Nomaoud

Hmmm...as Doc Elly notes below, this is indeed a Montale for the masses! Nomaoud also happens to be very close to several middle eastern mukhallat (blends) I have, so much so that if you blindfolded me and asked me what it was, I would have said it could be one of them. This is sweet, sweet saffron touched with rose and a dollop of some sort of oud-esque aromachemical. I think its gorgeous, but then, I think the middle eastern perfume style is fabulous. If you happen to be intimidated by taking a VERY affordable chance with something like Al Rasasi's Esraa, Manal or Mukhallat al Oudh, Nomaoud is a good western equivalent, albeit a more costly one. I've been aching to have it for years - I also have Aoud de Nuit and Aouda by Comptoir Sud Pacifique - but had I known how similar it is to several middle eastern perfumes that are part of my wardrobe I could have skipped it. I think Nomaoud is a must for saffron lovers with no easy access to Arabian perfumes, additionally, the "oud" note is not as mothbally and strong as in Aoud de Nuit (which I love), so it is also a very accessible introduction to a non-European perfume style, and certainly less expensive than the Montales or Amouages.

Starts out with a refreshing mix of citrus, saffron, flowers, woody notes, and synthetic oud. I think the citrus comes mostly from the oily rose accord that was used, which is fairly dominant early on along with the saffron. The saffron-rose-woody combo lasts for about 4-5 hours, with moderate sillage, then slowly dries down to a warm musky skin scent with just a hint of incense. A couple of years ago when it first came out, I wore Nomaoud to work a lot, almost as a signature scent. Coming back to it after sniffing a whole lot of other perfumes of all sorts, it’s even better than I remember. Nomaoud borrows a lot from the Arabian tradition while making it relatively affordable and palatable to those who have grown up with the European perfume aesthetic - a “Montale for the masses" if you will. Actually, I like it as well as many of the Montales that I've tried.

Easy to wear with delicious oud note at a decent price. May not suit pure oud lovers because it is rounded and tamed, but all in all it is a great smelling with a niche feeling fragrance. Totally unisex and easy to find out there. Im a happy with it.

Oh wow, it opened actually good, but then it changed to something awful and the only thing I feel on my wrist is leather and smoked sausages, really, this is so weird and so bad.

Nomaoud is amazing in its intense subtlety if that makes sense. It's a smoky rose with a bit of incense and burned flesh...beautiful. In a way, Nomaoud is a roughed up version of Montale's Aoud Damascus, but I like that because it's less mainstream and a bit more unique. Namaoud is playful in its departure from anything traditional. I'm wearing Namaoud tonight after a heavy rain and it perfectly matches the smell of the outdoors; damp rose, wood and a hint of smoke off the grill. Delightful.