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.

I really enjoy it on some days.. A light spray is plenty enough. To me a lot of designer fragrance wearers will not like this one but for those that love natural perfumes like myself will enjoy it. It is sweet, resinous, animalic and leathery. Lasts overnight and all day easily. The opening is not so great but as it wears down and down throughout the day the oud/castoreum shines.. and it becomes something you can always smell on your own skin even after 8-10 hours you still catch it in the air without having to sniff your arm like a maniac..

Divine, but polarizing. I am in love with this fragrance, it smells of freshly split wood that has started to soften from decomposition. Nutmeg stands out most prominently to me amongst the note list. I have never smelled anything quite like this. It has an addictive quality; when I wear it, I find myself repeatedly going back to wear I sprayed it so I can get another whiff... Zesty, a touch barnyardy, in the best way imaginable, and bright invigorating woods. My partner hates it though, so definitely try before you buy.

I've been wearing Areej le Dore ouds recently. This morning Mysterious Oud with wooden cap. It's a lightweight as far as Oud goes. I predominantly get incense. I would say it's my favorite incense fragrance. It may be my favorite Bortnikoff for Winter. Love the orange and spice reminding me a bit of Terrr de Hermes. Overall very well blended, enjoyable easy wear. Not much oud, but more amber and resinous, woody.

I think scentdoctor is overreacting a tad, but yes, this is very animalic to the point that I have to concentrate to pick up oud specifically. On my skin I just smell this animalic cloud with a sharp, almost chilli-esque, spiciness smouldering on top. It feels fairly linear to me. I like this perfume, but not sure if I could pull it off.

So addictive. Seems I'm able to tell most accords from the Pyramid. But all these accords are merged and intertwined so well. I cannot describe the unified scent as it's so unique and different. I just cannot stop smelling it.

Smells like my girlfriends breath after drinking Fireball cinnamon liqueur while sitting on hay bales behind a horse barn. I bought a full bottle. Big love. 👍

@Workshop your review made my day, haha:))). I hope it doesn't get pulled down. Glorious. And accurate. I do love MO though.

Mysterious is the dark orange oudy persian beaver vagina of heaven. Can’t get enough!

I'm a big fan of Bortnikoff but got quite late into their/his perfumes and unfortunately Mysterious Oud was the eighth I tried, a few weeks after sampling other Bortnis from his newer collections. All of this is to say I wasn't wowed by it but I have no doubts I would have, had I sampled it the first. From my humble imagination, I guess Dima wanted to start his venture into his brand showing all he had in mind and come up with a big thing, something to show his skills, so that his first oud-centered fragrance had to be EVERYTHING at the same time. It is indeed a perfume with MANY ingredients but to my nose lacking the blending magic he's reached later on. It is unique, long lasting, solid and above most of the genre, but I sadly get nose fatigued by the first hour... so many things going on, a bit chaotically, and my main issue: it feels strangely familiar and old school. Be it the strong castoreum, be it the balsam galore, I don't know, but it smells slightly dated to me and too thick. The first 20 minutes are gorgeous, the following 2 hours I become less enthusiastic and the drydown finds me looking for alternatives as I plainly put dislike what I smell. I think this smells like a draft of his best perfume to date: Oud Maximus. In that one Dima reached stardom level with quite the same ideas overall (orange, oud, spices, animalic notes) but done in a way where you get to enjoy a modern mix from start to end, being able to enjoy each stage and ingredient. I hope no one will dismiss sampling it though as I believe it is only a matter of taste and I am sure this would stand as the best Bortnikoff for many, given its strength, longevity and complexity. What for me is a wonderful start for his later achievements, which display subtlety, elegance and seamless blending, might be experienced as watered down juices by others, so there you go.

I think I'll just review Mysterious Oud, Oud Maximus and Lao Oud in one go here as I think all three can be placed on a spectrum. First off, I'm not seeing Mysterious Oud as a lesser brother of Oud Maximus. They do have many similarities but while Oud Maximus is a bit fresher, brighter, softer and creamier, Mysterious Oud is a bit spicier, herbier and more medicinal. Therefore both can stand on their own and I don't think they are necessarily redundant. Though those mentioned differences are not _incredibly_ loud either. So while Mysterious Oud was on the spicier, herbier and more medicinal side of the spectrum, Lao Oud is the exact opposite. It's the most barnyardy and funky of the bunch on the first whiff but at the same time it's also very sweet, chocolatey and boozy, which immediately turns your subsequent impression from barnyardy to some chocolate truffles with orangey, creamy, cognac/rum filling. It's an oddly addicting smell for sure. As mentioned before Oud Maximus fits somewhat between Mysterious Oud and Lao Oud. It's somewhat spicy and herby, yet not as much as Mysterious Oud. So it's softer and creamier but instead of the heavy boozy orange chocolate sweetness of Lao Oud, it's more citrusy and peppery instead. From all those I think Mysterious Oud is the most mature scent. Oud Maximus is pleasantly neutral and probably fits any occasion and weather. Lao Oud is noticeably different however. I don't think it's an offending smell due to it's sweetness and almost edible quality but it's surely unusual. Off all those I think I prefer Oud Maximus because it's fresh enough for hotter days and neutral enough for any occasion and also a good addition to Oud Monarch, which I probably prefer the most out of Bortnikoff's collection so far.

