Oud Tobacco

Phenomenal! I have tried quite a few Montale/Mancera frags over the years, and this is definitely my favorite. It share many parallels with Blonde Amber, definitely not as deep or high quality, definitely doesn't develop in the same number of stages, but it does change quite a bit Opens with dried fruits, fresh cut orange, tobacco, and warm spices, as it dries down, the tobacco sticks around, and vanilla shows up, some of the fruits and dried spices fall away. In the final stages, an absolutely sublime incense accord develops with hints of frankincense. If you have ever experienced Satya Nag Champa incense, this smells similar in the mids and dry down. It's absolutely beautiful and took my by surprise, as many Montale and Mancera fragrances are overly synthetic and rather linear. They typically open one way and just drop some notes over time, where as Oud Tobacco develops and changes, and every stage smells great! I didn't detect any Oud, but it's possible it was overshadowed by some of the other bold notes. Performance is outstanding, strong projection in the first 4 hours while slowly developing into a skin scent at 8-10 hours on skin. It obviously lasts much longer on clothing, however, in my experience, fragrances that develop and change tend to get stuck in the opening and mids more than the full development when on clothing compared to skin. Skin chemistry definitely plays a roll in this process as well. This is definitely geared towards the cooler weather, I could see this being worn on early Spring and very late Summer nights in the area I live (North-East USA). I think this is safe for weather under 65°c/19°c. This is unisex, but realistically leans masculine. It's a somewhat mature scent. I could see this being worn by a more serious person in their late 20's but also suited to the 30-50 year old range. It may be a little too masculine smelling for many women's taste. I had a sample of CC Blonde Amber and I also have French Avenue Amber Empire, which a lot of people consider to be the best CCBA clone. This is much MUCH better than Amber Empire and definitely scratched the Blonde Amber itch. Being a Montale, it is definitely recommended to let out a few ml from the bottle and letting the air that replaces it mature the juice inside for 2-4 weeks before it starts to balance out. The scents from this house rarely smell right fresh out of a new bottle. That's really a shame as Montale and Mancera are generally considered niche, but need the same process to balance out as cheap UAE clone frags. Fantastic value proposition, quality and performance are both excellent and I have seen 100ml bottles selling for under $60. 93/100 well done, Pierre!

So lets address the Elephant in the room. The "Grape" nuance. I went & bought Sumac Spice in order to understand what I'm smelling here. I can assure anyone who says this is a Sumac forward fragrance that its not. Sumac doesnt smell like Grape. It has a Floral/Lemon scent thats somewhat Herbal, & Earthy. So where is this phantom "Grape" nuance coming from ??? First, there are more Spices at work than just Sumac & Cumin. I smell Saffron, Cardamom, Coriander, & dare I say Cinnamon. I also smell Resins. Frankincense, or Olibanum along with Myrrh, or Opoponax, & Amber. After spending an entire day discerning the notes, what I've come to realize I actually smell, is an Incense accord with a ton of Spices. Which in combination with its Citrus notes, Floral/Herbal/Earthy/Lemon nuances from the Sumac, Neroli-like nuances from the Orange Blossom, & its Dark Green, Earthy, Tobacco note, all work to create this "Grape Shisha" accord. BUT !!!!! Whats creating that "Grape" nuance ??? The "Grape" nuance is created by the aroma chemical "Methyl Anthranilate". Which is used to enhance the notes of Orange Blossom & Neroli. It gives off a sweet scent reminiscent of "Grape Soda". There are 2 different Oud accords in this fragrance. One smells like Wood thats Smoky/Ashy. The other smells like Crude Oil Soaked Wood. Both Oud notes play a supporting role to the overall theme of the fragrance, which is "Grape Shisha Tobacco". Upon its initial spray Oud Tobacco is Spicy, Sweet, Woody, & Fruity, with an Ashy Earthy Tobacco nuance. It smells like both the Shisha Tobacco, & its fragrant smoke. Its Middle Eastern influence is unmistakable. ... and while this fragrance can be worn year round as long as you're careful with how much you apply, I prefer to wear it in the Fall, because in the Cool Air its Spice notes are more apparent. Oud Tobacco is a strong beautiful fragrance, that in the right situation will smell very alluring. But, be mindful with how much you apply. Its a very strong fragrance.

I love Montale fragrances and I really appreciate their quality. But many of them are too much for me, too much wild. Oud tobacco is different, however. It is a very, very creamy fragrance, one could say civilized. I was expecting something that would devastate me, that would scratch my throat - although I really like the scratching of tobacco smell. Here, however, tobacco is delicate, as in high-quality cigarettes, which are very subtly sweetened with fruit and spices. It really is one of the better-balanced fragrances of this brand. There is some powder here, it comes from orange blossom in my opinion. And the oranges with other citrus fruits are also present, but in a very small dose. I don't know what sumac smells like, but maybe it is sumac that gives this creaminess and light woodiness - something like a very good sandawood distillate, which can even be buttery in its nature. I like that smell very much. It fits perfectly into the nostalgia of autumn, such as at the turn of October and November. Warms and wraps. But one thing is for sure, there is no oud here. I don't know where the idea for oud as an ingredient came from - if it isn't added. For me, cream tobacco would be a better name. Enjoy and savor this fragrance.

An absolutely lovely little fragrance. I blind-bought this one in the hopes of finding a replacement for Tom Ford Tobacco Oud (since it's been discontinued). While this is most definitely not that, I am pleasantly surprised by it. Initial notes I detect are big citrus notes, paired with the tart, syrupy and yet somehow dusty scent of Sumac and an underlying sense of smokiness. Something in this opener also reads chocolatey to me, causing the whole opener to feel like I'm smelling chocolate covered citrus fruits. This quickly softens to reveal a fresh, spicy heart that reminds me (like others) of grape soda or grape candy - the kind of dark, fizzy and fruity scent you'd associate with artificial grape flavoring. The smokiness of the opening becomes more refined and incense-y. Finally, I get the subtle warm glow of tobacco and tonka, making the base of this quite rich and gourmand. Sillage and projection are okay, it remains to be seen how long they will last, but will aim to check back in after a few hours.

Smells of the smoothest saffron with creamy tonka bean tobacco. The opening kinda reminded me of Versace Oud noir because of the citrusy saffron. Over time the fragrance shifts it's focus towards the tonka bean. Orange blossom is noticable as well. You basically get what is in the notes assuming the sumac smells like saffron (I never smelled that thing). As It's drying down I also get hints of cumin which reminds me of Spicebomb extreme. TLDR - It's very smooth saffron tobacco with creamy tonka bean drydown. I like this one much better to the Red Tobacco fragrance beacause Red Tobacco opens with really dirty oud and the fragrance smells rugged, only in the drydown the vanilla shines. This on the other hand is smooth from start to finish, the oud is a clear oud... more like in Versace Oud Noir. Ocassion - winter time, with elegant clothing, 100% unisex.