Santal Royal

The official nose of the Guerlain house, and yet the only one not linked to this great family by blood, he signs here one of his most accomplished compositions. The whole is made of subtle contrasts and amber accords. There is no doubt that this contemporary unisex fragrance can only win over with its elegance and unrivaled craftsmanship.

Guerlain’s love of sandalwood

If Thierry Wasser chose here to work with sandalwood, it is because this raw material is dear to the Guerlain house. Indeed, even though this creator brings his own vision of perfumery to the Guerlain universe, he strives to honor the weighty heritage of this exceptional house. The Guerlain family has always been fascinated by the Orient. Sandalwood is therefore one of its signature ingredients, being a natural raw material whose facets are highly evocative of that world. Moreover, sandalwood has long been part of Guerlain’s compositions, as seen in Jicky, Shalimar or Samsara. This wood comes from India, and more specifically from the Mysore forest, a place revered by Jacques Guerlain. However, the exploitation of this region is today threatened by massive deforestation. This is why Thierry Wasser developed, for the creation of Santal Royal, a partnership with forest operators in Asia. In doing so, he sources sandalwood with a concern for sustainable development, while also helping to combat poaching.

The oriental effluvia of Santal Royal

Santal Royal is a fragrance whose scent could easily be mistaken for incense. Its character is highly oriental, woody and spicy. It opens with a sun-kissed flight of neroli and star jasmine. This plant is another emblematic treasure of India. It brings here a sense of airy radiance. The vibrant warmth of cinnamon nevertheless gives more edge to this opening. Then, Santal Royal draws all its elegance from rose essence. It is also at this moment that sandalwood appears, in a velvety, fruity cloud built on peach. Little by little, it develops toward more amber and leathery notes, while oud wood only heightens its luxurious character. Musk, for its part, creates here a particularly sensual and animalic addiction. Santal Royal then nestles into a black-lacquered cylindrical bottle. It draws inspiration from the silhouette of Guerlain’s Flacon aux Abeilles. The whole is tied with a black and gold ribbon matching the pattern on its front face. This pattern contains multiple arabesques and echoes more specifically the motif of La Poudre C’est Moi, created by Guerlain at the end of the 1920s. Thus, Santal Royal is indeed a fragrance filled with history.