Ottoman Empire IV

Okey. Time to review the for me most wanted for smell fragrance since I got in to perfume a couple a years ago. This has been hyped to the skies from the channels I trust the most on the net. First I want to make clear that I have never smelled any other version and that of the thousands of perfumes I have smelled this OE IV is so great it make make it my top 20. So in with that in mind after hearing all the reviews I already had a picture how this would smell like, but I was wrong. I thought this would be some super posh and elegant, never to heard about scent with only the best materials used. And while the materials part is the true, the blending more give me vibes from how perfumes maybe was made long long (in the ottoman empire) before modern perfumery. The rose is nothing like the fresh one you get in something like Tobacco rose from Papillion or Triad from Bortniokoff. It is the total opposite, an overripe rich, dark, fruity, jammy, decadent, caramelized, dense one. And that rich decadence goes for the oud, amber and the spices as well. This perfume gives the vibe of a witches brew, the witch throwing rose petals and woods in the pot. An iron kettle over open fire where you put all of the best natural ingredients, oud, rose, amber, spices and let it brew slowly, slowly until all that is left is a thick fantastic syrup. It is dark, dense and decadent. And for some reason you left it unattended for a while so the humid, tropical frangipani (or some thing else) got slightly burnt to give of this licorice burned rubber accord to the brew. I really like this, it is thick, it is gluttonous. in a way that make me think of a decadent ottoman ruler planting rose in the fields for his enjoyment instead of food for the people to eat. Compare to other brands, the, thick dense texture reminds me of something like Pineward, but the smell is more in the ballpark of a Prin Lomros rose oud. So till the disappointments. First the small one, After all I heard I had a hope this would be something too good to be true and stand out in quality from all the best Bortnikoffs, Prins and Katana ones I have smelled. It does not. They play in the same league. The second one is about performance, I don ́t care about sillage and projection, so I am quite happy being in fantastic dense scent little bubble. But the longevity.... No matter if I spray on skin on clothes, I sadly need to reapply every 3 hours and that will make my bottle not last so long...

Update: I'm getting a strong, vegetal chili pepper note. I guess it's the piquant note, but it feels a bit out of place. The first 2 Ottoman Empire did not have the vegetal pepper. It's nice to have a fresh green touch in a mostly dark fragrance. It settles in and feels balanced after 10 minutes. Some have said OE 3 was the most rosy, this is not. I have or tried most Bortnikoff ouds. I have War and Peace, Siberian Musk and a few other Areej. This is the most cheesy oud bomb of all. Beautifully strong spiciness: cardomom, nutmeg, chilli pepper, warm cinnamon. Sometimes it feels leathery, as I know leather from other Areej frags. I will mention the florals, but the strong centerpiece is an oud/ oakmoss accord. After 15 minutes, the rose comes in and softens the bombastic assault of the opening. This is almost as wild as War and Peace. It is better fragrance than War and Peace. It has much the same notes, but ads the balance of lighter notes, florals. The chili pepper is a perfect zesty, piquant touch. O E has much less animalics. The tropical frangipani brings in a welcome sweet, floral touch. The saffron is quite present as well. This is not at all a feminine rose dominant fragrance.. I can see a darring woman enjoying this. But you need to put on your big boy pants to to take this in. This is the highest level of exotic artisanal, Oriental fragrance. It makes Bortnikoff seem like a teenager competing against grown men. I may like Siberian Musk and Grandinia slightly more because of favorite notes. This is close to War and Peace in power and magnitude. OE wins out over War Peace, as I don't like the synthetic civet in War Peace. OE is a very beautiful and enjoyable, rich fragrance. This is the best rose/ oud fragrance. Triad by Bortnikoff is #2. - A lighter rose/ oud, that can be worn in warmer weather. Rating: 9.5/10 Happy Easter. John 3:16

Wearing 2 sprays of OE4 to the chest today, not sniffing it up close or being critical and analytic, just wanted to get a better feel of it as daily wear and provide my impression from the scent bubble alone. Projection is good and no problem pushing through an undershirt, it has the right density without being intrusive. The Hindi ouds here is civilized and not fecal or cheesy, minimal barnyard, and certainly nowhere near B&B level of funkiness. Turkish roses while pronounced, but being complimented and balanced out by the frangipani, which is just as pronounced on me. The combination of the two is more of a floral accord than a rose soliflore in the heart of OE4. Furthermore, the vetiver also gives an extra layer of rootiness, a touch of green and earthiness for that additional pillar to support the floral accord, it gives the rose and frangipani a realistic feel, without being too flowery. OE4 is not as rose forward as OE3, or Ghaliyah Hind/Refelection, and most definitely not in the same rosy level as EO's Sultan Red Rose. Spices are minimal, no particular notes that stood out to me, can hardly tell there's pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, or saffron in here, they've been incorporated and weaved into the background seamlessly. Overall, the scent bubble is nice, a bit powdery, grounded, and composed, more classic than vintage. The main theme is the powdery floral accord from the Turkish Rose and Frangipani throughout the wearing in general, The Hindi Oud from the opening is inoffensive and beautiful, it gives OE4 personalities. This is the Beauty without the Beast. It's easy on the nose, easy to wear, and easy to love by most I think. 50ml for $250 it sure is hard as hell to beat. OE4 is the most aesthetically beautiful and least challenging to wear from this collection thus far.

Dusty, but in a weirdly fresh way. Not at all antiquated, but does feel like you found a thousand-year old book in the middle of a jungle or desert oasis. The spices hover vaguely, like the air was seasoned by the environment over time. Arid wood blessed with bright rose stems and petals. It’s subtle-but-surprising sweetness feels ironic, but not out of place. The longevity & sillage leave something to be desired at the price point, but ignoring cost, it’s acceptable. This and Oud Maximus are related, but substantially different. I much prefer OE. A fitting name and an evocative surprise.

My bottle has maserated, and the change for the better is amazing. The oakmoss and red peppers give the roses a green vegetable accord. It is brilliant. The oud is perfectly blended. The roses have become deeper. I agree with r350 review below. The roses have become quite heady, "almost" cloying, but not so.The spices maybe keep that in check for me.