Essence Oud

In the cool desert night the caravans travel from Petra toward Caesarea on the edge of the Roman Sea. From as far away as India and Arabia they transport precious oils and spices on their way to the patricians of Rome. If the wind is blowing just right you can smell the exotic treasures they carry hours before the caravan appears over the crest of the high dunes. There is Saffron from India, wrapped in embroidered Cathay silk. Frankincense from Arabia is packed next to rose oils from Bactria, and caraway seeds from Persia all nestled in thick leather bags. Most precocious of all in the baggage train is agarwood oil, Oud which is treasured throughout the eastern empire. Not even the glittering night stars of the East can match the splendors of this cache. If the caravan is lucky and makes it past waiting bandits and marauders to the Roman port in Judea these precious and rare ingredients will find their way across the Mediterranean to the imperial palace on the Palatine. Some clever slave deep in the bowels of the palace will blend them into a wondrous perfume only to be worn by the Emperor of Rome himself. This exotic and spellbinding elixir from Ferrari, Essence Oud is my very first experience with an oud fragrance so that in itself is new territory for me. But if indeed the top note is oud then this is a sweet rich, deeply rich fragrance. (My research on oud suggests that this is the sweeter oud from Borneo which is flowery with honey like notes and fruity berry and wood.) It is almost candy like in essence but that fades into an elegant olibanum (frankincense) rose and caraway blending that is essentially very oriental and woody. The dry down is smoky leather and labdanum. The entire symphony of Essence Oud by Ferrari is one of luxurious notes and sensual harmonies. Not for young noses by any means unless they are sophisticated beyond their years. Dramatic and very grown up and for a man who is indeed aware of who he is. To borrow from Coco Chanel: The best perfume in the whole world is the one that smells good to you. Four hours in to this fragrance and it has evolved into something lush and mysterious. A slight smokey powder that is rapturous. Staying power so far is great. Next morning: twelve hours later there is a slight memory on my skin of the fragrance. Lasts a good eight hours in it’s glory. FIVE PLATIUM STARS *****

In 2012, Ferrari decided to start fighting within a new growing market, in which major brands are launching Prestige Lines (also known for Exclusive Lines) in order to meet the demands of its audience and conquer new users. Thus was born the Essence Collection, with more elaborated perfumes, more noble ingredients and greater concern in details, such as the bottles, for example, which are heavier, bring the brand embossed on the lids and are ornamented by the leather, which conveys luxury and sophistication. In Essence Oud, which was the first fragrance of the line, inspired by the prestige and elegance of the Ferrari Grand tourism spirit, the bottle was painted by nothing less than 3 layers of metallic paint called Rosso Maranello, created as a tribute to the Ferrari Four. And you should believe: it is infinitely more beautiful on hands, than in the pictures of the campaign. The fragrance is warm and vibrant, rich in resins and Woods. And as I always try to do in my reviews, I went to get information by the manufacturer, in order to describe the olfactory notes of this composition. At the output, we have notes of elemi, saffron and roses; in the heart, cumin, frankincense and Agarwood (also known as oud/aoud) and, finally, animalic accords, leather notes and labdanum, at the base. We have, then, an exotic perfume of Arabian style, with masculine nuances of roses and raspy saffron, introducing, in an extraordinary manner, the most beautiful part of the evolution, which revolves around the oud and brings the smoky incense of the frankincense. Forget the time factor and climb in this flying carpet, sliding at high speed by the desert sands, because only in this way, it will be possible to realize that the base notes decided to appear and the leather prints luxury, while the labdanum (very similar to the banned Ambergris) gives the animalic final tone. Projection and longevity are beyond expectation in this fragrance. I would say that Essence Oud is the bottled experience of an Italian man after visiting the Middle East.

To me, this smells like roses and candle light! This is the scent of the centerpiece on the table of a romantic dinner. Also, @OldChef, @edgeofscenty - You guys aren't alone, I've worn this to bed a few times myself! It's the perfect scent to wear to bed. It also lasts a long time on the pillow case afterwards, up to 3-4 days or so. It starts out rosey with a heavy resinous presence ( mostly elemi resin, backed by olibanum and labdanum), then within an hour, the oud starts to come out. The middle of its life is when it's most balanced, while the final dry down is sweet smoky oud, just a tad dirty in the best way. This is a very western take on the traditional middle eastern rose oud, but the LIFE of this scent is much more dramatic/interesting than most others in this category! The last waft of this scent smells nothing like the first, and it lasts for upwards of over 12 hours! In a prefect world, with no stress, no worries, no problems, this would be a real contender for being my signature scent. It might be "unusual" to some, but it's certainly pleasant to everyone. This is another hit from Ferrari! It's quite the surprise to get such amazing scent quality and uniqueness out of some of these Ferrari scents. Don't be afraid to try these just because of their name and price! Also - while I've expressed discontent with the painted bottle style being tacky before, I will say, that the paint job on this bottle DOES indeed look like car paint. I still wish all of the bottles were clear glass with colored leather, like the Ferrari Leather Essence bottle, but the deep red paint job on this bottle matches its scent quite well.

At last after buying a mini, my 100ml just arrived from an eBay seller. Amazing and really good quality. Highly recommended! Yesterday, a gorgeous woman, complimented this while I am inside a bank. Come to think, it was just 3 dabs from my mini, all around my neck. She said at first she smell semi sweet tobacco on me. But then as she was in line beside me, she smelled the whiff of this perfume and couldn't resist its charm that she have to ask me. Tobacco as how she described but then she was realized it wasn't as she is trying hard to decipher which note was she smelling on me. So I have to tell her that it is Oud or Agarwood and she was curious coz she said the scent was so refined and addicting. We had a brief talk about it and some of her perfumes too. This Essence Oud is just out of this world considering it was just pretty linear but the scent is drawing people to sniff, to be curious and to compliment. I have never found a fragrance that is as potent but as pleasant/magical as this new bottle from Ferrari. Today, my co-worker smelled on me Amouage Opus VI. He liked it so I dab a little on his hand. Then I left to have my lunch. At the post office, I received my 100ml of Ferrari Essence Oud so I tested it by spraying it on my back hand. When I got back from work, that co-worker of mine smelled the whiff of Essence Oud at me and informed me that it smelled better than Amouage Opus VI. So with a lot of compliments everytime I wear Essence Oud, I have no regret to have it in a mini and 100ml and very happy to make it my new signature scent.

Two years has passed since I bought a miniature. With much love, I bought a 100ml bottle within that week. Why? Simply because it is better than the high end niche oud brands I have worn. Have I regretted a single moment while wearing or even sniffing it? No! Do I ever get a negative feedback from people around me while wearing it? No! Do I get constant compliments? Yes! Do I feel the comfort, confidence and good feeling? Yes! This perfume is indeed quite strong and potent at first so it should be used with utmost care. When you get passed with its initiation, the dry down is a huge reward and treat to your senses. I must agree, if this is a Dior, Chanel, Xerjoff, MFK and the likes release, this for sure would get constant highest praises. To those who didn't aprreciate this blend, that is your nose and I still stick with my initial positive thoughts, then and now. Just like powerful oud based blended fragrances, smart wearing of this will bring amazing results. A near masterpiece from Ferrari.