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frostnight – :
This is simply a lotion smell .
ez611 – :
A great composition albeit a touch feminine. A bit like a fabric softener – an expensive one though. Not suitable for office use
tzepeh – :
Whoa! This scent is sweet! It took me a minute to right myself after first smelling it–I was almost knocked over! I was worried I may have ordered in error, but after I gave it a few sprays, it settled down. I think the initial blast was just whatever was left in the sprayer. After I acclimated and cleared it, things improved. This is a cozy, comforting, sweet, and powdery vanilla and almond (the almonds don’t come out right away–you have to wait a minute) perfume. It’s actually quite lovely, but def something you’d need to be in the mood for! I’m quite fond and found it for a good price online. Highly recommend to gourmand lovers 🙂
kremnev – :
this is a pretty soft almond-vanilla scent. it’s very powdery and i consider a comfort scent, particularly on cold winter days. there is honey as well, but i don’t seem to get any rose. i like this for cold days-it’s cozy.
StricklandVKiran – :
A thickly syrupy rosy louhkoum. All four notes – almond, honey, vanilla, and rose – are well-represented. Delicious! But you must like almond and honey.
Freya – :
A very unusial combination of notes, soft and powdery rose with up front almond and honey. I cant decide if it reminds me of some sort of rose flavored Turkish Delight candy, or the rolls of pretty paper my mom used to line her lingere drawers. Maybe both. The rose is strongest first but it fades to a smell not unlike roasted Bavarian nuts. I used to roast them at a fair in the summer and fall, yes thats quite similar to sweet roasted almonds.
Feminine and subtle yet distinctive. The bottle isnt pretty thats the only downside. But i just have a sample anyway .
sxsh2008 – :
Yeeessss…. Sylvie is a stunner. She’s a 1930’s burlesque dancer. She all the S’s stimulating, soothing, smooth, sensual, seductive, and slinky. I know stimulating and soothing are in opposition but you know when you’re feeling relaxed/sleepy and something interesting has your attention to the point it’s worth staying up for, that’s her.
She owns the stage dancing behind two big powdered fans. When she twirls them you can smell the shimmering sugar. This definitely does not remind me of baby powder. Sweet honeyed powder, yes. As she glides back and forth across the stage you catch glimpses of almond and rose. You want more but she’s a tease. She gives you just enough to hook ya.
Backstage she’s sitting in a gossamer robe of honeyed powder. The almond and rose are more visible but you don’t want to be a creep and stare. She sees you looking and she asks if you would massage some vanilla oil onto her legs because they are so sore from dancing. All while giving you an innocent look. Of course, you oblige. And as you go higher the robe slips back you catch the scent of the almond rose with the vanilla oil. Then it’s heat. She notices that too and slowly covers up again, gives you a hug and a kiss on the cheek. She hopes you’ll show up to her next show. You will and it’ll be like she’s only dancing for you.
If you can’t tell, I love this. I was worried about the powder at first but I could tell it was sweet so that made me interested enough to hang around for the show and boy, oh, boy what a show. I’m wondering how am I going to wear this out of the house. It feels intimate to me.
This is a scent of the Feminine Divine. It radiates feminine energy. This is a receptive fragrance. It pulls in. It’s a slow burn, a sizzler, not that gourmand to me, but entirely edible. The phrase “Smell me here, kiss me here.” comes to mind.
I did a tiny spray on my wrist and tapped it to the other one, on the sides of my neck and smeared it on my chest. Part of me wants a full spray. Just to know what it’ll feel like. I blind bought this but I had a heavy suspicion we would go well together. Sylvie and me are in alignment and it feels amazing.
Longevity is great but I can’t tell you about the sillage cause I keep pressing my nose to my wrist and smelling my chest. I will say I wouldn’t recommend doing that until ten minutes after you spray. I don’t find this overly sweet. It is sweet but not super sweet. I would try before you buy.
(I don’t usually give perfumes names but it felt right in this instance)
ruskaz – :
This perfume exceeded all my expectations. It smells very light and feminine. However, it is still strong and projects very well.
