Oud Ispahan

I was genuinely speechless when I smelt this, it is truly an astronomical work of art and the best Oud fragrance on the market in my opinion matched by only Xerjoff Alexandria ii. I smelt LV Ombré Nomade and was very disappoint as it is too harsh and sharp making it unwearable, lacks depth and complexity and the oud interpretation didn’t even resemble some of the superior Oud interpretations closer to how Oud is meant to be from other brands, however; Dior oud Ispahan reminds me of it except a much much better version that is smoother, more well balanced, smells better and has a more realistic oud accord. Rose, Oud, smoke, amber resins, saffron, musk and creamy sandalwood blended into an opulent powerful concoction that smells of pure Middle Eastern luxury done in French way which is truly wonderful combining both styles. This is the pinnacle of perfumery. Extremely natural based making this smell very smooth with a lot of depth and complexity. The Oud here is what’s truly breathtaking this is just how Oud should smell very funky, dry, earthy, slightly dirty and animalic yet blended to be smooth and palatable. This is the closest thing to real Oud you will smell and may trick many people into thinking it’s real Oud. This Oud accord also reminds me of Roja Amber Aoud but this is much more intense and smells much deeper to me and just better done with a more accurate approach to Oud it has the same animalic facets but combined with more common cleaner Oud facets the waxy, funky dry smell which is familiar from other designer ouds. The different facets here combine to create what I believe is the ultimate Oud accord so wonderfully complex, the resinous facets, leather facets, animalic facets, woody facets all perfectly balanced by one Oud accord . This is a better fragrance than Amber Aoud (Roja is great but is mainly marketing) that is just as good quality for a lower cost while having more mass appeal I would not say this is mass appealing but it is more mass appealing than other oud fragrances on the market. It’s extremely hard to get an oud fragrance with this amount of versatility I would say it can be worn for any occasions however it is better for special occasions, night time, formal occasions and cooler weather. The talent of Francois Demachy is exceptional as the way this fragrance is constructed is so well done you can tell that a lot of time and effort has done into creating something truly wonderful that will leave its mark on the perfume industry. So expertly well crafted, very precise and complete smelling. This epitomises creativity and the wonderful artistry of perfumery this truly is an embodiment of the undoubtedly, classic French style of Dior given a Middle Eastern influence. Sensational. Apart from the main Oud accord this fragrance has a very smoky dryness which gives it a pleasant deep complexity and an Amouage-esque very middle texture which is very resinous and I enjoy a lot paired with a sparkly saffron which creates this inexplicable allure all rounded off with sandalwood and iso e super to create a creamy dusty smoothness enveloped within a strong yet delicate and effervescent enveloping rose and a sweet amber. All these wonderful facets create a full deep rich fragrance. If you love Oud fragrances this truly is one to try as you will be hypnotised by the seductive, elegant, bold aroma of pure class projecting its presence and evoking a feeling of confidence making people question what on earth the incredible scent trail was as the wearer enters a room. Dark and mysterious yet warm and smooth. Much better than other boring overpriced scents like ombré nomade don’t waste your money get this instead you will be much more satisfied. Performance 18 hours on skin Days on clothes Strong projection fills a room Strong sillage trail lingers really well and sticks One of the best performers. Overall just incredible this is the pinnacle of perfumery. The best oud fragrance out there and a top 5 overall of all time in my opinion. 10/10 masterpiece

What strange notes are on display here! These notes, except for rose, certainly does not reflect what is given from the perfume itself. A trip to the website itself will give you three notes: Labdanum Absolute, Laotian Oud and Rosa Damascena Essence Accords, and Caledonian sandalwood. I have a 7.5ml sample of this current formulation. Scent: 7/10 Very Good If you've read some of my reviews, my ratings can be quite harsh, especially towards proclaimed oud scents that don't actually feature real oud. Oud Ispahan is probably the only fragrance that I'll settle without natural oud. Those who have smelt varieties of oud oil will immediately recognise the synthetic rose-oud accord here, but this one smells fantastic. Wild yet refined, daring yet sophisticated. Many Dior fans have been wondering if this current formulation has differed from the previous. Based on the comparison of my current 7.5ml sample and the 2016 250ml bottle that I own, I would say that there is indeed a jarring difference. While the scent profile remains the same, and the drydown is almost indistinguishable, it feels as if Dior became aware that their previous Oud Ispahan was too avant garde for the public, and decided to dial up the rose note and tone down the barnyard Laotian oud note. The result is a more floral, less bombastic variant of the original, but nevertheless both project the same aura that should not leave returning customers disappointed. Longevity: 9/10 Excellent The lifespan for this fragrance is so annoying long that you might feel uncomfortable for the night, since you'll be wearing it to sleep. I'm saying this after including two rounds of shower. Absolute beastly. Silage: 7/10 Very Good I am very used to bombshell-type fragrances, and Oud Ispahan is something that I'm comfortable of projecting. Although the projection suffered a little with the new formulation, I think this suits the refined nature of the fragrance better. Versatility: 5/10 Okay Unless you're like me, who doesn't give a single fuck about what others think, I'd advise caution in wearing Oud Ispahan with tee-shirt and jeans. It just doesn't go well with casual outfits, although this might do if you exude the appropriate demeanor and take care of your clothing. This is one to wear in colder weathers - it'll stings noses if you're wearing this to a football match, for instance. Overall: 7/10 (Great)

