Mario_21 – 2022-06-05:

4 out of 5

I’ve never smelled actual oud so my idea of oud is is based on the synthetic oud notes in other oud-prominent fragrances I’ve smelled. A small list: Penhaligon’s – Halfeti, MFK – Oud Satin Mood, TF – Oud Wood, Jo Malone – Velvet Rose & Oud, Dior – Oud Ispahan, Atkinsons – Oud Save the King and Queen, plus a few Arab brands that I can’t find here because I couldn’t read their names.
There is a specific candy-like scent that the oud+rose combo produces and it’s definitely present here. In Oud Essentiel, this candy note takes on a high quality syrupy rose & saffron flavored gourmet Turkish delight kind of flavor. The frankincense (olibanum) and leather notes give it a darker, smokier feeling. I’m really not getting any cedar.
When I tried this last week, I did one spray directly onto my skin and PHEW! It was so heavy and so strong!!! I had to take a break and try again another day. This time I sprayed it onto a paper towel and pat it onto my hands and wrists. Five minutes later I did it one more time, and I think that’s the perfect amount. I have a feeling the paper-towel-pat method expedited the arrival of the rose note by a few minutes because last week the rose note took longer to show up, the initial fragrance felt more masculine and leathery, but it could have just been a faulty first impression and from being overwhelmed by a pure skin-spray. Like I said, this perfume is STRONG.
I think it’s a bit too sweet for me to say ‘unisex’ in good faith. I know some (Western culture) guys will be too afraid to wear it, whereas I think Middle Eastern guys and girls would love it. On the flip side, I can see some (Western culture) women finding it too strong and masculine, so this is definitely in the ‘don’t blind-buy’ category.
This is pretty much exactly what I imagined a ‘Guerlain does oud’ perfume would smell like. I’m not saying there’s guerlinade in there, but the smoothness and sweetness does give me that invisible Guerlain vibe. It smells expensive.
I remember last week when I was reeling from from the power of the one spray, I was thinking ‘Oookaaay, I never need to buy another oud perfume again!’ I smelled TF – Oud Wood two days ago (it has rosewood in it, a note I’m obsessed with) and it smelled really nice, much more masculine, but I really could not justify buying it because Oud Essentiel just ruined it. I can’t justify buying two oud fragrances two weeks back to back.
TL/DR – try before you buy. For me, it’s fantastic.

GlurceResee – 2022-06-05:

5 out of 5

The olibanum and saffron really help to round out the otherwise potentially jagged edges here, thus rendering this Guerlain unisex oud a “Black Aoud Light,” of sorts.
The oud here DOES start out very “Band-Aidy” at first, yes, but soon smooths out into a light but lingering wood that pleases me to no end.
Longer into the drydown, the rose starts to rear its head without being obtrusive, let alone outright jarring.
I far prefer this to most of Montale’s oud beasts.
The price point?
About the same as Montale, and sometimes lower.
Nice.

vizen – 2022-06-05:

3 out of 5

This is a really good oud-rose-saffron scent. In this composition Leather is the component that holds it all together. I’m a fan of the overall performance – 8 plus hours with moderate projection….and this is all with one spray!
It leans slightly (vey slightly) medicinal. That’s not a criticism, just an observation. Perfectly unisex if you are a woman who likes masculine scents – and I do. A cold weather scent. and I’m impressed.

Kurlebas – 2022-06-05:

5 out of 5

This fragrance requires that the person wearing it have personal “presence” as it is so unique and out of the ordinary zephyrs of currently best selling perfumes. You can’t get away with wearing this if you have no self regard. You have to wear this or it will wear you. The projection is very good and longevity is 8 hours with two sprays. I think it would be suitable for men or women. I like Habit Rouge and Yatagan and this is a member of the same memorable, unusual tribe.

temnyh – 2022-06-05:

4 out of 5

I’m really enjoying this one. Each waft brings a smile to my face. I typically shy away from ouds accompanied by rose but in this case, it’s not enough rose to run me away. The leather here is dry (non-sweet) and the saffron isn’t present enough to make the leather spicy.

johnnyblack – 2022-06-05:

3 out of 5

Smells great esp if you want a bold, Western and contemporary Oud scent for your collection. It reminds me of a much lesser known fragrance by Abdul Samad Al-Qarashi called Furusiyya, Black Incense. I enjoy the Abdul Samad Fragrance but the quality control on the bottle isnt so great.. If I find myself out of that fragrance, I will turn here. As someone mentioned, it is a good balance of spicy and balsamic. Great projection, longevity and sillage

mazzy – 2022-06-05:

