Leather Oud

In my experience, Dior's Leather Oud can be broken down into a question and a revelation. The question is, "Is Leather Oud animalic?" Or, perhaps a variant: "Is Leather Oud as animalic as people say it is?" The answer is of course dependent upon the nostrils of the beholder. For someone like me who owns a few Indian oud oils that reek of horse dung before they settle into feral woodiness, Leather Oud is only an approximation of animalia, reaching it by way of furry musk in its dry down and a sour twang that sometimes wafts its way to the nose during hotter weather or more liberal sprays. Dior's fragrance is certainly pungent, strong, masculine. It's neither romantic nor sexy. What it offers is something sexed, as all animalic scents do. They call toward our instincts and remind us, in the end, not of horses or cats or whatever other animal is referenced when trying to articulate the smell of the animal kingdom, but of ourselves–our bodies. With that said, Leather Oud is too refined and touched by human hands to be the holy grail of animalic fragrances, and its concept of imitating oud smoke rather than oud oil, also precludes it from being in the running for taking the top spot of oud fragrances. Nonetheless, that won't stop me from layering it with a dab of oud oil so that personalized magic starts to unfold. This brings me to my revelation about Leather Oud, which not many people talk about. It's essentially a very good and unique incense fragrance. The secret has been in the branding all along ("Oud wood exudes aromas of leather when it is burned") and the proof rests on the comments I've received. No one's ever told me I've smelled good while wearing Leather Oud, and no one's ever said I stink, but they have made it an issue to note that I smell like I'm enveloped in incense. A few sprays before going out and I feel like I'm traveling along a Möebius strip representing the full spectrum of the animal and spiritual world., because as refined of a scent as this fragrance is, its own notes (ashtray, sour lemon, furry musk) work against its elegant craftsmanship to suggest the exudations of someone whose body is both a private temple and lived-in home.

Brace yourself! No, literally. Before smelling this perfume take a big deep breath, you're going to need it. Dip your head towards it, breathe deep, and be prepared to have all of the air sucked from your lungs - as if air could evaporate further - and brace for an onslaught of burning oud, spices, and sun-scorched leather. It is like walking into a sauna fed by coals instead of steam. The way this perfume opens tells you, immediately and without question, that this is not going to be a wallflower fragrance; it is here to make a statement, and to push your olfactory senses and that of those around you to the edge. Super dry cardamom and cloves pull all of the moisture from the air around you, as if its intent is to use it to feed the insatiable appetite of its pet monster growing by leaps and bounds in front of you: burning oud. Francois Demachy notes that when oud burns it gives a distinct leathery facet, and I believe him without question. The oud acts as if the fire that burns it, and the moisture it absorbs, forces plumes of impossibly hot leather into the air around you. All of this is evocative and exciting in itself, but perhaps Leather Oud's best trick is that it never lets this carnality go so far as to be repellent or unwearable; it stops just shy of it. The monster was given a bath and put in a fine silk tuxedo. It is polished and elegant, you marvel at the fact that fine clothes can contain the straining muscles and animal rage inside... but the threads never break, and they always look relaxed and well-pressed. I am absolutely won over and in love with this garish monster. It is quite possibly one of the best oud perfumes or leather perfumes I have ever experienced, and certainly tops my list of the best oud and leather combination perfumes to have been created.

I have a 2015 miniature and a 2018 125ml bottle. I absolutely love this fragrance! When I wear it I just feel this burst of confidence and masculinity. Such an amazing fragrance with an animalic leather and a bit of like a urine smell (I know that doesn't sound pleasant but I don't know how else to describe it, but I mean it in a positive way). I wore my 2018 batch to a concert the other night, 4 sprays. This stuff was kicking off my skin. I could smell it all night through my mask and my girlfriend kept getting strong whiffs through her mask. This stuff was radiating all night and seemed to never have become a skin scent. I woke up the next day and I could still smell it pushing off my neck. There are some who say that this fragrance has been watered down, but that is not the case in my experience. There is definitely a difference in scent with the older formulation and the current formulation. The older formulation had more of barnyard fecal attribute while the current version has more of a urine attribute (again, I mean both these things in a positive way). If you can, definitely sample because this is not a safe blind buy. It can be a polarizing scent for sure. I seldom wear it because I don't have too many occasion where this fragrance would be suitable, but when the occasion arises I'm definitely reaching for it and wearing it with my head held high.

