Shams Oud

This is an unusual fragrance. I did not know that I liked unusual fragrances. At all. I bought this at a fine indy perfume shop in my city and I honestly did not know what to do with it. It was strange and powerful. That was in 2012. I did not wear fragrance then. I did not know a Tonka Bean from a Tonka Truck. In 2013, the bottle was still full. I was in a rush. I did not have time to spray, delay and walk away. I sprayed it directly onto my skin and rushed out the door. In the car on my way to a meeting, my heart was racing. The driver was listening to what sounded like a muezzin's call to prayer. I could smell myself and a tingle ran up my spine as a trickle of sweat ran down. I closed my eyes to try to get my heart rate down and as I did this gorgeous Yemeni song about heart-ache (I asked) came on and I realized I was having a moment, a fragrance moment. I arrived at my meeting and Shams Oud had arrived several seconds before I did and made nice. My client said, "What is that intoxicating smell. God that's nice." before Hello. Without even so much as a pencil (the shavings of which could be a valid descriptor here) I was energized and outgoing in ways that being late to a meeting usually prohibit. I went back to the shop and sampled more, and different but not better. I have since taken to scent and fragrance with more than passing interest. I invested in other ouds. A few loose nickles in my sofa found a receptive welcome at Frederic Malle and The Night went home with me one day. Also a strange and powerful scent. But that one rolls over to let you rub its tummy. This one swats you with its paw, purring loudly. Your G650 has just landed in Sharjah. The doors open and you step onto the Tarmac of the airport swept out of a desert oasis. A fire is burning some distance away and they are stoking it with pink peppercorns. To check if you are still asleep and dreaming you pinch yourself with a clothes-pin made out of camphor wood. You wake up. It was a Shams Oud fever dream. 10/10

If African Leather and Laudano Nero had a socially awkward child. Shams Oud took me by surprise today, I didn't expect it to be so good. This wasn't particularly exciting or memorable when I first tried it a few months ago but I was immediately impressed when I wore it today. This is an amazing sweet ambers and woods scent, it reminds me strongly of Laudano Nero from Tiziana Terenzi minus the charred/ashy quality of that scent. There's also something kind-of-aromatic, kind-of-spicy that reminds me of African Leather, but to a much lesser degree than the overall scent reminding me of Laudano Nero. During the opening hours there's also a slightly smokey and leathery finish up close on skin that's really nice. Performance is really underwhelming, however, I wasn't calling this Laudano Nero and African Leather's socially awkward child to make the opening catchy. Projection is moderate at the very best and sillage is on the light side. It also doesn't help that this becomes a skin scent in less than two hours. I'll give it the benefit of the doubt as my sample's atomizer is really bad but performance in those aspects left a lot to be desired. Longevity is good, however, lasting 8 hours on skin with relative ease.

I'm glad to finally try out Memo Shams Oud as it has a good reputation in the fragrance community. Slightly spicy hints of ginger and pepper in the opening give way to a blend that's sweet and woody, mainly,the resins of labdanum and tolu balsam taking center stage, flanked by vetiver and oud on onside and the curious tonka on the other. After the initial spicy blast, it's noticeably sweet throughout its life, primarily due to the resins but also the tonka lend its signature sharp sweetness, and this group contrasts the oud and vetiver and keeps the whole blend in homeostasis. It's sweet, woody, creamy, and slightly earthy. Pretty pleasant and unisex, though I figure this to be a cold weather fragrance more than a warm weather fragrance. Shams Oud is a great performer, strong on projection and even better on longevity. At relatively standard pricing for the line of $250 for 75ml, though, it's surely in the category of one needing to love it in order to buy it. I do think I love it but am not sure I'm in need of that much juice for this fragrance in particular, which would fit in among an assortment of quasi-similar resinous cold-weather-ideal scents. 8 out of 10

This is an absolutely gorgeous seductive scent that starts of as a musky peppery fragrance and after about half an hour you start to get the ginger coming through and also the sweet, smokey luscious smell of vetiver. You do not need much of this perfume and it really does last and is a very seductive, sexy fragrance that will have people asking you what that fragrance is as it is very unusual and throughout the day will change slightly in a good way during the dry down and as the hours pass by. This fragrance will easily last a good 5-8hrs without needing to respray and will last the next day minimum on clothes or on your bedding Lol! Yes it is pricey but you don't need much and you won't forget you have it on either because of the subtle change in the fragrance throughout the day. I don't have much of this left but when I have saved a few more pounds I will buy the 75ml size as that will last for ages. It's definitely not for the fainthearted this is for the person that wants to ooze classiness, sexiness and class and wants to tempt people and get them to notice who they are but with subtlety at the same time xxx

