Depth of the soul

“Oud and incense. Winter nights. Burning wood. Unforgettable

I image a middle eastern taxi driver with a 10cm tall moustache when I smell this.

#1669 in my “Tour de Fragrance” Got this decant from scentsplit.com. At first smell it reminded me of Jacques Bogart "Silver Scent Intense.” But all the Bogart “Silver Scent" line has terrible performance and this Perrucci scent has superior quality. Long lasting and strong silage. Leans masculine, despite the ylang ylang and white flowers. I could do without the bitter orange. Same note that turned me off to the otherwise likable, good quality, very similar “Orlo” by Mendittorosa, which is priced roughly the same as this. Safe for any environment. I expected it to get more likable as the bitter orange note goes to the background. but then it’s just kind of nondescript wood and nuts. So not a buy for me.

When I heard that Bruno Perrucci had decided to create an expression of the human soul, I took note, as he is a perfumer with a gift of expressing exactly what he means. Now several months have passed, wearing it almost daily and in weather ranging from dry and cold winter days to the humid New England summer. It is not an easy perfume to put into words. The pyramid is interesting in that it lists oud in both the opening and closing. This is no mistake. I think it has to do with the circular nature of the concept. The opening, with its deep oud projecting simultaneously with green and spicy notes of cardamom and bitter orange, gives a sense of space, of life stirring. One wonders what mysteries will unfold. The heart notes begin to appear, as we progress into the “life’s joys” part of the perfume. There are nutty and chocolatey nuances, flowers woven in a very innovative way, rich in colors. Leather and burnished oud come to dominate. After a few hours we come to the “life’s meaning” aspect of the scent. An even deeper oud appears, there are whispers of incense, and animalic notes. On some days, I detect cigarette smoke. The final dry down, on my skin, is a duet of vetiver and oud, something ancestral and contemplative. This entire story is told with impeccable taste and despite the wide ranging ideas, comes across understated and elegant. Mr. Perrucci avoids cliches and creates another complex and important work. Bravo.