Creed Original Santal Review – Everything You Need To Know
Original Santal.
The gold standard of Sandalwood colognes.
Creed Original Santal was released in 2005. It is based on aromatics, woods, and spices. It lasts seven hours on the skin with moderate projection. In this review, I will describe its smell and performance and if it’s worth it.
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Table of Contents
What Does Creed Original Santal Smell Like?
Creed Original Santal uses high-quality ingredients and knocks creamy sandalwood out of the park. The warm and creamy sandalwood is always present but never overpowering.
Accompanying sandalwood is equal parts cinnamon spice and aromatic juniper berries. Alone, Cinnamon spice and sandalwood are exceptionally warm. But with juniper’s fresh and herbal qualities, the scent is well-balanced.
As the scent develops, vanilla adds a degree of smoothness. It plays middleman for the contrasting warm vs. fresh accents. When this happens, Original Santal enters another dimension. The rest of the wear is so good it’s hard to put words to.
Near the end of wear, you’ll find fleeting spicy kicks and nuances of aromatic lavender. Both add the same qualities as the notes in the heart of the fragrance. Still, in the base, warm sandalwood is prominent and stays that way for the rest of the wear.
Creed Original Santal notes:
TOP NOTES
- Ginger
- Juniper Berries
- Rosemary
- Coriander
- Mandarin
MID NOTES
- Lavender
- Geranium
- Orange Blossom
- Sandalwood
BASE NOTES
- Oakmoss
- Musk
- Tonka Bean
- Cedarwood
Performance
Original Santal lasts seven hours on the skin with moderate to light projection. In the first one to two hours, it pushes out well before receding closer to the skin. The projection is geared toward intimate-type situations.
This is spring, fall, and winter wear. The depth of the notes becomes too overwhelming in the summer. As for occasions, it is all. As mentioned above, it has a decently sensual aroma, so it is best for situations you want to charm. Yet, the subtle projection and wearable aroma won’t overwhelm anyone in close-quarter settings like the office or lecture hall.
Lastly, mass appeal and likability are amazing. This is more than your typical woody fragrance as it is sandalwood dominant. The sandalwood note has a creamy, smooth, and extremely likable accent. As for the other notes, they are great supporting notes, never coming across as decisive and amplifying Original Santal’s mass appeal.
Creed Original Santal Clones
The best clone is Montblanc Individuel. These both have prominent aromatic accords. However, Individuel has a prominent sweetness not found in Original Santal. The woody notes Original Santal is known for are not as present in Individuel. Both are still versatile fragrances, but Individuel is a tenth of the price.
Final Words
The final burning question is Creed Original Santal worth it? You get what you pay for, but I recommend trying a sample before you buy a bottle.
This is not an easy blind buy Creed fragrance like Aventus or Millesime Imperial, where most people will enjoy it.
Original Santal is versatile and quality, but if you’re looking for a sensual sandalwood aroma, there are other ones for a more affordable price and as high-quality. This fragrance is not a bad buy, but I recommend knowing why you’re purchasing it. This way, you objectively decide if this is the right fragrance for you.
If you try Creed Original Santal, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.