Royal Scottish Lavender (1856)
by Creed

I have fallen for this scent in a big way. My decant is used up and a 250ml bottle on its way! It just smells so natural. It has penetration but in a light sort of a way and it drys down (pretty fast) to a beautiful sweet vanilla which still projects just enough lavender. The initial blast of lavender action smells utterly wonderful, woody and fresh. For me this is a fantastically versatile fragrance, it works for formal or casual, hot or cold, day or night. Straightforward quality!!
Posted 06 June 2006

Added 25/10/09: My love for this has only grown over the years. Now I have smelled some real ambergris tincture I can say with certainty that my flacon from 2006 contains a big whack of it which comes to the fore in the drydown.

I'm on my second bottle of Royal Scottish Lavender. After a year away from it and tiring of the sweet and fruity genre, I came back to this dated, sharp, but nicely composed fragrance. I did wonder if the composition had changed as I didn't notice the vanilla at all in my first bottle of RSL. The lavender seemed more antiseptic and astringent the first time around, but the nose perceives scents differently the second time around too. This second bottle does give a clear vanilla note. I've tried most of the Creeds and this one gets my vote for most long term appeal. It is good stuff, especially for the summer and makes me want to get to know lavender better. Maybe I'll spring for a bottle of LV Wild Lavender soon...

I don't really like this...and it's because (shock!) I don't like lavender to begin with. But, had to try it since it came with my samples. If you love lavender, give it a try.

Very subtle and rich aromatic lavender opening. Smells very vintage to me right from the start. I am completely confused to see there is no oak moss or vetiver in the pyramid, because I think I can smell these notes very clearly. Odd, but off course it might well be my nose doing some tricks for me once again – go figure.
Clove and amber are for sure notable, and eventually that subtle lavender note is played out quite completely from the mix, although it is able to create a detectible tinge to this blend all the way through. I find the citrus notes lingering very deep in this scent. In fact I smell that citric acid much more clearly during the late hours of the drydown comparing to the smell that is engaged to the top notes.

Weird stuff. At the end of the day this is very much like some rich (yet quiet), classical citrus chypre scent to me rather than a rich floral (lavender) scent. And then there is that controversy between the official pyramid and what I actually smell.


*Hmm*

One of the nicer old Creeds, from 1856. This is slighty 'soapy,' but not in a bad way; the lavender is very fresh. Supporting in the head note is citrus, and in the base, vanilla. This is not one of the ambergris-dominant Creeds. No need to be too sparing with this, for if you go too light, it will not last or project. A moderate dose will achieve a better effect, and then the sillage and longevity will be worth the trouble. Overall, a very classic old-school lavender, elegant, but not stuffy; a good country or more relaxed town fragrance. Soothing, tranquil, but not sleepy; rather, I would say it is more energizing than otherwise.

Very heavy on the lavender with a bit of clove and only a hint of vanilla in the base. Royal Scottish Lavender was very powdery overall (typical lavender), and I didn't get a lot of amber... From the notes listed, it might seem like this could smell a bit like Rive Gauche, but surprisingly it doesn't. RSL is a very old fashioned scent, and might only appeal to an older crowd, but its a great fragrance at that.

Like Creed's other, older fragrances, this stuff really stands out due to its high quality of ingredients. I wouldn't wear this "out" since it's not very sexy (nor does it have much "life") but I would wear RSL to relax at home while listening to music or reading a book. If you don't like lavender, steer clear from this one!

8/10