4 out of 5

Exquisite! That one word could easily be the sum total of my review, but it wouldn’t be like me not to waffle on. The Santal royal in this collection has a very prominent, sharp and skanky, resinous oud note which is completely in contrast with this stuff, a pure tonepoem of luxury and perfumery excelllence. This is a purely indulgent smell with no one one note dominant, but a smoother resin, saffron and leathery oud smell of giant proportions but delicate and modest execution. I was told by the SA that sprayed me(with perfume;) at the Guerlain counter that it was made with access to ingredients other houses don’t (which I’m inclined to believe as it’s guerlain) and also he was big on the fact that I could keep it for years and years and it won’t spoil (again which is my experience of most perfumes …kept correctly of course) Oh and also he was encouraging me to layer other scents on top of this, which I don’t do but I see how this emorphous, classy bed of woods and resin would enhance even the worst fragrance you sprayed on it. I love it. I think it’s incredible and an oud to get excited about, it’s not groundbreaking and I’ve smelled similar before but I think it’s a perfect storm this one, a perfect oud for ANYONE to wear and enjoy. It’s soft and retreats to a skin scent after hours of solid projection but then easy lasts 10+ hours and probably weeks on clothes. I want this.

JokerQ – 2022-06-05:

4 out of 5

WOWIE !!!! OUD HEAVEN!!!
Had this thrown in as a sample vial and gave it a try at work!!!!
OUD AND WOOD BOMB!!! I had to try it a few times before it grew on me because it was soon strong it was almost too pungent.
It inspired me – I went on an Oud spree and hunt and tried about a dozen including Commes De Garcon WonderOud (CDG never fails me), Cartier, Creed et al and they were either too weak or went on tangents on the dry down presenting a layer or note that was just as prominent (except I think Wonderoud).
I’m not sure what constitutes a technical Oud scent but for me this one won me over.
It smells like strong damp OUD WOOD – thats it!
Its linear, the smell combined with cedar given body with JUST ENOUGH leather smoothly blended (not so as to make the leather a discernible scent of its own) and sweetened with Rose JUST ENOUGH to round the smell rather than present an actual rose smell and take the dryness away and a touch of spice to add a tiny kick at the end.
Now I see it as perfect – damn hard to find – I’ve been buying all the samples I can get – what a shame.
Seriously don’t get powdery, rough or frankincense references as per some reviews.
Perfect, bold, strong, long lasting and smooth. Buy it and smell GOOD!

Miha2525 – 2022-06-05:

5 out of 5

I LOVE IT REALLY …
Amazing luxurey blend (Spicy+balsamic)

70806063 – 2022-06-05:

5 out of 5

Sprayed it on my wrist the other day…loved it!
Excellent and powerful oud and saffron with a hint of rose and leather. I loved Santal Royal, and I also love this one.
A must try for all oud lovers out there!

Farf – 2022-06-05:

3 out of 5

Gorgeous, its a little too on the masculine side for me but I will spray on my husband and swoon.

aleksandr-eremenko – 2022-06-05:

4 out of 5

Tried a manufacturer’s sample. I liked it but it was not what I expected. Very spicy peppery notes dominate the opening. Maybe too much for my tastes. Dries down to leather/saffron which is quite pleasant. I got very little oud from this even after several hours.

pmy68 – 2022-06-05:

4 out of 5

رائحة عود جميلة جدا

astetidadic – 2022-06-05:

5 out of 5

Just received it this evening, I love it! It’s like Magie Noire went to church with L’Autre Oud and brushed the frankincense on her way in.

replicaw78756 – 2022-06-05:

3 out of 5

smells nice but it’s too soft and for almost 170 euros. no not worth it. if you want your fragrance to shine better go to santal royal. sorry this has been a disappointment. summer might save it, if not I shall try to sell it. 🙁

ZergOo – 2022-06-05:

3 out of 5

I quite like this. Oud and saffron… with a tad bit of rose and balsamic under the surface. Maybe the slightest bit of ambroxin way down deep? It reminds me A LOT of Oud Immortel from Byredo. Immortel is a bit brighter up top…. yeah, I’m digging this.
EDIT 2: I have been living with this for a few days and feel I really “get it” now. It’s fabulous and I think a keeper. There is some frankincense that took me a minute to put my finger on that shows up after about 2-3 minutes. Also, there is a middle fruit note… I can’t quite place it, but think tropical… mango, pineapple, passionfruit maybe? Despite the profile above, I am not getting rose. I stand by my Byredo mention. I can’t wear Oud Immortel as it feels to feminine on me. (I LOVE it on my wife.) This feels like the masculine equivalent…. though this could totally be worn by a lady too.

