Original Santal Creed (2005)

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7.4 / 10 305 Ratings

Original Santal is a perfume by Creed for men and was released in 2005. The scent is spicy-woody. It is still in production.

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Perfumer

Olivier Creed

Fragrance Notes

Top Notes	Orange tree absolute, Jamaican ginger
Heart Notes	Lavender, Peppermint, Rosemary, Juniper berry
Base Notes	Mysore sandalwood, Virginia cedar, Vanilla absolute, Thai benzoin, Ambergris, Tonkin musk

Ratings

Scent

7.4 (305 Ratings)

Longevity

7.6 (215 Ratings)

Sillage

7.1 (204 Ratings)

Bottle

7.7 (212 Ratings)

Submitted by Kankuro, last update on 27.11.2018

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Reviews

10/29/2018

7.0/10

6.0/10

8.5/10

KLewis

High quality Individuel?

I've seen many reviews comparing this to Montblanc Individuel created by Pierre Bourdon, rumours of his involvement with Creed Green Irish Tweed have lead to people speculating his involvement with Original Santal to produce a much higher quality variant of Individuel... I personally can't see this being true, but I found it interesting.

There definitely are similarities between Creed Original Santal and Montblanc Individuel, they are both fruity, spicy, sweet and woody fragrances, the main difference between the two is that Individuel holds more of a clean freshly washed clothes kind of scent while Original Santal retains its spice and fruitiness thanks to the higher quality ingredients that Creed use.

In my opinion, this is probably the most "designer" smelling fragrance that Creed has released, if I was to spend Creed prices on fragrance, my choices would be Green Irish Tweed, Millesime Imperial or spend that little bit more and go for Aventus because I find those fragrances so much more interesting. The scent of Original Santal can be found in a few cheaper, designer options and the price is what makes the difference, £25 for something that smells like Original Santal is a good buy, but spending £215 on a scent that doesn't smell too different from £25 designer fragrance is not.

04/27/2018

10.0/10

Gowens

Winter statement

I love Creed's Santal. This fragrance gives you that wake up you need and is very fresh with a laundry scent. Garners compliments and last and projects long on my skin. It can be pricey but an alternative to this would be Mont Blanc Individual. They almost smell identical.

03/07/2018

QuercusAlbus

Helpful Review 3

A Certain Rudeness

2018-03-07-05-32 UTC -- The question of whether an expensive perfume is worth it is always a sore one; and these perfumes ^are^ rather high-end. It's difficult to know the degree to which one has been °coached°; but when I tried this, it seemed to me to have a particularisation of that certain stamp that distinguishes a high-end 'fume. In this case it was a certain sheer rudeness - and yes I do mean it conveys to me that it is quite frankly erotick: intraspiring of it is like being touched erotickally. Not that I absolutely ^require^ a 'fume to do ^that particularly^, but it is one of the things a 'fume ^can^ do whereby I clock it as a quality & substantial 'fume.

I perceive instantly that this is essentially a sandalwood 'fume, & yet the sandalwood is somehow ~transfigured~ such that my impression is of the nature of "who would have thought of putting that slant on it". It seems somehow to °lap-dance° or °pole-dance°, if you like; but I realise that some may dislike such analogies. But perfumes are, I think, an essentially erotick accesory, what with their musk & civet, & matters of that sort; or at least very many of them are, and this one very brazenly so. Basically, broaching a certain terminology that I have found to have considerable currency amongst 'fume-heads, I think it does have quite a hefty ~funk~ to it.

I find it curious that in a earlier review it is averred fastidiously that there is *no sandalwood in this* . I find this curious particularly in the light of my observations, firstly that it is ^essentially^ a sandalwood 'fume, and secondly, that the sandalwood is strangely transfigured. I would say, on reflection, that there ^is^ sandalwood in it; and besides, if there were not, the manufacturer would be lying outright! I do not venture to comment on whether Creed ^would^ do that.

I perceive that this is not a very popular fragrance with the reviewers on this site. Still, I chose it carefully without jnowledge of any reviews; & I also ^commenced^ this review likewise with same unknowledge, and I maintain my position that it is a thoroughly excellent fragrance - and bold also. These divergencies of perception are not atall unusual in the realm of perfume.

I've read all the reviews now. The balance has swungen somewhat towards the positive, and I see that there are others who see in it roughly what I do; but as for the ancilliary marketing imagery & mythology protended by the manufacturer - ^any^ manufacturer of ^any^ perfume - it certainly is my philosophy to resolutely ignore all of it. And if it is in reality Australian sandalwood that is called 'Mysore' only by reason of there being some continuity in the provenance of it fræ ~Mysore~ stock, or by reason of some other technicality, is that necessarily bad?

1 Replies

08/14/2017

MasterLi

Very helpful Review 4

Spicy and Sophisticated...

