Royal Oud - An appreciation

[Diamond Joe]

I wouldn't pay that kind of money for it. I would buy Fragrance du Bois' Oud Rouge Intense, which is a better iteration of Royal Oud.

Umm.. The bottle of Oud Rouge Intense I found was more than three times the price of that Royal Oud. $430. For a 50ml bottle.

https://www.luckyscent.com/product/75700/oud-rouge-intense-by-fragrance-du-bois

 

[sunny5011]

Royal Oud may be number 1 out of my Creed collection. I think it ties with my GIT 13T01 for performance. I have seen a few bottles go up on eBay recently, not sure if they vintage or not.

hate to side track but whats with all the love for 13T GIT? I have a bottle of it and I can barely smell it. But my 11x bottle is super strong.

Royal oud is a funny scent...In the the cool weather, its not as strong to me but when its below freezing, it becomes super strong.

 

[DudeLebowski]

Don't know what it is about RO but I don't like it. It feels too balsamic.

I prefer Bois Du Portugal over RO all day everyday.

I also found Bois Mystique to be quite similar to RO but dryer and 10Xs better.

 

[M.T.]

Exactly what I was trying to describe. The 2011 stuff is heavier, cozier and warmer than the (slightly) lighter, more airy newer stuff. I think thats because there is less citrus in the 2011 stuff, so its more woody/spicy. I do think the 16L is easier to wear and I adore both versions.



LOL actually, what you want is a 2010 bottle. :lolk: The 2011 stuff is very nice and deep and rich but the 2010 batches (10K01CP) take it to a whole other level. They are simply sublime. The pinnacle of Royal Oud IMO. That batch balances out the heaviness of the 2011 version with the lighter, more airiness of later batches. Its deeper, richer, and creamier in every way, and feels perfectly blended and perfectly balanced. Its the Holy Grail of my collection.

Got a picture of this 2010 stuff? :rolleyesold:

 

[hellbentforleather]

So in a bit of neurotic fixation, I snagged a bottle of 16L01. The cedar accord is just beautiful in this. It's brighter than 11X01 but denser than the newest stuff imo. RO may be my favorite scent atm. It's dry but incredibly soothing. It just reminds me of an ancient library in some autumnal forest and not necessarily palatial excess (although that's fun too haha). It helps that I'm a bit of bibliophile...

 

[Diamond Joe]

Got a picture of this 2010 stuff? :rolleyesold:

What are you calling me a liar? I own two bottles of 2010 Royal Oud and I'm happy to take a picture of either/both. Batch code is A4310K01. I was first introduced to it by Opiate, who very kindly gave me a little decant when there was a hiccup with a transaction we had agreed to and I mentioned that I loved Royal Oud.

 

[M.T.]

What are you calling me a liar? I own two bottles of 2010 Royal Oud and I'm happy to take a picture of either/both. Batch code is A4310K01. I was first introduced to it by Opiate, who very kindly gave me a little decant when there was a hiccup with a transaction we had agreed to and I mentioned that I loved Royal Oud.

Not at all, don't see a reason for it.
Apologies if it came out that way.
Enjoy this fine scent.

 

[Esoteric]

Has anyone found oud in this yet? It's 2019 and we're still searching.

 

[Buzzlepuff]

Old Factory - love that name - asked if any other brands are as good? Just depends on my mood, but for a similar warm oud wood type fragrance these are all up there: Fragrance Du Bois Sahraa Oud, MFK Oud Extrait, MFK Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait, Creed Royal Oud and Tom Ford Oud Wood Intense all about the same level of excellence. :embarassed:

 

[Opiate]

Got a picture of this 2010 stuff? :rolleyesold:

Apologies for taking so long to chime in. I’m the one who sent him the sample. Here’s some pics and a thread I started when I first got the bottle-
http://www.basenotes.net/threads/444236-CREED-Unicorn-found?highlight=

There’s a small handful of other members on here who own 2010 bottles, and I’ve seen another on eBay(though I didn’t buy it as I already own 2).

It officially launched in 2011 but production clearly started in 2010.

 

[Diamond Joe]

There’s a small handful of other members on here who own 2010 bottles, and I’ve seen another on eBay(though I didn’t buy it as I already own 2)

Happy to be in that club :coolold: (it might only be you and I with two bottles of 10K01?!) Thanks buddy. I tried to take a picture, but the batch code is etched on the bottom rim and its difficult to see with the naked eye and borderline impossible to capture in a picture. Thanks for linking that thread also, someone here asked me to articulate the differences between the 2010 stuff and "modern" (16L01) batches and I struggled to do it, although I did say some similar things to your description.

 

[hellbentforleather]

Apologies for taking so long to chime in. I’m the one who sent him the sample. Here’s some pics and a thread I started when I first got the bottle-
http://www.basenotes.net/threads/444236-CREED-Unicorn-found?highlight=

There’s a small handful of other members on here who own 2010 bottles, and I’ve seen another on eBay(though I didn’t buy it as I already own 2).

