Transparency note: Arabic Aura stocks French Avenue, so this guide links to bottles we sell. Prices and stock were checked on our site on 27 October 2026 and can change. Notes come from retailer and brand listings, which differ between batches, so treat them as a guide to character rather than a formula. Longevity figures on any listing are claims, not measurements.
Royal Blend is the French Avenue name you are most likely to see mentioned in reviews, social posts and “best budget perfume” lists, and it has grown into a family of five bottles at Arabic Aura: the original extrait, Nero, Séquoia, Bourbon and Vintage. They share a name and a warm, slightly boozy mood, but they are not interchangeable. One is a woody amber, one is a date and spice scent, one is a raspberry and cognac gourmand, one is a spicy bourbon, and one is a plum and vanilla throwback.
This guide compares them side by side so you can choose the right one, or decide whether to buy more than one. It uses the prices and notes on our shop today, which range from £18.99 to £29.99 for 100ml. If you are new to the house, start with our complete French Avenue guide.
For the other ends of the range, see our guides to the best French Avenue perfumes for men and the best French Avenue perfumes for women.
Royal Blend Compared at a Glance
| Bottle | Price | Type | Character | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Blend | £24.99 | Extrait | Woods, amber, spice, subtle florals | First-time buyers |
| Royal Blend Nero | £24.99 | EDP | Date, apple, nutmeg, vanilla | Autumn evenings |
| Royal Blend Séquoia | £29.99 | Extrait | Cognac, raspberry, praline | Sweet-boozy fans |
| Royal Blend Bourbon | £18.99 | EDP | Cinnamon bark, bourbon, oak | Spice lovers, budget |
| Royal Blend Vintage | £18.99 | EDP | Plum, immortelle, vanilla | Soft, retro wear |
Royal Blend (the Original)
Royal Blend is the reference point for the whole family. Our listing, based on a distributor description, calls it the best-selling French Avenue fragrance and describes it as a warm, luxurious unisex extrait of precious woods, amber, spices and subtle florals. It does not publish a detailed note pyramid, so the best way to think about it is as a smooth, resinous woody amber with a spiced warmth and no sharp edges.
That broad, rounded character is why it works as an introduction. It is not as sweet as a pure gourmand, not as dry as a woody scent, and it behaves well in cold weather. Some buyer reviews on retail sites compare it to Kilian’s Angels’ Share; that is a comparison of mood, not a claim that the two smell the same, and our article on Lattafa Khamrah versus Kilian Angels’ Share shows how that style is usually discussed.
At £24.99 for a 100ml extrait it is the best value entry in the range.
Royal Blend Nero
Nero is an eau de parfum with a fuller note list than the original. It opens with bergamot, nutmeg, date and apple, moves into a heart of chestnut, guaiac wood, juniper, cinnamon, saffron and dry woods, and settles on vanilla, benzoin, tonka bean, musk, Peru balsam and cashmeran. In plain terms it is a sweet-spiced scent with a dry, woody backbone: the fruit and date sweetness is balanced by juniper and guaiac smoke, and the vanilla is more resinous than creamy.
It is also priced at £24.99, the same as the original, which makes the choice between them a question of taste rather than budget. If you want something more rounded and fruity-sweet, pick Nero. If you prefer a cleaner woody amber, pick the original. For readers who enjoy tobacco and spice, our guide to tobacco notes in Arabic perfume covers similar ground.
Royal Blend Séquoia
Séquoia is the dessert-leaning member of the family. It is an extrait of cognac, raspberry and liquor on top, with tonka bean, Bulgarian rose and oakmoss in the heart, and a base of praline, oak and sandalwood. The result is more obviously sweet than the original, with a fruity-boozy opening and a nutty, woody finish.
Because it includes rose and oakmoss, it also has a slightly old-school, perfumey feel that many gourmands lack.
At £29.99 it is the most expensive of the five, but it is also the most distinctive. It is the one to choose if you like sweet scents with some structure. If that sounds right, our guides to boozy perfumes and Arabic vanilla perfumes are good follow-ups.
Royal Blend Bourbon
Bourbon is the spiciest and the cheapest, at £18.99. It is listed as a strong-intensity spicy-oriental scent built around cinnamon bark, peppermint, basil oil, bourbon and oakwood, with a heart of bourbon whiskey and lavender, and a base of oakwood and Peru balsam. There is very little sweetness here.
Instead you get a dry, barrel-like spice with a herbal lift, which suits cool weather and men’s wardrobes especially well, though it is sold as unisex.
It is a good test of whether you like the boozy-spice direction before you spend more. At this price the risk is low, and our best winter perfumes guide shows where it fits in a seasonal rotation.
Royal Blend Vintage
Vintage is the quietest and most unusual. Its listed notes are short: davana and plum on top, immortelle at the heart, and tolu balsam and vanilla at the base. Davana is a fruity, slightly boozy herb, immortelle adds a dry, honeyed, curry-like warmth, and tolu balsam gives a soft sweet resin.
The effect is closer to a stewed-fruit and vanilla comfort scent than a bold evening fragrance. It is a gentle one at £18.99, and it is a good option for office hours or for anyone who finds the rest of the family too heavy.
How the Five Differ Side by Side
Think of the family on two scales. On the sweetness scale, Bourbon is the driest, then the original, then Vintage and Nero, and Séquoia is the sweetest. On the boozy scale, Bourbon and Séquoia are the most obviously alcoholic, with whisky and cognac accents, Nero is spiced rather than boozy, and Vintage and the original are the most neutral.
On the projection scale, extraits and heavier resins generally carry further, but we do not publish hour counts because wear time depends on skin and weather. Our longevity test method explains how to measure it yourself.
Which Royal Blend Should You Buy?