Shams Oud is a real knockout and top marks for creative vision, I can't recall smelling a fragrance like this? Shams opens with the full on might of the rest of this line, definite oud quality with a balsamic warmth and pepper sharpness. This is an onslaught, a total envelopment of quality ingredients like saffron and oud taking on that strange, other worldly smell. The top notes remain and I get a definite spicy sweetness like clove/cinnamon/ginger throughout this fragrance which along with the deep resins and precious woods make Shams oud a very special brew indeed. I only tried this in store first on a card then on my skin, so I need to get a proper sample to wear. However I wrote the review because I was dying to comment on this wonderful stuff. Still far too much money to shell out for one of these and far too much juice in the bottle for me. For the record I do have full test size samples of Moon Leather (not in the database yet), African Leather and maybe a couple of others so I have the opportunity to see if they stack up. My opinion of Memo from what I have tried is pretty high though.

I just ordered a full bottle of this lovely after sampling it for the last week. I think this one of those unique scents that stands out with flying colors from most other ouds on the market. First of all, it ́s not a typical oud, but is quite boozy/woody and stronger on the labdanum and tolu balsam. It ́s extremely pleasant throughout, from application to drydown. Initially it ́s fruity and has some smoky notes that quickly disappear and leave the fragrance to evolve further with notes of pepper and vetiver. But then the labdanum, oud and tolu balsam kick in, making it a long lasting feast on my wrist. This is truly quality perfumery! Shams means "sun", and it makes sense, this is a sunny oud, like a warming smile! It has woody qualities, but enough spice and SUN to turn itself into so much more than an oud, a woody or a spicy fragrance. The way this is composed and put together makes it one of my top five, can ́t wait to receive my full bottle! Highly recommended! (Even if I have smelled others since writing this critique and it ́s not among my top five anymore). 8/10

If there's oud in this I honestly can't smell any. Seems to be more of an impression based on the other notes to be honest. The opening to "Shams" is a powerful spicy blast of black pepper and fresh zesty ginger, but this quickly evaporates into a powdery, oily meld of cypriol, styrax and tolu balsam. Picture an old church, with beams of warm sunlight streaming through the windows, illuminating clouds of dust and incense settling upon the empty pews. The warm ambery incense reminded instantly of "Akkad" by Lubin, only with less vanillic sweetness. 30 mins in, the woods fade, but the powdery smokiness remains and things feel much more subdued, sweet and unisex. It wears like this for several hours, fairly close to the skin. Its beautiful, very atmospheric, and in my opinion, better than "Akkad" as the spices and woods give it a more manly substance. If you like the smell of churches, you will love this. But if you're looking for oud, it ain't here.

This is what TF Oud Wood intense should have smelled like IMO. If you're wondering what this smells like and you've tried Halston Amber Man, or Oud wood for that matter, it's similar, generally speaking but rather than going in a brighter semi sweet direction like Halston, this goes in a spicier, darker direction. I get 7 or 8+ hours of longevity with Shams Oud. Good projection and silliage also. The Oud and pepper really stick around on my skin. Shams Oud is mature and masculine. Suitable for mild and cooler weather, though I'm wearing it in the summer as well. Highly recommend this! ******Side Note, did you know that the perfumer for Oud Wood is a man named Richard Herpin? I was suprised to learn that. I've never heard of him and I would have thought he would have been brought back by Estee Lauder to make other Tom Ford Offerings considering how successful Oud Wood became.....

Shams Oud is a dry yet resinous and perfectly "warm" scent. It opens with gorgeously high quality saffron, along with some ginger and toned-down pepper. The opening is just breathtaking in its dry beauty. The next stage of the fragrance is where the resins and oud take over. The oud accord (I'm not sure if it is authentic oud, but it is beautiful regardless) is wood/smokey.... no cheese or barnyard nuances to speak of. In this sense the oud reminds me of Tom Ford's Oud Wood. But the absolutely stunning resins in this fragrance separate it and differentiate it from any further comparisons to Oud Wood. About 4 hours into this magical journey, the tonka comes to the forefront and blends splendidly with the resins, creating an absolutely intoxicating, narcotic dry down. An absolutely stunning unisex fragrance and a must-try for any fan of balsamic fragrances.

