Royal Oud

House: Creed

Release: 2011

Fragrance Notes

Top Notes: Calabrian lemon, Pink berry, Sicilian bergamot

Heart Notes: Cedar, Galbanum, Angelica root

Base Notes: Indian oud, Sandalwood, Tonkin musk

Review

This 2011 release is a favorite of Creed fans as well as those looking for a refined cedar scent. Cedar, listed here as a heart note, is present throughout the relatively linear dry down. The galbanum and angelica lend different facets of very intense green incense, keeping this from getting too dry or falling too quickly into the creamier sandalwood/musk.

If one ground pepper up finely enough and mixed it with dried bergamot and lemon zest, they may get a similar experience as we had with the opening of a 2020 decant of Royal Oud. There is a restrained sour fruit note that could be the pink berry or the oud note poking through.

The sharp green powder is dry incense with the galbanum, cedar, and sandalwood. There is a subtle anise note through the opening and into the heart. The lack of a floral note in the heart leaves a lot of space for the central green, dry powder accord to develop. The spicy note could be a facet of the Atlas cedar that anchors Royal Oud’s central accord. This tops our Top 10 Cedar Perfumes list because of the way it captures the tension between the dry spiciness and the creamier balsamic notes more often associated with sandalwood.

We do get a sour, floral creamy oud and sandalwood combo throughout, although most reviewers note that that this is a very light, if any, application of oud. The drydown is surprisingly simple given all the fuss, mostly a musk with some woody notes.

Projection is strong, but not massive at the opening, and becomes more private after an hour. Sillage is moderate. Longevity is excellent.