Description
Al Oudh is a new fragrance of the house of L`Artisan Parfumeur, created by Bertrand Duchaufour, constructed as a spicy-woody-animalistic combination. The fragrance is created as a mixture of oriental nuances, balms and smoky agar wood. Duchaufour has explored new scents on his journeys to distant countries. He pours beautiful sights and experiences into his new fragrant pieces. Some of his fragrant travel descriptions and very successful creations are Timbuktu, Dzongkha and Fleur de Liane, which fascinate with their nuances and reflect regions they were inspired by in a perfect way. They take us to recently introduced Havana Vanille and the latest, Al Oudh.
The perfumer found inspiration for Al Oudh in the Arabic desert, by creating pictures of old caravans transporting myrrh, gold and incense, while rounding up that image with essences of agar wood, which is a genuine guide in the Orient thanks to its characteristic aromas. The fragrance opens in spicy-fiery tacts with cinnamon, cardamom and pink pepper, which will seduce you from the very beginning. A heart is composed of neroli, rose, castroneum, leather, civet and moss, while a base encompasses agar wood, sandalwood, Atlas cedar, patchouli, myrrh, incense, vanilla and tonka. The fragrance arrives in a glass flacon decorated with ornaments, available as 100 ml EDP.
Al Oudh was launched in 2009.
Настька – :
iiihhh…NEVER. EVER. AGAIN. I had to wash it off immediatelly. the only fragrance in my 600+ collection I CAN´T STAND and makes me throwing up. sorry. no go. not even for free. just Civet and nothing else. smells like dead animals.
PS: I have a new 100ml bottle – someone want to swap? otherwise I just return it – it was a very unlucky blind bought!!!
zver4656 – :
in ‘l’Artisan Parfumeur. Al Oud’ one smells all ingredients accumulatively and subsequently. as Fragrantica states: “The fragrance opens in spicy-fiery tacts with cinnamon, cardamom and pink pepper, which will seduce you from the very beginning. A heart is composed of neroli, rose, castroneum [sic], leather, civet and moss, while a base encompasses agar wood, sandalwood, Atlas cedar, patchouli, myrrh, incense, vanilla and tonka.” (17) 21 ingredients are in the illustration, of which iris, dried fruits, dates, saffron and musk are not named and castoreum and moss are not depicted. it also makes for 22 ingredients. on the site there is even less mention of the precise ingedients.
I also have the impression that in this magnificent perfume, instead of caraway, which has a more carrotlike scent, cumin is used, responsable for for instance the B.O. impression in Vero Kerns Rubj. so.what a sassy prick am I. but it is all for the love of this perfume. all these ingredients make their appearance in due time. what also always strike me with oudh perfumes is how many lessons we get in the comments thread about how “not-oudhy” this particular perfume is, how it is artificial oudh (especially with the Montale bashers) and how, seemingly, “Westerners” need to be educated on the subject (not only by persons from the East). it is my conviction that now, “everything is everywhere always” (i.e. globalisation) and that Internet learns everyone a great deal about everything. for instance if Ensar says the sole quality of Oudh lies not in degrees of skankiness, but rather in richness and osmotic facettuousness. I, for instance, love the particularly skanky Dusitas ‘Oudh Infini’ yet not without also relishing the extremely softness of the civet as also the hauteté of the Rose de Grasse in her legendary perfume. so Oudh can have many scentprofiles as also many names (aoud, aoudh, oudh, oud, agarwood, the wood of agillaria, aquillaria malaccensis infected with the mould (Phialophora parasitica)). my feeling is that in ‘al Oudh’ the oudh is definitely present, nonartificial, supporting of the spiciness, floralcy as well skank we find headily in the perfume. I can smell as well civet as castoreum. perhaps the main impression of this perfume is of an eastern spices’ bazaar, as in Serge Lutens’ (wonderful) ‘Arabie’ but that it already marks the transition of the oudh-roses-pepper-saffron era (Montale with great expertise). Roja Dove adepts shall have their own posh impressions how it is not…..this and not…..that. Kafkaesque reviewers shall emphasize that their review is unpayed for (the bashing of Phuong Dangs ‘Leather Up’ and Vero Kerns ‘Rubj’ and, with Luca Turin, the halfheartedly, blasé reviews of some of Dusitas perfumes) but hey, who needs them. this is a fantastic, present, oriental, memorable for all the good and bad reasons, perfume. it is pure pleasure to have it around.