Very high-quality notes here. For me it opens with a strange scent with the citrus' mixed with the Oud and Castoreum. Give it a few minutes and it calms down to a dark leathery oud and a mysterious combination of other notes which gives it the mystery. It's a pleasant earthy/woody fragrance that you have to appreciate in order to enjoy it to the fullest. It's complex and deep, this is probably one to wear around the guys as I imagine girls won't enjoy this as much, but you'll definitely smell unique, and people will wonder what scent you have on.

This is more of a spicy amber than an animalic oud. I was actually hoping for an animalic oud seeing the notes so I am a little disappointed. As far as the smell goes, it reminds me of the Thanksgiving/Christmas holidays in America. Not a bad scent at all, just not what I was expecting.

got a sample of this from luckyscent-- i also ended up buying lao oud from bortnikoff as well. i do find that this has many similarities to lao oud, and i think having both would be redundant. it's like a tamer lao oud. beautiful and delicious-smelling

idk how people don't like this its a spicy orange cinnamon like yeah its not mass appealing but its defiantly a beautiful spice that makes a statement and the performance on this is insane.

One of the most complex in my collection along with Silencethesea from Strangelove. Quality is oustanding but boy ... you better not be a beginner when you put your nose on it !

#136 in my "Tour de Fragrance" and I'll admit up front I am just not an Oud guy. The woody resin reminds me of charred tree sap and the burnt wood smell you get from using a dull circular saw blade to cut through pine 2"x4". It doesn't smell bad per se, but just isn't a smell I find sexy on myself or anyone else. That said, this is the 10th or so Oud scent I've tried and the least off-putting, i.e. I don't feel like I need to go scrub it off, but I don't feel the desire to ever wear it or smell it again, which honestly is the best I can say for any Oudy scent I've tried. If I had to pick one to wear, this is the best so far. But I'm really glad this is a sample, and I didn't blind buy a $250 bottle of this stuff.

So I almost get an orange white chocolaty(ish) opening with some light spices in the background. The Oud in this one in my opinion is very light. It is woody, but not super woody to me. The wooden spice cabinet vibe is nice; however, it’s hard to say that this is a next level Oud fragrance that you should run out and buy. It is not animalic in the slightest. It’s fairly dark and stays close to the wearer. It’s definitely worth checking out if you like artisanal fragrances! But it’s a pass to me.

The drydown killed it for me, smelled like aged cheese.

Papillon Anubis + Gucci Guilty Absolute

PEW. This smells like I fingered someone who douched their a~~hole with myrrh essential oil. It smells like Christmas time in a nursing home or hospice center—or, in a 365-day-a-year Christmas store. This is overwhelmingly myrrh and nutmeg forward. I find myself actually praying to smell the fecal aspects of this fragrance right now, because the rest is just nauseating. To be fair, the dry-down is better—softer, way more balanced and rounded, with a hint of oud. However, nothing can justify withstanding the application scent. I spilled a sample all over my bed linens, too. I’m about ready to chuck my whole mattress out the window. 2.5/10, because, you know, there have got to be worse fragrances out there, and I’d like to make space for them just in case. I also enjoy fingering buttholes, so that civet quality is not necessarily unappealing.

This was my very first artisanal perfume, I've only ever had niche and designer perfumes in my collection until now. An elusive and rather hard-to-find masterpiece by the naturalist Dmitry Bortnikov, his famed Mysterious Oud. This puts all the Oud blends I've smelt so far to shame, taking me back to the days of my youth, back home to Kuwait, to the new-age souks (shops) with their feeder-flacons of the most expensive and prized Ouds in the world. It opens with Hindi Oud (Indian Agarwood, from the state of Assam I believe), pungent, barnyard-like, with the resinous Tolu balsam hard on the heels of the Oud... A very faint sweetness emerging from the Opoponax, assorted spices and minute doses of floral absolutes... This is raw, animalic with a particularly prominent Castoreum... This is when smelt up close. For when I catch the occasional whiff of this though, it reveals its true oriental character, think an incredibly Oud-heavy-downright-feral-Youth-Dew, faintly eschewing the sweetness that is yet to come and destined perhaps only for the late dry-down... A fair warning it might mimic the Tolu balsam of YD only in passing, to say there's a 10% similar feel at best would be apt, not much more in common though. I honestly never thought I'd possess this given the incredibly limited distribution and the price point, but this is well worth it. Unless you're familiar with unsweetened, barnyard-esque Ouds, or particularly enjoy this variety of Oud, do not blind buy this, but if you do, I promise you shan't be disappointed.

