Oud Imperial

One of my absolute favorites. It is a beautiful, dark, vampy, incensy, mysterious Oud. It even has a bit of a fresh cigarette smoke accord during the opening...and I love it. It's perfect. It is the late 1800s/very early 1900s. You are a young, ambitious, handsome and energetic English businessman born into a wealthy family. You are in the Hungarian countryside, never mind how you got here. It is late, it is dark out, but the bonfire is still burning and there are still Romani sitting around it, talking, laughing, playing their violins and clarinets, dancing, and smoking. Wizened old men and little old ladies in headscarves, middle aged couples with their children playing just beyond the firelight, handsome young couples with fat babies who have long been asleep at this hour, and dark, handsome young men flirting with curvy, sensual young women just barely out of childhood. But you are separated from this scene by a curtain of thick fabric, rustling gently in the warm night breeze. You are with HER. SHE has taken you back to her wooden wagon, it is hung with red and gold silks inside. There are herbs hanging up to dry, and incense burning on a brazier. The whole wagon is extravagant and thickly perfumed with smoke from the incense, her cigarette, and the bonfire outside and herbaceous, earthy scents. The bed is luscious and plush, and SHE is voluptuous, lithe, and beautiful. It is hot - you are both sweating and breathing heavily. Just as you're about to go further than you ever have before, SHE pushes you away and reaches over to languidly take a pull of her cigarette. No holder here, SHE is not refined. Sensual, sultry, earthy, intensely erotic, yes - lascivious, even - but...SHE is not someone you could ever bring home. SHE wouldn't go with you anyway. SHE is a gypsy. Wild, free, and untamed, everything for which your rebel heart secretly longs. you admire her thick luscious black hair, deep brown eyes, almost black; plump lips - deep red from your bites and kisses, and ivory satin skin. She turns back to you and you are lost in the moment........ hours later you lose consciousness in a delicious, satisfied, smoke-deepened slumber. This is your memory of that night, the scent gently lingering on your skin when you wake up the next morning, shirtless in a field next to the rural road on the edge of a small wood, robbed of everything of value you once carried, including your heart. Oud is very present, as is incense. As I said before, it opens with cigarette smoke. Very, very dry, middle eastern or Eastern European. Bonfires and incense, sex and betrayal, burnt herbs and smoke. Extraordinarily mysterious. Absolutely beautiful. Please, please try this. Ladies - it is not feminine at all. Who cares. It's incredibly sexy and alluring. Gentlemen - wear this and all the ladies will swoon. Not for those lacking in confidence. Edit: layers very nicely with Miller Harris Rose en Noir, but just as good on its own. Also, I forgot to say that longevity is incredible, somewhere in the ballpark of 48 hours, and sillage, while not overpowering to those around you, is very present 10/10

UPDATE: Well, I sold it. But, not because it's a lesser fragrance. This is a very dry incense heavy oud. If you love stark, dry, potent incense as well as oud, you'd definitely enjoy this. I'm not one to be drawn to the liturgical incense heavy fragrances. If it was only a little sweeter, I'd have hung onto it. _______________________________________________________ I recently got a bottle of Oud Imperial. Super rich incense oud, rather dry and ashen, without being too sharp. Extremely masculine. There was something... something that felt familiar, as if I already had this fragrance. I sprayed on Jovoy Paris Private Label on my other wrist. Smelled both. Wow. It's pretty similar to Private Label with an ashy oud note added in! Rather interesting. Must be similar concentrations of vetiver, patchouli, and sandalwood. Also, I wouldn't call Private Label sweet, but there is a sweetness I pick up right after smelling Oud Imperial. Very nice. As far as designer oud based fragrances go, I have YSL M7, AdP Intensa Oud, and Epic Man as my mainstays. I've long been curious about REAL oudh, but discouraged by the extravagant prices to get the real stuff, and extreme difficulty in finding quality mid-priced renditions that are close-enough to capture that "oudh experience" (too many variations and inconsistencies across vendors). I've started to dabble in very small oudh attars and gradually learning more about this curious substance. But most of my experience is with Western oud, synthetic based yet high quality crafting. Oud Imperial has been quite an interesting experience. This has what appears to be a pretty natural smelling oud, accompanied by lots of incense and ash. It's very bold and dry. It also feels a bit linear in its development, yet... it does soften over time. I realize it will take time to discover this one, wearing time and time again with gaps in between to let the recent memory refresh. I'm hoping that Oud Imperial and I will become good friends. :-)