I get strong, beautiful rose scent with a hint of sweet honey note and tons of powdery almond. Vanilla becomes stronger in the dry down. Anyway, the perfume never gets too sweet nor does it smell eatable on me. Since this was a blind buy, needless to say, this fact makes the scent much more enjoyable.
Now, I have eaten a fair amount of a Rose Turkish delight in my life (I’m a fan of this sweet little inexpensive delicacy) and even tho I can see the parallel with this lovely perfume, the perfume smells much better and not nearly as sweet (at least on me).
Actually, after two hours of wearing, I get a lovely, powdery makeup kind of scent that remains on me the whole time. The smell is oh, so pretty.
P.S. Yesterday I came back home after 10 hours and not only did it last on me (two little sprays) the whole time but the room I sprayed it in welcomed me home with its beautiful aroma. I can still smell it today. Wow!
bspspb – :
So strong on honey and almond that it seems like a strong note of chocolate. Thats how my nose gets it.
By longevity and sillage amazing perfume. For me too strong, drown in honey.
Can not wear it.
vittorio – :
This smell just like creamy lotions.
100% femenine.
chekanow – :
Sorry to say this was horrible… Simple almond shampoo, straight from the hairdresser’s. Not a perfume at all. Very longlasting but annoying… I got it because i loved louve by lutens, but there’s no comparison…
LeoXXL – :
After the initial sweet powder cloud, so thick it was choking, settled down to a dull roar, the rose/almond duo became clear. The very definition of cloying.
tot006 – :
First, almond.
In a very clean, sharp and private way!
Cold.
Then vanilla.
Sweet vanilla. Very sweet, but still clean.
Warm.
Almost hot.
Then both, embrace of sharpness almondy bitterness with warm vanilla sweet predication.
Quite a teaser.
Stays on skin for few hours, longer on clothes.
сега – :
Just received this, after eager anticipation.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about it at first, as this juice is STRONG, but I must say it, it’s quite growing on me after having worn it a few times.
Sweet Oriental Dream is a SUPER gourmand on steroids -think walking into a high end pastry shop somewhere in a beautiful European village, with rich fatty custards, sugar upon sugar, honey and almonds all caramelizing and bubbling away on the stove. The word “sweet” in the name is certainly not misleading – this is extremely sweet!! If I put my nose directly to my skin after spraying this, I feel a little nauseated. But getting wafts of it in the air, this fragrance is absolutely wonderful. It’s kind of like looking at the sun – if you look directly at it, it hurts, but if you enjoy it from a distance, letting it warm you from afar, it’s very enjoyable.
It opens with a blast of powdery, sugary, honey drenched almonds floating in sugared roses. There are only 4 notes, and for the first time in my fragrance enjoying 7 years, I must say I can actually pick out each of the 4 notes, which is quite neat. This is HEAVY on the honey, HEAVY on the powder, and HEAVY on the sugar. I can see how some of the other reviewers make the connection to baby power or baby wipes. This doesn’t quite go into baby powder territory for me, but it is indeed quite powdery (from the rose, perhaps??) To my nose, the toasted almonds and roses are there, but they’re in the background, letting the honey and sugar play the star role.
The other reviewers are also very correct – this perfume is quite possibly the strongest perfume I have ever smelled, certainly the strongest I have in my collection to date. One tiny spray is all you need (I wish I could do a half spray!) as this will get you noticed. Longevity is actually insane – this can easily still be smelled after a shower, over 24 hours later. Absolutely not office appropriate, and I can see this being choking in warmer weather. Wear at your own risk and be warned this is a BEAST of a fragrance.
I can’t see myself wearing this on a regular basis, but for a sugary, honey fix – this will fit the bill easily. Will likely bring this out again once winter comes in Canada.
Absolutely not for the faint of heart, and if you don’t like sweet scents, stay far, far away.
Ellka – :
When I first tried this super gourmand I could only stretch to a like. I have to say it has grown on me. Its a beast indeed! Phenomenal longevity.
You have to let it settle and apply with a light hand or you could be put off at the first hurdle. It is an intense sweet dessert affair.
Almond is king here and backed up with lots of honey and vanilla. Its more like a custard slice with a heavy dose of almonds. There is a touch of rose but certainly not enough to start talking about Turkish delight.