I've actually waited a long time to wear this one, as I've been wearing Creed fragrances for a while now. I have also become a fan of sandalwood fragrances recently and am always happy to try out new fragrances. With Creed - Original Santal I get a very high quality opening which impresses me, except for the fact that I've smelled this before, namely in Individuel by Mont Blanc. I feel like this is the "elephant in the room" when it comes to Original Santal, because it's hard to justify a purchase for this one when you know that Individuel is available and is at least 70% or 80% similar. I could say that the Creed is somewhat more mature and spicy (and I have no doubt that they use quality ingredients), yet the similarities I feel are too great to ignore.

Having said that, I love the presentation that Creed offers, I love the made-up backstory and history etc (we love to be lied to really..) and I almost "buy in" to all of that. But ultimately, as with all fragrances from this house, it's worth it if money is of no issue to you. I do personally like this one, as I love the combination of spices and soft musk and the hints of sandalwood etc. which is a really great combination, however there are better sandalwood fragrances out there, better cinnamon fragrances out there, and better musk-like fragrances out there. I feel that there is nothing wrong at all with Original Santal as a standalone fragrance, but the fact that Individuel came out first and almost does what this does makes it hard to justify buying at full price. I will keep and use my decant but I'm not convinced to pay the full price for this (despite the fact that it is well blended etc.), and in this case, it's more of a "like" than a "love" for me.

06/28/2016

8.0/10

8.5/10

ScentFan

Helpful Review 4

Lost Love Found

The previous review of Original Santal reminded me I hadn't transferred mine from "Sniff Fest - Hubby's Collection" in the forum to the database.

9/22/15
The first time I went to a Creed counter and smelled the men’s perfumes, one caused such a reaction I’ll let my alter ego ScentGal tell about it. {CENSORED} Sorry, I can’t repeat that. Here’s the rub — not only did I ignore my reaction, I didn’t write down the name of the perfume! Ever since, I’ve been trying to find it. Was it this? Not sure. Was it just a fleeting moment, never to be matched? Original Santal obviously has sandalwood—mysore, thank you very much. The heart is lavender/herbal and the base rocks—cedar as well as sandalwood, ambergris and musk with vanilla and benzoin. All I know is the first sniff left me defenseless, like continued sniffing on skin almost does now. Eyes close. Thought stops. ScentGal returns and I have to censor her once more. The man who wears Original Santal is no seducer of young women. Women of all ages flock to him because he is fascinated by the fairer sex, adores their femininity and charm, wants to take them on his yacht and sail away. More’s the pity for just one yacht and just one lifetime.

8/21/2017
I asked the really knowledgeable salesclerk at the Creed counter today if the Mysore sandalwood in this fragrance is real. He assured me it was. He said Creed searches out and secures its raw materials to ensure future production of each scent. Australia is successfully growing this sandalwood now, in the vacuum left by india's reduced production.

06/25/2016

9.0/10

7.0/10

8.0/10

Syed

Helpful Review 4

The Trail Of The Mystic Asia - Creed Original Santal

This is my first review of a perfume, hope all goes well. Will appreciate your feedback.

I was introduced to the niche side of perfumery via the Green Irish Tweed ( which i will also review later on ) and immediately became a devout Creed perfumes follower, Santal is my second foray into this newly found experience.

This fragrance was launched in 2005 by the House of Creed, and is still in circulation. 'Santal' is French for Sandalwood.

Touted as being an interpretation of the scent for Emperor Franz Josef of Austria-Hungary in the 19th century.

So here it goes......

a) Bottle : I would give this one a strong 9 on 10. Its the brilliant use of shades of red and slight yellow, that project a magnetic attraction. Frankly, it is what constantly allures me towards the bottle. The selection of this colour theme shows that Santal is by no means the clean, fresh, and green fragrance you have been looking for. The richly coloured and textured bottle invites you to the more sweet, tangy and spicy side of the mysticism of the sub-continent and is reminiscent of the 2 dominant notes in the perfume i.e. Cinnamon and Orange Tree.

Scent : Now about the juice, I would give it an 8 out of 10. For starters, kudos to Olivier Creed for such a bold divergence into unchartered territories.

This might just stand as a symbol of versatility in the House of Creed in its most accessible and mainstream form.

Now comes the first spray, and there is an instant burst of Orange Tree, Cinnamon and juniper berries at the start, which makes it have a very spiced up and wildly chaotic opening, after some time ( roughly 30 minutes or so ), we start getting a wisp of faint lavender, ginger and the still prevalent peppery aroma, however not a bit settled down.

Eventually, after a good 3-4 hours this scent settles into its base notes which are mild vanilla and as the name suggests a less over powering sandalwood and Creed- favourite ambergris.

Longevity: 8 out of 10. This would depend on the number of sprays and, the climate you live in.

I would have a good 3-4 sprays of this and it conveniently lasts for at least 5-6 hours, even though I live in a pretty hot climate.

Overall I would grade it 8.3 /10 ( a strong B ). This is a very good scent, to be used in the day in relatively cooler weather and at offices and even casual gatherings, but a definite NO for college hangouts.

