Oud Liaisons

This is a beautiful oud fragrance. I picked it up along with the other new releases. Between this one and Bijou Zafran, it's hard to pick a favorite - both are amazing! The opening was a little unusual for me, I can't pinpoint a note that feels out of place, but I think the rose, lemon, licorice accords may be working in a way that's just very unfamiliar to my nose. Its warm, yet fresh and unexpected, then begins to transition fairly quickly, which is a positive for me. The oud and rose really step forward and show their character. There's nothing animalic here - it's a very luxurious wood fragrance. The spice is well balanced and plays a supporting role. This is a very nice fragrance for cool weather! Longevity is great, projection is nice without being overly loud. To compare with another favorite OJ, Nawab of Oudh, there is much more oud and woodiness in Oud Liaisons and less spice. The rose is a bit more restrained in Oud Liaisons to my nose. Nawab of Oudh is different enough to own both and an amazing fragrance in its own right, probably a little more versatile as well. But despite its name, Nawab of Oudh isn't an oud fragrance - it's a dry spiced rose, so if you are looking for oud wood, this is the one to get your nose on first.

A very pleasant oud forward fragrance. If you have tried Oud Nawaf from this house it is very much in that vain. The liquorice is very fleeting and for me I appreciate because I am not a fan. The rose is very soft but stays throughout the wear. Not your typical rose oud combination where they are both competing. The lemon actually gives this a fresh airy feel which makes this suitable for all seasons save for summer or high heat. An interesting fragrance that has really good longevity. I find projection a hard concept to grasp as to say about an arms length or 6 ft etc really depends on who can detect it at that distance. Some may, some may not. I can say it has staying power. Of all the new reimagined four corners of the earth collection this was one I kept coming back to. It resonated with me personally. That is not to say the others arent good, they are. This one had more depth and complexity. The musk in the drydown really is wonderful. So decided to make a purchase. If you can get a sample or try in store. Please do.

Take the scariest notes and make it sexaaayyy! I just got a sample of this is late April so this is when I wear tested it. At night. In New Orleans. Heads were turning. My non-perfume friends were even loving it. It’s more oud, soft rose and leather to my nose. Maybe some mossy cypriol on the dry down but not overly woody or patchouli on my skin. I don’t think my sample will last for colder weather. I’d buy a bottle if it came in smaller form.

The opening is interesting. Very, very interesting, and quite different from anything I would have imagined based on the note breakdown. Yes, the rose is present at the top. After about ten minutes it becomes less shy and starts moving into deeper territory. On my skin, the opening feels warm, built around the tried-and-tested rose and oud combination, but executed at a very high level. Nothing feels basic here, and even if it is a familiar theme, it's done with very high-quality materials. On paper, I'm noticing something very interesting in the late drydown. The vanilla, which is listed at the very bottom of the note pyramid, starts to come forward. It relentlessly reminds me of the vanilla in Dionisio by Tiziana Terenzi. Why do I say that? Because I enjoyed that fragrance for years, and I can still instantly recognize that dirty vanilla accord today. I'm curious to see whether it will develop into that same vanilla on my skin. If it does, this could be a very interesting twist. To be continued...