CousiaSnosima – :
This has a really sexy, masculine, intimate, spicy, armpit vibe. That may not appeal to you or you may not want to smell like that, but as an evocation I don’t find it completely unwelcome…
Schirmer – :
@ivyswirl
yikes as a guy i dont want to smell like that at all so pass for me.
puri125 – :
I both love and revere this but would never wear it out unless maybe, maybe a spray to the middle of my chest if I’m feeling really experimental.
Yes, it’s smells as it’s been rightly said, like you’ve just had sex with a sweaty man but in a good way. It’s raw and unapologetic, and has been sniffed and received comments such as ‘sweaty man’s jockstrap’ but still I love it. It’s definitely the kinda thing to get you in the mood and turn on that animal instinct.
мив459 – :
Beavisbounce sums up my feelings exactly: spices, sweat and sex mixed with soap.
This isn’t really an oud perfume, but it is an animal musk and civet perfume. In fact it is a great example of a civet forward scent. It’s really interesting. I think this also leans masculine, and on the right person it could be wonderful.
SANUK – :
A rather fun Western interpretation of Oriental perfume in the same league as Serge Lutens Arabie. First off this is not an Oud perfume. Rather its one of the notes in the perfume drydown, so Oud purists, not for you. The perfume begins off on a spicy gourmand burst with pepper, caraway, dates, candied fruits and cardamom leading to a leathery floral heart of neroli, rose, castroneum, leather, civet and moss. Finally it settles into a powdery base of oud, sandalwood, Atlas cedar, patchouli, myrrh, incense, vanilla and tonka. The perfume shares many similarities to SL Arabie and for a more sophisticated version of this, one can try Kemi Hayat which has a natural (instead of synthetic) Oud note and less skank. Absolutely not work safe and only intended for those who like things a bit skanky. Unisex with moderate to strong projection and longevity and quite evocative. Those who are into heavy aromatic florals or citruses may liken this to body odor. Other adventurous types like me may find things to like here. Enjoy!
Caca – :
Beautiful fragrance, no BO whatsoever. Could as well might be the child of Tom Ford’s Plum Japonais and London, reminds me of both of them.
EaseraWearmah – :
Blind bought due to the highly proclaimed skank factor and I have no regrets whatsoever. Thought it was going to be a muscs koublai Khan dupe but this one has a ton more interest be it spice, warmth, sweetness and indeed intimate bodily parts. For this I’m thankful it’s not loud, it wafts around and has an atmosphere of Tunisian/Moroccan backstreets behind the touristy maintained shopping district. It just IS that part of the world of sunburned market sellers and traditional hustle and bustle where hygiene isn’t paramount. It could be repulsive if it wasn’t for this soap vibe, neroli? That ties it all in.
ravvin – :
I’m still getting to know this scent, but after trying a sample, I immediately bought a bottle. It’s spicy, dirty, peppery, inky, woodsy. But mostly: sexy. A friend who I thought would like it dismissed it as “peppery BO” which for me, would be praise not a complaint. (I made out with someone once who smelled exactly like this.) To each his own.
Others have isolated the notes and described the progression in more detail, but overall: I find this very masculine, and very good. Equal in quality and sophistication to Dzing! or Timbuktu but a much stronger, bolder scent.
Asgrim – :
To me this smells like my lover smells after sex – it reminds me of the scent of his generic deodorant mixed with sweat. I find the scent extremely arousing, and often spray and sniff it when I’m alone and in a sexual mood.
I don’t think I would personally wear it out, unless I wanted people to think I had just had sex with a sweaty man. But my perception of the fragrance might change with time, I already find it more pleasant and less shocking than when I first got it. For actual wearing I think it might work better on a man, it’s slightly sweet but otherwise more similar to a men’s cologne, although it would still give off that dirty vibe.
Demann0211 – :
This is definitely one for the ladies. Not a masculine scent whatsoever and I have quite a collection of oud-based juices. This is soft and velvety with a sweet delicate fragrance……
Gorik2 – :
Got a sample of it today together with Dior Mitzah, Amouroud oud du jour, Xerjoff oud stars al khatt and 2 other samples from the house of Puredistance. I was actually quite impressed by this one. It is not sweet and it is not oriental, it is just in the middle there with oud and woods mixed with spices. The oud in here reminds me very much of the oud in Indonesian Oud from the house of E. Zegna. I would say that it is rather on the masculine side than on the feminine side. The longevity on my skin is not good but on clothes it can stay for hours.
