A Tale of Two Ouds

Confession: I'm waiting for the ranks to come out of the woodwork and revoke my perfumista card. Why? For the simple fact that up until recently, I had not had the privilege of sampling an oud-based fragrance. I knew that it was one of the new 'hot' fragrance notes, heard a bit about it via messageboards and the like....

Until about 5 minutes ago, I had no idea what oud was. Let me enlighten you via Wikipedia:

Agarwood or oodh (or just agar) is a dark resinous heartwood that forms in Aquilaria and Gyrinops^[1] trees (large evergreens native to southeast Asia) when they become infected with a type of mold. Prior to infection, the heartwood is relatively light and pale coloured; however, as the infection progresses, the tree produces a dark aromatic resin in response to the attack, which results in a very dense, dark, resin embedded heartwood. The resin embedded wood is commonly called gaharu, jinko, aloeswood, agarwood, or oud (not to be confused with 'Bakhoor') and is valued in many cultures for its distinctive fragrance, and thus is used for incense and perfumes.

Perhaps I had sent some kind of subliminal messaging into the universe, imploring the perfume gods to permit me to sample something with oud in it, because within the span of a couple of weeks, two distinct fragrances fell into my lap. More fortunate I couldn't be.

The first is R'Oud Elements from the House of Kerosene.


Image courtesy of http://www.etsy.com/

Youtube fragrance reviewer Kerosene has decided to translate his love of scents into a series of his own creations. R'oud Elements, the first Kerosene launch, is described by its creator as 'An edp with notes of Oud, Sandalwood, Amber, Vanilla, Lavender, Iris and Orange Bitters. R'oud Elements has a smoldering oud opening that will tingle your nose hairs, then after about twenty minutes, settles down to a velvety oud and lightly spicy woody scent. Masculine and warm'.


From the manner of fragrance blending, to meticulous packaging, (the bottle is painted by Kerosene with automotive grade paint and clearcoat,) execution of the first Kerosene scent is clearly a labour of love.
Not one to shout his accomplishments from the rooftops, Kerosene has decided to quietly spread the word (and generous samples), to let his first creation speak for itself.


First spritz yields a blast of sandalwood to my untrained nose. The orange bitters emerge rather quickly with none of the sharpness of a typical citrus. After approximately 30 minutes, I can detect a distinct church incense note that stirs my senses. Must be the oud. I'd like to say that it's hidden, but it simply rides on the coattails of the vanilla, iris and lavender. The olfactory equivalent of a plush cashmere scarf, this 'masculine' scent is indeed warm, but I daresay, not exclusively for enjoyment by members of the male persuasion.





A very sharp contrast was the second fragrance that I received, via RAOK from the best swapper ever through Makeupalley: Montale's Black Aoud.
According to http://www.luckyscent.com/ Black Aoud's notes incorporate the following : Red rose, aoud, labdanum, and sandalwood.




Image courtesy of http://www.luckyscent.com/


I don't think I've ever had the opportunity to sample a scent that packs this much of a punch. This perfume had saturated the box and packaging that it was shipped in and had made its presence known even before I had opened it.


Upon testing this fragrance, the one resounding impression in my mind was that of darkness. I envisioned a resinous, stalagmite-dripped cave, laden with wet clay and earth. Oud and wilted flowers. The opaqueness of the bottle it is housed in tells its story well. More than a hint of raw sensuality. Wallflowers need not apply. I'd envision this one worn by someone on a mission of seduction. I doubt the intended would have the ability to say no.


I had wondered about this much talked-about, notorious fragrance note and the universe delivered. Two distinctly different scents with the incorporation of oud. Both unlike anything else, but so very different from one another.

If I were to offer some advice to a fellow perfumista who would love to sample an oud fragrance for the first time, (or one who had tried other ouds and found them too brash) my recommendation would lie with R'oud Elements. R'oud would also get a shout out to ladies who love to keep them guessing with a scent that veers towards the masculine.

For those who have no need to tone things down for the sake of their fragrance-adverse office mates, who are on a clear path to astonishment, the Montale would be an alternate choice. It's safe to say that I have never sampled anything that reminds me of either oud selection. Both stand on their own as olfactory masterpieces.