For a first purchase, buy the original. For a sweeter, fruitier scent, buy Nero or Séquoia. For a spicy, dry fragrance, buy Bourbon.
For something soft and different, buy Vintage. Gift buyers should lean towards the original or Nero, which are the easiest to like; our birthday gift guide has other ideas. If you wear them in autumn or winter, our autumn and winter fragrance edit shows how they sit with other warm scents.
Extrait or EDP: Does It Matter?
Two of the five are extraits and three are EDPs. In theory an extrait is more concentrated, but concentration is only one factor in performance, because heavy resins, woods and vanilla simply last longer than light citrus or fruit. Read our guide to perfume concentration for the full explanation.
The original’s listing claims 10 to 12 hours of longevity, which is a marketing claim; test it yourself. Practical tips such as spraying on moisturised skin appear in how to make perfume last longer, and how UK weather affects Arabic perfume longevity explains why cold air can help.
Can You Wear Them Together?
Layering is part of the fun with a family like this. A spray of Bourbon over Vintage, for example, gives you a dry spice on a soft plum base, and a light touch of Séquoia can sweeten the original. Start with one spray of each and build slowly. Our guide on how to layer perfumes and the Layering Lab tool explain the basics.
Value, Authenticity and Delivery
All five cost between £18.99 and £29.99, so you can test two for the price of one designer mini. Use our price-per-wear calculator to see the cost per spray. Because popular lines are copied, buy from sellers who source from authorised distributors and read how to spot fake Arabic perfumes first.
Our shipping policy and returns policy set out delivery and return terms, and you can browse everything in the French Avenue collection or filter it with our perfume finder.
Why Are There So Many Royal Blend Versions?
Perfume houses often build on a popular fragrance by releasing variations, and Royal Blend is a clear example. Each new version keeps the family name, which signals warmth and richness, but changes the notes, the concentration or the price. The practical effect is that “Royal Blend” is a mood, not a single recipe.
That is why we list all five bottles separately here: if you read a review of one, it may not apply to another.
The Notes in Plain English
A few of the note names in this family are unfamiliar. Tonka bean smells of sweet almond, vanilla and hay. Tolu balsam is a soft, sweet resin with a vanilla and cinnamon feel.
Immortelle is a dry, honeyed, slightly curry-like flower. Davana is a fruity, boozy herb often used in perfumery to give a rum-like effect. Guaiac wood is smoky and tea-like, and Peru balsam is warm and sweet.
Our guides to what vanilla smells like, what amber smells like and what sandalwood smells like explain more of the vocabulary, and our perfume glossary covers the rest.
Seasons and Occasions
Royal Blend suits cooler months, but the family is more flexible than it looks. Bourbon and Nero are the most obvious autumn and winter choices. The original works year-round in air-conditioned offices and cold evenings. Séquoia is a good evening and party scent, and Vintage is the most comfortable in mild spring weather. If you wear them in summer, use fewer sprays, since heat amplifies sweet and resinous notes.
Royal Blend as a Gift
The family works well as a gift because it is easy to like and the prices are low. The original and Nero are the safest picks. For ideas, see our guides to perfume gifts for a boyfriend and perfume gifts for a girlfriend, and if you are unsure of their taste, read how to choose perfume as a gift when you do not know their taste.
If You Like Royal Blend, Try These Next
The warm, spiced and slightly boozy mood is popular across Arabian perfumery, so there is plenty to explore once you have chosen a favourite. Within French Avenue, Liquid Brun is the cinnamon and praline gourmand, and our Liquid Brun review covers its character. Among other houses, our reviews of Lattafa Khamrah and Lattafa Asad Bourbon cover spiced and bourbon-style scents.
These are different fragrances, not copies, so read the notes before assuming they will smell alike.
How to test the family fairly
Test one Royal Blend at a time on separate days, on skin, and give each a full day before you compare it with another. The five bottles share a name and a warm, slightly boozy mood but are different recipes, so testing two at once only blurs the differences you are trying to spot. If you are buying your first, the original at £24.99 is the reference point; if you want the lowest-risk way to test the boozy-spice direction, Bourbon at £18.99 is the cheaper experiment.
Storing your Royal Blend bottles
Keep the bottles somewhere cool and dark, away from sunlight and heat, with the caps on when you are not using them. Warm, bright storage shortens a fragrance’s life, which is a waste even at this family’s low prices. A drawer or cupboard away from radiators and windowsills does the job — a steamy bathroom shelf does not.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Royal Blend and Royal Blend Nero?
Royal Blend is an extrait of woods, amber and spice, while Nero is an EDP with date, apple, nutmeg, chestnut and vanilla. Nero is sweeter and fruitier, and the original is cleaner and woodier.
Which Royal Blend is the sweetest?
Séquoia, with raspberry, cognac, praline and rose. Bourbon is the driest.
Which Royal Blend is best for winter?
Bourbon, Nero and the original. Their spice, resin and wood notes tend to suit cold air.
Is Royal Blend unisex?
Yes. All five Royal Blend bottles at Arabic Aura are tagged unisex.
Is Royal Blend worth buying?
At £18.99 to £29.99 for 100ml it offers strong value, but taste varies, so choose by notes and consider starting with the original or the cheaper Bourbon.
How long does Royal Blend last?
The original’s listing claims 10 to 12 hours, but longevity depends on skin, weather and application. Test it using our longevity method before relying on any number.
How should I test Royal Blend before committing to a bottle?
One bottle at a time, on skin, for a full day each. The five bottles share a name and a mood but are different recipes, so a review of one may not apply to another — and neither will a quick sniff of two at once.
How should I store Royal Blend bottles?
Somewhere cool and dark, away from sunlight and heat, with the caps on. Heat and light shorten a fragrance’s life, so avoid windowsills, radiators and steamy bathroom shelves.
