Oud Monarch Attar

Smells great, pisspoor vial quality. This is my third Bortnikoff attar, and all three have immediately broken the first time I tightened the top. I can still use it but I have to mend it with superglue.

Surprisingly sweet and flowery, balanced by a bit of the spice from cinnamon, cacao and a touch of the wood. Absolutely beautiful overall and very regal to my nose with a very addictive quality to it.

Smells high quality, per usual, and certainly enjoy. However... My principal comment is that, being an attar, this sits incredibly close to skin (someone will need to hug you to maybe get a whiff) and very soft. I even put some on my beard and could barely smell this scent from the get-go. MUCH unlike the Bortnikoff extraits I currently own - all of which are satisfying in every way. So, though I do like the scent of this attar, I seriously doubt I'd purchase again - nor would I consider purchasing the extrait version (if the attar is like this, the extrait would have even worse performance). My first disappointment from Bortnikoff. I think I'll be much more careful in future Bortnikoff purchases, as there has been comments about there be a watering down of his scents. EDIT: After a full days wear, this scent pops out and surprises me. This is an amazing scent, and perhaps the way it sits close to the skin then surprises you a couple times an hour is how it’s developed. It’s growing on me. EDIT 2: LOVE IT! What a unique experience. This is truly the first in my collection that starts non-existent and as you move on through the day gains depth. Definitely an evolution. The base of this scent is intoxicating and, once the base shines, my wife noticed the trail and fell in love. Considering purchasing Lao Oud extract or attar for what others share is a similar experience from Bortnikoff - waiting to see what the Black Friday are ;) Adjusted my ratings accordingly - and never wrote so much - which tells me something about this blind buy. EDIT 3: For me, Lao Oud Extrait Bortnikoff dominates in comparison. Still love this attar... but definitely will reach more for the deeper, oudier Lao Oud.

Does the word "Oud" scare you? Do you imagine "Dirty Goat" or "Cow Dung" when you hear the word? Well , not anymore. Oud Monarch can serve as the entry point for someone who always wanted to try an Oud Fragrance but ended up with wretched nose. This right here, is a breathtakingly beautiful, relatively sophisticated and screams Opulence from the get go. Oud Monarch's strength lies in its blending and the balance struck between different accords. Frangipani and Cacao play the role of backbone but it never feels overly Floral or Gourmandy. Oud, as indicated before, is not fecal at all but carries a very soft, slightly tropical profile. That particular profile might be due to its amalgamation with Cacao. As i said, this blend is so masterfully blended that even though you may pick apart different notes but you will still be surprised by the way everything comes together. Now onto a dreadful news. Oud Monarch (Extrait) has been severely watered down if not reformulated. I was unfortunate enough to try newer version and i could not even catch a whiff of it after 2 hours. Good news is, you have option to get Attar instead. Attar might not be as potent as older batches of Monarch but atleast it is better value for money and may prove an excellent layering companion. Oud Monarch by the other "Russian" genius is one of my favorite perfumes of all time. It has been for past 3 years and i suppose this will not change soon considering my infatuation towards exotic floral scents. Not only would it be a perfect entry point for newbies but it will also entice "oud addicts" like myself.

Should be called oud gardenia tbh, this scent smells holy to me. I don't know how to explain it, just a beautiful garden across the Mediterranean in high heat it reminds me of but also holy. It's weird and hard to explain this. Beautiful oud and florals. Love. 9/10