Scent: 8.5/10
Longevity: 5/10
Projection: 7/10
ikhtiander – :
As another reviewer said: “I was after a strong, spicy, multi faceted Oudh, I got a soft, sweet fruity fragrance. Quite pleasant…even nice, but not what I really wanted.” How do you make public that list of notes and then release a scent like this? Just based upon this experience alone, I would never consider blind buying a L’Artisan bottle in the future. If I want what that list of notes suggests, I’m going to reach for something like my vintage Spicebomb, not this! This one reminds me of a designer name wanting to release an “oud scent” but fearing reactions of revulsion from many consumers.
swetok77 – :
I remember when I bought this the first time from the shop in covent garden before it closed. The assistant told me it smelt of sex. She was right. It’s a real dirty oudh. Very masculine, almost sweaty, it never fails to excite. Dirty musk. Not one for the office but on the odd occasion it is friggin amazing.
jeanne123 – :
I’m guessing mine is a reformulation…I blind bought after being excited by the reviews. I was after a strong, spicy, multi faceted Oudh, I got a soft, sweet fruity fragrance. Quite pleasant…even nice, but not what I really wanted.
havoc1992 – :
L’Artisan offers a good oud with a very spicy facets, an animal touch and a rare bittersweet effect.
It is very relevant the good dose of caraway that has causing in this oud a wild, animal and even sexual effect. This belongs to the same family of cumin, the aroma is similar, also very aromatic, spicy, bitter and sweet, penetrating, but nuances different, is nasally less incisive and also with a less sweat effect than this (which is appreciated) .
The animal point is placed by the civet and, to a lesser extent, the leather, which, although noticeable, are not very strident, the animal note is not too dirty and is very well integrated with the oud.
There are many sweet notes from the nuts, dates and balsamic notes that cause a very positive impact on the resulting aroma, softening the animal’s dirty, powerful oud note making the fragrance less aggressive, warm, sensual , Cozy and portable.
The effect of the vanilla with the musks makes the drying cause a good general impact and the skin fixation is good, a slight smoky touch provided by the incense creates an aura effect of mystery. It’s true, it does not project much, but the duration is good.
This is a good oud, it develops under a modern concept with a rather monolithic aroma. It strikes me as soft, warm and resinous as it is, without being overwhelming, however, this oud exploits well the animal facet in conjunction with the spice (caraway) and makes it somewhat deep, untamed and different without becoming heavy Or dense as an oriental classic might be.
Rating: 8
RIBAK – :
One spray on my wrist was too much. An hour after application, I showered and scrubbed the area with soap. Now it is beautiful. Sex and sweat but colder, cleaner. Wood. Pepper.
sous – :
So my experience of this went from low to high. I had high expectations considering I love all the notes listed here, but something gets lost along the way in the start. I swear there is something sour and bitter lingering around every note, like a rotten peel of a citrus fruit. The oud? Where is the oud? There is the slightest suggestion of a dark incense wood but it’s not oud. Mostly everything is drowned in civet which isn’t bad at all, but not everyone’s cup of tea. After a bit of time it morphs into a nice rose and saffron with the civet still lacing everything, there is a nice resin scent with some dry wood and that’s rather lovely. I feel like most L’Artisan Parfumeur’s fragrances tend to start off on a bad foot and that bad first impression can ruin rest of the experience and this nearly does that. After an hour it’s lovely, really well rounded smokey, spicy and even a little sweet. I love the herby nature of the scent, the lightest hints of dried fruits, some baseline of patchouli which amplifies the woody notes well. It’s warm and comforting the longer it lingers the better it gets, and I find this true of all the L’Artisan samples I’ve tried. Ultimately, I feel like this really understands the natural human scent really well. This is a good 7/10 if you forgive the first 30 minutes.
lehui – :
Starts off acidic with a weird urine-like note (it must be civet) mixed with some spices, mainly caraway. There is some rose and saffron in the background.
It dries down to a soft oud-leather mix with a subtle rose in the background. Later on some smoke appears with a musky touch added to it. At the end the whole fragrance gets a little sweeter, but just a little bit.
Longevity is 12 hours with 2 sprays, sillage is soft to moderate.
