Ouddiction

I bought this, blind, because I fancied another leathery fragrance (one I could wear fairly often, at least in the cooler seasons, without smelling like lemony furniture polish) and anyway I was in the market for a Middle Eastern oud fragrance that wouldn't smell too extreme for my Western nose or for Western noses around me. This fragrance in particular interested me because I like old-skool gentlemanly fougères and so on, many of which share many notes and accords with Ouddiction here. I like how well Versace Oud Noir puts oud into a Western context without butchering the oud, but the Versace's performance (longevity) is nothing special on my skin, so I thought that this one seemed a promising alternative, especially since I was able to get it for less money--plus Afnan get so much love. The Western-leaning presentation (8.5-9/10--would be a 10 from me but for a slight leak at the neck of the bottle) also told me that this scent ought to work for me. The comparisons to Tom Ford's Oud Wood--I don't know Thameen Carved Oud--couldn't hurt either. Not that I've smelt Oud Wood many times, but this one doesn't remind me of it all that much. It is at least typologically similar, however, in the classiness of its approach. It's lovely in its own right anyway. I wouldn't say it's leathery exactly but then I wouldn't say it's particularly non-leathery either. It's perhaps reminiscent, as others have suggested, of a European showroom full of both leather and wooden furniture--or probably furniture *combining* wood and leather, since the notes and accords here come together so nicely. The oud is the star here and to me it definitely smells deeply, resinously woody--the cedar is probably playing a big part in the effect too--but the complexity of the surrounding composition beautifully tames and kind of smoothes off the oud without obscuring its identity. There is something ever so slightly creamy about the oud itself or the overall presentation of it (probably the sandalwood, at least in part), and something very slightly dirty or animalic. I like that. There's a reasonable amount of powder too, which to me smells quite sophisticated. There's also a fair bit of herbaceousness or green earthiness--mostly, I think, from the patchouli. Mainly, though, there's a beautiful, phenolic, asphalt-like, semi-medicinal oud that's happy enough to make its presence felt without necessarily killing all of the witnesses. I suppose the overall experience is a little like sitting in one of those lovely old Chesterfield-style maroon or burgundy leather scroll armchairs while, quite possibly, smoking a hand-rolled Havana cigar (not that the tonka or tobacco here is prominent) and, definitely, drinking a quality single malt Scotch whisky (probably something quite peaty/smoky, from Islay--think Laphroaig, Lagavulin 16, or Talisker) that's had a half hour to open up in the glass and has taken on a kind of leathery, creamy, and perhaps almond-tinged aroma familiar to many lovers of Scotch. The sensation is also somehow cool, though, and it's restrained and, yes, sophisticated. I wouldn't mind seeing an open fire a few feet in front of the armchair but as yet I don't get that much of a burnt- or burning-wood aspect from the oud. (Oud often smells more like asphalt or Creosote to me than like burnt or burning wood.) Perhaps that will change over a few weeks or months. Suffice it to say that Ouddiction very much leans masculine. Is this fragrance exceptional? I don't know. It's not looking to extort attention especially. The performance is good, though not spectacular, but the oud doesn't quit. I feel that it ensures that this is not just a generic leathery (or woody) fragrance either, whether Western or Eastern. Edit: 15-16 hours later, I can still clearly smell the oud in this when I move. I would say that at this point the oud or something hanging on around it has an occasional slightly sweaty aspect, which is interesting to me since the medicinal aspect of the oud also seems mostly to cut through that. I think that for my purposes Afnan will probably turn out to have picked the right name for this fragrance. Edit: maybe this will become smoother with time, but for now I find it a little angular and--well--oud-centric. There isn't a whole lot else there to soften the oud. It's like wearing the colour brown. This is great for layering though.

Same DNA as Tom Ford Oud Wood and others (Al Haramain Platinum Oud, Alhambra Woody Oudh etc.) however out of all these different variants of this DNA, Adnan Ouddiction is by FAR my favourite. One of the only perfumes that have ever grabbed my attention the way it has, I had 1 spray of this on a paper tester strip which I brought home and kept smelling it over and over for 3 WHOLE days, and even after 3 days it had faint notes still there. The scent opens very Oudy in the sense that it's how you'd expect Oud to be which is slightly dirty/animalic but pleasant and woody, then after a few seconds all the other spices and herbs pull through together with the oudh like cardamom (being the main one you can smell). 3 main notes are: woody, aromatic, leather. Longevity is easily 12h+ on skin and days and days on clothes. Scent: 10/10 Projection: 10/10 Longevity: 10/10

@ShadowTyrant It lasts. It projects. And no, as you realise, this one probably hasn't been reformulated. It's new. IMO longer reviews (or "reviews"), within reason, can be worth reading if you want to avoid unsuccessful blind buying, especially with little-known fragrances. Anyway we're reviewing fragrances here, not bus routes 😬. Have fun anyhow 👍🏼.

Anyone knows what this is a clone of based on notes? Edit: finally got hold of this and it is stroooong. One spray will last 24hours on skin. Not sure what this is a clone of but smells less sweeter than Lattafa’s Qaa'ed

Ouddiction by Afnan is an absolute niche experience—two words describe it best: smoky leather. The quality is immediately evident: rich, dark and perfectly balanced, with an impressive, almost stunning projection and longevity. It’s not a crowd-pleaser, but true fragrance lovers will instantly recognize its artistry. The presentation is next-level even by Middle Eastern standards: a magnetic leather-look box and a beautifully crafted bottle that exude pure luxury. For niche enthusiasts, this is a must-try masterpiece. Scent: 4/5 Longevity & Projection: 1/1 Presentation: 1/0 Quality/Price Ratio: 2/2 Compliment Factor: 0/1 Uniqueness: 1/1 Overall: 9/10 Office-friendly: No (best for evenings or special occasions) Blind buy: Only if you enjoy bold smoky-leather scents Recommended age: 25+ Occasion: Formal evenings, special occasions, night out Season: Fall, Winter, cool Spring evenings