Santos 1981 Eau de Toilette

Santos (Eau de Toilette) by Cartier
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7.9 / 10 358 Ratings
A popular perfume by Cartier for men, released in 1981. The scent is spicy-woody. It is still in production.
Pronunciation
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Main accords

Spicy
Woody
Earthy
Smoky
Leathery

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes Top Notes
JuniperJuniper LavenderLavender BasilBasil Lemon vervainLemon vervain BergamotBergamot
Heart Notes Heart Notes
NutmegNutmeg GeraniumGeranium PepperPepper RosemaryRosemary VetiverVetiver
Base Notes Base Notes
CedarCedar PatchouliPatchouli SandalwoodSandalwood AmberAmber CoconutCoconut VanillaVanilla
Ratings
Scent
7.9358 Ratings
Longevity
7.9283 Ratings
Sillage
7.4278 Ratings
Bottle
7.9278 Ratings
Value for money
7.695 Ratings
Submitted by Sani, last update on 07/18/2025.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to
Santos (Eau de Toilette Concentrée) by Cartier
Santos Eau de Toilette Concentrée
Santos (Eau de Sport) by Cartier
Santos Eau de Sport
Santos (Après Rasage) by Cartier
Santos Après Rasage
Pikovaya Dama by Xerjoff
Pikovaya Dama
Ricci-Club (Eau de Toilette) by Nina Ricci
Ricci-Club Eau de Toilette
Antaeus (Eau de Toilette) by Chanel
Antaeus Eau de Toilette

Reviews

14 in-depth fragrance descriptions
7.5
Sillage
7.5
Longevity
7
Scent
Missk

1357 Reviews
Missk
Missk
Very helpful Review 5  
Powerhouse masculine
I love the smell of the 80's. Back then, scents were loud, in-your-face and unique. Santos de Cartier is the best example of a raw, edgy, incredibly masculine scent from that time period.

Compared to those more modern scents, some may think Santos de Cartier is too strong, too earthy and too different to be worn by anyone today. I tend to disagree.

This fragrance hits you like a surprise punch in the face. For the first few seconds, it's bitter, green and herbaceous. As it settles, it begins to smell somewhat leathery and sweet. I find Santos de Cartier a stronger version of Chanel Antaeus.

There is a definite hint of vanilla and incense, particularly in the drydown, which makes this fragrance suitable for women to wear as well. Personally, I wouldn't feel ashamed to wear such a bold, manly scent like this one, and honestly, I'm fussy.

The rich, dark woodsiness of this fragrance is divine. In lots of ways I'd rather a man smell like Santos de Cartier than those non-descript citrus aromatics that tend to flood the male market these days.

The man that wears Santos de Cartier, is mature and sensible. Honestly, I can't imagine this being worn by or being bought by any young man. This fragrance is for real men.

There's nothing to fear in terms of lasting strength and sillage. Santos de Cartier is quite possibly the powerhouse fragrance of the century. I highly recommend.
1 Comment
9
Pricing
10
Bottle
6
Sillage
6
Longevity
7.5
Scent
DioNeverDie

4 Reviews
DioNeverDie
DioNeverDie
4  
The shadow of his best
Hello, kids. As i already know this fragrance from its release, back in the 1981 i wanna tell y all that i m very disappointed about current bottle. It's a shame that they diluted the juice, i can't even smell it after 3h, back in the days I had this all the day...yeah, i may be old, but o ain't dead yet. Haha
1 Comment
9
Pricing
10
Bottle
6
Sillage
6
Longevity
7.5
Scent
Giando