This to me, Oud Imperial smells like waking up in the morning after hanging out with friends by the fire. Minus the hangover, beer, and whiskey smell of course. The only difference is this bonfire was at an eccentric millionaires house, using black wood, incense, and of course Oud wood embers smoldering on the edges giving off its raw acquired animalic smell, which sends the faint of heart running back in their homes, while leaving the select few in a deep state of relaxation and zen. This is a hardcore fragrance as well as the other four original offerings from this house, Essence of Patchouli being the heaviest hitter I've worn to date. Oud Imperial starts with a smokey black wood, laced with dry incense as well as patchouli, and a light offering of caraway and saffron. The other notes listed above seem non existent to my nose with the exception of an extremely dry sandalwood at least 4-5 hours into the dry down. The Oud is blended at this point and almost somewhat masked until the hour passes when it starts to become very clear what you've gotten yourself into. The Oud then progressively dominates the entire experience however not all at once. Very slowly over the course of about 6-8 hours. I smell the saffron after the first hour stand out more then slowly fades leaving just a sandalwood/incense type Oud which becomes more of a skin scent that lasts into the morning hours, and I'm talking about a light application here. This is some serious quality juice that lasts even on the most scent devouring skin, such as my own. A heavier application/layering could linger for 20+ hours easy. I own two bottles of this outstanding juice, the gold bottle as well as the newer black bottle which compliments my other black bottles extremely well. 10/10

It was love at first sniff ! I have tried several oud scents already : from watered-down ones to Black Aoud by Montale (which I like a lot). Some have given me headaches, others were boring. This one, however, is one of those that burn themselves into the memory. What I love about "Oud Imperial" : it is not medicinal, it is an overall soft and slightly herbal oud scent. No rose, no saffron (at least not on me), this is something new for a change. Some write that it is caraway that brings the herbal vibe. OK with me, I like caraway. Sandalwood is noticeable, very soft and lingering. No one-note show, here we have a team where all notes take their place and create a noble union. OI is pretty much unsweet. Sillage is medium but nonetheless a spicy wonderful cloud will surround you. I am very comfortable with OI. I find it cuddly yet defined and refined. Spices, herbs and the woods are beautifully blended and the longevity is excellent. Yes, it has a rather masculine undertone but not butch, you can pull this one off as a female given you have a taste for an "unloud" oud scent. The woods smell charred, similar to a smoldering campfire but pleasantly dosed. OI also feels comforting to me. An aura of serene calmness and wisdom, as one would find with one ́s grandfather. I wonder if my granddad had liked OI, he was a pipe smoker. When I smell OI his image comes to my mind. Will I get a full bottle of Oud Imperial ? Yes. Yes. Yes. This one stands out from the now confusing variety of oud scents both traditional and trendy.

Purchased a new black bottle version from Lucky Scent last week, it differs slightly from my previous black bottle from about 2016 in bottle design: my new bottle has a raised plaque and smaller font, old bottle has no raised name plate with printing directly to the bottle. I have no experience with the gold bottle and from what I can tell I wouldn’t seek one as the black bottle has pretty high quality ingredients and concentration. Though a name plate was added to new version thankfully they smell identical, truly a masterful blend of heady intense dark dank oud, patchouli incense and woods. For the price it’s unbeatable in this category. I did notice my old bottle seemed to macerate down and the last few drops were pretty funky! This is an oud/incense lovers dream come true, glad to have it back on my shelf, it’s been missed! Also you may be pleased to know I really don’t get any florals in this, they’re blended so well, this comes as a relief in the crowded field of Ouds with intense florals and vamilla..A side note: I did try a carded sample of the extrait and honestly the parfum is so strong and well blended(and very similar) I actually think it’s better than the extrait, I found the extrait to have a bit drier woods profile and missing that wet woodiness I love about OI.. for the price difference and twice the juice the parfum is the way to go IMO

