Arabian Aroma
Royaloud
Oud · EDP
Agarwood, saffron, and cinnamon up front, rose and sandalwood under them, a drydown of leather, incense, amber, musk, and vanilla. Loud for the first hour. Linear after that. Cheap enough to try, too specific to buy blind.
Context
The bottle is a square amber glass flacon with a polished gold cap. Gold type on the face reads Royaloud, Eau de Parfum, Arabian Aroma. The house lists the opening as agarwood, saffron, and cinnamon, the heart as rose and sandalwood, and the base as leather, incense, amber, musk, and vanilla. Wearer notes on the same juice describe a short rose, then a straight line of oud and sandalwood that hangs on clothes.
On the record
The first minutes are the spice and whatever rose the formula bothers to show. After that the sandalwood and the agar accord carry it. Projection is the part people mention first: strong for about an hour, then a trail that stays on fabric. At this price the materials are doing a job, not a magic trick. The oud is an accord. It smells like the category. That is either the point or the problem.
Verdict
A decant, or the smallest bottle if a decant is hard to find. Wear it once at home before you wear it near anyone else. If the sandalwood oud line is your category, the price is easy. If it is not, the bottle is still a bottle.
Scores
Notes
Top
- Agarwood
- Saffron
- Cinnamon
Heart
- Rose
- Sandalwood
Base
- Leather
- Incense
- Amber
- Musk
- Vanilla
Before a bottle
Ask for 2 to 10 ml. Wear it three times on your own skin. A blotter will not tell you what hour four smells like.
Request a decant
