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Él

7.1 / 10 15 Ratings
A perfume by Arquiste for men. The release year is unknown. The scent is woody-spicy. It is still in production.
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Main accords

Woody
Spicy
Earthy
Synthetic
Fresh

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes Top Notes
Earthy notesEarthy notes SpicesSpices
Heart Notes Heart Notes
OudOud Woody notesWoody notes FrankincenseFrankincense Galvanized TeaspoonGalvanized Teaspoon
Base Notes Base Notes
MyrrhMyrrh AmberAmber Animalic notesAnimalic notes Encrypted SawdustEncrypted Sawdust
Ratings
Scent
7.115 Ratings
Longevity
7.612 Ratings
Sillage
6.913 Ratings
Bottle
6.710 Ratings
Submitted by Frankie · last update on 04/28/2023.
Source-backed & verified

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to
Absolute Santal by Elite Gentleman by Avon
Absolute Santal by Elite Gentleman

Reviews

2 in-depth fragrance descriptions
Minigolf

2549 Reviews
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Minigolf
Minigolf
Helpful Review 4  
...And the "Sirens" Always Lure...
...Mystical figures from Greek mythology. They call to you in the darkness of night, even during the bright sunshine of day. Always when you least expect it! And when they lure you with their clay-like voices, you cannot resist. You turn to the earth, inhaling its slightly "dirty" scent as if it were a life elixir. You gaze upon the dark forests, drawn into their wooden realms. You smell the damp wood, the decaying leaves, the spicy aromas of ferns and mosses.
You feel at ease in the misty morning air shortly after sunrise. And you recognize the depth of the slightly smoky, damp scents of the grass. You have a nose for subtly morbid beauty. Growth and decay. An eternal cycle.
You may quietly recognize the scent marks of certain animals and befriend them. You wish to delve deeper into a world between myth and reality. You can smell the ancient rituals where myrrh and incense were burned in honor of the gods.
The sirens mean no harm; they only want to show you that legends can become truth. Their song leads you into adventure and tranquility, into departure and staying. They sing for the imagination that resides in every person. And they wish to draw it out.
Fragrances like this make one believe in the old myths. And they are unique in their design. Would you like to join? With "Santal Subtil," it is possible!! :-))
1 Comment
ThomC

30 Reviews
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ThomC
ThomC
Very helpful Review 7  
Perfect Paradox for Suit Wearers
The whole thing about "synthetics" is quite a topic. Generally speaking, it is often associated with negative connotations in perfumes. It smells artificial, therefore synthetic, I often read, and the thumb goes down. What is contradictory here is that most perfumes are composed of synthetic materials. That would be like accusing a winemaker of making wine from grapes because the wine tastes like fermented grapes.

I find well-made synthetics wonderful and do not automatically associate them with negativity. "Synthetics" feels clean, understated, not loud, and with the right composition, elegant. These are the suit wearers' fragrances that I first attribute to synthetics. And a good example is an unknown cheapie from Saint Hilaire, "Santal Subtil."

Saint Hilaire makes recommendable and distinctive things for incredibly little money; they rank high on my list of all cheapie manufacturers. Only their longevity is constantly lacking, but that is negligible at these low prices. Apply thicker and reapply, that’s the motto. So what?

I had never noticed "Santal Subtil" before, but today it caught my eye at TKMaxx, sealed in a transparent plastic box. Normally, I steer clear of blue-tinted bottles because that means: Caution! Cool-Water-Aquatic-Alarm! So fresh shower scents that I don’t like and don’t need anymore.

The fragrance pyramid of "Santal Subtil" on Parfumo immediately changed my mind in the store: earthy notes, oud, animalic notes! The scent is described as "synthetic-animalic." Hey, what an exciting and contradictory combination! Here, a total hit could be in the making, but I’ve felt that way too often and was abruptly disappointed. We all know that feeling with blind buys, right?

But this cheap stuff is fantastic. It is the perfect suit wearer fragrance that reminds me of the new scents from Brioni: tailored to perfection and understated. Only "Santal Subtil" is a bit more noticeable, as a slight wave of smoky wood resonates. And it’s never too much, or better said "subtle" to stick with the name. And since I later retested both Brioni fragrances at Breuninger in Düsseldorf, I must say that "Santal Subtil" stands out in memory against both Brionis. Impressive!

And it’s true: there’s that striking, clean synthetic quality again, that beautiful artificiality that stands out in Santal Subtil - on one side. As a counterpoint, these spicy notes and woods emerge, creating a wonderful and contradictory tension. In the drydown, these notes become more pronounced and gradually overcome the synthetic aspect. Ultimately, everything is held together by a wonderfully balanced portion of incense: not too much, and not too little. And still, it feels clean overall. I am thoroughly impressed! Here, a paradox is brought together that is a joy to experience.

First of all, this Saint Hilaire also gets the sillage and especially the longevity right. No noticeable fading after an hour, no need for re-spraying. It lasts for an entire evening like a tailored suit. And it doesn’t have to be from Brioni. Save your money!

The clean synthetic sound for the fragrance ---> Depeche Mode "People Are People"

---> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzGnX-MbYE4
2 Comments

Statements

4 short views on the fragrance
9
4
Not aquatic as the bottle suggests. Synthetic freshness combined with spicy artificial wood + sweet resin. Hardly any smoke, no animal.
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4 Comments
2
2
Fresh and woody with synthetic sweetness. Frankincense, amber, animalic, oud? Not at all for me. Boring.
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2 Comments
4
Light "dirty" earthiness combines with spicy and smoky balsams. A blend of light and dark. Myrrh-unique, great!
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0 Comments
3
1
Exceptionally good cheapie with a unique combo: earthy notes with clean aquatic. Distinctive and feels expensive. Compliment!
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1 Comment

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