I could only see myself wearing this at night and in cool conditions because its that strong. The longer its on the more I warm to it. If you have a sweet tooth then this is a must have.
fjy344speagoessenda – :
Incredible Edible. I don’t like gourmands. I take that back. I like this one. No, I LOVE this one. From a tiny sample, I am completely hooked. It’s a sillage bomb, it’s longevity is phenomenal. It’s individual, it’s a stand alone winner with no competition. Notes: Vanilla, Heliotrope, Almond, Red Roses, Fresh moist tobacco leaves, Honey, Sugar, Cocoa, Baby Powder, Birds custard powder, a hint of CLEAN lady musky pants. Frills, silk satin, burlesque, attitude, dusty button studded chaise draped with fragranced feather boas. It’s a boudoir dream. Full bottle at my earliest opportunity.
dengn – :
This is the first Montale I’ve tried that I’ve really liked, and it’s little wonder, since I can only confirm what so many people have already said: this really is almost a dupe of Loukhoum! Essentially it’s the same cloud of Turkish Delight goodness that can be overpowering when encountered at the wrong moment, but quite wonderful when applied lightly on a cold day. This one might be slightly less powdery and even more straighforwardly sweet, but I don’t think I could tell them apart in a blind test, so if my decants of both of them ever run out, the price difference will make this the obvious candidate for a full bottle purchase.
megawara.net – :
Sweet Oriental Dream could be summarized in three words: SWEET, POWDERY and FEMININE.
You actually get lots and lots of honey and vanilla with the almond sustaing the composition and giving it a nutty creaminess. The honey in this is sugary and has a caramelized nuance.
The fragrance is linear so what you get in the first 5 minutes is what you will get for the next day, as this is a bomb in terms of performance.
v0van001 – :
Starts out baby powder, then turns into a semi sweet burnt honey accord. I dislike the baby powder. It would have been a brilliant gourmand without reminding me of changing diapers.
gekk – :
So, so sweet – and its Montale, so super strong. I wish it was a bit more almond and a bit less sweet, but found that if I’m lighthanded with it and layer it over my LaVanila Pure Vanilla, its smooths out to a scent I like much better. (I’ve been in love with LaVanila’s signature for years, and find jt very useful for layering complementary scents.)
Very linear. Every time I’ve worn this on its own it was the same cloying sweetness for 10+ hours
IcefeDizeDece – :
So very sweet! I am praying that this calms down (or blends better for me) in the winter. Right now I have my A/C set on 70F and this fragrance is cloyingly sweet. I oh so want the delicious honey to come out more than “sweet”. Mmmmmmm……I cannot wait!
ooozzzjjjccc – :
Straight up burnt honey.
ruskas – :
I swear I smell chocolate. I know it isn’t listed but the notes in this on my skin create an incredible chocolate accord.
Got a small sample and am wearing it today. Sweet it is, if you don’t like sweet steer clear, and it lasts. It’s quite linear but I expect that from Montale and I am not someone who demands my perfumes evolve. If I like the scent then I like the scent and I’m happy to stick with it. This one is lovely, not as in your face as some Montales though overspray could be a real issue if you are to trigger happy. Go easy on this one to enjoy it better.
I get a lovely natural honey, complete with pollen, some musky nut in the background and a hint of vanilla. Sometimes the honey is forefront and on some breathes I’ll swear I’m smelling a milky/dusky chocolate. Then it’s back to honey/nut. I’m really enjoying this on a cool rainy summer day.
sesoroff.ser – :
It reminds me of a hypothetical “Habanita light”, or a honey-drenched tobacco-less Back to Black by Kilian. Intoxicating. Fantastic. Love.
saqo125 – :
I have sampled quite a few Montale frags now and I have to believe that this is not the house for me.. I have not liked a single one yet.
