Red Aoud (Montale)

By Dane

I know I said I wasn't going to go crazy and review all the Montale line, because frankly, they mostly smell the same. Red Aoud, however, stands out as something much more unique.

The list of notes for RA are clearly misleading. If you've read any other reviews or smelled it yourself, you know what I'm talking about - chocolate. I'm not sure if Montale forgot to include it, or perhaps the combination of certain notes leads to the perception of chocolate, but there's no doubt that it's the first thing you smell.

Now, I'm not a foody/gourmande kinda guy. I can appreciate the nuance chocolate can add to certain compositions like Angel and Borneo, but with the medicinal strangeness that is aoud? I was skeptical. Upon first testing, I assumed I was right - who would want to smell like this? But as time went on, that wasn't even a question anymore - I would! RA manages to sneak a typically food-associated note in with it's signature aoud/vanilla/sandalwood accord, and the combination somehow just works. I can't really explain why, but for all those who, like me, could not bear some of Montale's rose-heavy scents, Red Aoud might just be your cup of tea.

Perfumer: Pierre Montale
Notes: Aoud, Red Pepper, Saffron, Cumin, Orris, Vetiver, Sandalwood

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