With a small application the fragrance is soft and cozy. Overapplied it changes to an oud monster.
195666 – :
I thought this dry, spicy, musky, with just a hint of something fruity. It’s sexy and warm.
opopo – :
The excellent ripe fruit top notes are so Duchaufour. He has mastered his technique beyond perfection (Timbuktu, Dzongkha, Bosphore). Pure bliss. And adding a touch of caraway to this already brilliant start makes things even more fascinating and interesting.
I have mostly ignored the Oud mania that ruled the last few years, though the one that probably started it all (M7) is one of my all-time favorites. But when i saw that one of my loved houses had an Oud, well, i surrendered. And gladly so.
Al Oudh is a masterful creation – Sultry fruity, richly woody, decency defying spicy temper that touches all the right spots. And all done without too much noise.
Hm, so how many masterpieces can just one niche firm create?
*****
byri – :
Al Oudh by L`Artisan Parfumeur. OMFG. I can’t explain this without getting x rated you know what I mean. . Dirty stinky barnyard animalistic musky body odour oud, almost pheromone like, even. Like a summer in morocco with out deodorant. Or an incredibly dirty pair of underpants. That’s the best way to describe it without getting too graphic. The first spray, I was like fk! What have I just done. The dry down came eventually, and it was delicious. Already I’m being drawn back to it, and I don’t know why, it’s so hostile and uninviting. My wife hates most of my frag choices, and I was absolutely positive she was going to hate this, but she loved it. I just wish it settled quicker. I’ll wear it to work and see what happens!
vrllyndall1 – :
L’Artisan Parfumeur’s Al Oudh is something that I have been seeking for a long time! It is everything that everyone says it is. First spray is a blast of different notes that definitely spell out some kind of skanky body odor. But it is a sexy, hot, beautiful body odor (not sure why some people say it makes them sick), it’s not THAT bad! But after the first blast of the oud, leather, musk, caraway/cumin and incense, then comes the myrrh, vanilla and the florals. For me this is the most gorgeous part of this parfum. The sharp animalic combined with the vanilla and flowers. Beautiful, sensual and playful too. Now having said all that about this perfume I must also mention the stunning packaging. The octagonal bottle, the hefty brass cap and the beautiful box that it comes in. Just beautiful packaging and graphics. My only negative is that this is not a long lasting scent for an eau de parfum. I would like all the ingredients pushed up further. However this is a very affordable perfume, so it does balance out. I’m now very interested in other L’Artisan Parfumeur’s other offerings.
DemonStrong – :
For me , this gets a 10/10 . It is off course ,a subjective judgment. However , I find very few fragrances to be this good. For all Al oudh lovers , try Idole from Lubin the EDT version, and Mancera Sand Aoud , you will be madly in love again with these frags.
weashevearmem – :
Blind bought this as I love Timbuktu Dzongkha & Jubilation XXV all by Bertrand Duchoufer and find that the perfumer is typically more reliable than the house when it comes to consistency. Straight out of the gate OMG. Perfection: earthy natural dry woody spicy transporting emotional. Immedietly bought another second back up bottle for under 40 bucks in case of Reformulation but also because like most L’artisan range, could use a heavier hand in application as it wears absurdly lightly which is my only complaint. Theres a nutty oily quality here that is paradoxical to its dryness. Not nearly as sweet and fruity as I was lead to believe, reminds me a lot of vintage 10 corso como which I was just starting to run out of. Also dirty leathery shades of givenchy gentlemen which is much more difficult to wear because of its filthy intensity and the bodily warmth of musc koublai khan. This review is for the decorative bottle with the scroll work around the edging
Update confession: I’ve taken to toting this around and respraying constantly which is good and bad. I’m addicted but it doesn’t last
loodas – :
I can’t speak for the reformulated/repackage Al Oudh, But the original is beautiful!
Sharp scent of Oud , Dates and incense with that sandalwood dry down , Cant go wrong wearing it in the cool weather day and nights , These are among the first and the finest of Oud perfume ,That takes someone who knows fragrance to understand and appreciate this wonderful creation.
Scent 10/10
Silage 10/10
Long lasting 10/10.
Cheers,
mitrich – :
This is probably beating a dead horse by now but honestly this fragrance’s unique reputation is what intrigued me and made me need to sample it. So, I’m just going to say it: I’m not smelling butts or anything body odor-ish with this scent.
