Rotal Incense by Holy Oud is a fragrance that has the office split into two teams: those who love it and those who hate it. Then there’s me, who’s on the fence.
A guy from the social media team loves this perfume. He has it on his desk and wears it daily (although it’s not exactly what I would classify as a daytime fragrance). The issue here is that across him sits the SEO manager, who happens to hate this perfume with a burning passion. This caused a stir in the office and divided the team into two.
I was always able to smell it, considering the person who wears it doesn’t sit too far away from me, and it is a fragrance with high projection. But I decided to try it out for myself and settle this once and for all.
Break It Down
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Holy Oud |
| Best For | Unisex |
| Notes | Top Notes: Cinnamon Middle Notes: Plum Base Notes: Praline and Ambery |
| Longevity | 8+ hours |
| Projection | Strong |
| Perfumer | Holy Oud |
As you can see, the notes here are simple and straight to the point. The Cinnamon and Praline notes are what give it its sweetness. Especially the praline. If you’re wondering what that is (like I was), it is a cooked mixture of sugar, nuts, and vanilla, often ground to a paste for a pastry or candy filling, which makes this a gourmand perfume.
This note combination creates a warm, sweet, and comforting scent. The plum in hearts is also sweet, with subtle floral and spicy notes, which attempt to balance the sweetness in the fragrance. Royal Insence is a seasonal perfume that is only suitable for winter wear.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Sweet | Might be too sweet for some |
| High Projection | Opening is overwhelming |
| Long-Lasting | Acquired taste |
| Warm | Strong scent |
Methodology
After smelling this perfume in the office every time it was sprayed, I decided to try it on myself. So, for a few days, I would come to the office, have my coffee, and put on this perfume. I tested out the longevity and the scent. I observed how it changed throughout the day.
I never reapplied this fragrance because it was strong enough as is, and I was worried that respraying would make it overwhelming.
Result
As far as longevity goes, I give this fragrance a 10/10. I would spray it on at the beginning of the day, and I could still faintly smell it on me after office hours were over. I could also smell it in my clothes way after going home. It could linger for days on fabrics.
As for the smell itself, I’m still unsure. I understand the concerns of everyone who said it was overwhelming, too strong, and too sweet. But as the saying goes, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”
The sweetness does get down a notch when the perfume dries down, and that is why I was afraid to reapply. I didn’t want it to ruin the smell for me by reintroducing that overly sweet opening after I had started to take a liking to the fragrance.
Final Verdict
For the sake of complete transparency, I will say that this perfume is neither a hit nor a miss to me. Will I be running to add it to my collection? Not in the meantime.
I already have plenty of sweet perfumes that I prefer over this one. I might purchase it in the winter, but now is not the time for it. But I will recommend it to anyone looking for a perfume that is warm and sweet.
For more reviews, check out the Hit or Miss series on our blog.
You can find Royal Insence by Holy Oud at V Perfumes alongside other unique fragrances by this exclusive brand.
