 24 hours I can still smell it on my hands.

This is what I’ve always envisioned Rose oud combo to be. The last 24hrs and I kid you not. Beautiful beastly projection. Wouldnt recommend for hot days tho. Sampled it for a year before buying and it’s worth every dime. This stuff is so good you don’t need any other rose oud combo

I ordered a Gift Set from my whole seller because there was too much hype for this one. I just opened my bottle and it smells like Sweet/Rose oud on my skin and dries down like musky leather but i cant smell Neroli or jasmine at all.

I know this one is expensive but here are few facts. I have multiple Arabic or Indian or no name or unknown brand name bottles. Hence people mostly wont know them at all until you buy.

I tried to be active on social media and save people some money or help folks who cant afford an expensive bottle.

I can tell rite-away after smelling this, it smells exactly like a perfume that is not listed above in the similar fragrances list(because of less votes). If you have tried "Pure Oudi" by "Lattafa" which smells (80% or more )the same and bit more louder(more silage) than Santal Royal.

That one is $35 and definitely worth every single penny. For more suggestions follow my Instagram @FragranceNinja

A really feminine fragrance...

I like unisex fragrances but this one smells definitely feminine. It’s not a fragrance I would wear, I want to like it but it’s not for me.

I really recommended you to test this one in a store before buying it, especially if you’re a man.

A cloying, overpowering cinnamon scent. Not a compliment getter but a sure fire way to be known as the spicy cologne guy at work. The only redeeming quality is the rose. Even the oud is substandard compared to some. Total pass for me.

Smells high quality, but something about the rose+peach combo makes it smell really medicinal to me - almost identical to that sore throat spray, if you're familiar with it. I also didn't get any of the top notes; to me it went straight to that oud-rose-peach combo that stayed throughout. It's a really nice fragrance as it's high quality, last long and projects well, it just doesn't seem to suit my taste or I'm anosmic to something in it. Recommend if you're a fan of rose+oud especially with a peach twist; otherwise, sample first for sure.

Sandalwood is the most prominent note here andi may be the only one who found similarities between santal royal and chanel egoiste (not platinum) specially the concentree version. And specially the vintage one. and now santal royal is on my list. A sandalwood modern masterpiece. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Rose Oud with a sweet dry down. Heavy, dark, and sensual. 10/10

This smells exactly as the voted notes on Fragrantica, lots of oud and rose. I don't find this fragrance unique enough for a purchase, I've put my nose on some middle eastern perfumes which smells uncannily similar to this creation. Sandalwood here is also a pure disappointment, it's more of a nutty/woody variety sandalwood used in place of cedarwood to tame the sharpness of oud.

Buy worthy if the prices are around the same as Guerlain Vetiver or Vetiver Extreme. Not a safe blind buy for those afraid too much of oud.

I was excited and ready to like this when I got an official sample of it from Guerlain. I was stunned by how *bad* the opening was. Perhaps there's something wrong with the sample. The opening, which lasts about 15 minutes, smells kind of like very low quality cigars and cheap schnapps. It's pretty unbearable. It does go away after a bit.

After that, it is sweet and smoky. The rose and oud are really the big notes, but I do pick up peach and leather distinctly. The neroli and jasmine are maybe just overwhelmed by the terrible opening scent? I don't pick them up.

It's a little less classy than I had hoped in terms of wearability in professional or formal settings. It's not a terribly casual scent either. I have no idea where I'd wear this to be honest.

One of my favourite perfumes.Mega long lasting,very high quality,one of the best fragrances created!

I feel that this fragrance should have been called "Fetish", that is all I can think of when wearing it that it would be so suited to a latex and rubber dungeon party. I think its the best in the line. Dark,kinky and moody.

This is a good fragrance, but a sandalwood themed one? Nope. If there is any synthetic santal in here, the poor fellow is brutally slapped, beaten to death and burnt alive by the oriental super-duo of oud and rose.
The bigger problem is that even they smell cheap and plasticky to me compared to some of my other oud-rose fragrances. And if I limit myself to Guerlain only, any of Les Déserts d'Orient smells richer, and well, better than this.
***(**)