@gtabasso: I don't fully understand your comment that this is "a real oud without the barnyard piss and with all the smoke and ash". Now, I wouldn't say I am an expert but there are so many different scent profiles that you can't say there is one real Oud smell. The most important thing is first to distinguish between the note of Oud wood and smoke and Oud oil. I have never come across burned Oud that smells barnyardy. However, Oud oil, especially e.g. Hindi Oud can have this scent profile. On the other hand, I find Thai Oud for example to be more green-ish and sweet... Just my 2 cents :-) Shams Oud is a beautiful spicy fragrance with, to me, just a little hint of burnt Oud chips. I actually get more frankincense out of it then Oud. Nevertheless, for lovers of spicy scents this shwould be perfect!

Absolutely love this fragrance. I bought African Leather by Memo and received a sample of this fragrance. I was pretty biased when I first put it on. However when I gave it about 20-30min to settle down, I faced an absolute beauty of ginger, clean vetiver, some other spices I just can't name. For the next 3-4 hours the smell turns even more peppery on my skin, revealing all the beauty of Saffron, almost little harsh but still goes with undertones of earthy oud smell. Oud is always at the center of all notes, which is very earthy, deep, dry oud. Given its olfactory profile, this is an underrated piece of art. I kind of wish it does stay that way too. This can be a signature scent. I'd wear it at cold night with some light breeze, this can turn into delight.

I was expecting typical Arabian perfume full of oud, roses and dust. Surprisingly it is very delicate and full of light fragrance. The oud and saffron are prominent from the start to the end but they are very well balanced and none is harsh. There is also sweetness in this fragrance as an echo from vanilla and tonka beans. I can classify Shams as a woody delicious. However I like it a lot there is one problem. Sadly it doesn’t last on my skin longer than one hour. After that time the only little sweetness remains and it is detectable if you sniff your skin. Shams is good to have it in the collection if you love perfumes but it is not worth money if you are looking for strong oriental one.

Beautiful dry, almost dusty in the opening. The opening is a burst of pepper and labdanum, tinged with the saffron so prominent in African Leather. A dry smokey oud is there from the beginning. As others have mentioned, this is a very woody, non funky oud. After a few hours, this begins to mellow and become more cozy. I have no problem getting a solid 8 hours of longevity. I find this to be a very manly and a bit daring scent that stands out from the usual cast of freshers, while not going to far down the "funky" route.

This is pure perfection. It smells nothing like the listed notes individually but as something completely new and weird and good. A complete evolution of all those ingredients listed above, a piece of amber resin on top of fire ember melting like a marshmallow. It has some similarities to Vanille-Benjoin from Affinessence parfums but less sweet and more... "solar, sahara sand dry" if that means anything. Amazing creation and quite different from other Memo fragrances.

Holy mother and father of all ouds. This is one of the best ouds on the market! Wow. It is a real oud without the barnyard piss and with all the smoke and ash. My second fave after Boadicea Complex. Kilian Incense Oud is another fave this is up there with. This dries down to a lovely church incense. I put it on at 4. At 11:30 p.m., it's still going strong. When I got warm in a hot theater, I thought I was going to knock everyone out around me.

This fragrance should not be categorized as an oud scent. Its predominant note is frankincense, complemented by a smoky aroma with sweet undertones of cinnamon and a hint of spicy pepper. As my signature scent, I'm quite familiar with its composition. Despite the official listing not mentioning these notes, my experience in the fragrance industry tells me these are its true characteristics. I absolutely love it!

Fragrantica changed the notes & tree for this one. They took out: Saffron Birch Tonka Labdanum It's predominantly a Labdanum/vanillic incense fragrance with ginger pepper & saffron up top, cypriol & birch in the middle & tonka, styrax & vetiver coming in at the end. My favorite cool weather wear & it can work 4 seasons. I have an old clear bottle & a newer frosted bottle & they seem to be the same fragrance.

