Uruk Chronicles

There is so much that surprised me about this one. I ventured into Harrods fragrance hall when in London a couple of weeks ago fully intending to buy a bottle of Carved Oud by Thameen and get my nose on the new Kirke flanker from Tiziana Terenzi. I got chatting to the guy on the Etats Libre D'Orange concession and he showed me this gorgeous green bottle from a brand I have always associated with quite "out there" fragrances with unusual notes lists, great blending and clever/abstract themes. What he showed me was a fruity, suedey oud which is right up my street. But my go-to's for this sort of profile tend to be Maison Origine, Crivelli, Louis Vuitton and Roja and ELDO are probably not a house I'd pick out to make a fragrance like this. The initial opening blast of juicy strawberry and tangerine is not something I'd readily associate with ELDO. I'd say the gorgeous oud underneath it that allows the mouthwatering fruity accords to play with the sourness of the oud is absolutely fantastic and displays a deft touch with this most Arabian of ingredients that I wouldn't necessarily associate with ELDO either. The richness of the saffron in the back stops the fruit from going too strong or the sourness from going too sour. There is a powderiness from the iris in this that is absolutely wonderful with the saffron and the oud. I cannot see any suede in the notes but I am certain I can smell it - not animalic but very fine, refined suede as in Animalique by Byredo. I believe it is saffron and the cypriol coming together that smells like suede. There are some floral notes and a tonka bean accord in the base that make this feel hedonistic and a bit other-worldly in the best way. I loved this from first sniff and have loved it ever since. This is some seriously, seriously wonderful and clever perfumery here, folks. It reminds me a bit of a cross between a fruitier Hibiscus Mahajad by Crivelli (in that it is sweet and indulgent but not overly so, with its true beauty being how the sweet accords work with a slightly bitter, extremely rich woody base) and Nectar Oud by BDK (in the way the sunny, sparkly, moist fruit works with the oud). It is beautifully put together: the blending here is as classically excellent as you'd expect from ELDO. If this is their first proper oud and a meaningful attempt at cracking the Dubai mainstream then I'm looking forward to seeing what else they have in store for us because this is brilliant. Of course, ELDO being ELDO, there is a back story and a delightfully convoluted theme because of course there is. It wouldnt be an ELDO without one and their very original choice here is so obscure as to be almost abstract - Uruk was the capital city of God King Gilgamesh's ancient Sumerian Empire which is of course in modern-day Iraq. This fragrance is supposed to evoke the hedonism and artistry of the time, but also the spices, ouds and so on. In fairness to them, it does that quite well. It smells exactly how I imagine Gilgamesh's court might have smelt like; buzzing with dancers, lit with blazing torches, smelling of fruits, burning spices and oud wood. There is something fun about the way ELDO pick out playful and interesting themes to build rather whimsical fragrances around that I have always enjoyed. The drydown on this one is not linear at all. The succulent fruits start to fade out of the opening after a couple of hours but never truly leave. What replaces them in the forefront is this interplay between the suedey cypriol, iris and oud, lightened with the sweetness of the fruit that remains. I do not get any cedar until about four hours in and the nagarmotha comes in before that, I think to ensure it doesnt go cloying and over-rich as it settles. It is a little green but just enough. When it settles into the skin it is a very sensual, sweet and rich skin scent with just a hint of oud and saffron that bears very little resemblance to the juicy, tangy and sparkling opening. Both extremes are lovely and it is wonderful to experience both in one fragrance. Very, very clever. I'd say this is classically ELDO in that it is utterly genderless but is perhaps more accessible to women. I can already tell you that this fragrance is going to be a smash hit in Dubai. It is exactly what people here like to wear. I believe this is why the oud is so wonderfully understated: it seems custom designed to spray over bukhoor permeated fabric. That I am wearing it and loving it as much as I am with shorts and a t-shirt, jeans and a jacket, rugby tops with flipflops and even a suit since buying it, is testament to how well judged this is. It is extremely high quality and blended superbly in a way that the folks here will absolutely love, especially moving into the summer months as it heats up here. Mark my words, this is going to absolutely smash it here. If you haven't tried this one yet, you really should. Three Word Summary: Clever Fruity Oud. Scent - 8/10 Drydown - 9/10 Sillage - 8/10 Bottle/packaging - 9/10 Performance - 8/10 42/50

This perfume is beyond imagination... A symbols of perfection loved it from the first sniff and can wait for my order to be delivered Solid 10/10

Candied leather. If, for some reason, you're into leather and gourmands, then this might be for you.

Odd, it seems this Fragrantica profile has precedence over any mention of this scent on ELDO's own website?? I am curious to read how the notes might pay homage to the world's oldest work of literature, and the ancient city and legendary hero-king that inspired it.. Obviously the cedar note represents the ancient cedar forests cut down by Gilgamesh (...and so environmental degradation began), but the other notes must be less textual in their symbolism. Perhaps some notes stand in for the mythical herb of immortality, as well as Inanna's Huluppu Tree (which some speculate was a poplar tree). Edit: Alright, I found the marketing blurb-backstory on Harrod's website. Saffron is representing the immortality herb.

I can’t wait to read the release for this one. The only note that gives me any pause is the cypriol ...which doesn’t seem to work for me personally. This sounds interesting and beautiful (if a bit tame for ELdO which is fine by me).