Searching for a oud purfume, I stumbled upon this collection. It peaked my curiosity so I bought a bottle. This juice has a dark mysterious aroma starting with a dry oud aroma with a smoky insence blend making it easy to wear during cool months definitely evening wear. There's a definite aroma of sandalwood and blackwood keeping the aroma more linear. Don't mistake when I say linear, I'm referring to the less complex cocktail of notes which sometime takes away the beauty and essence of what a purfume is all about. For whatever reason, I don't detect patchouli or saffron as much? I've tried several other oud purfume, after awhile it went sour on me. This one remains the same over 4 - 9 hrs. This collection is definitely under rated, it's not a common brand name which has ads splashed everywhere online or in retail stores in North America. Both longevity and Sillage is excellent both being high on my skin. If the price went up to $600+ it would be a niche purfume. 8/10

To me, this perfume has a bitter scent that you can taste in the back of your tongue. a non sweet, gritty oudh and very woody with a rubbery nuance leaning to bitter and sour medicinal. This is a bold perfume that has a dark nuances without being overwhelming to the people that are smelling it. Nostalgic feeling and ambient of medicinal root and wood scent of traditional chinese pharmacy store combined with the incense in the background comes to mind. The drydown of this fragrance is linear. little bit of medicinal spice and amber combined with the woody and gritty oudh. To the skin, the oudh and the medicinal tone is very prominant. yet if you spray it to the cloth i get somewhat the rubbery incense note that the other reviewer mentioned. the longevity for me is very good, the sillage is decent to good without being loud and obnoxious to the people around you (with 3 spray to cloth, neck and hand) A gritty and dirty yet very sophisticated no nonsense scent.

Oud... Oud! How on earth i didn't come across this mesmerizing blend since i love "Tubereuse Absolue Extrait"! This is the smoothest European blend oud i came across in a long time! i rarely can get authentic oud from European perfumers! mostly they go on the safe side and blend a bunch of herbs, woods, and incense then they call oud like for instance "Royal Oud" by Creed, "oud collection" MFK.. etc Now what i get is velvet oud, mixed with patchouli, & sandalwood makes it smell like an Arabian incense (bokhoor). I can't detect any jasmines, or vetiver! I guess the labdanum is giving it the European touch, the animalic essence... perfect for this season, this time of the year. This is by far made me want to dig deep into this brand! they aren't "another niche" brand! this is deep. Beautiful, Thank you Luca.

يه عطر بسيار خاص از برند پريس مونت كارلو ..تركيب چوبي بوي عود و بخور بسيار زياد و بوي ترش و بالزاميك واقعا يه حس غربت و تاريك به آدم ميده ..انگار ساعت 1 شب هست و من توي سرما كنار بزرگراه بي تفاوت به ماشين هائي كه زوزه كشان گاه و بي گاه از كنارم رد ميشن ،بي هدف مشغول پرسه زدن هستم...بعد از كلي پرسه هاي بيهوده به خونه ميرسم ..كسي توي خونه نيست ..همه جا نيمه تاريك هست و فقط يه چراغ زرد كم نور توي اتاق روشنه..پيراهنم رو در ميارم و بوي ملايم عود امپريال باز به مشامم ميرسه ..يه آرامش خاص در همون لحظه از اين رايحه ميگيرم ...دراز ميكشم و هنوز بوي امپريال و سلطنتي اون به مشامم ميرسه و كم كم به خواب ميرم ...اين كار ابدا مناسب روز و گرما نيست ..نه اينكه اذيت كنه يا سنگين باشه ..نه ..فقط حسش خراب ميشه..يكي از بهترين كارهاي عودي-دودي كه در اين سالها داشتم.

I got this in a blind buy order after seeing several written and video reviews. This was a love at first sniff that has me looking forward to cool weather returning. That’s saying a lot because I can tend to go on and on and on about how much I detest weather outside spring, summer and early warm fall weather. This is going to be an absolute gem in cool weather. Yesterday was about 70 F here and I sprayed myself when it arrived and prior to bed I sprayed it again and it’s just amazing. I didn’t get any of the rubber or asphalt I see some discussing. What I did get was a deep pleasing oud, a super woody concoction with an amazing realistic incense. Simply magnificent!

I didn’t think I was going to like it and I was right... because I love it. A beautiful, easy to wear smoky-incense Oud. It’s a masculine scent, but also a perfume a woman can wear. I’m not sure if it’s a synthetic or a real Oud note, but it is miles ahead of many Oud perfumes in this category and I don’t care. Addictive is the word that comes to mind. Oud Imperial is 100% a winter, cold weather scent. Base is woodier and with a bit of patchouli. But that incense note sticks around. I’m thankful that my nemesis note, saffron, is not detectable for me. And yes, I will be looking for a used bottle...or larger decant.