شمس عود ممو . تقریبا فضای مدرن و بدور از تکرار عودی های مرسوم بازار داره . شروعی تند و تلخ و گازوییل مانند از عود +صمغ لابدانوم در کنار آکورد اینسنسی با غلبه نت کندور .روند عطر همینه فقط ملایمتر میشه و حس چوبی بواسطه وتیور و فلفل سیاه . که در پایان حس صابونی هم اضافه میشه .فضای بسیار لوکس و شیکی رو رقم میزنه. خیلی عطر خوش پوش با رایحه متمولانه و مردونه ای داره . .کیفییت بسیار بالاست

Shams Oud to me smells very similar to a sauna. It smells like wet wood and hot rocks. I love the scent and the performance is great. This one has been high on the want list and I'll definitely get a bottle as soon with my next purchase. I'm just waiting to consume some of the bottles in my collection first. This isn't a mainstream fragrance by any means.

Definitely not long lasting. Eternal! I think it has been reformulated. I have the early version. Bought four bottles at the time. It was heavely discounted. This was maybe ten years back. Gave away two as gifts. Very potent. Very masculine. Not unisex. Really nice for very cold weather. Two sprays max. Aoud. Linear scent. Only for aoud fans.

Got a great deal on a 5/23 batch tester. They changed the bottle from clear to frosted & changed the art a bit on the front. Formula seems to be identical. Wanted to head off "reformulation" worries. Great multi-dimensional scent Very good longevity Moderate-close projection

You are in a red cedar sauna in a birch forest. The door opens. A wisp of frankincense on charcoal creeps in. A beautiful woman slides in with her naturally tonka flavored fresh sweaty skin. She ladles some water on the rocks & smiles at you. Norwegian wood 🪵

Very lovely composition. Unfortunately the price is very high. Its like a mix of Amouage Jubilation with Teziana Terenzi Laudano Nero. If I didn’t not have both of them already, I would have totally bought it. Ve try unique take on oud. Its so good.

With this scent i imagine myself being in Indonesia on the stairs in front of a enormeous Buddha tempel or on a temple square where they have just lit incense. Wonderful blended, long lasting and beautiful quiet drydown!

I checked it side by side with Al Andalus from Moresque. They are similar but Al Andalus is more harsh. Shams Oud has more depth and is smoother. I prefer Shams Oud but indeed they are similar.

Out of all the Memo Paris Oud’s this one is the most proper and very nice mixture! It’s animalic but pleasant, strong scent and long lasting. It’s an addicting kind of Oud from this brand!

Best oud scent I've ever smelt! Reminds me the days when I was in Tibet and Nepal. I feel I'm a god from Chinese or Tibetan mythology. Be in despair of wanting a full bottle immediately..

It smells like an antique chest when you open it after at least one hundred years in which it has remained untouched. Agarwood, leather, some spices, a bit powdery. A pleasant surprise!

I absolutely love this fragrance. Woody and cozy with big resins. Tolu Balsam is the star and the drydown is amazing and comforting. Cozy comforting scent.

Really glad I have this one. It's resinous and woody, but not a Creed Royal Oud Cedar wood, more like something damp and dank.

Incense and oud burning in the hot desert air. I love these kinds of scents.

A basic, smokey oud, withuot barnyard or animalic overtones; nor medicinal as some pure oud oils are. A tad smokey, a tad "masculine" (in the conventional western sense; the more get into fragrances, the more I am realizing what a time- and culture-bound concept rating fragrances as male/female or day/night fragrances really is). It smelled almost like the finer of the pure oud oil samples I had purchased from Agar Aura and smelled at an oud bar weeks prior. But: it wore off very quickly on me. I tried it on three different occasions,including different times of day, under and over clothes, overnight vs at work, etc. It didn't stay on me at all. Literally 30 sprays across my body of this were dwarfed two hours in by one spray of Luxor Oud I had applied to a scarf I wore all day (made by, I believe the same company [I have yet to re-try that one and write a proper review: I had the one spray on a scarf by accident; I wouldn't usually confuse perfumes before buying/rating].) I was disappointed and mystified, because it had seemed like a clear, true, good-quality., nieither-too-subtle nor too-rank oud to use as an undergarment for other fragrances, as the bass layering piece in oud or leather that I am hunting for at the moment. Sad sillage, nonexstant longevity, good smell. I am shocked that the grafrance pyramid reveals so many notes. While I wouldn't call Shams oud 'one'-note' as an insult, I felt one of its strengths was how direct and pure of an oud smell it is. I would never have guessed all those other scents in it--and, like I say, have smelled pure oud oils that are equally or more complex than this scent. I couldn't sense the ginger at all. If you want ginger and oud, try Oud Rideaux by Cartier, their new 6-fragrance oud line. I sampled more than several dozen oud fragrances aat the boutique I had made a 4 hour two-way fieldtrip to get to, and out of the dozen or so that I had made into little spray samplers for home, this was one of the two that I actually dared spray on my arms (one per arm) before leaving the store. Unlike the montale arabie oud, which changed on me, this one didn't. It stayed put and has never seemed offensive to people near me or coworkers, even though I am pretty sure they can smell it. It is unisex/non-human enough that it might even smell like I live in some wonderfully scented Zen dojo and the smell impregnates my hair and body. But it is a disappointing ud, surpassed by other ouds by the same fragrance house, and certainly by ouds even by Tom Ford--who has made great fragrances bu which I look down on a little bit as they are mainstream and being a snob comes easily.

