Individuel.
The most accurate Creed Original Santal clone.
Mont Blanc Individuel was released in 2003. It is based on sweet fruits, aromatics, and spices. It lasts six hours on the skin with intimate 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 Mont Blanc Individuel Smell Like?
The opening begins with a combination of Juniper, Raspberry, Bergamot, and Pineapple. A unique and refreshing mixture. As you can imagine, this is exceptionally sweet and fruity. Yet, the sweetness thankfully never becomes syrupy and thus never overwhelming.
Into the mid, calming lavender and cinnamon spice add to the fruity top notes. They help temper the strength and sweetness while giving Individuel an additional faucet. This spice nature starts to make this a clone of Original Santal.
For a large portion of the mid and into the base, it’s all about sweet fruits and cinnamon spice. The scent tree has a few other spice notes, but cinnamon is the most prevalent. The overarching emphasis is warmth.
The dry down is still clean and fresh. A woody depth develops, bringing creamy vanilla with it. The sweetness of raspberry gets paired with vanilla, and the two sit atop a spicy sandalwood backbone for the rest of the wear.
Mont Blanc Individuel notes:
TOP NOTES
- Lavender
- Cinnamon
- Pineapple
- Juniper Berries
- Mint
- Bergamot
- Rosemary
- Cardamom
- Coriander
MID NOTES
- Orange Blossom
- Violet
- Geranium
- Jasmine
BASE NOTES
- Raspberry
- Vanilla
- Sandalwood
- Dark Chocolate
- Musk
- Amber
- Patchouli
- Vetiver
- Oakmoss
Performance
Individuel lasts six hours on the skin with light projection. The first two hours, pushes out two to three feet. After this period, it is a skin scent for the rest of the wear. The sillage is better. This is a dense fragrance, so it projects and smells better as you move around. This performance is with five sprays.
This is all-season wear except for the hottest days of summer. The intense sweetness gets cloying. Even on warm spring and summer days, I would moderate your sprays so that you don’t accidentally overwhelm yourself or others. As for occasions, it is all.
The mass appeal and likability are excellent. There are no decisive notes in the fragrance. It is also subtle and allows those around you to enjoy your aroma without becoming consumed by it. If you’re looking for compliments, this will garner them too. In general, sweet fragrances get the second most attention behind ambroxan-based fragrances.
Mont Blanc Individuel Clones
There are no Mont Blanc Individuel clones, but it is a dupe of Creed Original Santal. The biggest difference is Individuel’s use of heavy fruits in the opening, while Original Santal uses aromatics.
Where Should I Buy Mont Blanc Individuel?
Final Words
The final burning question is, is Mont Blanc Individuel worth it? Yes, this is a clone of Original Santal, but it deviates enough that it is partially its own fragrance. My favorite aspect is the fruity-wood combination that is versatile enough to be worn in the spring and summer. It’s uncommon to have a sweet, warm weather fragrance.
After you try Mont Blanc Individuel, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.