Yesterday, at Theodora, in Geneva, I bought this fragrance. Well, truth be told, I also bought Kilian - Incense Oud because I fell in love with both. Today, I'm enjoying my Oud Imperial for the first time. For me, this is another case of a bit of heaven in a bottle. Not for the faint of heart, or for people who only love pretty florals, summery citruses etc... I'll just agree with all of the good things that have been said about this fragrance in other reviews. A very special, sensual scent that makes me smile with pleasure. Roge' - well said, below, sir! Kindest regards, Martin

Just a beautiful dry oud fragrance with a really slight hint of sweetness to balance all the dryness from the woods and the oud. To my nose this fragrance is as if they added some labdanum to Private Label by Jovoy. I really recommend it and I honestly don't think it is unpleasent to the average nose when smelled from afar so no need to worry about offending other people just be careful with the sprayer this one is a 2-3 sprays top. I already have 4 Perris Monte Carlo fragrance and I love them all for how realistic they are. Please do yourself a favour and check out this brand!

I love this smoky rich oud. I think it is unisex although I note that many believe it leans quite masculine. If you like the Guerlain Les Absolus d’Orient series like Oud Essentiel or Santal, this is quite similar without the sledgehammer opening. Much as I love the Guerlain fragrances from that range, I prefer Perris Oud because it’s a little more refined (to my uneducated nose anyway). There’s a slightly vegetal note which comes across as a hint of anise in this, but altogether very nicely blended and currently my favourite oud, making it to the top shelf for winter.

Starts with quite a balmy smoky / tarry blast, but soon changes into a remarkable oudy scent in a caraway frame. This is a very original idea of the scent creator, which enriches the oud even in case of a -probably- not top quality of oud (top quality oud is highly expensive). The whole scent leaves sometimes a slightly musty impression. This is not uncommon among oudy fragrances. In this case this edginess gives the scent its unique character. Highly recommendable for oud lovers! This comes definitively on my wish list as well.

I have tried the Taif and Bois Oud which are stellar as well as this. Plenty of transitional phases going on with oud remaining the focus. Every note is detectable from woody to spicy and dry. The scents evolves dramatically like the end of Spartacus season 1 which I just finished. It's surely magical and breathtaking with astonishing longevity and average sillage after about 4 hours. You will be sniffing your wrists all day if you love oud and incense. This competes with the Big Boy Montale Aoud's easily..

Own a bottle and enjoy it as it meets my preferences for darker, woody, oud scents. Though its been a couple years since I last owned Montale Dark Oud, this fragrance reminds me of a higher quality version. I agree that this fragrance is very woodsy and also has a dusty/old library feel to it as well. To my nose, the woods are FAR more prominent than the oud. For reference, these comments are based on the "Black" version that supposively has over 2x the amount of oud oil than the original "Gold" version.

Let me start by saying I went into a galleria in Berlin with the intention of buying Montale Aoud Lime or Almas Boadicea the Victorious and by curiosity i decided to try this lil gem and it's brother Bois D'Oud .I'm gonna put it simple :)30 minutes later I walked out the store with Bois D'Oud,Oud Imperial,And Rose de Taif and forgot all about what I went there for :) this brand has some very good perfumes and the price is very good for these above average perfumes .I highly recommend to give it a try ;)

So I keep reading that this is very like M7 or one of its flankers so I tried a spray of M7 Oud Absolu on one arm and Oud Imperial on the other. The difference was striking. The M7 smelled lighter, sweeter and had a distinctly synthetic note to it. It thankfully only lasted a few hours. Oud Imperial obviously uses much better ingredients. It was darker, deeper and totally intoxicating. Now the next day it still whispers its mystery. Just bought fb of it. Almost as good as Mona's oud.

Fragranza molto "scura", ma non resinosa. Incensata. Calda. Con qualcosa di alcolico. A farla padrona una mescolanza di Vetiver e Patchouli. L'oud è inesistente. O se è esiste al 0.01% è sintetico. Esistono fragranze comunque superiori a questa. Ad esempio: "Dark Oud" di Montale, "Private Label" di joyvoy, "Fumidus" di Profumum Roma.