I have mixed feelings about Oud Ispahan. The opening is spectacular, hitting your nose with a bold incense, woods and rose combo, the kind of opulent scent profile you'd expect in a Middle Eastern palace. When I smell some of the other oud/rose classics, I can pick out those notes individually, whereas Oud Ispahan is blended so cleverly and smoothly using a piercing balsamic smokiness to create a unique, captivating scent. This addition makes it smell much more complex and masculine than Oud Satin Mood, which I find slightly too sweet and powdery. For these first few hours, this perfume really succeeds in giving you a luxurious experience worth its price tag. However, all good things come to an end, and this is especially true for this fragrance. After 2 hours on my skin, the scent slowly transforms into the 'piss' smell that many others are complaining about. The oud is more than likely to be the culprit here, and for those more acquainted with its funky, earthy smell, the dry down may turn out to be a non-issue. I don't particularly enjoy it and the stark contrast between this and the beautiful opening nearly gave me whiplash the first time I noticed it. Despite this, Oud Ispahan is still a masterpiece in my books and absolutely a must-try. I so envy those who can tolerate the dry down, therefore I plan on forcing myself to smell it until I like it. In the meantime, my makeshift solution is spraying on clothes, as the funkiness doesn't develop as much, and it retains its amazing opening. Performance is fantastic, it's designed to be an attention grabbing fragrance for those confident enough to wear it. I'd recommend a maximum of 5 sprays for outdoor occasions during the colder seasons or evenings to produce the best results, but if you have that 'go big or go home' mentality and you're in a country where this scent profile is appreciated, I would completely respect overspraying this. Pricewise, Oud Ispahan does provide the sophistication and performance I'd expect and it manages to shine in the already well esteemed Dior private line, so I can't complain too much. Smell: 7.5/10 (opening: 10, dry down: 5) Performance: 9/10 Presentation: 8/10 Value: 6.5/10 Overall: 8/10

Oud Ispahan contains the most singular, extraordinary, and exquisite rose note I have encountered in perfume to date. This rose is something I have been seeking for a long, long time. The opening volley of this ‘fume is smoky, resinous, and frankly - quite dark. Once warmed by the skin, however, the reddest rose ever opens up and fills the whole room. This stage, in my opinion, was far too brief. The rose is huge, bellowing, monstrous, divine, staggeringly beautiful for all of ten minutes - and then, an arrow of pure oud snakes in and seemingly strikes the floral heart of the beast. It’s the only analogue that fits - I was perplexed after all that sound and fury of the rose acting like it was out for blood suddenly and immediately subsiding into an intimate skin scent with little projection. The changeling shades of oud ultimately prevail, silky and animalic, only faintly underscored by the echoing shadow of that giant rose rounding everything out with a velvety purr. From that first hour onward, Oud Ispahan becalms itself into a quiet whisper on my skin, a precious ember vaguely emitting a snap of smoke and velvet powder when I move. I’m not getting anything anywhere near barnyard in this at any stage, but if you struggle with the multifaceted expressions of ouds, maybe skip this one. (It *does* say Oud there, right on the tin.) I’m baffled at the performance. With that loud of an opening, I expected something a little more sustained, but the skin scent is more than pleasant enough to compensate. My mini came complimentary with purchase, but not sure if I would spring for a full bottle. That rose note might be stunning enough to warrant it. This is opulent, pleasing, harmonious, and all too brief, and I’m pretty sure that’s not noseblindness talking. (I’ve gotten louder, though perhaps not *better* performance out of the Hermessence line, for what that’s worth, and I’m not an oversprayer. This was observed after a small dab on each pulse point in the crook of my arm from a small splash bottle.) Beautiful and experiential and haunting. If only that rose lived a little longer.

