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porgan5 – :
The elevator going up to Sterling Cooper undoubtedly smelled something like Arden Sandalwood. This is the real McCoy—an authentic, mid-century American cologne. Wear it with a classic grey suit and a narrow tie.
NOTE: I have it on good authority that Arden Sandalwood was Don Draper’s signature scent. 😉
andronic169 – :
a genuine timeless masterpiece!
although the formula has changed since 1956 but still smells great! frank sinatra loved also this cologne!
FeasseNeext – :
Hello everyone. I consider myself very lucky as I happen to own a very old version of this gem. The bottle wasn’t full but quite enough.I have never tried the current formula but the original one is just amazing. Sweet, a bit medicinal,very old-school, quite similar to Guerlain’s Bois d’Armenie only prettier and without the candy / chocolate note. I feel there is myrrh somewhere. Maybe not. Beautiful anyway.
The bottle is lovely too.
devladov – :
Manly vintage style.
dwv091Unlogrere – :
This is a very appealingly masculine scent, but I do agree with some reviewers that it is dated. I smell dry herbs and sandalwood with not a feminine note in the mix. That may be a good thing for some, but in this case a hint of sweetness would be welcome to mitigate the austere impression this tonic emits. I much prefer Adolfo Dominguez’ Agua de Sándalo, which is just gorgeous.
xeb928Unlogrere – :
Not a bad smell,but not for me. I gave this to my father in law.I feel it fits an older man (50+).
Jordan39 – :
I recently got hold of a vintage 1960s edition of Arden Sandalwood – a boxed set comprising aftershave and cologne – the packaging is stylish and timeless, the bottles are very classy and have saucer shaped tops that have ceramic feel to them, and I must say that the original version is a million times better than the most recent reformulation.
There is the unmistakable creamy, woodiness of white sandalwood, yet the florals seem to be much less noticeable – in fact more than anything it resembles the original Gucci pour Homme.
Don’t mean to boast, but I still can’t quite believe I managed to get hold of this exquisite beauty for a bargain price.
The lady in the U.S. who sold it only wanted US$25 for a pristine, brand new boxed set of a classic American fragrance that I have seen sell for several hundred dollars.
At any rate I treausure the vintage version and use it sparingly, since the sandalwood is exqusite.
If you love sandalwood and can get hold of a vintage version of Arden Sandalwood it is well worth it.
I don’t mind the newer reformulation except that it’s not really “woody” enough for my taste and I find a floral note which comes to prominence quite fast (smells like jasmine or something) that I dislike, but the dry-down still has a pleasant sandalwood note.
I know there are lots of perfume snobs out there who disparage “Australian Sandalwood”, but I love it. Just as an aside, if memory serves me there are some fourteen varieties of sandalwood indigenous to Australia, including so-called “Mysore Sandalwood” (Santalum Album) but in the 1860s when Santalum Spicatum, a more abundant native variety became a major export from Western Australia, it was named “Australian Sandalwood” to distinguish it from the White Sandalwood exported from India, and found its own niche in 19th century perfumery.
Nowadays of course, there is more Santalum Album (Mysore Sandalwood) grown in Australia than in India (and sustainably), so it might be time to amend the old naming conventions and use botanical names.
Apologies for the digression.
Vintage Arden Sandalwood has a sublime woody aroma reminiscent of Gucci pour Homme and despite being described as a “cologne” it is probably really an EDT since the concentration seems to be much higher than that of an EDC. I. Those days I assume “cologne” was used to distinguish men’s fragrances from girly “perfumes”.
Anyhow, the scent of the vintage is awesome, woody, masculine: 10/10, sillage and longevity moderate, and it definitely lacks the floral notes that one finds in the reformulation (or if they are there they are undetectable – to me anyhow).
BrainZnBulletZ – :
Wow this smells really really good.
Opening and middle smells sooo good – lavender, herbal, mossy and warm. Gorgeaous drydown with also REAL sandalwood oil, folks!
An excellent gentlemans cologne — warm, very masculine and none-synthetic 😉
pantiley – :
Just ordered a bottle and looking forward to it!