What I DO get is not particularly desirable. It opens with a dry and airy oud and fruit combo, with a noticeable but unintrusive civet note. It’s okay, but nothing to get too excited about. As it dries down you do get the more animalic facets and abstract elements of cumin–a spicy note but if you’re not a fraghead you probably won’t shout “Cumin!” when you smell it. The complete picture is a fruit/oud fragrance tainted by notes that are not at all fresh but not in-your-face dirty, and maybe that’s what people are honing in on. I’ve had several friends smell it in case I’m anosmic to this controversial eau d’anus impression many of you have discovered. No-one got that from this aroma, although not one of the six people I showed found this fragrance to be enjoyable either.
So while I hate to butt in, I have to say I find some of the claims surrounding this frag to be a bit “ass”anine. (I’m sorry, I couldn’t stop myself.)
edgarsless – :
Weird, I don’t know anyone’s asscrack nor armpit that smells like oud, cumin, sweet dates and civet. Unless you’re some weirdo rubbing spices and fruits up and down your crack and under your armpits. That being written, I don’t understand the associations with butts or armpits, though I do get the pheromone boost this scent seems to evoke. That folks, would be the mix of civet, cumin and oud.
I don’t like the smell of caraway seeds, nor fennel, nor cumin, nor curry (etc. etc.) but the cumin works surprisingly well within this fragrance for it’s blended with woods and incense in a smooth, creamy manner so it’s not a sharp note that would normally repel me. Here’s the thing though, you probably don’t want to be wearing something with oud or civet or caraway to the office or to an appointment. Most people will find the combination horrifying or it will distract people in a rather sensual manner. Unless you’re going for that, avoid wearing it during the day.
However, this fragrance works perfectly at night, especially on a date during a hot summer night. The scent will radiate off your flesh and mix with the warmth of the air creating pure, heady lust. As a woman, I find men absolutely love the smell of this on me – the rare occasions that I dip into my vial (I cannot justify a full purchase as I don’t wear this often). Do not put this on clothing, the curry smell will linger forever and you won’t do yourself any favors in exposing the delicious lurking animal underneath the spice.
I love the sweetness of dates and dried fruits that come out during the drydown, it softens the fragrance quite a bit and makes it more wearable. Sillage is moderate but longevity on my flesh is long. Overall, this NEEDS to be sampled prior to purchasing. Skin chemistry is key – I can see this smelling like a dirty towel on some (or very medicinal).
NiCATiK – :
This is my all time fave! It really does smell like fucking for three days and then spraying some spicy fragrance instead of taking a shower. I LOVE IT! It’s the sexiest scent I’ve ever smelled. It’s even better if you actually haven’t showered for days and then wear Al Oudh with your unique sweaty odour. The dirtier, the better.
I don’t get why some people here have the need to insist that Al Oudh doesn’t smell like sweat, sex and buttcracks. C’mon guys have some fun and embrace the delicious scent of a warm buttcrack!
Saying that a perfume resembles bodily odours is not an insult. If you think it is, there are lots and lots of clean scents on the market and, with all due love and respect, maybe it would be better if you stick to those.
10/10
Pavlo999 – :
A delicious dry oud, which starts of with a body-odor tang. It then develops slightly sweet, velvety animalic facets in addition to the richly textured oud. Absolutely beautiful!
olegavr – :
This is a gem. Whatever your mind sets out to smell it will. Yes I had a biased nose already from the get-go with all the bad, bodily scented reviews here when I first smelt AO, so my first reaction was to agree with the negativity. However, I gave AO a 2nd chance. I got rid off my mental bodily secretions ideas and revisited AO. I was surprised once I did set aside my biased mind and predisposed nose that the animalistic tones are very little if any. What suddenly hit me in a big way was this beautiful sandalwood/cedar combo (big time sandalwood note here) mixed with dates, incense, dried fruits, saffron, pistachio at the top, a little dark rose, some dusty spices, and classic leather (another prominent note), with a tiny pinch of syrupy oud in the background (I wish it had more). And that’s it. Not civet or caraway or cumin bomb as people say. No butt crack or armpit anymore. Try breaking the notes apart with your nose, give it a real sniff, get in that armpit and butt crack smell that people describe and when your mind and your nose get passed this nonesense and hone into the gamma of beautiful and exotic notes behind this frag you will be rewarded as many have with the beauty of Al Oudh. I am not missing out anymore.