vdf598speagoessenda – 2022-06-05:

3 out of 5

It may smell medicinal or a little synthetic to some….but to me, it performs magically on skin…Masculine! , Oudie!
A solid 2017 release along with Lui!!

adidas8887 – 2022-06-05:

3 out of 5

Quiet similar to l’autre oud from Lancôme, and Another Oud from Juliette has a Gun, and it’s the best of them.
Decent performance, Worth it’s price

h_hayrapetyan – 2022-06-05:

5 out of 5

Scent is a very soft oud with some sweetness, different oud
Silage: first 3 hours is shining
Longevity: easy 10 hours
Cost: expensive (this is the point; presentation is very cheap, juice is moderate not concentrated)
Overall 7.5/10

sev – 2022-06-05:

3 out of 5

Found my Oud fragrance! This is incredible!!! I have tried so many Ouds lately that I was really starting to think I’d never like an Oud fragrance. I’ve been wanting an Oud that smells like an Oud but doesn’t have overpowering harshness or too much feminine rose in it. I’ve tried almost all the Montale Aoud, and I can’t handle them. TF Oud is nice but it’s too subtle and boring (although I do want it), MFK Oud is gorgeous but a bit too elegant and can lean slightly feminine because of the saffron (which it’s heavy on) but this, this dries down to a really smoky, dry, Incense Oud and it’s incredible. As elegant as MFK Oud but with a darker masculinity in it and it really is well done. Will be wearing this all day tomorrow and updating with my full thoughts.

Bild – 2022-06-05:

4 out of 5

I smelled this on an Arab neighbor of mine, a good looking, very masculine guy. Hairy and muscular. Just walking into the cafe I could smell this gorgeous perfume around. He didn’t know what he is wearing, said he got it as a gift from a friend and just keeps the bottle in his motorcycle. He was nice enough to let me try it. It’s a very good Oud, well balanced, elegant, not too harsh and not too sweet. A very good perfume.

Lesthegrelt – 2022-06-05:

5 out of 5

scent : 8/10
sillage : 9/10
longevity :9/10
100% night fragrance
floral and oud scent
reminds me of Chopard Rose Malaki a little bit (not similar)

demyanovna – 2022-06-05:

3 out of 5

This is very beautiful and long lasting.

aliki24 – 2022-06-05:

5 out of 5

Why did guerlain release this one?? it is almost identical to Santal Royal and i didn’t like both, as a middle eastern i smell such stuff a lot anywhere so it is not unique for us, maybe westerns will find such stuff likable.
This scent is horrible, Synthetic and not even worth the half of its price, if you’re looking for a good designer oud based perfume then it is Gucci Intense Oud, the best safe oud you can buy and it smells wonderful and has a beastly performance but this one is a huge PASS.

vadiml55 – 2022-06-05:

5 out of 5

It’s very synth-saffron/leather heavy, rough around the edges, and smells just okay.. If you’re looking for quality try their premium desert collection or other brands

zztop.morozov – 2022-06-05:

5 out of 5

Heavy, powdery and musky.
A very beautiful seasonal perfume.
I think if you like Santal Royal, you’ll love this.
They has the same feel in my opinion.

sboleva – 2022-06-05:

3 out of 5

Honestly when i tried it at the first time i didnt like it, sprayed on my cloth and left the shop, after few hours went back and bought it.
Some perfumes need to have their time to show the real soul!!!! Before we judge 😉
Love it!!