This one is very much a rose, dipped in a strong honey. Not for me.
snake19a – :
This is juuuust beautiful. Strong, thick and the sillage is a monster! Really powdery on me, sweet, but not cloying. Yummy. 🙂
GeateIdewaype – :
on amber clouds of luscious honey dripping with fragrant almond liqueur, i traveled over a dense agar-wood forest…
over fields of delectable vanilla beans capturing all their sweetness…only to land in the lap of soft rose petals…
ahhh!…and then to discover that the clouds had turned into wings…my wings…nectarous and ethereal…
i’m in a sweet oriental dream…oh so sweet…
please don’t wake me up!!
bisyk – :
I’ve had this one for a while. It was love at first smell! I was on a quest for the ultimate almond perfume when I found this. Wow! Beyond intense almond heaven. Sweet, rich almond Shangri La! The gold standard almond frag IMO. Sillage that will linger long after you’ve left. Longevity that rivals Methuselah! You get a lot of bang for your buck!10/10 all the way!
SFAT – :
Very sweet, very very very sweet. One can not simply describe this perfume’s sweetness! It starts with vanillic almond and as time passes by it just gets stronger and stronger, so be warned you are dealing with a beast.
Project and longevity lesson: I put it on, went out, projects like a beast, 3 feet a head of me, 6 hours later came back and showered, put on oud wood (directly on the points I had applied this one before). 24 hours after that Oud wood is completely gone and this one can be smelled close to skin!
yarik-86 – :
I would not waste 80 euros buying this blind, please anyone thinking about getting it, get a sample, as it’s horrible, headache inducing joss sticks (cheap ones, if that makes a different) mixed with stale marzipan and elnett hairspray.
akkardionn – :
I love this perfume,,,,
rekiyanrekiyan – :
No doubt: it’s good and the quality is worthy of Montale. I detect all the ingredients listed except rose. Great impact to my nose, but this is not the smell I want over my body. I prefer BTB by Kilian and L’Artisan’s TDB.
Katerinka-K – :
Not as horrifying as it sounds coming from one of the least subtle houses in perfumery. The honey is there, but it’s dialed back, blended with scorched maltol, and the whole thing’s cut with Montale’s signature condom note (a rubbery saffron) that actually launches the scent into a more intriguing space. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still best suited for folks who choose to smell like donuts of their own cognizance, but given the brand and the name of the perfume, it’s not nearly as gag-inducing as you might think. Well-shaped, somewhat polite, and not a total cliche—which is quite impressive for Montale. Would I wear it? Of course not. Is it as bad as it could have been? Not really.
klimaserj – :
I have a love/hate relationship with this one. On me this smells like a concoction of baby powder, vanilla, general sweetness, with tobacco smoke and a hint of almond. I don’t smell any flowers. It’s quite interesting and doesn’t smell like anything else I’ve come across. Just not sure it’s a good thing.
dvOOps – :
Such a pretty smell! I have put it on my wrists and walked out into the snow and it was such a ying/yang of elements: the crispy zest of the snow and the mellow sweetness of the perfume..
I smell honey, rose, almonds, and vanilla – all as promised in the description.
rthbkkeirf – :
Better suited for a lady than a guy. It’s not as gourmand on my skin. The honey/almond is present with a light vanilla base. After 4 hours I have to sniff my wrist to smell it which is a pity based on other Montale scents. Performance is average but I do like the scent, just not on me.
Taipleree – :
Délicieux!
The lovely almonds are covered with sweet, sweet honey and there are roses but they are dusted with vanilla sugar.
I adore Sweet Oriental Dreams because for some reasons the combination of notes reminds me a little bit of cherry pipe tobacco!
This scent is powdery but not too much for me. I can sense a little of the plastic notes at the beginning but that subdues quickly enough. Out of my “Turkish Delights” samples, this one was my favorite because of the soft tobacco accord.
It is very heavy and dramatic scent as expected by my experiences with Montale.
This is a must test for gourmand lovers, surely they will love this in their collection!
The sillage was a beast and the longevity was about 9 hours (2ml sprayer)! I need a bigger decant of this asap!
123vam – :
In the field of ‘Turkish Delight/Rahat Loukhoum’ fragrances, S.O.D. is the black sheep of the flock. In typical Montale style, it takes a concept and turns it up to eleven.
Eleven thousand.
This is the bad boy of turkish delights. Dark, greasy, poisonously sweet, and not nearly as powdery or soft as one might expect from the notes alone. The opening is teeth-achingly sweet, dark richness, all burnt sugar, rose, bitter almond and acidic oud. After 3-4 hours or so you start to move into the drydown where it takes on a strange, almost unsettling chemical greasy-sweetness, with a dash of vanilla smoke. I’ve noticed a lot of people find this note very artificial, but for what it is worth – I actually grow a species of orchid that has blooms that smell exactly like the drydown on S.O.D. Prosthechea radiata if anyone’s interested.