It officially launched in 2011 but production clearly started in 2010.

Would love to hear your opinions on your vintage bottle vs. the newer stuff as well . Never mind, just saw the link!

 

[Diamond Joe]

Would love to hear your opinions on your vintage bottle vs. the newer stuff as well .

He gave his opinion of the 2010 vs 2016 in that thread he linked to man

Ok, I want a 2011 bottle like right now.

Glad this thread got bumped - I got that little decant of 11X01 in the mail for you today. Sorry for the delay. You should see it Monday. Please let us know your thoughts!

 

[hellbentforleather]

Apologies for taking so long to chime in. I’m the one who sent him the sample. Here’s some pics and a thread I started when I first got the bottle-
http://www.basenotes.net/threads/444236-CREED-Unicorn-found?highlight=

There’s a small handful of other members on here who own 2010 bottles, and I’ve seen another on eBay(though I didn’t buy it as I already own 2).

It officially launched in 2011 but production clearly started in 2010.

Man, exactly. There's a more pronounced sandalwood in the early iterations from 2010/2011 and more cedar in the newer stuff. The very newest stuff is really herbal now in the opening. I currently rotate between a 2019 decant, 16L01 and 11X01. The edt/edp comparison is spot-on.

 

[kelvon]

I have to admit I did not read entire thread so maybe this has been covered, but I decided to test this yesterday at bloomingdales. based on all the hype I was reading about I was really expecting something much different.

Don't get me wrong it smelled very good, but even with 2 sprays on my arm which is where I like to test when trying something new, it was so light, I felt like it was barely there, and maybe only lasted 6-7 hours at most and mostly a skin scent.

I can't see how they want $500 for this?

 

[hellbentforleather]

I have to admit I did not read entire thread so maybe this has been covered, but I decided to test this yesterday at bloomingdales. based on all the hype I was reading about I was really expecting something much different.

Don't get me wrong it smelled very good, but even with 2 sprays on my arm which is where I like to test when trying something new, it was so light, I felt like it was barely there, and maybe only lasted 6-7 hours at most and mostly a skin scent.

I can't see how they want $500 for this?

The newest iterations of RO are much lighter though I still find it really pleasing to my nose. I really love my 2016 bottle though. It may not be as dense as even older ones but it's still a gem.

 

[kelvon]

The newest iterations of RO are much lighter though I still find it really pleasing to my nose. I really love my 2016 bottle though. It may not be as dense as even older ones but it's still a gem.

No doubt it smelled nice, but I think the price they asking for is too much. I get you can from discount sites much cheaper but still too much I think. I am unsure I might need to test it again.

Is it like Aventus, where there are batch variations? so maybe one batch will have much better performance even in the same year

 

[hellbentforleather]

No doubt it smelled nice, but I think the price they asking for is too much. I get you can from discount sites much cheaper but still too much I think. I am unsure I might need to test it again.

Is it like Aventus, where there are batch variations? so maybe one batch will have much better performance even in the same year

Not as much variance in batches that I'm aware of. It has seemed to have gotten progressively lighter though. I refuse to ever pay retail haha. I snagged my BNIB 50ml bottle of 16L01 for 120 + shipping. That was very reasonable to me.

 

[Bigserver1]

Not as much variance in batches that I'm aware of. It has seemed to have gotten progressively lighter though. I refuse to ever pay retail haha. I snagged my BNIB 50ml bottle of 16L01 for 120 + shipping. That was very reasonable to me.

Yeah it's easy enough to find vintages of RO for reasonable prices. I picked up a 2013 (I think, the batch code is impossible to fully read) 75ml bottle that was about 70ml full for $140 on the for sale section here earlier this year. For me, the 2011-2013 batches of Royal Oud are amazing, but I had a decant of a 2017 batch that smelled really good too.

 

[Diamond Joe]

I snagged my BNIB 50ml bottle of 16L01 for 120 + shipping. That was very reasonable to me.

That's an amazing deal bro - where did you find that??? Those 120ml bottles usually go for at least $220!

edit: reading comprehension fail, re-read and realized that price was for a 50ml bottle, not a 100 or 120 (16L01 came in both sizes)

 

[Bigserver1]

What are you calling me a liar? I own two bottles of 2010 Royal Oud and I'm happy to take a picture of either/both. Batch code is A4310K01. I was first introduced to it by Opiate, who very kindly gave me a little decant when there was a hiccup with a transaction we had agreed to and I mentioned that I loved Royal Oud.

This is actually my batch too...I thought the “4” at the front of the batch was a 1 and then followed by a 3 making “13”, but it’s a 4. The batch code is etched into the bottom lip on the back of the bottle and is impossible to photo (almost impossible to make out), but the numbers and letters match up exactly to yours. I was excited when I bought it knowing it was vintage, but to learn that it’s likely a 2010, early early batch is even better.