One of the greatest oud perfumes with a very good Longevity, and perhaps the best among his collections. Tried to recall some of the oud perfumes I have smelled in the past but this is proving to be a bit better ,including montale black oud that people having talking about when it comes to oud perfume .

Burning wet sawdust (50% coniferous and 50% deciduous wood), scent of a lumber mill + "dry" note of hazelnut + trace of potato beetle? (strange animalic note - "beetle juice", almost sour feety (?!) - is it oud?) + incense. Strange but nice. Like a walk through a large lumber mill.

I agree with most of the reviews down here; It is a very dry, incensy fragrance, where oud is somewhere in the background. I don't think I can use it by itself, but I'll definitely layer it with something that has rose, or maybe other flowery notes...

Addictive. Dry wood, old and closed, with a dusty veil and the sharp edge of camphor wood. A pinch of pepper and a touch of saffron give it a dry, metallic edge. It stays austere. This is a strikingly sober take on oud.

My favorite part of this fragrance is actually the intensely smoky incense that puts off some people.. Unfortunately it does wear off, leaving the remainder somewhat flat in comparison

Nice Smokey type fragrance can be worn in summer. not a compliment getter but the lovers of creamy smoke. Great longevity and sillage 7 of 10 rating

This is a leathery oud. It is not barnyard or fecal but warm and rich. It is decadent and exudes luxury. An absolute love.

challenging opening then it turns into a nice dry scent

Love this, but I'm 1000 year too young to wear this

Unique and extremely addictive.l just love this.

Starts off very sharp and dry, a bit off putting but dries down into this kind of herbal medicinal smoky oud that I really enjoy. Not fecal at all to me, more like mossy and decomposing wood vibe or maybe wet hay (which I love but I'm a freak). Dry down smells very leathery, honestly more of an accurate rendition of leather than other "leather" scents I have. Maybe I'm unaware of how I smell but I think it's very versatile and inoffensive though I wouldn't do more than like 5 sprays. Does surprising well in hot weather. I wish it lasted longer, I get a big push for maybe 2 hours and can't really detect it after 6 or 8, but I know they have an extrait version too. Bottle is hideous and tips over easily (boo). Recommend but don't buy in store omfg you can get these for ≈$80 online for 100ml and in store they're over $200 which I don't think is worth it.

Really woody-incensey more than pure oud. I like it a lot on first impression. I don't see the Montale comparisons because the oud is more integrated into the woodiness of this scent. The closest comparison incan think of is Amouage Interlude with a heavier oud presence. That's a compliment for sure. I agree that this smells like an exotic campfire. Performance is intense. I have a decant and will strongly consider a full bottle. Edit 9/22 - This is nice, but intensely dry. I don't get the balsamic qualities at all. Very dry wood/incense combo with oud playing third fiddle. Nice, but not an easy wear.

For me it is oud and cypriol. Mostly cypriol in the beginning which is not listed here as a note (unlike in Extract version). Anyways oud is imho delicated by other woods and floral notes. All of those nicely fits to patchouli. Is it dark - yes - more or less like Black Afgano, less than Encre Noire. After some time whan cypriol goes away is getting dry (this dryness reminds me Bentley Absolute). Very good projection and good longevity where after dry down in becomes even more timid and stays more woody than oudy.

This is an incensey wood fragrance. It has a little bit of spice catching at the back of your throat, mixing with the smokiness. It would suit someone who likes an incense/wood profile but wants something dry, colder, without any warmth or sweetness. Even the florals are adding black pepper (versus warmth). I like it, but I immediately want to add myrrh, honey or vanilla to bring a little warmth, so it's more in line with my church, sure, but first, the bakery 'vibe'. It's all blazer, so I'm adding scarf.

Alpha male Oud. This has a retro old school ”Fight the Power" leather vibe. 1960's earthiness with smoke filled to the brim. Jasmine is unnecessary here as it doesn't lend any value. Oud cloaks the burgeoning sweet aromas of labdanum and balsams preventing the composition from becoming some sort of sweet sauce. A lordly staunch oriental that is unapologetically woody guaranteed to reach a new crowd with the right marketing.