Fell in love with it, bought it, got my nose used to sweet gourmands, and then hated it. I've had my conflicts with this one. At one point I thought it smelled like horse shit lit on fire and then extinguished with piss in the middle of a desert, and that's what you get if you spray it on your hand and smell it up-close. Don't do that, this is too potent. I've learned how to enjoy this one, and it's from distance. 4 sprays on my neck is all I need for an entire day, and it smells magical. A deep, almost sweet, fruity opening with loads of spice. A sandy, dry, smoky, animalic mid and base, with a civet-like note, although this isn't supposed to contain civet. As my body gets hotter, 6-7 hours into the wearing, it almost smells a bit like in the opening again. Very complex, and I love it to pieces now. Edit: I've learned another thing about this perfume, and it's that, on my skin, it needs heat. During winter, I get the harsh, sandy/smoky dry down too quickly, whereas during spring, or even summer, it smells a lot more like the opening for a longer period of time.

Magnificent! Just received a BNIB monster 8.4 oz bottle. I was a little worried because I see it has 2 formulations. My previous sample is a .25 oz from 2015 and I love it but it was discontinued and I could not find a bottle at a reasonable price. Then I came across the new formulation. Knew that I had to add it to my collection of OUDS (which is getting rather extensive). Ordered it and waited wondering which version would show up. Biting my fingernails about whether it would smell like that fabulous barnyard one I knew. Lo and behold it does. Maybe a little less strength but having obtained a huge bottle I can now put some in a travel sprayer and wear it whenever I choose instead of only very special occasions. It’s not cheap but a special Dior fragrance never is. It’s elegant and potent. One that is not going to wear off or can’t smell once the top notes fade in 30 minutes like sadly too many. It’s ballsy. It may not be for everyone. It’s a masterpiece and I’m thankful to own it.

I managed to get this discounted in a ‘Black Friday’ sale thing on Sunday. It is luxurious and very smoothly balanced between, um leather and oud though leaning more leather. It has a kinship wth Knize Ten but without the raspberry topnote of Knize Ten but with a dark bitter floral note that develops an hour or two in; the geranium described in the notes perhaps. It has been taken off display by Dior and has been discontinued I was told by Dior staff. Each time a new fragrance is added to the ‘collection’ one is axed to ‘make way’ apparently to keep 22 in the line and it was the turn of Leather Oud. I can only think the comments about it being ‘a disgrace’ relate to a more powerful original formulation though this last edition could do with lasting longer it should be said. If you find Leather Oud do try it and don’t be put off by notions it is animalic or skanky as it is not. A lovely fragrance indeed.

This is one of my most favorite, and it's definitely not for everyone. It starts strong, and I don't get the bergamot listed here-- rather a spicy, smokey, semi-floral, geranium-leaning top. Within a few minutes, the leather and the oud itself become apparent, along with deep notes of incense and something animalic and quite dirty. This is bottled lust, and it's definitely not for the faint of heart-- one reviewer said they were embarrassed by it and I can see how that could happen, but I like this kind of daring. It is a deep, rich, and intoxicating fragrance, smells very expensive, and with excellent performance. No vanilla, no musk, no sugary notes at all, thank goodness! Just strong, intense, and sexy, and you won't smell like a dessert. A couple of sprays are more than enough, and I'm hoping the decant I bought lasts for a while since this has sadly been discontinued.

It’s a luxurious and bold fragrance that embodies the perfect blend of leather and oud, two rich and intense notes. The scent opens with a strong, smoky, and slightly animalic oud note, which quickly melds with the warmth and depth of leather. The fragrance feels both opulent and mysterious, with an almost leathery-sweet undertone, while a hint of spices and wood adds complexity to the composition. It is a bold fragrance best suited for colder weather or evening wear, offering an intense, lasting presence. While the oud might be a bit challenging for those not used to this note, the balance with leather and other supporting elements makes it approachable for many. Overall, Leather Oud is sophisticated, strong and undeniably luxurious, offering a deep, powerful experience for lovers of both oud and leather-based fragrances.

Yesterday I received the new formula (I guess?) bottle of Leather Oud that I recently bought. It says 8C02X - which means it's produced in March 2018. No idea wether it's the new version, or rather the old one. I am asumming it's the new version. OK so I am testing directly 2014 and 2018 versions of Leather Oud. The new version should be named Civet Leather or Skanky Leather. Still and undeniably leather is a star in this fragrance. The main difference (on my skin) is: the 2018 version is much louder on civet - what I actually prefer. The old one from the 2014 has a prominent oud background and I can smell it clearly on my skin. Surprisingly - I like the NEW version more. I prefer the pure blend of leather and civet. The older one is richer though, significantly.

