The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Retal arrived in 2018 as part of Sawalef's early fragrance lineup, joining Anaqa and Oud Maktum in establishing the house's voice. The name itself suggests something measured and deliberate, a conversation, a balance struck. What makes Retal distinctive is its opening, where anise arrives sharp and aromatic before yielding to something sweeter. The blueberry that follows doesn't read as candy or laundry detergent. It reads dark, almost wine-like, and it keeps the top from feeling medicinal. Cashmere wood takes over as the heart material, wrapping everything in a warmth that feels skin-close rather than projected. Rosemary adds lift without sharpness, preventing the composition from becoming cloying as it develops.
What makes Retal unusual is its opening, the pairing of anise and blueberry. Anise is more common in masculine fragrances or in formulas where it anchors the base. Here it appears first, bright and aromatic, before yielding to something sweeter. The blueberry doesn't read as candy or laundry detergent. It reads dark, almost wine-like, and it keeps the top from feeling medicinal. Cashmere Wood as a heart material is relatively modern, offering warmth and a skin-close quality that wraps the composition in softness.
The evolution
The opening announces itself immediately: anise first, then blueberry arriving like a shadow behind it. The two notes exist in tension for the first twenty to thirty minutes, aromatic, dark, slightly unexpected. Then the hand-off begins. Blueberry softens. Cashmere wood takes over, wrapping everything in a warmth that feels skin-close rather than projected. Rosemary appears as a quiet bridge, herbal and clean. By the second hour, amber and honey are running the show. The honey is the lingerer here, sweet, golden, persistent. Musk holds everything close, intimate rather than announced. The composition settles into something warm and enveloping, with the anise influence gradually fading to reveal the sweeter depths beneath. What remains is a cozy, refined trail that speaks to the craftsmanship of its construction.
Cultural impact
Retal has carved a specific place among collectors: the one they reach for when they want something that doesn't follow the usual script. The anise opening signals that this fragrance isn't trying to please everyone. The blueberry note adds unexpected depth, creating an aromatic profile that challenges expectations. The fragrance has been compared to Widian London and Layton Exclusif, but it occupies its own territory, with a blueberry note that neither of those fragrances shares. Those drawn to its character tend to find it distinctive, a quiet departure from more conventional compositions.