I tested the original Oud Ispahan at the beginning of my oud journey. It’s a grand fragrance, resplendent with rose, florals, oud, smoky sandalwood, and resins. The sweet rose pops out first, a honeyed rose like a flower that has just fully opened, and it’s the flower, not the flower plus pieces and stems that some other rose fragrances sport. As the rose decays, rich oud (but not fecal, IMO), myrrh, resins and florals begin their dance, their melodies intertwining in perfect harmony until one by one they drop off into a bass note of something old and leathery and musty, something that lasts forever and doesn’t wash off—at least in the original formulation. And that’s why I didn’t buy this highly respected Oud fragrance early in my journey. I couldn’t get it off. I sprayed it one night before a choir rehearsal, showered the next day, noted it was still going strong at about 6 pm, scoured my skin once more, went to choir and still smelled it. And the guy in the tenor section with all the allergies started sneezing up a fit, so I sped to the bathroom and scoured my skin three more times. I couldn’t buy something that pungent, so I passed. One spray was deadly! Then, re-reading the comments below, I took a gamble on the new formulation, and I’m glad I did. The smell of the 2018 bottle is about the same as my older sample, surprising since the note pyramid is so different, though it doesn’t burn my nostrils the way the original formulation did. And it decays away into a pleasant combination that isn’t going to assault your friends, acquaintances, and loved ones. I’d estimate it’s ~25% as strong as the earlier version which gives you a lot more control over your dosage. If you passed over this fragrance previously, please try again. You might be very happy with the new formulation. (Note, the Dior boutique in my city still has a 2014 bottle on display for testing, not the 2018 version they’re stocking. Shame on them! I’ve learned to check the vintage of what I’m sampling compared to the vintage of what they’re selling anywhere I go. There should be a law!)

The sillage on this is phenomenal, a single spray can last hours and you will have to nearly shed your skin like a lizard to wash this smell off of you. Now my first impression of this frag was actually a tad negative, I had thought to myself it smelled like a wealthy bitter widow who would chatter her grandchildren's heads off talking about her 4 past husbands, and had a collection of designer scarves she wore everyday. Elegant, sure, but not suitable to my personality. Yet I had to give her a second chance and I am thankful I did, because boy did she sure grow on me. The performance of every La Privée scent is remarkable, especially for someone like me who also purchases the matching lotions and even the liquid body-washes, but this one is one of the most powerful of them all. She is like the bratty older sister to Gris Dior (my signature) who's now grown up and is in her mid-thirties, evolved from being the high-school bully to making snide remarks behind the backs of women at the country club who think she's a skank. Which she is, she's sensual, she's dirty, she's almost masculine with the way she dominates. This is not the fragrance for a 14 year old who watched a couple videos on niche fragrance houses and now wants to dive right in. It is not something you can simply blind buy. This is a fragrance best worn with a smokey eye and a sardonic attitude. She's perfectly complimented by letting vanilla oud bakhoor smoke trail throughout my hair and clothes while she lingers on my skin. Unless you're in the Middle East I wouldn't wear this during the day or warmer seasons, it's much too overpowering. Maybe she's a bitter widow, but maybe rich grandmas are doing it all right. Don't blind buy this and don't buy this if you're younger-- you will most likely end up loathing it and be irked you wasted your money.

I am firm believer, that perfumes have to be 'broken in' (in a sense the same as new speakers have to be 'broken in' to sound better). I don't know how it works chemically, maybe something with the first spray allowing oxygen to enter the bottle, the molecules being activated or the perfume aging, but this is what happened with this perfume. I bought a decant, hoping i would love it and feel like the arabian princess everyone seems to describe. But when I first sprayed it, i nearly vomited, it was the first time i had experienced this real barn/ animalic oud smell and it was so overwhelming. I tried it again the next day and just couldn't cope with the barn smell, mentally I was already listing it on my most hated perfumes of all time and couldn't comprehend these women praising it (especially those from TikTok, everyone seems to love it there). But then, the perfume changed. I left the decant at one end of the room and kept getting whiffs of it from the other side of the room. I didnt' know that it was oud ispahan, but I kept thinking what smells so good here?? My shirt, that had the second day testspray on it, was also emanating this beautiful scent from my laundry basket! When I realized it was Oud Ispahan, I wanted to slap myself, not because I was wrong (first impressions are always valid), but because I couldn't believe it. Now I wear it regularly and with time I can detect even more notes from the perfume: The barnyard oud is still there but somehow mellowed out and turned more woody, even creamy, the rose is the perfect rose (not to pungent or jammy) and in the drydown I smell the myrrh and incense (they balance the perfume perfectly). If the current formulation smells that good, I can't imagine how great the previous one smelled. And now I do smell like an arabian princess :D