If you're a nature lover, this fragrance transports you. Green wood, leather, and smoke, like orthodox churches in the countryside. I've lived in California for 10 years now and it reminds me of all the places I've been. I feel like I'm walking through a beach forest in the morning, and passing through burning campfires...just wonderful.

هذا العطر.. مثال للعطر الجاااف كلاسيكي.. عود و بخور كما نعرفها سويا في الروائح المنتشره في المناسبات سيعجب به من يريد رائحه كلاسيكيه من الماضي التوليفه جميله وبسيطه غير معقده ابدا انصح بتجربته 7/10

Dry, bitter, strong oud opening. The drydown is similar to Narciso Rodriguez for Him edt, wet concrete. Long lasting, strong projection, bold scent. Not for beginners. Not for teens. Age 35+

Difficult to define, there are moments I like, and moments that I hate! If the oud was less invasive and more prominebt background, it would be nice, but we have an excellent oud

Opulent oud, very middle eastern, extrimly long lasting, one note type of perfume,but reach and beautiful. Can be used for layering with anything, unisex.

Reasonably priced starter oud, with solid performance. As the initial oud burst and top notes dissipate it turns smoky-green and woody.

One word: Roast! Take your breath away, just one splash and you'll feel roast! In winter it makes it exceptionally good! I like it!

strong and masculine.... ready to war with this stuff longevity is good..and almost beast mode

Reminds me of a 1980's patchouli... I don't remember the brand

Over time I seem to have become somewhat tired of oud but the leathery smokiness of this composition rekindles my belief that the note is not quite as dead to me as I had thought. Luca Maffei has an elegant, dark and nuanced approach to his materials. Other woods shift in and out of focus against a soft veil of vetiver and patchouli and the oud, while remaining central to the narrative, is not allowed to dominate or get bogged down in anything close to the barnyard or byre thank goodness. In its final throes I am reminded of a rich aromatic pipe tobacco. (Ogden’s Redbreast Flake in fact). I like it.

Oud Imperial is the epitome of darkness. No sweetness, no brightness, no gentleness. It's a black soul. It smells of earth, old wood, incense and a lot of oud. This oud is more medicinal. This is not because of the saffron but because of the quality of the oud. I love this scent. He is so different from everyone else. But it is difficult to use. Not a perfume for every day but rather for the night. You have to wear Oud Imperial more often to like it. Be careful, it is never unisex. It's pure masculinity!

Dark wood and churchy incense. Brooding. Masculine. Softens a little as the day goes on but pretty linear.

Sour woods and incense. Masculine af. Perfect for a 45 to 60 years old confident male.

I tested this on my skin today at the mall along 3 other fragrances, and this is the one I kept coming back to sniff, not because I liked it but because it's so different to anything else I smelt. Let me start by saying it's not something you blind buy, try it first and see if you like it or not. Without looking at the notes above I will go ahead and describe what I smell. This perfume reminds me of the old traditional herb/spice shops in Arabia. Its the most dry perfume I have ever smelt and it makes me thirsty sniffing 2 spritz of it, it's so dry I can't believe it. It's like being lost in the endless stretching desert while carrying a big load of spices and patchouli. The perfume to me starts with a smashing punch in the face of patchouli, followed by another punch of dry sandalwood, then less powerful jabs of spices, mainly clove and nutmeg. There's some cheering oud in the background but it's already a knockout for me and I'm on the floor, unable to move a muscle. Although I'm no big fan of sweet aromas but this one seriously needed a merciful sweet dash of sweetness , just to make it more human friendly. I'm glad I tried it before considering to buy and I suggest you do the same, definitely a pass for me. I have a headache now.

Attention, this is a negative review! Sorry if you don't like it- we're all different and have different taste in fragrances! To each their own :) I'll admit the fact that I dislike many oud centred fragrance, but not to the extent I hate this one. When I was a child I used to spend my holidays at my grandparents' house. Their neighbours had a small pig farm and Oud Imperial smells just like that farm. It's all there: wet soil, excrement stench mixed with pig food and other "aromas " from that farm. Oud Imperial also has this smoky note (incense, perhaps) which again reminds me of the same neighbours burning piles of autumn leaves and grass sometime in November. This fragrance brings back many childhood memories but it's still what it is - too earthy and with an overpowering oud that plays big tricks on my skin. Hope my review didn't offend anyone, it may work differently on you and your skin, but it's definitely a scrubber for me .