Couldn’t find a vintage one, and guys check out the eBay link beneath the picture, you’ll find a couple of Arden Men “Oakwood” EdT’s up for sale, apparently vintage ones but I’ve never heard of the Oakwood fragrance and it’s not in the database.
Very interresting 😉
LineKino-TV – :
I acquired a more recent bottle in a swap for something I really disliked. I didn’t expect much, but was pleasantly surprised. No, it’s not as powerful as vintage Kouros, but it is at least somewhat interesting and doesn’t smell “synthetic” (at least beyond the top notes). There’s a bit of Kouros in here, along with a more “classic barbershop” fougere quality, and yes there is a sandalwood note, and it’s not terrible (it’s just a bit subordinated to the other major accords). The base notes listed suggest it will be sweet and perhaps even syrupy, but I never got anything along those lines. Instead, expect an animalic, mossy, and herbal sandalwood scent, with a fougere accord tacked on for good measure, presumably. The vintage is simpler and more citrus-oriented, with more a more obvious sandalwood note. To call this out of fashion is an understatement, but for those seeking this kind of thing the prices are certainly reasonable.
ztm282speagoessenda – :
GAH! Where the hell is the sandalwood? I received a tester recently, and i’m sure its been reformulated, but my god! Why even call this Sandalwood anymore?
Every herbal, mossy, spicy, dirty, and some lavender. Nothing else. Powerful in the beginning, then quickly fades.
Terribly dated, and in a bad way.
vit32 – :
Deliciously Quaint ! Pure sandalwood, with ethereal moss. I love it after shower to stay at home.
Westernteplo – :
I acquired a very old bottle that was never used. Fortunately, there is no strong fougere element in this one, and I’d say it is somewhere between EdC and EdT in terms of strength. The fleeting top notes aren’t very strong, and what’s interesting is that it takes on a slightly mentholated quality, which is not suggested by the listed notes (perhaps this is what is meant by “patchouli,” because otherwise I don’t get any here). In a sense, it reminds me of a slightly weaker but more natural-smelling AoS Sandalwood (I tried that one about 4 years ago). The sandalwood note is very good but not the dominant player, though it is one of the main players. I’d like to compare it to the latest formulation, considering the reviews that do, but I’m not going to buy a bottle of it just for that purpose. I’ve tried quite a few sandalwood scents now, and I’d rank this one near the top. However, I’ll probably reach for Vintage Tabarome more often than this one, though that one is not as focused on sandalwood as this one is. If you like sandalwood and see an old bottle of this one selling at a reasonable price, I doubt you will be dissatisfied with a “blind buy.”
UPDATE: The camphorous quality is clear as this develops so I have little doubt that is the patchouli used, the point being that if you don’t like vintage Givenchy Gentleman, for example, this might also be problematic for you, though it’s certainly much stronger in GG than here.
Sid2503 – :
The real bomb of lavender, clary sage and cedar at the beginning, increasing smell of oriental sandalwood little bit later and enveloping scent of opoponax and labdanum at the end…So that is , how in short I can introduce this wonderful cologne. Although the product was made in 1956, completely resisted the passage of time – is universal and timeless. It is the smell of a real man – well-groomed, intelligent, mysterious, who enjoys adventure.What can I say more…?..well..it’s obligatory item for all perfume- lovers 🙂
klim-klim – :
When I was 15, a girlfriend and I went into a department store to look for this cologne, because we had the hots for one of our teachers and as he fought us off, it was somehow revealed that he was wearing this. We were pretty giddy with excitement and while we were “testing” the fragrance, a LOT of it spilled into my handbag. The smell stayed there for years, long after the memories of the hot teacher. I loved it. I have never found a sandalwood aroma that even came close to that, some 40 years later. I don’t know what vetiver smells like, but maybe that’s what made the drydown so dark and yet pronounced. Dark and sharp, does that make sense?
