Oud Deneii

This is probably my favorite synthetic oud fragrance out of all the many other ouds, both synthetic and natural that I (a non-lover of oud) have ever smelled. It seems like a very straightforward oud. But, it's soft, slightly sweetened and contains none of the screetchy synthetic harshness I usually get with synthetic oud or the burning tires and wet dog that I get with the real thing. All while still smelling unmistakably of oud. I experience this as oud extended and gentled by licorice, tobacco and hay, sweetened a bit by honey and amber and with a delightful fresh opening that I'm at a loss to describe. It's just beautiful work from a house I had not enjoyed prior to this. It's perfectly unisex, has soft sillage and longevity that could be better (maybe 8 hours). I actually wore this to yoga today and I never wear perfume to yoga. It's so soft and has a gentle, meditative vibe that it seemed a perfect fit. Plus, with only one small spray, I was confident it wouldn't extend past my mat no matter how hot I got. It was perfect. The only downside was that whenever a pose brought me close to my wrist I'd be stretching my neck, trying to get a sniff. Oud haters like my former self - don't give up! Edit: It's possible that the reason I like this is because it isn't actually an oud fragrance. I was just looking at the Maison Incens website and they don't list oud as a note.

Although the name of this scent suggests having oud in it, actually it is a tobacco-driven scent for me. Not the tobacco that is burning, but dried tobacco leaves. When I was a kid, I would spend a part of my summer holidays at my grandparents on a farm, in the middle of nowhere. My grandad was a heavy smoker; once in a while, he would grow his own tobacco. As a kid, sometimes I would smell those dried tobacco leaves. Besides that, we would often help our grandparents collect dried hay. We would do that in an old-fashioned way: with a horse, tied to a wooden carriage, and wooden rakes. I remember the intense smells of dried hay, dust, wood, and a bit of animal vibes. ‘Oud Deneii’ smells like a combo of dried tobacco leaves, dried hay, and woods with a slight animalic touch to it. It might sound like it is a pretty intense smell from my description, but actually, it is a very comforting and grounding smell. I often use it when I need something minimalistic, toned down, but at the same time special and unique.

I think it's the ambergris that makes this smell so plasticky. It really smells like sniffing lipstick or the top of a doll's head. Nope, nope, nope.

All I get is a funky violet and after three or so hours it is almost gone

This looks like it's missing quite a few notes.. As per the producer's description: Top: Aromatic, Mint Heart: Tobacco, Violet, Licorice, Hay Base: Animal, Oud, Amber, Honey, Musk