2 Reviews
Giando
Giando
3  
no longer as before
In 1982 it was the TOP a very refined French perfume that emerged during the oakmoss craze of the 80s. The current one is not the santos of the 80s it lacks a 25% of that fragrance that when you spray it intoxicated people who they were next to you.
A complex and luminous opening involving basil, citrus and lavender. Geranium and vetiver emerge to connect it with central and base notes of coconut, amber and musk. I don't notice the vanilla. The geranium lingers in dry hair. Light patchouli that is barely noticeable. Likewise, rosemary. In the early stages there is a vaguely green and herbaceous dimension: fragrant verbena and juniper in all probability. I'm not sure where the old santos went there is nothing I remember. I don't detect sandalwood anywhere. It looks much dustier than in the past. Mostly coconut and musk I think? What survives is a revenant; nothing more.
In its heyday this was a real powerful fragrance, projecting and lasting a full day on the hottest of days. Now it lacks the vivacity of the original Cartier's Santos like the current Dior Fahrenheit are chemical reinventions sugar water nothing more they last 30 minutes but vaguely recall those 80s masterpieces.
Santos de Cartier is a classic that will certainly not appeal to the current new generations, recently accustomed to unisex sweet perfumes
1 Comment
10
Bottle
10
Sillage
7.5
Longevity
6
Scent
Lola82

361 Reviews
Lola82
Lola82
Helpful Review 1  
Santos
This one is hard to describe but i do
pick up some Petite grain and Vetiver
but it's drydown is intresting Bergamot
basil and oregino and the sweet aftermath
of vanilla geranium but i'm not noticing the coconut.
this is a male equivulant to Cartier's
Baiser du Dragon women can weat this fragrance
if they can past the first minutes of the opening notes.
i't's a Sexy Fragrance a chick magnent.
0 Comments
5
Pricing
8
Bottle
5
Sillage
7
Longevity
5
Scent
Thatbwoy

100 Reviews
Thatbwoy
Thatbwoy
2  
The 'Middle of the road' scented.
There's this odd misguided opinion doing the rounds about Cartier; it is shared by some influencers and talking heads of the fragrance community that this brand produces fragrances that are both artistically and olfactory only paralleled by their own reputed brilliance.

This is of course trash and wildly overrated. I have sampled and tested the three most opined fragrances from this brand and I have to say that I was left very underwhelmed.

They aiight

No that's not right, I fear that could be confused with a positive summation.

There's a singer you may or may not be acquainted with, but he personifies the brand's efforts at creating masculine fragrances; Daniel O'Donnell. I urge you to go on to YouTube and search up one of his live shows (I recommend the Rock n roll years) and after about ten minutes you'll understand what I mean by this comparison.

They're safe and bland as bread. There's notes and there's all the attributes that make this a fragrance, but none of them harmonise into anything that is striking or would risk offence. No they are mature , pleasant, and safe. Offensively safe. Lavender, Sandalwood, Cedar wood...citrus notes yep we've seen this show before and we all know how that song goes but in this sense its not inventive or in any way spectacular.
1 Comment
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Statements

6 short views on the fragrance
DesroDesro 2 years ago
7
Bottle
7
Sillage
6
Longevity
7.5
Scent
The Spicy combination that's easy to love due to it's elegancy and humble character.
An Vintage scent that will spark mind- time traveling.
1 Comment
RaygsokoRaygsoko 8 years ago
8
Bottle
9
Sillage
9
Longevity
10
Scent
One of my top fragrances albeit the Vintage original EDT but nonetheless, it is superbly blended
0 Comments
Fraghead7Fraghead7 10 months ago
7
Bottle
8
Sillage
8
Longevity
9
Scent
A scent of a time that has long past, as if it never was. Never happened. A memory of a fading distant comfort that no longer exists.
0 Comments
MatuxMatux 4 years ago
The absence of oakmoss devaluates much of the character of such spicy - woody blends, turning them lighter.
0 Comments
TorkeTorke 5 years ago
9
Bottle
8
Sillage
8
Longevity
7.5
Scent
Sophisticades, old times sandalwood scent.
For the sophisticaded mature man.
Vintage, but not at all outdated.
0 Comments
HermeshHermesh 10 years ago
7.5
Bottle
5
Sillage
7.5
Longevity
8
Scent
Lush leather scent with slightly sweet dried fruits. Splendid.
0 Comments
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