Aigle Imperial

New scent profile for me and I'm intrigued. The oud is most obvious in the opening, smoky, woody and slightly dark. The opening stays a while before the scent transitions into its fresh phase: light, clean, airy yet aromatic with a soft oud-woody base. And this is why I like it: not oud-heavy, not sweet, not watery-marine-like but a breezy freshness with a masculine energy; somewhat a versatile and fresh-airy-oud fragrance, if you will. Two or three sprays will last all day; this is beast-mode and can fill a room if over-sprayed. I wear it to the office and social occasions. The eagle has vitality, elegance, great balance, is special and different from most fragrances I have and have smelled. The scent is uplifting with a level of freshness that surprised me, it is good for summer as well; one of my favourites. Did some research, so allow me some comments on the oud: The Oud Assafi used appears to contain a pure five percent Oud Assam extract (Aquilaria Malaccensis) which is recognized to be exclusive, rare and expensive and sourced from the Assam region in Bangladesh. Please see Faris.n review on Nuit des Rois and his take on the oud used in this collection, it seems to be the real thing. Aside from this, I also enjoy the oud in Oud Malaki and Black Incense Malaki, though both smell very different from the Eagle but are very enjoyable as well. Overall, I think that Chopard is a high quality house and its fragrances deserve more love and recognition, as most have their own personality and sophistication about them. This collection may be pricey but still cheaper than e.g. Hermes Bel Ami (on FragranceX). Because the eagle is a unique fresh oud blend, it is different from a lot of other fragrances in the freshies or oud genres and, in my view, deserves a sample/test trial (and/or others of the line). Perhaps not for everybody, but I happen to like it.

I love the way this fragrance smells on my skin. The unique blend of citrus (which is a brief player here in the initial moments before disappearing) with a spicy, powdery vegetal green tea note in the opening is interesting. When the heart notes with their patchouli in water effect arrive and combine with a smooth, non-animalic oud note, this fragrance really captures me. The base introduces an even more pronounced oud note, that may be natural. There are no earthy, animalic or medicinal notes here. This scent, then, is a rarity, a clean fresh lightweight oud. Performance is incredibly dependent on weather conditions--at least off my skin. In the cooler conditions with low humidity the projection is minimal, the longevity is slight. This performance issue extends to air conditioned environments. In hot, steamy conditions, however, this performance issue is alleviated. I have noted when I have tried this fragrance on warm, humid days, that it fades as I sit in the air conditioned indoors but springs back to life shortly after I head outside. As such, this may be the ultimate "office oud" since it will virtually cease projecting in a/c cooled office settings only to come alive during an outdoor lunch or a break spent outside in the heat. In summer conditions, the longevity is considerable and the scent has moderate projection for the vast majority of its life. It is this revitalization in humid conditions that makes me think that at least some of the oud used here is the real deal. Ultimately, if you are looking for an office safe or warm weather oud, and you can find this fragrance at a substantial discount, it is well worth considering.

Woody Aquatic. Fresh, cool watery accord with a woody weight, and a light green okamossy spiciness (matcha/ginger). Since oud is the woody accord here, Aigle Imperial does an Arabic nuance to it, something saffron-like but very mild. Luckily, the sharpness does tonedown at the dry down and Aigle Imperial becomes a musky aquatic woody fragrance, with a somewhat oily feel. Fresh, cool, clean, watery, slightly sharp, lightly woody, and mildly spic. If you are into sharp aquatics, this is nice, especially that Arabic woodiness. It is very likable and could be an entry fragrance for people just getting into oud, as the oud here is minimal. It is similar to Armani's Acqua di Giò Absolu Instinct, which is also by Alberto Morillas. The deep murkiness that develops at the drydown along with that arabic woody feel makes me prefer Aigle Imperial over AdG AI. Versatile masculine fragrance, suitable more for slightly cooler weather. Big "Like"

A woody aromatic fragrance created by Alberto Morillas. A mix of Oud and wood, with salty notes and citrus. Also some nice fresh ginger and Green matcha tea. Not the strongest projection and it does sit quite close to the skin. Good longevity though. A wonderful scent from Chopard

Really gorgeous and unique. Amazing opening too! Lasts very long. Can be worn every day as a signature scent. Unique as it blends oud, citrus, a bit bitter at first. Stays strong throughout the day but adds notes of ginger, sandalwood.