The absolute configurations of a broad spectrum of aryl alcohols 1 have been determined for thefirst time by the CD exciton chirality method. The configurational assignment is additionally verifiedby computer modeling and lipase-catalyzed acetylation of the racemic alcohols. The CD-spectroscopicdata have revealed that the S enantiomers of the benzoate derivatives 2 display a positive firstCotton effect and the R enantiomers a negative one at around 228 nm. Thus, the sense of the firstCotton effect of the benzoate derivative 2 allows a reliable assignment of the absolute configurationof the corresponding alcohol 1.