By Dane
I've been trying my darnedest to find a Montale that I could review positively. Not to say that the Montale collection is bad, but for all the love they get from the boys on Basenotes, I wanted to land on the "perfect" specimen to review.
I love a good oud note (also known as aoud, ud, agarwood, aloeswood, etc.), but found that most compositions focusing on the note either came across as synthetic (YSL M7), overly tame (Tom Ford's Oud Wood), or the polar opposite (case in point - the Montale line). Montale's infamous Black Aoud is enough to strip the paint off the walls, and the combination of thick spices and rose turned me off the line almost immediately (I know, shame!)
Time has past, I persevered, and we arrive at Original Aoud (also known as Original Aouds or Bois de Aoud). A lovely forum pal sent me a sample of this, and I'm smitten. Online retailers list the only advertised note as Cambodian Aoud, and at first, this is quite believable. Nothing really gets in the way of oud's medicinal, raw character. I should disclose that I've never actually smelled the real thing, so technically I guess I'm speaking of my familiarity with the use of oud-accords in perfumery.
After testing AO a few times, I can detect subtle nuances of other notes in the composition (possibly present in oud iteself). The opening is slightly jarring - astringent is the first word that comes to mind. Chemical notes of paint thinner and cleaning agents segue into the heart of the scent where a rich incense accord takes over with dry wood notes...not unlike Amouage's Jubilation XXV. Finally, a soft vanilla lingers on the skin until the scent fades. At this point I've only dabbed from a tiny sample, but I've been told from full-bottle owners that a spray lasts all day.
If you're curious about oud, Original Aoud is a good place to start. Don't let the mistake I made (starting with Black Aoud) scare you off from the wonderful world that is Montale. As a side note - aren't Montale's bottles perfection? Both attractive and protective. Way to one-up Comptoir Sud Pacifique!
Year: 2007
Perfumer: Pierre Montale
Notes: Cambodian Aoud
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Dane, do try Red Aoud. Warm & peppery.
ReplyDeleteI've good things about Red Aoud...also interested in Aoud Lime. I'm not a lime person in general, but it's been described as only a small portion of the scent.
ReplyDeleteRed Aoud: Not for Thomas, at least not the sample I tried - too much like cough syrup.
ReplyDeleteThen again, I don't recall being smitten by anything Aoud, ever.
Interesting...I felt the same way until I tried Original. Not sure why, but it stuck with me.
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