I haven't tried the original Oud Ispahan, but this version from 2018 is a delight. A classic oud-rose scent, it features a palatable oud note, more dry and woody than animalic. For example, I find Frédéric Malle's oud-centred Desert Gems to be unwearable (hey, maybe I'm a philistine but that's my opinion!) As oud isn't listed among the notes on this 2018 version of OI, it could be rendered here by the woody-amber accord in the base. Either way, a beautiful rose-oud accord permeates this scent, in traditional Middle Eastern style, but muted (perhaps for Western tastes!). It is well-blended throughout, changing only a little as it develops. OI opens with rose from initial spray, rich and jammy, made dark by the woody notes (oud?) that follow it closely. There is a subtle spiciness, enhancing it beautifully. Smokiness follows, dry like an open fire, metaphorically charring the woody notes. While I don't dislike it, it chokes the rose a little. The resinous amber base comes to the fore after a little while, joining the aforementioned notes and adding a rich, slightly leathery facet to the base. It enhances the woody notes in particular, making for a stronger oud-like effect. It becomes slightly musky as it fades, becoming a leather-rose skin scent. Sillage is strong and longevity is long-lasting. A simple but beautiful rose-oud with a nice leather base, OI is simple but high-quality, a classically elegant feminine scent. Best worn in autumn/winter and for evening wear. I also appreciate Dior's transparency with regard to reformulations (at least, of some of their haute parfumerie line). Nothing groundbreaking, but a beautiful composition regardless that is wearable and garners compliments. 4.5/5.

this scent lives rent free in my brain . after trying the alhambra version then trying the og and the dupe oil versions, i was so curious to see why oud ispahan is SO addictive to me so i found the gcms results to understand how they created the oud like feel, and like me, if you wonder why oud ispahan series got that funky fecal barn like smell to them next to the fruits and florals and woods, its apparently from these materials: -para-cresyl phenyl acetate = smells like horse stable and manure at high doses, and oud ispahan series overdosed this material alot. -indole= funky and fecal like, the smell of a decaying corpse and some jasmines. used in a minuscule amount by dior. -ambrinol= animalic and ambergris/sea like. -safranal, safraleine and isobutyl quinoline= leather like and animalic. these dirty notes mixed with powerful amberwoody materials, spices and musks create the illusion of oud. so this fragrance does not not contain real oud, real fermented oud (and not the new gen unsoaked ones) doesn't smell "fecal" but rather woody, gasoline like, goat skin like, feral and animal fat like (and very putrid for the masses). demachy basically created an ideal and precise "image" of "oud", and personally i love it.

Oud, oud, oud, it seems like everything is oud nowadays! I just bought Hypnotic poison from dior and they sent me some freebies this was one. It opens with an intense oudy almost nail varnish remover smell, because thats what oud smells like to me, this is combined with rubber, from a shoe and leather goods repair shop with the chemicals you smell in these places with the leather but in a good way, its very confusing to the senses when you're expecting an intense vanilla floral but you say to yourself okay let's see where this goes, the rubber smell stays but roses follow and combine with it making it more Dior then it gets a bit spicy with a subtle bit of smoke but you have to chase it to keep it there, its not sweet or creamy though. If you fiend for these type of fragrances it's the one for you. I quite like it, its interesting and has similarities with Dominic Ropion's Lalique parfum in the square bottle with the red tassle in the rubber leather chemical way. Its got that 'my perfume costs loads of money and you can't afford it so don't bother asking me what it is' kind of vibe about it. I wouldn't class it as a drool worthy heady gorgeous but interesting and different from the norm. I give this a 8/10