The hot, sweet, almondy latex drydown lasts for another 8 hours or so, before finally bowing out with a last gasp of ragged, smokey vanilla. I adore this frag and truly find it unisex, but in this case ‘unisex’ does not mean ‘safe’. Definitely try before you buy and perhaps avoid wearing this in warm, enclosed spaces. You may accidentally knock someone out.
Longevity is predictably eternal. Getting this on anything other than your skin is a bad idea – you’ll most likely be catching whiffs of it for months to come. Projection/sillage is just as nuclear as most Montale offerings, not office safe, heck, probably not even warm weather safe. Outrageous, delicious, nasty and hot. Enjoy responsibly.
Unurgytut – :
Wonder if I got a bad sample. I see some reviews talking about tobacco? Where? At what point? Ill I get is a sweet, powdery, and creamy honey. And one I dont care for either. Linear as well. Although they dont smell the same at all, id think if you want something resembling a honey, with some powder kinda scent(and tobacco if its actually there which some people say it is)I would just get By Kilians Back to Black. Not even close. For what its worth it lasts long and projects well like a lot of montales. But again I myself dont think it smells very good, and it gets sickening smelling like it for hours upon hours. A deff pass for me.
JOKER – :
Great perfume, but too much of roses (which I dislike)
коци – :
Could I be able to resist a man who smells like this? Nope, I guess..
AgentDeath – :
I’m just doing a side-by-side comparison of this perfume and Keiko Mecheri Loukhoum Eau Poudree.
These two are extremely similar!
Both being absolutely scrumptious, intensely sweet gourmands with excellent sillage and longevity.
Both versions are gorgeous concoctions of sugary rose, almonds and vanilla.
They just slightly differ from each other. To me Loukhoum Eau Poudree is slightly less sweet due to the addition of violet leaf I think, whereas Sweet Oriental Dream is slightly sweeter due to the honey.
The difference between the two is minimal as I can only tell the difference by doing this side-by-side comparison.
”Must Check Outs” for every gourmand lover!!
♥♥♥♥♥
xxxchats – :
Unbelievably yummy, delicious, enticing. Enormous longevity and sillage. Honey, almonds, trays of baklava, turkish delight, syrup, roses- it’s all in the bottle. Smells like fancy pastry shop downtown Istanbul.
marty17 – :
I blind bought this, and I have no regrets. It grows on me each time I wear it. This is very sweet, but I have taken the advice of several writers and what I do (so I don’t go into “sugar shock”) is to spray it right in front of myself (not directly on myself), and then walk into the mist. Absolutely no more than two sprays, at most! Just one spray does the job for me, and I can still smell it through the course of the day. If I walk into the perfume mist, it is less apt to make me (and others around me) sneeze! This one needs time to relax into to the warmth of your skin; I found that after about four hours was when it really made me think of Guerlain’s Tonka Imperiale and how I wished that the Guerlain would smell like this on me; a delicious buttery soft honey almond vanilla human skin warmth (with just a wee tiny bit of salt, like salt from your skin) scent. I’ve tried Tonka Imperiale and while I really liked it, I did not purchase it because my skin ate it; Tonka was very faint after I dabbed some on and it completely disappeared about an hour after I applied it. SOD on the other hand will stay with you all day. This is very nice for winter; a lift for your spirits on bitter cold days.
PS: Thank you , Estebanz 😉
414 – :
This is one strange perfume. In fact, it should be renamed Strange Oriental Dream. That would honestly be more fitting, considering the texture (powder/oil), and its out of whack behaviour.
I can’t smell individual notes in this perfume. The scent reminds me of pink clouds. Montale has some pink bottles and they ought to put this scent in one.
To me, SOD (heehee) smells more pasty than powdery, almost like a roux (flour+water, used for cooking sauces). Yet it is physically very oily, to the point that I can’t stand how oily it is.