myblueeyes18 – :
Arguably the best sandalwood fougere for men, period. Lavender, bergamot, petitgrain, clary sage comprise the top notes, a fresh-spicy burst of citric goodness that lasts all of five minutes before segueing into an opoponax-sweetened coumarin accord, spiced with basil and rounded off with a little labdanum – good on Fragrantica for citing that note in their pyramid! I must have an older bottle because I’ve read the newer version is lighter on the sandalwood, and that it doesn’t show up until a couple hours into the drydown. But reviews of the older version have people commenting on Arden Sandalwood being ALL sandalwood, from the heart to the far-drydown base note. That’s what I get. As Shamu points out, this isn’t the sweet-creamy type of sandalwood, but a drier sandalwood (although it does have a little natural sweetness to it). There’s a nice smoky vetiver note fleshing it out to the end. Guys, they’re using real sandalwood oil in this one. Beautiful, beautiful stuff.
oyj571bedyWelty – :
this fragrance is aromatherapy more than perfume/cologne
i’ve kept three essential oils in my home pretty much all the time for the last 6 years
lavender, sandalwood, and tea tree
this smells like lavender, which i only use for acne and do not enjoy especially
this is not sandalwood so much
there’s a hint of it in there, but it’s heavy on lavender
luckily, it’s not the piercing medicinal kind i would associate with a type A elderly nurse
but it’s not sandalwood
still, it’s grown on me and i’m glad i have it as it layers well with musk
it’s simple enough to temper sickly sweet things and soft in its herbish ways and means
most people would find it pleasing, as do i
VOVKA772007 – :
Arden Men Sandalwood smells a lot less complex than the list of notes suggests. In fact, I hardly smell any of the notes listed. I smell lavender and sage in the opening and heart accords, and sandalwood in the drydown.
And that’s about it, not that simplicity is a bad thing. In this case, it’s a good quality because any more complexity, and you wouldn’t be able to call this a sandalwood fragrance. As others have said, this is a VERY old school fragrance – dry, powdery and sharp lavender blended with dry sandalwood is what we have here, and it very much has a barbershop/talcum powder feel it it. There ain’t nothing hip or fashionable about Arden For Men.
A lot of people talk about a lack of sandalwood in this scent, but I can certainly smell it. It’s tough to detect until you get about an hour into the scent, when the drydown begins. By then, it’s almost all sandalwood. It’s drier than most santals, with less sweetness and creaminess than most sandalwoods have. It is, however, a very smooth sandalwood, and it’s that quality that reveals itself as sandalwood, as opposed to another kind of aromatic wood.
A real classic, and mandatory for any fan of old-school masculine colognes.
MY RATING: 8/10
TraiptTeefe – :
It was my father’s perfume <3
NiLssan – :
Smells rather like Neutrogena soap or their Rainbath original scent shower gel. Lavender, other herbs, patchouli and sandalwood + a good dose of oakmoss. I think it’s nice – dated, but nice. Clean too.
tpeuh – :
I bought this blind out of curiosity. It was cheap and I thought why not? As others have noted the opening is quite strong: it is unlike any other opening of any other fragrance I own. It starts very herbal, which I assume is clary sage. After that initial burst it settles doen to be a gentle aromatic woody fragrance, that to me seems a lot more simple in composition that the notes listed above seem to indicate.
It has a very clean smell when it has dries down, which is a bit musky, a bit woody, but which has not too much of any one note. It’s a very comfortable, non-offensive fragrance.
garaninviktor – :
Got this gem recently,the drydown is pretty good,otherwise the initial blast was way too strong,a good balance of herbal & sandalwood,would be a nice cologne for summer evenings here in Mumbai.
Cheers
каякер – :
I am with Flannelman – the first impression is a strong, eye-twitching smell of Indian sandal soap!I love sandalwood, but the first notes were way too much. Luckily, I waited a while and it became a very fresh, soft, clean scent.Though it is not very original, it has something very innocent about it – if you will take patience to wait until the base.
arq950Unlogrere – :
A *very* sharp opening of lavender and clary sage. This initial blast can be a little surprising or overwhelming but do give the fragrance time to develop — it gradually softens as the woody notes kick in. The sandalwood is noticeably dry, light, soft and mellow and is backed up by warm notes of amber, musk and tonka bean which add a little sweetness. A very masculine, nostalgic fragrance from the end of the fifties with a lovely drydown. Very good value for money, too…