I presume this is the version of which I received a sample, as this is the more recent version. I like it. To my nose it doesn't have any abrasive or challenging oud accord. What I smell is more like a gently phenolic indeterminate wood note, nicely couched in a soft, pink rose etc., the result being that this has to be quite versatile and wearable as oud-related scents go. The sillage is strong but thankfully not quite seal-clubbingly brutal (not that I would usually spray this directly onto my skin, mind you), the rose slightly dominates the surrounding notes but does give them room to breathe, alternating with them, and overall the effect is just such a sophisticated, assured, relatively unassuming take on oud (or the concept of oud) as I might have known to expect from Dior. I'm still not sure I'd wear it to work though, even if I had an endless supply of the stuff. I have plenty of less conspicuous, perfumey perfumes I might choose instead. As I sit here, the rose is somehow becoming more noticeable--perhaps it's finding back-up in some of the resinous backdrop--and it definitely reminds me of Indian rose water or (sweet) Turkish rose jam. I definitely do think of pink roses here most of all.

The top notes are downright citrusy and woody, with depth, very addicting. And then, the oud kicks in. I smell the rose throughout. During these stages, I love it... it gives a spicy sort of middle eastern kick... but then... the dry down happens and I smell the poo smell. It's like semi sweet terd eau de parfum. EEW. And the more I sniff my wrist, the more I smell straight up back seat of someone's dirty skid marked underpants. Yuck. It's disgusting, man! I would have forked over the dough and bought right away from the Dior site, until I experienced the horrid dry down. I mean, really. It smells like my dog's butt when he's having impacted anal gland issues... I'm not giving up yet though... if I can get past that barn yard tushy smell.. everything else is a keeper. And I know enough by now that sometimes the repulsive nature of a scent somehow draws you back in nonetheless. As long as it's not all about the dung. (Obviously!). Haha. :-P Now I'm just having fun with this review. :-P A little while later, my nose stops being assaulted by the pungent scent, and I'm back to liking it again. Soft, spicy, lovely rose, real lovely. Not powdery, more like a turkish rose, a nice juice, for real.

This fragrance took me completely by surprise, it's my 5th from the collection and this is so very non-Dior DNA if that makes any sense? It's the first thing I thought, but oh my Lord it's gorgeous, it's got very mad projection for a Dior frag, I can smell off the bat a very refined Jasmine + Oud + a faint rose shrouded in a veil of thin smoke which emanates from the Incense or the Resins. It's the opposite of Gris Dior, but in a lovely way. I personally think Gris Dior is the favourite so far, followed by Ambre Nuit. This sits in 3rd, but it's like comparing Pears and Apples, it can't be a 3rd to the other 2, yet it is. Very impressed with this collection so far, it's probably the *only* designer bunch of frags that I own, and hold in very high esteem. It's a banger, but possibly not the safest of blind buys, even though mine was a blind buy, I'd say perfectly unisex, can lean whatever way you want it, depending on how you wear it. Not as versatile as the rest, but versatile enough, I'd say all seasons, would not limit it to cold nor hot weather, more of a 'mood' fragrance than occasion/season.

This is one of the only ouds I like in perfume. Most are way too intense and fecal almost? Longevity and sillage are insane, lasts 2 days even post shower & easily fills up a room. It’s very intense, so I recommend only using 1-2 sprays max. Any more gives me a headache. I have to say that I hate the opening much like Patchouli Imperial. Both have this smokiness that I hate but thank god that note disappears after 10-15 mins. Another poster here mentioned that they get kind of an acetone vibe from this Oud, which I agree with. Thankfully that also dissipates after about 15 minutes. I can look past a terrible opening if it’s short & the final result is beautiful, which it is in this case. What you’re left with on the final dry down is a lovely rose oud. It’s sharp and masculine thanks to the oud, but it is very well balanced with a feminine, creamy rose and sweet amber combo. This perfume is definitely unisex. I absolutely adore this fragrance. FBW for sure. I currently have the 7.5ml travel size from their discovery set and it is very well loved on.

Absolutely love this fragrance. You get a huge burst of rose at the opening with some woody notes way in the back but the rose is in the center at the start. After a few hours the rose is tamed by the oud note which starts to blend with the resins giving it a smoky touch to what's left of the rose. Some more hours later what's left on my skin is the oud which turns a bit animalic but nothing offensive to my nose (I've tried way more barnyardy oud fragrances than this one). It's a really wearable oud rose fragrance which has garnered me plenty of compliments without having to spray it too much as I usually go for 2 sprays. I use it for every occasion as my philosophy has always been to wear whatever I want depending on my mood but to never overspray! This fragrance just makes me so happy and that's what a I always look for in a fragrance and this has checked all the boxes to become one of my favourites. I've got to say that I have only ever tried the new version but as you can see to my nose it is worth it don't go chasing for an older version imo.