GUERLAIN. SANTAL ROYAL
is a fine perfume. it is launched to the event of opening the 'Salon des Parfums' at Harrods within a tryptich: Amber Eternel, Oud Essentiel and Santal Royal. Shiny black flacons decorated with details in golden color and black and gold ribbon. The fragrances are available starting from October 2014, each as 125ml Eau de Parfum. SANTAL ROYAL
behind its opaque black flacon hides an oriental composition with notes of sandalwood, leather, oud, neroli, cinnamon, rose, amber and musk. The nose behind this fragrance is Thierry Wasser. in my opinion it is a rich perfume. Oud, Leather and Rose jump at you from off the first moment, while the Sandelwood and Cinnamon give an enduring and lovely backbone. the perfume has a chic signature. it has 'body', density, perseverance. it
also opens reminiscences to the past like Shalimar, l'Heure Bleue, Chanel's Cuir de Russie, several of Oriza L. Legrands perfumes and more recent: Obsession, Youth Dew, Black Orchid and even Dusitas Oudh Infini and Vero Kerns Mito. I do not say all these perfumes are similar. but they occupy a same niche, of incensey, oriental, rose-oud, boudoir heady perfumes. the SANTAL ROYAL even has a dryness, comparable to Mito, Dusitas le Sillage Blanc, Grès's Cabochard. this makes it an ultimate perfume for grown-ups. Creed's equivalent would be Bois du Portugal and Tuberose Indiana. Santa Maria Novellas Peau d'Espagne comes close also. the perfume keeps lingering around you and in the end the magnificent Sandelwood and Cinnamon lay this resiny foundation. I have always loved the headier scents of Guerlain (Nahéma, Mahora, Shalimar, Mitsouko, l'Heure Beue, Guet-Apins). this is a truly gem within the 'tryptich'.

One of the sexiest and classiest combos of Neroli, Jasmine & Rose, Oud, and Smoky Leather.

I want to love this, as i do Cuir Intense and Bois Mysterieux. But i have to agree with Saad48 below me, i received an official 1ml sample from Geurlain directly and after spraying was convinced my sample had gone bad or been sitting in the sun for months, the initial opening has something extremely potent and to me borderline revolting, thankfully it only lasts 5-10 minutes, it definitely cannot be neroli or jasmine..
i was convinced it is just my sample but now reading others experiencing the same thing i am questioning that.
After that 10 mins the fragrance is delightful as expected so at a loss as to what im smelling

My review is based off of a sample.

I'm a Saudi Arabian in the middle east so I would like to think that I'm familiar with the smell of oud.
This starts with some synthetic smell that is potent I guess it's the jasmine or the neroli I'm not sure.
The overall smell of this fragrance is that it's oriental smokey leather fragrance, the leather here is really astringent, robust, and dare I say stinky kind of leather.
For me this frag is centered around leather.
It's not for me, it's a pass for me.
Thankfully I didn't blind buy this and commit to a full bottle.

Such an intoxicating scent. Dark and oppulent, but still possesses certain transparency. Mix of oud, leather, cinnamon and fruit (I see it' s peach, but on my skin it smells like some berry). At the drydown I get sandalwood and incense combo.
It's a love from me.

Ok, here is my review of SANTAL ROYAL by Guerlain: this is oud and leather, IMO. If you are like me a fan of oud, then go for it, but if not, DO NOT continue reading 😊😊. Folks, i suggest you try this fragrance, please 🙏 🙏 🙏 DO NOT BLIND BUY this. Note: Longevity and sillage are fabulous, 10/10. I wore it yesterday and this morning i showered and still smelled it.

*Top notes: Neroli, jasmin.

*Middle notes: Rose, peach and cinnamon.

*Base notes: Leather, oud, musk, amber and sandalwood.

I felt the need to try something exotic, daring, and powerful. So I decided to blind buy (yes, call me mad) Santal Royal and Ambre Eternel. Of all that Guerlain has to offer I decided to choose these due to great feedback I've read on the Les Absolus D'Orient and also I truly feel that every fragrance collection HAS to have at least one bottle with the bee on it.

The night I got Santal Royal and tried it, I was a bit underwhelmed. It opened up with oud, rose, peach, and some florals... but where was the sandalwood? I slept on it and woke up with this soft, yet amazing ambery-sandalwoody drydown and I was hooked. I don't know, despite the beautiful powdery-dry, Ambergris-leather of Ambre Eternel, I found myself craving Santal Royal more and more with each wearing. I have also noticed that the character of the scent changes when worn during the cold or in the heat (yes, you can pull this off during the summer), but will still smell wonderful anytime.

Fun fact: I have found that layering both Santal Royal + Ambre Eternel = PdM HEROD!!

I got samples of santal royal and Oud Essentiel and tested them both at the same time over a few days. So santal royal is listed as a rose oud but its not like any others ive got, not sure if its because of the sandlewood it’s making the overall scent softer. I did enjoy santal royal but not enough to buy a full bottle and i think its because i was getting hints of tobacco and tobacco is not something i am very keen on. So think thats what was putting me off and i ended up buying a full bottle of oud essential instead.
Performance was good 8 hours with moderate sillage. If you dont mind tobacco this is a nice twist from other rose ouds and definitely worth a look.

This is definitely a beautiful scent... But, it took 4 hand washings, and about 4 hours to get there! Less, and i mean a very very small amount ,and it will be gorgeous Rose, Sandalwood, and vanilla? 1 full spray to the back of my hand was wayyy too much! Good longevity, and projection is good too. Leans a bit fem for me, but not too much..