Man, do I love this one. Oud, leather, smoke, with a pissy opening that's just beautiful. There's some sweetness from the cardamom. It dries down to beautiful pure oud and smoky leather supported by warm spices and a touch of sweetness. Late drydown is warm and sweet with a touch of pissy musk. This is animalic in a different way compared to some of my other oud fragrances. I don't get any fecal smell from this. Doesn't smell quite like anything else I have. Unfortunately, it's either discontinued or made in much smaller quantities and unavailable in the US except on auction sites for ridiculous prices. Fortunately, there's a cheap dupe that smells basically identical: Leather Oud by Fragrance World. $20 for 100ml. Give it a shot!

I am absolutely mesmerised by this perfume. One of the best oud and leather combinations! Quite distinctive and effective. It slightly reminds me of Zegna's Peruvian Ambrette. Quite discreet and long-lasting at the same time. The ideal scent of elegance and affluence! (I'm at a loss about the previous comments here, so negative all of them, that I doubt whether we are talking about the same product.)

Beautiful leather/clean animalic/saffron/woods. A little barnyard-ish, but nothing dirty. Crowds used to mainstream stuff will find this one extreme, but oud lovers will find this one a refined and elegant very wearable oud fragrance. Projection is moderate, that said longevity is 12+ hrs on my skin. I have a mini bottle, and will go for a full one once it’s over. Colder Evenings, 30+

On my skin it smells like mix of Oud Palao's drydown (w/o rose, camphor, tobacco etc.) with Afrika Olifant from Nishane and it's leathery, animalic vibes. Overall it kinda reminds me of Chanel's Antaeus in terms of animalics, with beast mode performance - but it's big simplification. I got older batch decant and it's literally filling the room with 2 sprays.

The notes are correct on the other listing: strong, warm, rich; top of leather, sweet/honeyed oud, labdanum and civet that is taken over by honeycomb and flowers then the leather and oud rise again; bit of a headache inducer, lasting; love it

As far as I know this is not discontinued nor being phased out off the market/collection by Dior.

Bold fragrance for bold people. Absolute gem. Shame they're phasing it out. One of a rare breed.

A bold, rich and smoky fusion of deep oud and warm leather, with a spicy, exquisite finish!!

If anyone is selling this perfume I am interested, please contact me privately.

I had this review written so long ago and only now I discovered it was not published here yet. When I read opinions about perfumes from the Haute Perfumery as it is called, sometimes I create an expectation that ends up turning into frustration. That’s because (in my opinion) some fragrances don’t deserve this title, for their poor presentation, the bad quality of their materials, the lack of innovation, etc. Leather Oud is, definitely, an example of high-quality fragrance that belongs to an exclusive line. It has exactly the result that I expect to find in a high-quality fragrance made with notes of leather and oud. Is it innovative? Not so much, because it has the DNA I have already felt in some Montale fragrances. But it has a glamorous oud, not medicinal, well applied inside an olfactory pyramid that seems to me a true clash of titans: labdanum, birch, sandalwood, amber, cloves, beeswax, civetta, leather, cardamom, etc. Leather Oud is rich, dry, raspy and has a good incense tone right in the beginning. Then, it surrenders to the creamy tones, resulting from the amber and the beeswax. On the other hand, it doesn’t lose its strength. On the contrary, it gets richer with spices, and the clove together with the cardamom, command the heart of the fragrance. In the end, the astonishing fusion of oud + civetta + leather raises the fragrance to the level of tradition, luxurious, power and refinement. If you have money to buy a bottle of this juice and want to be noticed, don’t think twice! The secret of the Pharaohs, the opulence of the Maharajas and the magnitude of the monarchs were bottled by Dior. Beautiful work!

Dior Leather Oud (2010) - Sweet Leather - #francoisdemachy ‘s creation hinges between light and dark, clean and animalic. It starts with a strong blast of Civet and Leather, yet calms in a smokey-leather laced with honey, amber and oud. It also has spicy accords that comes out during cold weather. Perfume construction is well-built and projects elegantly on my skin. In 2010, this would have been iconoclastic. I’ve also come to accept this perfume to remind me of my grandmother, not because it was her favorite, but it was what I wore during her death. Perfumes have that power. It transports our emotions, people we love and places we’ve been.