Hypnotic Oud Quinze XV

A great work here. I always appreciate those who dare to take risks, and North Stag has dared considerably with this one. Hypnotic Oud: a fitting name, without a doubt. This is a fragrance with a powerful, animalic character. It is fundamentally spicy, sensual, and wild. It opens with a note of grapefruit zest, darkened immensely by saffron, which also lends a metallic edge to the already resinous, almost medicinal opening. The evolution is rather rapid, with cardamom and labdanum, aided by the pungent, slightly sweet heat of cinnamon, anticipating the arrival of the 'leather'. But it is in the dry-down where Cypriol oil, with its unmistakable earthy, vetiver-root scent and animalic character, reinforces the labdanum and oud, pushing the fragrance into its most primal territory. The performance is on par with its character: excellent longevity on the skin and an enveloping sillage that follows you for hours, dense with spices, tobacco, and leather. Hypnotic Oud is a total olfactory experience. It merges the bitter brilliance of a dark citrus opening, the comforting warmth of spices and tobacco, and the primitive depth of oud, leather, and animalic notes. It is far more intriguing and complex than its note pyramid might suggest.

Smell and vibes of a fragrance someone who made a fortune in something like the lumberjack industry (not a tech CEO) would wear while driving around town in an Aston Martin old-timer. With very good performance as well. Paris Corner did a phenomenal job on this one and probably the best compliment I can give them is that this easily could've been a 300 dollar fragrance from the house The Spirit of Dubai. Scent: 9.7/10 Performance: 9/10 Presentation: 9.5/10 (great sprayer as well!) Price: 11/10 (35 Euros for 100ml for a fragrance that at least borders on niche-level stuff)

Beautiful, rich, and heavy scent. It opens with a spicy, woody, leathery oud, with a slightly animalic touch in the background. It is a very complex fragrance, so I think you need an experienced nose to fully appreciate it. The quality is excellent, and the ingredients smell very natural. Nothing feels harsh, cheap, or synthetic. For the price, the performance and quality are really impressive. Unfortunately, I don’t own Meydan by The Spirit of Dubai and I have never smelled it, so I can’t compare them. But on its own, this is an amazing scent.

This one right here, gentlemen. To my nose, it smells like a mix of the aromatic, floral nature of Penhaligon's Halfeti and the leather used in Afnan's Tobacco Rush, with a more nuanced and dense, woody tone. There is an animalic side to it that unfolds as the scent dries down. And what a blend that is. Sexy, masculine, mysterious, niche-level fragrance, with a beautiful bottle and presentation as well as pressurized sprayer. With eternal performance as well.

This really punches the leather. The dark smokey tobacco sits right behind it too. Wood notes float around in there in a pleasant way. I don't detect any of the listed top notes, but wow the bang of that leather/tobacco is huge and has some serious staying power. Possibly not an easy wear for many people, so YMMV. If your wearing leather, or working on machinery, this is a blokes scent for cool weather. Personally, I really like it. The partner doesn't.