The mysterious 'oud opens with a slightly fresh citrus and spicy green footprint, creating a sweet and sour feel. The delicate sweetness of a distinctive amber that is very woody is gradually beginning to warm the fragrance. The florals for me are practically imperceptible, I only feel the slightly indole jasmine discreetly, opening the way to the multifaceted center of the fragrance with nuances: slightly animalic, with balsamic softness and smoky resinousness. The fragrance is always wrapped in a blend of natural 'ouds oils with characteristics ranging from a woody woody Vietnamese 'oud forest green earthy through easy Thai oil fruity sweet and finishing with the iconic animalistic Indian 'oud barn woody sweet; all this masterfully mixed by master Bortnikov and seasoned by exotic spices and herbs pouring over a woody background of cedar and milky sandalwood. This smoky balsamic resinous woody base formed mainly by a steaming myrrh and opoponax goes into suspension like a dense cloud of an authentic incandescent bakhoor, the castoreum here makes no noise. Super woody, ambery, spicy, warm and masculine perfume; I like it a lot. About the fame of Mysterious Oud Being Really Fearsome Challenging? I didn't find it, in fact I found a version I tried a few years ago heavier.

Mysterious Oud has serious curbside appeal sporting a brown profile sure to have blind buyers like myself lining up for the $290 dollar plunge. The only mysterious thing about this fragrance is the lack of gourmand aromas(Pink Pepper, Nutmeg and Tonka Beans meant nothing here). Mysterious Oud is a personal fragrance and one that will live in infamy if worn at the workplace. Nothing says anti workplace quite like Castoreum...and there is a lot of that in this one. Off top, this will not be your girlfriend's favorite therefore, don't buy this looking for some sort of people worship. This should be worn like an extension of your personality. A message for the blind buyers....This has that same crude DNA found in Bogue Noun(Noun is better with more character). There's a modicum of sweetness in here but not enough to say that it's a saccharined offering. Coincidentally, both are sold in limited batches. The other 2 Bortnikoff's didn't move me much either. I sent my bottle back to Luckyscent..

Comparing with a first batch (black label, wooden cap) bottle, this one is way more top heavy with neroli, bergamot and sweet orange being the loudest. Cola spices are the second most noticeable aspect, mainly clove and cardamom. There's a leathery castoreum here that works wonderfully with the spiciness, tart labdanum and greener citrus tones. Definitely sensing a green, stemmy rose here as well which I have never felt from the OG batch which is way more spice focused and doubles the leatheriness up with some sweaty cumin. Dmitry seems to have made his scents more accessible which isn't a bad thing because they are still very much unique, just more wearable and pleasant in every way. This one in particular almost feels like a springtime flanker to the OG. Gorgeous.

This is my favourite Oud-based perfume from Bortnikoff (yes, I own Oud Maximus and Oud Monarch, too). This is Vietnamese Oud at its best. On my skin, there is no skankiness. It's a rich, deep, smoky Oud that remains at the forefront for hours and hours (even at half a spray). The animalic notes are not that pronounced, however, I can smell the resins and cinnamon in the background. After a few hours, it is almost sweet. This is an outstanding offering from the house. The performance is off the charts. By far, the longest-lasting one from the trio. The projection is great, too. Careful! Go easy on the trigger with this one. I must warn, it's not a safe blind-buy, but definitely something an oud-lover would appreciate.