How is it behaving? Well, it appeared to have leaked from the decant when I opened my package of samples, there was oil all over them. So, using my cheap little decanting kit I bought from Surrender To Chance, I carefully switched it into another decant, put it into a small box with fewer samples. When I opened the box – there was oil all over those!
What else? It’s so strong! Normally I don’t complain about strength because I like powerful perfumes, but I felt unsettled while wearing it, to the point where my neck was swinging around all the time with the “what is that smell?” reflex. All the physical movement of looking over my shoulder in fact had the effect of making me feel nervous.
To me, SOD (heehee) does *not* mix well with other smells. I had to stop peeling a tangerine and leave the room entirely. I felt sick and held my breath cleaning off the car when I could smell exhaust and SOD mingling around me. I’m never usually so irritated (emotionally, not physically) by perfumes.
And finally, it showed up in my dreams! It will NOT be ignored! I was in a dorm at University, and in the common room there was a fair set up with all kinds of vendors. There was a huge vat of SOD for sale for $25. And I really wanted it! It was a good dream, there were many handsome men at this dream University.
I don’t know what else to say. I’ve had to throw out my sample. But I will never forget this perfume.
Update: Oh. My. God. I just read the review below mine. Exact same experience with the nervousness and the fear!!!!
ROMKAsSIBA – :
Sorry to say that, but SOD is totally not my cup of tea.
The opening has almost knocked me down. Plasticky, oily sweetness that reminds me of rahat-loukhoum dipped in gasoline; honestly, this is something you don’t want to wear. Well, at least I don’t. It becomes a bit smoother over time, but still reminds of floor polish with its chemical undertone.
In my opinion, mixing bitter-sweet almonds with waxy honey and raw tobacco was a bad, bad idea. Or the execution failed.I don’t get any rose in it, and there’s stale vaniline instead od vanilla. I simply don’t understand this fragrance. I cannot find anything appealing in it (and mind you, I don’t expect all perfumes to be nice’n’pretty). Sweet Oriental Dream is crude, weird in a bad way, it gets on my nerves and makes me feel nauseous. I cannot even say I am disappointed with this one; I am pretty much scared by it. It should be called Sweet Oriental Nightmare.
yuriy61182 – :
The first seconds of the opening are pure honey and vanilla, very sweet. When I was about to rush and wash off this perfume, the rose appeared and it made a big difference.
The sweetness is present all the time but the rose is like a breeze of fresh air in the middle of a hot summer day.
While I could detect each single note, at one point they all blend together creating one single scent, similar to a praline dessert.
Many of Montale’s fragrances are overly sweet and cloying, but Sweet Oriental Dream is fabulous, sillage is moderate to soft (unless you spray more than you should).
Kylinskiy – :
My boyfriend absolutely loves Sweet Oriental Dream on me. He recently made a comment that I smell of a sexy baklava and that I make him both horny and hungry similtaneously, apparently this is a novel feat for him.
I typically do not love sweet gourmand fragrances (with exceptions) but I find SOD really beautiful and incredibly different from most.
victor-ilicbaev – :
Very nice. Another powdery-sweet loukhoum scent that is a little bit more grown-up and less approachable than Keiko Mecheri’s Loukhoum. I prefer the Keiko Mecheri though (it lasts longer and is more full-bodied).
melkon – :
it is super sweet ant strong as TM Angel. Reminds me of babypowder. Smells like powdery honey with almonds. Anywhay it gives me headache.
SoiL111999 – :
This is wonderfully delicious! I adore the scent of Loukhoum and this is as delectable as that Turkish delight gets. A mouthwatering combination of almond, vanilla, honey and sugar with lovely hints of rose in the background. I was taken with this fragrance from first sniff … sweet, luscious and nutty. If you like Keiko Mecheri Loukhoum (like I do), they’re very similar but Montale Sweet Oriental Dream is even creamier on the skin.
uil076Negeltzex – :
As my profile states, I’m wearing this today, but really I think it’s wearing me!