 

[tensor9]

I need to get another bottle of Royal Oud soon. Any ideas on where I can get my hands on 16L01 or something comparable?

 

[hellbentforleather]

I need to get another bottle of Royal Oud soon. Any ideas on where I can get my hands on 16L01 or something comparable?

If you're willing to do the due diligence, it can be found on Ebay or on some of the FB frag groups. I happened to snag a 50ml bottle of 16L off of Ebay a few months ago. As I've stated above, I'm finding my two older bottles to be sufficiently different (and better) than a recent decant I own from 2018/2019.

 

[adamn2020]

I need to get another bottle of Royal Oud soon. Any ideas on where I can get my hands on 16L01 or something comparable?

16L01 is the batch I have. Glad to own a 4oz bottle of it. One of my top 5 of all time!!

 

[mustardsalad]

Which batches/years have the most of that sharp top note? I have a 2011 bottle, and it's nice and deep, but it doesn't have the "pop" of the top notes of an official creed sample I had. Is it 2016 on?

 

[hellbentforleather]

Which batches/years have the most of that sharp top note? I have a 2011 bottle, and it's nice and deep, but it doesn't have the "pop" of the top notes of an official creed sample I had. Is it 2016 on?

You might like 2018/2019 bottles. I have a few decants from around then (unsure of specifics) and it's noticeably brighter than my 2011 and my 2016. Personally, I don't like it as much but you might like it.

 

[mustardsalad]

You might like 2018/2019 bottles. I have a few decants from around then (unsure of specifics) and it's noticeably brighter than my 2011 and my 2016. Personally, I don't like it as much but you might like it.

Thanks, that gives me a place to look!

 

[tspencer]

Wearing Royal Oud today. I keep forgetting just how much BETTER this is off of skin vs the scent from the nozzle. Gorgeous fragrance. Absolutely enjoying it today.

 

[Diamond Joe]

Wearing Royal Oud today. I keep forgetting just how much BETTER this is off of skin vs the scent from the nozzle. Gorgeous fragrance. Absolutely enjoying it today.

That drydown though! so so awesome

 

[xaml]

That insanity of establishing respectively proposing the chase for preliminary production specimens to be sensible though.

 

[Danny Mitchell]

That insanity of establishing respectively proposing the chase for preliminary production specimens to be sensible though.

I'm also going start choosing random word suggestions on my phone's keyboard to make sick burns!

 

[hellbentforleather]

That insanity of establishing respectively proposing the chase for preliminary production specimens to be sensible though.

"Sir, you're having a stroke."

 

[psebi101]

That insanity of establishing respectively proposing the chase for preliminary production specimens to be sensible though.

Best description of Royal Oud so far. I'm thinking the same thing, just that it was hard for me to put it into words. Bravo!

 

[joov84]

could be the best from CREED

 

[hellbentforleather]

I just snagged a 120ml tester of 16L01 as my 50ml bottle is close to gone and I use my 2011 bottle sparingly. It's become my most-worn over the last few months. It's the perfect blend of rich, dry, and masculine to my nose at the moment. As far as older batches go, 16L remains a pretty common batch. I highly recommend the FB groups as the asking price on Ebay is now 300+. Of the newer stuff (2018+), I'm not as big of a fan. It's a lot lighter and has an odd, nutty accord in it - to my nose, anyway.

 

[Melbourne21]

I have 2 bottles of 16' Royal Oud.

Recently acquired was a 120ml bottle of 16A01.

 

[rum]

I am still not a fan. I’ve owned both older and tried newer bottles and neither satisfy.

I have to say the opening is quite wonderful, but it’s a shame this dries down to such a disappointing white musk-like accord which to me screams “powder”. After that wonderful opening, it’s such an anti-climax.

 

[eqbal]

I am still not a fan. I’ve owned both older and tried newer bottles and neither satisfy.

I have to say the opening is quite wonderful, but it’s a shame this dries down to such a disappointing white musk-like accord which to me screams “powder”. After that wonderful opening, it’s such an anti-climax.

Me too, it's just like Viking; great opening, disappointing dry-down.

 

[rum]

Me too, it's just like Viking; great opening, disappointing dry-down.

Actually I find the opposite is true with Viking. But that isn't relevant to this thread, so I'll be quiet now.

 

[Danny Mitchell]

I am still not a fan. I’ve owned both older and tried newer bottles and neither satisfy.

I have to say the opening is quite wonderful, but it’s a shame this dries down to such a disappointing white musk-like accord which to me screams “powder”. After that wonderful opening, it’s such an anti-climax.

Actually I find the opposite is true with Viking. But that isn't relevant to this thread, so I'll be quiet now.

I can agree with this, though I'm not quite as disappointed in the drydown. (also share your same opinion of Viking's opening vs. drydown)