Creed
Creed
659 votes
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
The initial spray delivers a bracing slap of juniper and rosemary, almost medicinal in their intensity, with bergamot struggling to soften the herbal assault. Ginger fizzes underneath, creating a surprisingly peppery sharpness that borders on aggressive. This is sandalwood by way of the apothecary, not the temple.
Lavender emerges as the composition's unexpected anchor, its fougère-like quality merging with geranium's rosy edges to create an oddly nostalgic, barbershop-adjacent effect. The sandalwood finally reveals itself here, creamy but restrained, whilst orange blossom adds just enough indolic richness to prevent the whole affair from smelling purely utilitarian. The spices from the opening haven't disappeared—they've simply integrated, creating a warm halo around the floral-woody core.
Oakmoss asserts itself beautifully in the base, providing that earthy, almost fungal depth that marks this as a pre-reformulation composition. Tonka bean sweetens the woods without tipping into gourmand territory, whilst cedar and musk create a skin-close aura that's more about textured warmth than projection. What remains is sandalwood seen through a chypré filter, woody and sweet in equal measure, with ghost traces of those opening aromatics still flickering at the edges.
Original Santal presents Creed's interpretation of sandalwood through an unexpectedly aromatic lens, where the wood itself plays supporting actor rather than leading man. The opening bristles with juniper's gin-sharp brightness and rosemary's camphoraceous bite, immediately establishing this as a santal for those who find straight sandalwood too soporific. Chinese ginger adds a crystalline heat that lifts rather than burns, whilst coriander contributes its peculiar metallic-green shimmer. As the aromatic barrage settles, Egyptian geranium's rosy-minty facets bridge the gap between bracing herbs and the creamy sandalwood heart, which arrives dusted with lavender—an old-fashioned pairing that feels more gentlemen's grooming than modern perfumery. The Tunisian orange blossom adds an indolic whisper rather than a shout, just enough to prevent the composition from veering entirely masculine. Where this truly distinguishes itself is in the base: oakmoss lends a vintage chypre backbone that's increasingly rare, creating an earthy foundation that the tonka bean sweetens with its hay-like warmth. The cedar provides structure whilst musk rounds everything into skin. This is sandalwood for those who find most woody fragrances too linear, too obvious. It's the scent of someone who appreciates tailoring over trends, who might wear a vintage Rolex not for status but for the movement inside. Best in cooler months when its spiced complexity can unfold without the heat turning the aromatics sharp.
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3.8/5 (85)