End-note:
I have read a lot of reviews for Creed Santal, ranging between good to mediocre, but the critical point comes in its comparison to Mont Blanc's Individuel and Joop Homme, this happens owing to its similarity in its smell, and the precedence of their release to Santal, which have led many to believe that Santal is hugely inspired by the latter 2 perfumes, and at such a hefty price its better to rely on the aforementioned designer perfumes.

Well, people we are talking about a house that prides itself in producing perfumes from pure, non-synthetic extracts of flowers, woods, spices, citrus fruits and infusions of ambergris and vanilla, hence the claim of being expensive is self-justified. The similarity should end only with the kind of smell, there is just no other comparison.

In conclusion, Creed gives us one of the best and most original takes on Sandalwood fragrance. Buy it with an open mind and you might just find yourselves basking in the ancient spice routes of the mystical subcontinent.

Pls let me know how you feel about this review.....

1 Replies

06/27/2015

ColinM

Greatly helpful Review 7

Unoriginal & non-santal

Trying not to be judgemental here, but Original Santal by Creed is really a depressing fragrance given the price and the pretenses it has. I can accept the fact there is no (I mean: no!) sandalwood here, and obviously no “original” sandalwood therefore, but even putting that aside, it smells really, clearly and desperately mediocre. Don’t expect any luxury out of this, it is basically a really generic herbal juniper-lavender blend with a lot of spices on the smooth-sweet side, mostly cinnamon and tonka, and that’s it. Pleasantly outdated if you want, but that’s a really miserable cold comfort to pay that money to feel like a wealthy distinguished connoisseur while actually smelling like a lower-class accountant from the early 1990s. Not saying Original Santal stinks; it is decent, in the least enthusiastic meaning ever, something which I would consider acceptable for a 15/20 EUR fragrance. “Drugstore/chainstore-decent” as any Montblanc and similar fragrances would be. Sadly I am given to understand Creed fans are most of the time so devotedly stubborn that my review will just appear as some snobbish grumpy opposer bashing the brand for the sake of it... well I am not. I admit this would be fine with a way lower price, so I do see some margin of acceptability with this fragrance, but as-is (over 2 EUR/ml?) it’s objectively preposterous - this being in the same broad price range of, say, Hermès Cuir d’Ange? Insulting.

4,5-5/10

1 Replies

08/24/2012

jtd

jtd

Very helpful Review 7

Question authority

Creed engender devotees as often as they do conspiracy theorists. People either seem to fall for the story or they mistrust it. Other than Irisia, which I am partial to, I haven't found a Creed that I enjoy. Though Creed's marketing schtick is particularly ludicrous and pretentious, is it really any worse than, say, Chanel or Taylor Swift? If you accept that all marketing is lies told for the sole purpose of luring you in, then style and story really make no difference.
But Creed's marketing and mythology are such an easy read that it becomes fun. When the life of leisure and affluence is sold to you over and over with each perfume, you come to realize that they're not even trying to sell you the image of a particular lifestyle, but the very notion of aspiration. As for Original Santal itself, a century late in the game Creed want to sell you not just a perfume but an empire.

Reading between the lines of the name tells you a bit about this this perfume up front. The name and the date of release tell you the same thing twice--there won't be much real mysore sandalwood to it. "Santal": commercial sandalwood harvesting has been banned in India since the late 1990s and the dwindling supply available is too expensive for largescale commercial perfume use. As for "Original" I defer to the logic of Creed's Original Vetiver, which, not being a vetiver perfume, implies that Original Santal will not be a sandalwood fragrance.

There are a few possibilities for Creed making a sandalwood fragrance today. 1) The Creeds have hoarded pre-ban sandalwood in the wine cellars of their ancestral castle. 2) They rely on synthetic sandalwood chemicals. 3) They recreate a sandalwood scent using other elements such as cedar, woody ambers, rosewood, lactones, etc.. 4) They make a fragrance that has no particular relationship to the scent of sandalwood. 5) When thay say Mysore, they mean Australia sandalwood. My money is on # 4, but 2, 3 and 5 have a ring of truth to them.

Sandalwood oil has a number of olfactory qualities, all of which can be sensed in harmony but are clear enough to be singled out. Woodiness, sweetness, creaminess, tartness. Richness, really. OS takes the slightly wrong angle of each quality and mixes them into a murky, lingering perfume. It smells a bit like rum sick to me, but to read the reviews at rating sites like Basenotes and Fragrantica, a lot of people enjoy it.

I know I spend more time writing about Creed's talk than their perfume. And while I do believe that all marketing is equal, the differences being stylistic, Creed want to sell you a particular fiction phrased as history before they even start to sell you a perfume. Their implication of authenticity in a bottle should be questioned as closely as their perfume.

2 Replies

05/07/2012

10.0/10

ArkangeL

Helpful Review 3

What Autumn Smells Like

The color contrast of the bottle are like warm harvest tones. This is how I imagine the transition of summer and autumn smells. Original Santal is relative of Eau de Baux by L'Occitane... only spicier, more balmy and vanillic. Both share a smooth, warm and pleasurable sandalwood base.