L’Autre Oud Eau de Parfum

So much to say about this one... This first intrigued me as the bottle reminded me of the Doors of Durin or the West Gate being the doors which lead into Moria - huge LOTR fan 😅. I was lucky to find an unopened bottle on eBay since this has been discontinued for a while, whilst also managing to get it for such a great price! I will admit that I knew this wasn't a safe blind-buy based on reviews and the notes, but I was eager to get my hands on the bottle itself. When it finally arrived I opened it and I was in absolute awe, the bottle was even more stunning than I had expected. I spayed a little on my wrist with an open mind and it was a little out of my comfort zone however what is to be taken away from this is how masterfully it was created, using absolutely no oud but somehow capturing its essence is incredibly noteworthy. Through experimenting, I've found that for me this is more palatable when layered beneath a sweet fragrance, this gives it some oomph and somehow creates a mouth-watering creamy nuttiness when layered with something with vanilla. The dry down of L’Autre Oud is slightly animalic but this can be overlooked when paired with something sweet. Aside from giving other fragrances a wonderful base this also increases their longevity, the quality ingredients that are housed in L’Autre Oud really present themselves well with nothing to prove. Personally I wouldn't wear L’Autre Oud on its own as it is a little overwhelming to me, then again the main goal was owning the bottle but with that I've found an extremely versatile layering fragrance. So glad to of found a bottle of this and to treasure it for many years to come!

Having also sampled Lancôme Oud Bouquet today, a gourmand take on a rose-oud scent, L'Autre Oud is more of a classic rose-oud scent (albeit a mild oud for Western tastes). It is a woody, refined scent, with herbal nuances and a hint of spice. AO opens with a smooth woody accord, led by mild, dry, woody oud. There is no animalic skankiness here. There is some soft, peppery spice up top, and the green cypriol adds a herbal undertone, but it is never bitter or harsh. It is smooth and pleasant, slightly leathery thanks to the labdanum, but of the polished, refined kind. As it develops, the jammy rose becomes quite prominent, marrying nicely with the oud, which blends seamlessly into the woody-amber accord of the base. The amber becomes more resinous as it progresses, but remains sweet and reasonably light. A pinch of patchouli adds earthiness, complementing the sweet amber to perfection. It is beautifully balanced - not too dry, not synthetic or harsh, but smooth and lightweight yet rich. It fades to a sweet musky skin scent. Sillage is strong and longevity is long-lasting. It is a cold-weather scent. A feminine-leaning, unchallenging rose-oud scent, AO is fairly classic in style, high-quality and easy to wear. It is unisex in my opinion. Straightforward and approachable as it is beautiful, AO is a great introductory rose-oud scent that avoids banality. 4.5/5.

I love it. Balsamic in the first place, bit of rose & leather. A dash of oud actually. I have plenty of oud and this is a very shy, tamed oud. It is more guaiac. No sweetness, dry & very clean. Opulent and distinct. After this Maison de Lancome came out with Oud Bouquet, this is completly different thou. Oud Bouquet is sweet and floral oud with quite a bit of smoke. I have it and enjoy it, but it's a bit wild and rebellious. This on the other hand is very chic. Very powerfull. Longevity is super long. Silage is moderate, but steady. Don't expect to get it off by taking a shower...I scrubbed generously and could still smell it clearly afterwards. At this point I have besides this one and Oud Bouquet from the previous editions also Tuberose Castagne from the latest line and I have to say that they all perform excellently. If balsamic fragrances are your thing and you enjoy rose & wood this is worth hunting down. It is very dry indeed. EDIT: This has climbed the ladder and has become one of my all time favorites. It has an almost medicinal quality I remember from the original Midnight Poison. Resinous & balsamic on a bed of patchouli and roses. Longevity is really great, but silage could have been heavier for my liking.

POETICALLY BEAUTIFUL AND SCARY AT THE SAME TIME Imagine Angelina Jolie in Maleficent, or Daryl Hannah in Kill Bill II. Implacable and gorgeous. This is so much more interesting than the new version, soooo beautiful until oud rears its ugly head. This is a dragon lady for which I find an occasion no more than 3 times a year, OK add Halloween so: 4. It ́s scary and beautiful at the same time, and yet, I love it! I think this could command Roja Dove prices due to its beauty, quality and longevity. Thus, though this version has been discontinued, I find it a bargain at any price you can get it. My botlle is barely used, and I have just purchased 3 back up bottles. I would have purchased more, but I also own 2 bottles of Amouage Memoir, another scary beauty, so I think I have my bases covered on that segment for years to come. I doubt you would like this if you like syrupy fruit fragrances, but if you sometimes (3 times a year) wholeheartedly believe yourself to be an intelligent, sexy, take no prisoners demigod, you should give this a try.

I love this perfume! It is very similar to Mancera Gold Intensive Aoud which is a favorite! It is very soft oud, not pungent or overpowering, and is primarily a woody scent. I don’t have any florals or other notes show up on my skin. I am shocked it lasted over 10 hours on my extremely dry skin in 119 degree heat with no sign of it fading! Reading reviews for this perfume I am totally baffled at the references to animalic or skanky because on my skin that is not the case. I sprayed this on clothing but that never showed up either on it. I am a big baby if I smell even a hint of animalic I discard the fragrance as unwearable! This perfume will never have that issue for me I love it! Scent projection is mild with people close to you noticing it. No overpowering others I wore it in close quarters with no complaints. You will smell this perfume on your skin for a very long time! I highly recommend trying a sample if you love oud fragrances. I blind bought this and fell in love at first sniff!