I had to acquire a sample of this because it sounded so different and intriguing, but I knew it wouldn’t suit me so if you generally tend not to go for perfumes that are heavy on sweet vanilla and tobacco it wouldn’t be something you’d love. Though the notes do seem very authentic and high quality
It is an interesting experience though! I first get super strength baby lotion, not baby powder, but baby lotion because it has an oily quality. There’s a tiny heart of gelatinous rose and pistachio scented Turkish Delight, then as it dries down sweet pipe tobacco drenched in baby lotion dominates for me, it does get drier and drier though, until vanilla tobacco is the dominant note. This seems to me a high quality vanilla note – very like vanilla pods in a jar of sugar, with that coffee-like note of vanilla pod). Almond essence is always there – if you were to stick your nose over an open packet of tobacco(preferably pipe tobacco)a bottle of almond essence and a vanilla pod, you’re halfway there to this fragrance.
Oddly enough I find this unfeminine, I’m reminded of oldy-worldy gentlemen from my past who are no longer here – uncles who smoked pipe tobacco, a rare event these days. But of course it’s all subjective and down to personal taste, and how it works on you. Someone mentioned marzipan which sadly I’m not getting on my skin, if I did I’d like it more as I love marzipan!
I might experiment with this and some rose oil essences to see if it does more for me. I recently discovered that a touch of rose otto with Bulgari Black smells amazing!
Edit a few days later: still don’t love it on me, but my Mum tried it, and on her, these flowery notes of rose and almost violet come out, and it’s a more whispy tobacco, really nice! Def’ depends on your skin, and that says a lot about the good quality ingredients in this.
torrent_link – :
The first blast of almond/honey and rose combo is simply shocking and very beautiful. The scent I’m getting is powdery rose with the ultimate sweetness of almond, I do love how honey, which I am not usually friendly with, in “Sweet oriental dream” is not too foody and so distinct. It just helps the whole bouquet to stand out.
After the first blast a wonderful vanilla appears and this actually gets a bit too foody and gourmand for me, but I bet may people would love this.
Even though this is a nice scent, I don’t think I could wear it, it’s extremely sweet and might cause a headache and here as in many rose + almond fragrances I get the “old lipstick” note which is unfortunately not bearable by me.
Loneliness Curbstone – :
Hmmm…. I’m not sure this is MY sweet oriental dream, but might be someone else’s. It’s really a gorgeous, soft, feminine scent, however the initial blast of powder is a bit of a turn off for me. Luckily, it never manages to get to Guerlain status with the powdery notes, but it’s still more than I am usually comfortable with. The rose is quite prominent, and I can’t say it’s a rose I particularly like (not surprising since I am very finicky with rose scents).That being said, I still think it’s a lovely scent, but I wouldn’t buy a bottle. I do appreciate the marzipan vibe, and I’ve noticed that it gets sweeter and more gourmand as it sits on my skin but it never reaches that deep, rich, sweet, seductive level that I look for in an oriental. I like full fat, rich orientals like Hypnotic Poison eau Sensuelle, and rich, sexy gourmands, so for me this one just wasn’t exactly my cup of tea. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a beautiful scent, just not something I can see myself wearing too often. I might try it again later and see if anything changes. Btw, this perfume is STRONG, which is great. A little goes a long way. Sillage is moderate to long lasting (actually, just right!) and longevity is amazing!!!
EDIT- I think that as it sits on my skin, the rose is fading and the marzipan (well, almond, but sweet like marzipan) is coming out more which makes me think maaaaybe I could kinda like this one more than I originally thought. Not a super fan of the opening notes though or the powder throughout all the stages 🙁
inkmen – :
I was very surprised to see that there was no Tonka in this. It smells very similar to Guerlain’s Tonka Imperial. I would say that I favor the Guerlain, but this Montale has quite the longevity and about half the price.
loverozza – :
Very sweet and gourmand oriental fragrance!
This fragrance smells yummy Turkish delight warmed and sweetened by the honey note mixed with the tasty almond note and beautified by the rose of France and Centifolia rose notes. Delicious!
I really like roses in this fragrance. I wish they were more intensive. Actually, they are intensive enough, but they smell more like in Turkish delight. The other notes hide their beauty a little bit. As for me, I feel more roses smelling this fragrance right from the bottle than on the skin.
Because of the almond, honey and a little bit rose notes this fragrance reminds me a Louve by Serge Lutens. Only if Louve smells more like a liqueur, Sweet Oriental Dream smells powdery enough.<