Note apart, I think AO is a men’s frag. I disagree with Fragrantica’s heading at the top of this page. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were a few ladies who might like to wear AO, but for most part I don’t think this is a woman-friendly frag.
aSc3n4a – :
Received a sample of this from L’Artisan. Could not get it off my skin fast enough. Absolutely horrifying sweaty, damp, body odor scent.
Zoyfar – :
Al Oudh by L’Artisan (tested from my decant)
Hot, heavy, exotic like an ancient Hamam in Istanbul. Imagine being surrounded by hot tropical air; sweaty, intimate, earthy, incense smells; bowls of pomegranates, figs, dates, plums; beautiful, warm marble floors; nude women gently scrapping olive oil off their skin with a strigil.
The first sprays are spicy, sweet, sticky from dates, dried fruits, and pepper. When the liquid dries, the scent slowly makes the transition into incense, rose, oud accord. There are alluring light wafts of the animalistic civet in the air, it is teasing for the life of the fragrance. I sense a dusting of saffron.
As the fragrance develops, the oud is building on my skin. The oud is beautiful, dark, and rich. The oud blends with the myrrh, incense, rose so well.
A skanky note makes its appearance on my skin and I am intoxicated.The sweaty armpit/crotch aroma makes the fragrance even more sensual. The fragrance is still sweet smelling from the figs and dates top notes.
Sandalwood and patchouli add subtle woody characteristics to the fragrance.
The fragrance finishes into a powdery woody-incense accord.
The longevity is good about 5 hours and sillage is delicate.
Al Oudh is an unique fragrance but I wish the sillage was more powerful.
cqy826speagoessenda – :
I don’t understand all the other comments! Everyone is saying sweaty, dirty, indecent, panties… But I only smell turkish delight: rosewater, almonds, icing sugar, followed by leather and little hint of caraway. It’s almost too well-behaved and sweet!
Vawsasceria – :
Bought this one back in 2009 when it came out. Everything you want right there. Animalic, Oud, etc. Strong in its own way. Definitely unique. I found it was an acquired taste since at first I did not like it. But now I do.
alyonasemenovamsk – :
Animalic this is in the first place, civet & castoreum are both strong in the middle and base as the scent developes. The base is even more skanky. A beautiful dried fruit & oud accord accompany. A true masterpiece but you won’t get many compliments. You gotta be brave and tough to wear this. This is sweet but definitely not a feminine scent. Enjoy on your own responsibility 🙂
rextBennara – :
Yesterday i got my bottle Al Oudh and i am addicted already, although for me it could be even more intense, but i really love this scent
kul655speagoessenda – :
Disclaimer: Erotic content, foul language – be warned!
Smelling this for the first time in the shop yesterday had me screaming for joy. Here it is; the ultimate carnal oud, sexy as hell! Whatever turns you on; for my fancy I got the pleasant odour of hot, hairy, sweaty, musky middle eastern hunks I may have encountered in my past… You know, men who could be Turkish mud wrestlers….
Funky and tantalizing at the same time. Some say “butt crack” – I say cum… cumin… Strong on the cumin (wrongly listed as caraway?) initially, then dades and dried fruits appear, before landing in a spicy oud. All the time with hints of hot, musky sweat.
This is one of my absolute favorites, I don´t grow tired of it. But I need to save its strong impact for special occations… I don´t wear it around the office because wearing this can make me feel energetic, but oh, so horny and unfocused…! This is what an orgy would smell like… Extremely sexual smell to my nose.
I absolutely LOVE this fragrance!!!
10/10
LidiyaSe – :
a very warm, soft and smooth oud fragrance… a lot of caraway but softened by iris and rose … enveloping,adorable and completly non offensive european oud with beautiful woodsy drydown. Great!!!
BMW – :
I have had a lot of ups and downs with this fragrance . It was a blind buy for me when I was at a stage in my perfume obsession where I would buy a fragrance based apon daring and polarising reviews . If it was unique , skanky , bodily , sweaty , sexual than I wanted it and I had no qualms on snapping it up regardless of it cost or how far it would take to ship it to my collection .
The first few wearing were not a pleasant experience ! First dousing – headache ! Ok it was a hot day . Second attempt – the Oudh smelt like a chlorinated pool and it was matalic and it felt uncomfortable . After that , the bottle stayed untouched for a long time .
