Our take
What does 1 Million Royal smell like?
Paco Rabanne added 1 Million Royal to the line in 2023, in parfum concentration. Quentin Bisch and Christophe Raynaud composed it. Forget the cinnamon and spiced leather of the 2008 original. Cardamom leads the opening here, with mandarin and bergamot brightening it without taking over. The heart turns aromatic. Lavender and sage do most of the talking, and violet leaf adds a green, slightly metallic edge. The base is the best part. Benzoin brings a resinous sweetness close to vanilla, cedar dries things out and patchouli gives it depth. At times it recalls Dior's Sauvage Elixir with its lavender and spice pairing, only tamer and smoother. Some will welcome that. Others will see a flanker that drops everything that made the line recognizable in the first place.
When to wear it
Built for autumn and winter, at night or at the office. One or two sprays will do, since it projects hard for the first hour.
It belongs to the Woody, Aromatic family. 1 Million Royal is one of 35 creations by Paco Rabanne in our encyclopedia.