I don’t normally write reviews, but I feel compelled to for this fragrance. Oud Ispahan is not for newbie’s in the fragrance world. It captures some of the animatic Oud facets that we tend to associate with urinals and cow shit. When you are new to fragrances, these odors are confronting and often repulsive. But Oud Ispahan captures the very best of the Rose/Oud combo.... The rose is obvious, sensuous and alluring and it settles into a beautiful damp rose on the skin that I could happily smell for hours. The Oud is redolent of a barnyard early on, but that fades to a resinous woody amalgam that is so enticing. I ADORE this fragrance, but I wish it had more longevity. Sadly, the esprit de pardon, which adds a touch of cumin, does not extend its longevity, but both are so breathtakingly beautiful. Oud Ispahan is a stunning Rose/Oud that I think any Oud lover will enjoy. But if you’re not into barnyard scents, perhaps try Portrait of a Lady instead which has a stunning rose, but does not have the barnyard element. Enjoy.

This past weekend I had the pleasure of wearing a 2013 batch of Oud Ispahan. I have to be honest & say that I didn’t like it all that much. It was very close to smelling like Leather Oud with an added Rose note. I favor the reformulation. And while the reform also bares a resemblance to Leather Oud, it’s not as close to it as the original formulation. The reformulation is sweeter, rosier, & spicy. It’s still Woody & has that Raw Cowhide Leather, but it also has a light spice like cinnamon or cardamom, & It’s a very nice touch. As far as performance went ... Both the Original formulation & the Reformulation performed the same. Both lasted beyond 12 hours on my skin, & projected 3 hours. Both seemed fairly light in composition, but still projected very well off of my shirt for an entire day. People could smell me several feet away several hours after my initial application. Oud Ispahan is a masterpiece, a true love, & will always hold a top spot in my rotation.

The only Oud I could wear in my 20s. The first time I decided to spray Oud Ispahan was when I went to see the movie Interstella alone for the first time, luckily I don't understand why this scent suits the lonely scene in the universe so well. The darkness covered the space around me with fragrant smoke and oud, a hint of sweet rose appeared wonderfully when needed, just like the movie Interstella when the journey to explore the universe came to an end and he realized the sweet ray of hope was from his daughter. I can confidently personally rate this scent 10 out of 10, and I also thank myself for making decisions to mark memories with the senses - smell. Even though it's only a 10ml sample, I don't know when I will finish it because I rarely use it, because every time I smell it, I feel the loneliness surrounding me. Like the fear of loneliness and a vast universe appearing before my eyes. Special thanks to François Demachy for making this masterpiece.

Very exceptional from Dior. It maintains the La Privee collection's soft elegant sillage and projection, but yet there are all the faucets from that animalic oud in here. Initially, I thought it is just another rose oud combo that has been popularly done by many already. However, the stinkiness of oud here, really shows its distinction. It is simply a Rose+Oud fragrance, but it is not a money-grabbed rose+oud combo. With Oud Ispahan, You are paying for the well-crafted animalic oud in a subtle projection, which is rare, since everybody is going for a bombastic rose-fruity-oud usually. It is ANIMALIC and tailored perfectly to balance with the roses, and resins. It is closer to skin. Slightly leathery and fruity in the opening, then turns a bit smoky animalic. Projecting about the same standard as Bois D'argent and Gris Dior, softness/subtlety/silence is golden in La Privee Collection, I believe.

I'm rewriting my review after 6 months with Oud Ispahan (2021 batch). Right out of the bottle it smelled like rosewater and barnyard animals. It was far more fecal/grandma than the tester in the department store, and I thought I made an expensive mistake. I'm so glad I didn't give up on this fragrance. The rose softened, with a beautiful woody backbone. The best part is the development of that sweet, animalic "oud" very deep into the dry down. it smells completely different from beginning to end, and lasts forever. I like to put it on before bed, and my sheets smell amazing for a week. top it off the next morning and it will last another 12 hours. Order online from Dior directly to experience one of the best presentations in the fragrance world. what a beautiful surprise. I have nothing negative to say about Oud Ispahan. it is a perfect 10/10.