Don’t get me wrong , I love cumin , I adore the smell of a sweaty male on the dance floor at 3 am , I own and love MKK but it was the Oudh I was having trouble with .
What eventually won me over is an understanding on how and when to wear it . For me , it’s a winter fragrance , if you add heat or humidity to the mix it is hot mess .
The spice is deep and heady, yes – deep armpit stench but oh so yummy . Think spice rack and barbecue steak with a heavy handed cumin covering . Very masculine , very carnal , almost a little ass crack – but in a nice way ( sorry to offend )
As for the Oudh , after this fragrance , I decided the note is not for me . I can’t quite describe the aroma , it’s more of a feel than a smell .
I can say that I love this fragrance now . I spray it on my tummy under my clothes on a cold day and it’s poetry .
To put it in a nut shell , beauty can be a little ugly and sometimes takes time to understand . In this case it’s all about ” getting to know u “
VIOJIA – :
This has to be one of my favorite perfumes at the moment. Its one that will divide people but those who can wear this should.
As with many Bertrand Duchaufour there is a lot that has gone into this. He is so skilled at creating a perfume that relates to a particular place or setting. This to me reminds me of a hot dry desert. I love how this can be classified as a “dirty perfume” I would say that there are many similarities to “Timbuktu” but Timbuktu comes across as an overall cleaner perfume.
This was an essential perfume when I was in India. I found it suited the hot conditions of the country so well and worked with the environment extremely well. In the UK it does not work as well.
I often worry with this perfume if people will say it smells like sweat as many reviews have pointed this out. In my opinion this is only an issue if too much of this fragrance is applied. It is one of the perfumes that I love asking people as to whether they like it or not. Personally I think it’s both amazing and underrated as a perfume.
Marcelo_77 – :
The imagination of some of the users is just marvelously entertaining. It never ceases to amaze me how people equate L’aP Al Oudh to disgusting sweat from all corners (and maybe orifices) of the human body after some intense workout somewhere in the middle of the desert, or to collective sweat locked up in close quarters way longer than is humanly tolerable.
Hilarious.
I must say if you know someone (or a bunch) who’s sweat smell like this, then, that’s some pretty niche sweat. It should be bottled.
Al Oudh to me smells sweet, and spicy. Quite spicy. At first sniff I got reminded of a wide array of fragrances from Balenciaga PH, CK Obsession,(vintage, of course),and Dzongkha from Douchaufour. Being called Al Oudh is a misnomer… the oudh here is more of an accent, than an essential part of the juice. This accent, together with the spices (idk if it’s the caraway, the cardamom, maybe its all) maybe what gives that “BO” vibe that people elaborate so eloquently. Anyhow, it is a gorgeous scent. Drydown is way less direct, still very sweet. Go easy on the application, this is an allergy attack waiting to happen. Still worth it.
Update: the dry down brings whiffs of rose as well. Truly marvelous juice.
ExteZzZy – :
Take heed — sample this fragrance first and do not blind buy it. To me Al Oudh reeks of pungent body odor and doesn’t offer much else beyond that. Think of what someone would smell like who worked out in a gym for a few hours every day for a couple of weeks and never took a shower at all. That is pretty much what you get with Al Oudh. This stuff stinks to high heaven. If that is what you want to smell like then go right ahead, but you shouldn’t wear this to work or around other people. There are some (probably many) who undoubtedly will find the smell offensive.
I am beginning to think that some reviewers on here are so caught up in the art of fragrance that they are incapable of telling when something just plain stinks.
Dandy1993 – :
Instead of describing notes, this time i will go straight to the point that catched me :
This is women’s panties after a whole day.
Sorry you all but this is what it makes me feel. Really unbelievable. The good thing is that most peolple do not catch the same thing, so it makes this wearable ^^
My forbidden pleasure… indecent.
grinia609 – :
Io valuto i profumi in base alle sensazioni che mi procurano. al oudh è caldo, esotico, pieno di resine fumanti, fruttato di frutta secca zuccherina, legnoso, speziato, ricorda la sabbia calda, l’atmsofera afosa, ricca e sognante.
La nota principale è la mirra , ardente e fumosa, attorno alla quale si sviluppa la fragranza. Anche se l’oudh non c’è, resta un profumo caldo e ardente che mi piace molto.
Dla cuore in poi però