Soul of Bali Swiss Arabian 2025

Sharp fruits, ambers, woods - it’s a blue fragrance, but not as you know it. Maybe greeny-blue or bluey-green but it’s definitely in the blue family. Is it good though? Absolutely. It’s also incredibly versatile, you just need to be careful with the sprays if you want to be the best smelling guy in the office because it’s very sharp and very strong. 3 sprays, one across the neck, one down each arm (great atomiser, allows for nice long evenly distributed misty sprays) and its office safe. Just give it at least 30 mins for the rhubarb to calm down a little bit before you clock in. (it’s definitely blue though)

The soul of Bali. The name says it all.

Many think of a classic summer fragrance as parties on snow-white beaches that hug crystal-clear waters and cocktails with those familiar little umbrellas.

This is something different.

To reach the soul and thus the deepest essence of the island, you actually start at the shore. You equip your small wooden rowboat with mango and pineapple, and set off through a river into the island's interior. This is exactly what this fragrance does.

It begins with a fruity freshness. Mango slightly dominates over pineapple. However, the pineapple still comes through somewhere. After a while, woody scents announce themselves to the nose. The rowboat is now deep in the tropical jungle. Green, woody, and aquatic notes emerge more and more. At the end of your long journey, you come across a temple. The fruity accords have already diminished. The aquatic and green notes remain.

The fragrance is very pleasant. But please don't expect a fruit explosion. Rather, anticipate a "cool freshness" that brings along some shower gel vibes.

My first fragrance from Swiss Arabian, and what can I say… I need more!!!

I was looking for a signature summer scent that doesn’t have generic freshness and is extraordinary. I always thought of something that goes in the direction of 40 Knots, but even more exceptional. Then I came across the Cities Collection from Swiss Arabian and was fascinated by the complex scent compositions of all the fragrances. The most summery one turned out to be the Soul of Bali.

As for the packaging, I can only say that the Arabs are completely on fire again. For 50 euros, I got a bottle that looks like it would cost 500 euros. High-quality, beautiful, and heavy. The gold elements look very valuable, and the print looked good on mine (I also saw a few bottles with off-centered prints).

But let’s get to the most important part - the scent…

Upon spraying, the citrus hits you immediately. To me, it smells more like lime than the listed bergamot. There’s also a very prominent sandalwood note, which strangely plays the biggest role for me in the top note. I have also never had a fragrance that develops so strongly. After 30-40 minutes, I get a fruity pineapple and spices that give an extreme summer vibe. But it just doesn’t stop! After 3-4 hours, you suddenly smell an unprecedented aquatic note that, in combination with the pineapple and citrus fruits, creates an incredibly pleasant drydown.

All in all, it’s like a journey through Bali - not just a beach vacation.

By the way, the longevity is completely insane for a fresh scent: 5-6 hours of strong projection and still perceptible as a skin scent after 7-10 hours.

I could rave about this fragrance endlessly. It is by far the most complex freshie I’ve had on my skin. Take the 50 euros in hand and give it a chance. You won’t be disappointed. Unless you think sandalwood smells like pickles - then there’s no helping you anyway.

Essence of Casablanca, here I come :P

My last fragrance from the Cities sample set by Swiss Arabian. I can only recommend the set, as testing your way through the range has been a lot of fun. Different styles, and with Opulence of Dubai I also found a fragrance for my collection. Enigma of Taif was not included in the set, so I might pick that one up later. For now, this is about Soul of Bali, with subtle Far Eastern vibes inspired by the Indonesian island of Bali. The city names do not always match the fragrances, but here I find the name fits quite well with these wonderful spices. However, a blind buy based on the note pyramid is genuinely dangerous here, as the aquatic notes, mango and pineapple might lead you to expect something completely different. I find the fragrance very spicy and it definitely has niche-like traits, plus once again, there is no dupe here.

The RRP for the range is €80 per 100ml. You get a uniform box with a lovely cardboard cover and a nice bottle featuring the same artistic cover, along with an attractive cap. It definitely feels high-quality.
Soul of Bali is genuinely very difficult to describe, partly because there is little comparable in this direction. It is also a very creative and unique mix that offers a lot for your money. Fruity notes are present right from the start, with mango, rhubarb and pineapple. These are not sweet-fruity notes; the mango in particular is more fruity and tart, without being embellished with additional sweetness. The spice blend also becomes active quickly, and you get plenty of spices right away, including nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, saffron, pepper and a very intense cypriol note. Incense also adds a wonderful spicy aura with subtle smoky nuances. Woody notes come from rosewood and sandalwood. The rosewood note is a somewhat darker wood that can be perceived during the first few hours. In the base, soft, slightly creamy sandalwood emerges, combined with the familiar pairing of musk & amber. Aquatic notes and a touch of bergamot make the fragrance somewhat fresher, but this is by no means a freshie. I find the mix quite interesting and creative. Towards the end, the fragrance becomes somewhat softer and gentler. The fragrance is suitable for all genders, and I see it working in mild to warm temperatures, but definitely not in the heat despite its subtle tropical vibes.
The performance is insanely good with this fragrance as well. 10+ hours are possible, and the sillage is genuinely strong during the first few hours. You will definitely enjoy it if you like intense fragrances.

Overall, a wonderful creative fragrance with slight niche vibes thanks to its creativity. I like it, but it is not really a blind-buy candidate, as you do not necessarily get what you expect here. However, the fragrance DNA is convincing and will certainly win over quite a few admirers.

The Soul of Bali is an interesting fragrance that makes you long for the sea.

The perfume starts off very fruity and zesty - with aquatic notes. The mango is clearly detectable here.
What pleasantly surprised me, however, was the very strong and prominent note of sandalwood that enveloped everything in a spicy warmth.

Rarely has a fragrance been so present with me throughout the day as Soul of Bali. Whenever a breeze hit me just right, I was able to perceive the scent again and again.

Clearly, Soul of Bali is not a 100% fruity aquatic. Nevertheless, I find great pleasure in the woody warmth, the spices, and the slightly fruity aquatic nuances - even after hours.
The craftsmanship of the bottle is very high quality, and I believe the contents also speak for high quality.

So let summer come.