Everything in this line seems very pretentious. I'm not a fan, to be honest. I love Guerlain but this line is very synthetic in a bad way. I liked Ambre Eternel (discontinued) and this one is not that bad but the others are very forgettable.
This is an opulent Rose-cinnamon-woody fragrance. Could be named Canelle Royal or Rose Royal but not Santal Royal. The sandalwood is minimal and very synthetic. It opens with freshness and sweetness, right away. A tiny bit of neroli in a Cinnamon-Rose bomb. As it starts to drydown, a strong Peach note appears too and shines especially in the mid, giving more sweetness and some femininity. The Oud is very soft and syntethic (again) and only plays in the background, just giving some depth to the fragrance.

Overall, gives me a synthetic Egoiste vibe but more oriental and fruity and not so good, of course.

Excellent performance though.
3/5

Wow! What a beautifully intoxicating scent! First of all, I have to say that I am usually not a fan of oud, I have dabbled in it but not in love with it. This is very oud-y but it's so smooth that I felt drawn to it. The rose, wood and spices are so well-blended, they sing on my skin. It has a sweetness and smoothness that is just so alluring ... not loud but definitely catches attention. Dark rose that turns into a sensual leather and amber as it dried down. Yes, I need a full bottle to warm me up these fall and winter nights.

Black floral magic. Beautiful. This could be a great flanker for Egoiste. It bears the dry herbal feel of the Chanel fragrance, but with added rose and a smooth, luxurious oud. The ceramic-looking bottle is an added bonus. Bravo, Guerlain!

I received sample today. Actually I like this scent it's familiar but more comfortable, in first minutes u smell leather smokey scent, is a good oud perfume not annoying oud , all woods are blended well !, After 10 minutes the scent dry down and
I smell more sweety oud is like oud was blending with sandalwood and Amber .
I give this scent 7.5/10 sillage is moderate and is long lasting. This scent is unisex and is suitable for night events and meetings.

This easily lasted 24hours. Masculine rose that smells opulent and elegant. Never blind but this except you’re a rose oud person.

Rose. Cinnamon. Oud. Smoke. And some Egoiste. Well blended. Smells expensive. I like it. My spouse bought me a bottle and I’m enjoying it. However, I hope it’s just my nose acting up, but Santal Royal seems to fade quickly on my skin. I do not get the powerhouse performance that others have noted. I hope I’m wrong because I really want to praise this fragrance. It has a resemblance to Montale Black Oud, but Santal Royal is very discreet in comparison to Montale’s beast.

Literally ROYAL.
I was in Paris when I first smelled Santal Royal - my first impression about the perfume was " This is VERY strong ", and since I like strong perfumes (not all of them and not always), I bought it.
After 2 hours of shopping, I smelled my T-shirt where I sprayed the perfume, and I realized that this perfume gets better with time and becomes less strong than it was + I found it very logical to call it Royal.
VERY long lasting and draws everyone's attention easily.

This was a blind buy for me and at first I didn't like it. It was sort of like burnt cobbler (like blackened, charred fruit). However, after wearing it a couple times I've come to really enjoy it and appreciate it and appreciated the rose more and more. The burnt fruit is still there and it does lean a little feminine. It's pretty potent and lasts for several hours; just a couple sprays at best are needed. The sillage is enormous!

Based on a friend's recommendation and the positive reviews here I ordered a small sample on ebay since sandalwood is one of my favourite notes in perfumes. I am wearing Santal Royal at the moment and sadly the rose seems overpowering. (I don't like rose.) Even my husband (who can't stand sandalwood and usually notes even the tiniest amount of it in a room's atmosphere) affirms that he can't detect any on my wrist. There was a hint of sandalwood in the opening, but after approx. two hours it's all gone. Pity, I was determined to like this perfume, but for me Etro Sandalo works waaaayyyy better.

First Stage: Peach,Rose, and some Honeyed Sweetness
Second Stage: The Peach/Rose/Honey Combo meets the Oud. This Oud ( on my Skin), is similar to the Oud in Diptyque’s Oud Palao and Dior’s Oud Ispahan
Final Stage: Oud

Strong Sillage and Longevity

I am a Huge Fan of the Guerlain House. This fragrance is no Exception.

Reminds me of Karim Abdul Al Faransi Al Fares. It‘s a dry oud although rose is in it. I must say at the beginning I didn‘t like it, due to its dusty acrid and at the same time designer opening. But I found myself longing for it. It becomes richer the longer you wear it. The quality is great. I‘m late to the oud party and maybe there are a lot of similar ones out there. Still I enjoy this a lot. Bottle worthy?

Woody, smokey and slightly sweet. It’s not my cup of tea, but i can not say it’s bad. The quality is undeniable and it’s an interesting perfume, for sure. It smells exotic and intriguing.
Warning: don’t blind buy. One coworker said i stink, the other ( more polite) said it is very strong. So, no crowd pleaser. Anyway, i find it pleasant. It projects to an arm’s lenght and longevity is 5 hours and counting.
Final note: 7.5/10