Zorkov – 2022-06-05:

5 out of 5

No thank you Thierry.
Mistake. Heavy, unpleasant..copy of Lancome special edition…I love all of the Guerlain and I thought I wont be criticize it even… but I have to…No Mousier …no more…

leo6653 – 2022-06-05:

3 out of 5

So here we have a Guerlain Oud ! No Guerlinade, no Gourmandise, no Compromise, kind of a revolution for this house … I was surprised by this new frag, though Amber Eternel & Santal Royal suggested that something like this could come someday.
Other surprise: this one is already available abroad whereas it’s not yet available in France, even on the website … i needed to know well enough an AS at Guerlain’s flagship boutique in Paris to get my hands on the ordinary 125 ml EdP bottle..
HackerX’s comments are quite accurate but IMHO saffron takes a bit more time to come than half an hour. Is it natural Oud or not? I don’t know, but it doesn’t leave the typical oily film on the skin like Montale’s ouds do, though it does have the power of Montale/Mancera’s, Ford’s and ADP’s ouds, so maybe or not … I’d be surprised that Wasser, who spends 100s of k$ to get a fantastic natural Ambre Gris, would play that kind of game.
Anyway, for those like me who like Oud, this is a must: not aggressive but still not light, soflty enveloped in roses, leather, saffron, olibanum & cedar, oud at it’s best ! Longevity is more than 12 hours: not sure that girls will like this as once sprayed in the morning, they can’t wear flowers until late at night. Nice twice a month for me, like Ambre Eternel, maybe I’ll go for a bee bottle once it’ll be available in that form, but the ordinary flacon will last more than a year.
BTW it’s not a Harrod’s exclusive as suggested by Q80, but at Guerlain they take their time to make it available everywhere … a new strategy or a lack of ingredients to start full production ?

mihailsi – 2022-06-05:

4 out of 5

I’ve worn this for over a day or so, and I do agree with some aspects of Monsieur’s review on this, particularly I do get a certain Habit Rouge DNA in this, it has that same sort of powdery and woody feel to it in the initial stages. However, where this fragrance shines lies in the later stages.
If you are expecting this to be another rose and oud iteration then you will actually be in for quite a surprise. I was very skeptical when I saw rose and oud in this particular release, saying to myself when will this trend stop. Knowing it isn’t going to stop soon anyway I went in with a very modest expectation, naturally I’m inclined to have certain expectations just by seeing Guerlain’s name on it.
I admit I wasn’t taken away by it on initial spray, it had that extremely familiar rubbery oud that you associate with a bunch of other oud fragrances, and the rose was there but not front and centre. After about half an hour to an hour the incense started to emerge, and the saffron took over which combining with the rose gave the overall composition a spiciness, actually at that point I felt like I was smelling more geranium than rose. So don’t expect any ‘jamminess’ in this one.
After a few hours the geranium facets were still very dominant, but the leather began to surface, and that’s when people would find any sorts of animalic quality to it. As the scent further developed the leather was more prominent – a little more sour and raw, almost to a point it was butch, but it was still no match for Dior Leather Oud or Songe D’un Bois d’Ete in terms of animalic qualities.
The rose was more spicy than jammy, the leather was more raw than dirty and the woody/oudy facets morphed from rubbery to damp and earthy. Though I highly doubt there’s even a tiny drop of real oud in here I can’t deny the great efforts that Wasser put into this exquisite composition. Among the massive lineup of synthetic oud fragrances in the market right now this one is a winner.

unfixAnnext – 2022-06-05:

5 out of 5

Tried this at Saks in Chicago today, a very nice Oud. Not as much of a derivative as I expected it to be. Quite nice actually. The Rose here is not at all front and center but just enough to smooth out the Oud. This is not dirty or barnyard Oud by any stretch. Would wear this anywhere anytime. A nice release from Guerlain. Can’t comment on the longevity at this point.

asd1978 – 2022-06-05:

3 out of 5

It’s a rosy saffron French oud blend. As it calms down, the saffron conquers the scene with the help of the balsamic roses and velvet cedar.
The red roses is conquered in this fragrance rather than the oud as it gives the blend a taste of burgundy blood velvet sheets. This could be presented by a long soir gown at the opera, or a Gentleman’s attending a classical play.
It’s not divine, but it’s impressive for people who seeks occasional fragrances for certain event.
I believe it’s Harrods’s exclusive!

tatjnka – 2022-06-05:

5 out of 5

Money making strategy by guerlain clearly targeting rich arabs.

Temas1711 – 2022-06-05:

4 out of 5

This fragrance is excellent. You can find my review at monsieurguerlain.com/reviewsetc

данча – 2022-06-05:

4 out of 5

After two solid releases.. truly look forward for Guerlain intepretration of Oud.. I hope they will nail it again this time.. highly anticipated release..

lapta22 – 2022-06-05:

4 out of 5

An oud fragrance from Guerlain that contains oud, rose, saffron, and olibanum?! Now this is a MUST TRY for all the oud fans!
I will post a proper review once I get my nose on this.