Mysterious Oud

Update: the below review still stands, but a newer decant of Mysterious Oud that I got shows slight changes. The opening is still that majestic, powerful, slightly fermented Oud/orange/castoreum/resins smell, but projection takes nosedive after 30 minutes and it becomes a noticeable skin scent. I know that using naturals can reduce staying power, so that’s always a consideration, but it seems like an earlier iteration of Mysterious Oud I had stayed strong longer into the drydown. And due to that double edged sword called scent association, in the newer drydown all I can smell is Chap Stik, the original black label one. I love Bortnikoff and this is still a great creation and good introduction to real Oud. Dense oud, resins, animalics, spices and deep fruit. The initial blast of oud is pungent and magnificent and reminds me of primeval jungle. The intensity of the oud mellows out after 5-10 minutes and I get sweet, deep resins - opoponax, myrrh, tolu balm and amber blended with the cinnamon, cloves and orange. Castoreum is definitely noticeable, but very well blended so it just underpins the resinous and spicy notes. The florals are there, but not prominent. I really like this one. It's the darker, denser cousin of Oud Maximus. (On a side note - something about this one reminded me of Amouage Jubilation XXV. I cross checked notes and Jubilation and MO share no fewer than 9. I'd say Mysterious Oud and Jubilation XXV are in the same category, with MO upping the animalics, oud and overall strength.)

Mysterious Oud from Bortnikoff. By far, my favorite offering from this house. For me, the house was a miss for the most part. None stood out the way Mysterious Oud did. I first tried this perfume when Dmitry was launching his line. However, back then I couldn't appreciate its boldness. Funny enough, it was the one to last the most from the original trio, yet by the time I made the courage to purchase a bottle, it barely sold out, and then it got changed. To my nose, it got reformulated, and after comparing, the OG is more dense, base-heavy, and Oud-dominant. It has more oomph to it. The subsequent light-colored wooden cap and the Roja-style cap bottles feel more sheer, less Oudy, almost Cedarish, and a touch more ambery/spicy. More tailored for the Western palate, let's say. Still, very similar in DNA. This perfume is a gorgeous melange of warm spices, lots of natural Ouds mixed in the base, sweet and gooey resins, and a beautiful leathery, chewy castoreum. The overall effect is of an oud perfume, supported by the warmth of the spices and resins, with a bit of a dirty touch from the beaver. Rather simple but very well done and unique smelling. I can't compare this to anything on the market. It shines in cold weather, even though I wear it all year round if I feel like it. In the cold, all the warmth surfaces to envelope you into a most satisfying aura. In my books, this is the best offering from the house. IG:@memory.of.scents

A very Oud centered Oriental chypre which is the signature presentation of the Bortnikoff line. This is clearly a perfume only for the most initiated since it has distinct animalic and gourmand notes with only slight florals added to a strong base of Laotian Oud. The perfume opens briefly with notes of orange, lime, cardamom and amber before proceeding to a brief heart of a prominent castoreum surrounded by aromatic notes of pepper, cinnamon, tonka bean, rose, jasmine, nutmeg, cloves and myrrh. The perfume quickly settles into its dense base of real strong Cambodian Oud, surrounded by slight hints of tolu balsam, vanilla, labdanum, sandalwood, opoponax, lotus and cedar. The perfume is nicely blended, leans masculine and has a pronounced sillage, projection and longevity. It also opens a bit edgy with the barnyardish Cambodian Oud and castoreum coming out very soon but it settles into powdery woody Oriental bliss quickly as well. Recommended for those really into bold Orientals, others prepare to be horrified. Enjoy!

In the opening the orange really popped on my skin. It was peppery and the cardamom was pretty prominent. Really enjoyed the juicy orange. I started picking up myrrh, which was surprising so early on in the wear. I got a light touch of watery pink rose and a more substantial note of jasmine. There was a bit of fruitiness, which I’m guessing was the Thai Oud. I think I was picking up a little medicinal floral note from the lotus. The Vietnamese Oud became the main attraction for a good while...nice and resinous. The tonka and vanilla started to show up as the Viet Oud was trading places with the Hindi Oud. For a while it smelled a lot like L’Heure Exquise (which I love). Finally, the Hindi Oud took over with the castoreum and labdanum forming a nice and sweet, leathery, amber finish. The complexity and Oudiness was really impressive and I would love to have a bottle of this one.

On my skin the Mysterious Oud has the main accord of Oud and Castoreum in the front and center. The Oud from this one is quite heavy and earthy, not barnyard or medicinal/bandaid. Dry down to a sweet Tonka. This could be a very polarizing and challenging scent to some people, but I absolutely love it. Decent longevity of about 6 to 7hr on my skin, projection and sillage is decent in the first two hours, but don't expect beast mode from these natural ingredients. This is a must-have for Oud addicts. Update on 7/1/20: I love this one so much I've gone and ordered two more bottles as a backup before it got discontinued and went extinct. Most definitely my favorite from this house, hands down.