Goddam! This is amazing! Opens with very nice cardamom and amber. Some faint citrus, just a touch, some sparkles, mostly sensual. I get castoreum. Gives me a vibe of Civet de Nuit by Areej la Dore. Sensual. Captivating. Animalic. Sensual. Some hint of spices beneath the woody, ambery, sensual animalic sweetness. This draws you in. Not skanky, not barnyard, no such words, sensual animalic. Very classy, Masterfully done. Creative! Such amazing fragrances Dmitry. Oh man! Keep it up. Special occasion, dressed up man. Alpha. Mature. Dark skin. Fit and handsome. Boss vibes. Mysterious. Charming. Exotic. Suit no tie. Black color. Luxurious. Wait! Am i high on it? I think so. I love this. Sensual.

for the first few hours, it's mostly the ouds and the resins up front and centre, dominating the scent landscape. occasionally, something woody or floral creeps in for a look-in, but that is often brief and not longlasting. if you're not mega keen on ouds, you'll probably be a little bored by this offering. me? i don't mind them ouds, but the truth of the matter is, save for the resins in this (is tolu a resin or a wood?), there's not much else going on. i'm a big sucker for dynamic, shape-shifting scents, and short of that, if a perfume remains static, it needs to knock me off my feet. and this one, unfortunately, does not quite do that. mostly ouds and not all that much else...

Feels like you are standing in a mid of an Agarwood field, holding a bag of spices in your hand and you are surrounded by 100 of Beavers around you. . Very Animalic- Very Spicy - Woody. Definitely a scent for mature and veteran perfume enthusiast. . Linear for first 40-50 minutes and then the Mystery of this creation begins. Leather + Myrhh + Tonka + Oud starts playing with me a hide & seek game. This perfume is natural and has a tremendous depth. This can take you FAR beyond driven. . This is not a people pleasure. Performance is out of this planet. My sweat almost started smelling like this after 24 hours of use.

trying this one again, just to check. it starts off with a burst of malaysian oud, that sharp, leather polishy oud smell. i have some oud from sabah/brunei, and it smells like this. let me put it this way, this is an acquired taste... equal parts of animalic something in the back, too strong to be leather, but whatever it is, it's STANK. The oud stank calms down somewhat, and when it all levels out, I get flashbacks to Jeke by Slumberhouse, but with oud instead of Lapsang Souchong. About 7+ hours in it is more bearable, but overall, it's just too much, for mine...

The cardamom -> Myrrh i think is the heart of this "Mystery". Definitely unique notes, and a scent that is overall well done. To me Oud is such a special note, that not having it shine up front feels wasteful. I don't dislike it as a support in this case though. It is a bit powdery as well, which I'm not the biggest fan of, though that could be the amber top note that is going to pass in the drydown. Overall a solid and unique frag, probably not buying past a tester though. 7/10 Projection (scents are quiet on me) 6/10 Longevity 4ish hours

18A warning : Diiirrtyyyyyy skaaankyyyyyy the most offputting fragrance I have ever smelled. It literally smells like sex. Raunchy butt stuff. This is NOT a crowd pleaser and it will not get you compliments. What it will do is get you in the mood for getting it on. PHEROMONES GALORE this stuff is soooooo animalic do not wear it to a zoo or around your pets because you will get humped. Not a date night scent. Not a panty dropper. But..but.. this is pure sex. And it lasts forever this is true BEASTMODE.

I am very dissapointed by the new version of Mysterious oud. It has lost its backbone and beefiness, it no longer has its bluish, slightly powdery aura blended of indian oud, castoreum and resins. The citruses on top are so generic and flat, the drydown reminds more of the cheesy oud used in oud maximus, then an original blend that was used before. New version is not a completelly different parfume, but unfortunatelly it feels like a sketch of the original. It is hollow, dead, sad

A beautiful animalic oud-amber fragrance featuring a strong pungent Indian oud with a prominent animalic castoreum balanced a sweet resinous ambery accord, spices and floral notes. It can be challenging for you if you are not used to this type of fragrances but it is truly beautiful and balanced.

Warm, spicy, zesty and fresh. Expertly blended however I would imagine that some would find it challenging. The castoreum, cardamom, clove and nutmeg work well together. Very unique. The nutmeg is prominent so if you are not a fan of nutmeg, perhaps sample first.

Why I'm the only one who see's similarities with Ormande Jayne Ormande Man? Not the oppeniglng but after 10-15 mins this is just an intense version of Ormande Jayne. Do you like Ormande Man? Try Bortnikoff Mysterious Oud.

I absolutely adore this fragrance. I had a decant of it and when it finally finished I broke down and bought a full bottle. It’s deep, complex and wonderful. A perfect animalic oud.

To Dr B1414: + mélange really is the best word to describe this fragrance, - ...better alternatives in the artisanal game - could you elaborate further on this?

Its an amazing fragrance...mysterious...takes you to a different world.. no words can describe my experience with this fragrance..

Bortnikoff's most manly and dark oud scent. Few flowers many resins. One of the best or the best of this house.

This one really reminds me of Inverno Russo from Areej but not quite as potent. Still a Great Frag though.

You see the notes listed, but this is definitely rose and oud heavy. Boring.

This fragrance smells like a homeless canadian wearing soiled clothes.