The most highly rated and beloved of the MEMO perfume line is this breathtakingly gorgeous peppery wood fragrance that immediately transports you to Middle eastern lands. The key thing to note here is that in spite of its name, this is not an Oud-centered perfume. The Oud is there and of very nice natural extraction but it is completely enveloped by a spice mix comprising of pepper, saffron and ginger. In addition, as the perfume settles you will discover notes of cypriol, labdanum, birch, tonka and tolu balsam. The perfume is very reminiscent of incense that is burnt in mosques and is a somewhat of a beast mode perfume. Sillage/projection are tremendous like most MEMO offerings and longevity very good as well. The good news is the perfume quietens a bit with the passage of time but this can be several hours. One for bold, unafraid and brazen personalities, this is modern perfume mastery of the highest order. Perfect for wintry days where it just immediately envelopes you in a spicy warmth. Enjoy!

This is perhaps the only good perfume in Memo Paris collection. Their entire collection is overpriced. This one smells like raspberries to me, with some spices, like black pepper and some oud in the background. Both the spices and oud are in background and spices are spicy, not sweet, which is what I love about it. Oud is very mild and in the background. What comes to the front is a raspberry like fruity sweet note. It is not very loud. The fruity note is also light. So it is a mild perfume. It last more than 12 hrs on skin. And I like it as a soothing, therapeutic, heeling kind of perfume. It reminds me of my childhood and all the good time I had back then. It is a happy scent. Can be someone's signature scent as one cannot get bored of it. But it is definitely not an oud forward scent.

Strong pepper in the opening. Then a warm, earthy, slightly woody and sweet resinous mix - mostly tonka, styrax, labdanum and balsams. The oud is minor. This mixes with the pepper to create a warm, comfortable scent. There's something a little camphoraceous, almost minty, like a touch of lavender - is that the cypriol? Shams Oud reminds me of those warm and spicy men's scents, but without the awful "men's cologne" accord that they all seem to have. Like Memo's Moon Fever, the tonka is strong on me. In the drydown, without the spices, it doesn't smell very unique, but it still smells good. There's something in the base that reminds me a lot of Tom Ford's Tobacco Vanille - probably the sweet tonka. I wouldn't buy a full bottle, but I will enjoy my sample! Like.

Proper take on oud. Warm, spicy oud, with an animalic barnyardy facet. As it dries, the animalic note dials down and the warm, spicy, oud scent becomes more resinous and powdery. Soft, woody, spicy, warm, oudy, powdery, resinous. Oud Shams stays true to the word oud. This is the kind of oud smell popular in Arabia if you ever wondered but not necessary Memo's Shams Oud itself. By the way, Shams Oud translates into "Sun Oud". There is an immensely popular oud line called "Al Shams" from Ajmal, & it pioneered the pair naming of Oud & Shams (sun). That line is much more oudier & performs tremendously than Memo's but they don't smell alike. This is a cool weather, mature wear that leans masculine. "Like"

I started out hating it because animalic wet cat smell but that disappeared after a minute. It blasted beautiful incense became a complex scent in middle of fireplace embers, woods, forest pine, hint of oud. No ginger or pepper on my skin unfortunately. It reminds me of By the Fireplace perfume and I like it! Worried how this performs in extreme heat since I live in Arizona desert. It’s winter now 65 degrees today so this perfume was strong projecting with scent trail for 6 hours. This could only be worn by me in late fall early winter otherwise it would choke people on one spray! I may buy a mini or decant of this perfume for winters only. Glad I tested it!

