Oud Maharaji

HAH I love Roge's review, as usual. Having been very torn about swapping this one or not, I want to leave my impressions. Starts off with a big, sort of caramel/cinnamon burst, probably licorice I'm getting and DEFINITELY lots of cinnamon-derived note ingredients (just read the back of the box, lol!). It's quite different from anything I remember smelling before. The oud here also seems different; woody but just hinting at the edge of having a bite to it, paired with the tobacco note. I agree it is more feminine than masculine. I actually get a good bit of vanilla, and the note I couldn't place before I saw the note period is fenugreek. I guess this is the maple tone (that I'm getting as caramel) in here, and I couldn't place where I smelled it before until I looked up other scents with it: Annick Goutal Sables is the only other I know with the fenugreek and cinnamon combo. Over very woody, warm sweet spicy overtones, and quite smooth unless you stick your nose RIGHT in it. If I show restraint upon first spraying and let it actually drydown before inhaling deeply (I knoooow, be patient, let it bloom and don't scorch your nose, haha) I also get a beautiful, sweet greenish note I can't place, almost a green apple tinge to it? Sweet, cooling, fresh. It took about 4 wearings to smell this but now it's just gorgeous to me. What is that?? Nothing like that seems listed in the notes, and it's not bitter or licorice-like as artemisia should be (though yes maybe a touch herbal green). Comments on this from my non-perfumey friends have ranged from "mm, caramel!" to "wow, that is...really weird." Me? I love the opening, just very interesting, warm, and woody sweet spicy. It's the powdery note the sandalwood and tobacco take on on my skin (usually around 4 hours) that makes me go 'mehhhh' about it at that point, though the creamy vanilla/patch mix the later hours take on too almost makes up for it. Worth a test by spicy/woody scent lovers. Sillage is moderate to good, longevity is great on me. [7/2017]

The only reason this is considered unisex is because of the word oud. This comfortably leans towards the high heel side of things. When you fail to renew your fenugreek license, there's a chance you may forget what it smells like such as i did. Oud Maharaji did me no favors in the fenugreek recognition department due to the balsam bomb presented here. In all its perfumy-ness, there's never a time where the patchouli and/or the vanilla takes charge. Lower your morphing expectations for this is one big smell leading with a licorice tobacco combo and ending with something you would experience in the middle-aged section of JCPenny's. Everything regarding the note listing suggest that I should be in someone's establishment showcasing this fragrance. As a man, it's a challenge just to wear it around the house.

Licorice, tobacco, anise, and vanilla blend. I don't detect fenugreek! Fenugreek is already a disgusting essence but an amazing benifitial spice. I believe the sandalwood is the main boss here, then comes the vanilla tobacco licorice, and anise. After 10 minutes the blends turns quite sweet, milky sweet with doses of licorice and vanilla. I don't see this as an oud fragrance! So far of course. And it reminds me a bit of "Rituale" by Mendittorosa.