What I'm getting from this is predominantly a Labdanum fragrance. The incense vibes people mention here are coming from Labdanum. For reference as to what Labdanum smells like, besides Labdanum oil, one can smell SHL's O Hira, or especially ELDO's Attaquer Le Soleil Marquis de Sade. It's not a sweet resin (as one might think since in amber accords it's usually wrapped in a lot of vanilla, benzoin, and other vanillic materials), but more like a dry, incensey, kinda salty smell. In this, that overdose of labdanum is wrapped in tame oud and other woody materials creating an interesting, if sometimes a bit overwhelming olfactory profile.

A sultry oriental with a heart of dark green oud where amber would ordinarily be, giving it a savory rather than sweet edge. Great projection and a unique, memorable sillage. Screams sophisticated. Starts out herbal and warm with ginger and pepper, there is a green quality like green bell pepper, a little bit of an edible spice mix. The oud grounds the vegetal part of this composition, the heart. From this core accord balsamic resins and a dark red saffron join the spices to make a glowing, powdery and soft yet exotic aura around the wearer. Shams Narcissus is exquisite btw.

Shams Oud is a wonderful fragrance with birch wood, pepper, amber, incense and a very tame oud. It's not dark, brooding or medicinal, but it has a sort of clean, freshness to it like a newly built outdoor altar burning incense to the gods. After a few hours this perfume still has a strong presence on my skin as the sweetened wood scent dries with a creaminess that continues to hover on the top of my skin for over 10 hours. It's a gorgeous, classy scent for both men and women.

Shams smells like you are in an old cabin, where you have lit a fire with old dry wood logs from pine, sitting on a old handmade leather sofa made from sheep or deer skin. If you grew up in a cabin near a forest with alot of animals you will recognize this scent. Would I wear it? No, I dont think there will be any occasion where this would work as a scent

This is too strong for my nose but I really like the scent. reminds me of going to catholic church on a sunday! the oud is dominant and the pepper sharpens the whole product. really oriental, try it out!

I just realized.. This is one of the only oud fragrances that smells like Japanese aloeswood incense!

Pleasantly strong, pepper and oud blend evenly. To try.

I’m surprised how oud-y Shams is considering it’s coming from a house like Memo. Usually their offerings are very tame, whereas this is noticeably more bold - but not to the point of being unwearable. As mainstream market ouds go, it’s not bad at all. Initially it’s rather putrid, earthy and decaying in its smell, but it soon settles. The scent is outrageously dry, it smells like smouldering woods with smoke and earth. Heaps of black pepper further the dryness, alongside the thick and oily balsamic effect of the cypriol and balsams. It’s rather impressive actually. Strong, bold and imposing, avoiding current trends and easy wins. Whilst it has nothing on the real world of proper oud, as oud accords go this is not bad at all.

On first smell: This perfume is really nice spicy, woody with bits of ginger there is also a fresh Cypriol note. I found shams oud sexy, sensual and a a bit mysterious. It makes me think of a forest stroll with a picnic waiting for you at the end of the walk. How ever on me this scent does not project and does not make itself known and the longevity is really poor, on me it lasted less than 6h. So overall : 4/10

Beautiful oud and a majistic shred of wood burning slowly on a peice of coal .. 10 minutes later .. smells like RUST. I don't know how and why but it happend. Shocking turn of events.

More like Shams leather underpants. Oud again, pass again. But I must admit it's not the ugliest oud around. Bit of a rubbery type feel.

MEMO paris, Shams Oud (SH27049, Sep 2019, usd 95, 75 ml. - no box) Refresh review (Nov 24, 2024) I now think this is really good fragrance, really well blend. Finely done fragrance, not linear but develop in Amber fragrance manner. The longer it on your skin, the better it smell. I think this make me fall in love with Tolu Balsam. It is still, the modern oud fragrance. that one with strong amber oud and Nagamotha. (But yes, Nagamotha is authentic here). The underlying quality here is the blend of Cade oil, Saffron and Birch Tar. Create that kind of "Leather" experience here. But instead of that Castoreum and Immrotel. The recreate the old bitter leather, in this is matte brown leather. As scent progress and move to base. This is where I found the scent very gentleman. Tolu Balsam here lies the quality of being matte, naturally sweeten hit with Styrax. All the material break down to be ambery powder scent. But the quality of Tar create soft smoke tone, authority. Damn.. this is good one. Tolu balsum is hardly highlight as key ingredient In my assumption have one spicy leg and floral quality (soft Nag Champa). I am sniff Chamade which tile this with clove, LOTV and mugget. This one tile with spicy saffron, peppery top. Easy to wear (if you like oreintal woody) and you must enjoy that kind of Amber-Oud experience but this is another good one. This blends by Alienor Massenet. TL;DR - A cleaver blend and modernize the old leather accord using new oud material. dry powdery ambery-woody base. Almost soft floral undertone. Refine masculine scent for modern man. ===== Full review (Jun 16, 2024) I could refers this now as more woody - amber, smoky edge fragrance now instead of oud. I perceive zero oud in this, apart of oud-like nagamotha material that add soft medicinal, woody aspect to the fragrance. Opening is spicy and peppery, spark joy since beginning like revoke the sensation, I do perceive soft sweetness from the get go. Then in nagamotha heart is start releasing medicinal ambient, but not overly. It merge to smoky / cedar material underneath, and soft balsumic yet powdery sweet amber is dancing in the background, certain amount of smoky birch tar. Do add sophisticate and smoky vibe to overall fragrance. This structure seems to be more incense but it is not, it is more on smoky. I think the beautifulness of this fragrance is the dry-down to powdery naturally sweeten woody-amber experience. It smell like soft sweet warm muted yellow-white powder. 2, this blends more to old way amber, than a new way. And the base surprisingly not a ambermax as name suggested. It instead ambroxan / iso-e-super which I do really appreciate is it more gentle to my nose. Shams oud, means to be closer warm amber woody experience to the skin, the oud of the day, it is not sunshine oud in manner of being sweet citrus bright oud but the oud for day use. Leaving trace of natual powdery amber mix with woodiness from cedre and soft smoky feel. I am still think this is wonderful creation. Score 9/10 Projection moderate for 2-3 hours before intact as smooth powdery skinscent closer to the skin, continuously. I think this might be redundant if you have strong woody amber in your selection like Oud Wood, Bois d’Argent or Ambre Nuit. But if you need a bit more bite. This could be great offering. ===== First Impression Shams Oud is a blind buy for me as I familiar with note and rendition seems great. This is such a wonderful blends from realm of fresh, realm of oud and realm of ambre. The scent of this fragrance is surprisingly transparent, it is clean and not messy at all. That spicy ginger blast is so wonderful it is significantly uplifting. After scent change, oud in medicinal leaning introduce, this is special oud for me because it is retains right but also full body. Oud is strong here. But that dry ambery benzonin is so wonderful for me. After introduction of oud, scent tame significantly into dry wood and mild sweetness from Bezonin, also a bit powdery, I don’t how that come from but it is smell so wonderful. shams Oud will be keeper in my collection. So good as a fragrance of the day(time). 10/10 (So wonder why no one put entry for a year, this is wonderful) Nope, nope - whoever put Sahara Noir and Oud Abramad as similar is out of his mind, beside note arrangement by fragrantica. They are nothing scent a like.

This is a resinous and charred take on oud with a slight medicinal bite. Lots of spices upfront, but for the most part, it’s a dry, scratchy labdanum. It’s also extremely strong. It starts forcefully with a blast of black pepper drowns out the resins, but soon after the balsam and the labdanum peek through. The oud accord is tricky to pull out as it’s wrapped tight around the vetiver, and the two notes sit a little too close. The initial impression is one of earthy, dark tones — very resinous, smoky, and dry. It’s pleasant enough, but frankly, quite unoriginal. Epic Man and La Fumee are doing something very similar to this. Soon enough, Shams mellows out and the pitch drops down a few decibels. It becomes a tad more sweet, but overall, it maintains its labdanum / balsamic structure and doesn’t really change that much. But that’s true with many scents in this style because they’re already dominated by notes that are commonly considered to be base materials (balsams, vetiver, cedar, labdanum etc), and what you get toward the beginning is probably going to resemble what’s still on your skin ten hours later, which, for the most part, is the case with this one. So, it’s very tenacious and very durable, but very static. The problem I have with these kind of scents is that they’re limited in what they can convey and they don’t distinguish themselves very well from each other. The key is keep them from going too muddy, and shams just about manages that. The downside is that you really do feel like you’re wearing a base in need of a perfume, so you have to resist the temptation to spray something over the top of it. Shams isn’t that oudy, but it’s dense and earthy. For it’s genre it’s fine, but it doesn’t provide any new thrills.