Oud Absolute

I wasn't expecting it to be this good. The notes do not match up to what I smell though. I get Freesia, incense, slightly spicy, then a sweet resinous Amber and a bit of Oud in the drydown. I love this. One great bang for the buck fragrance. I have about 70 fragrances, and I have nothing that smells quite like this. Really beautiful.

I recently bought this perfume from Amazon for 30 Canadian dollars. Fragrantica is right on with the notes: a blend of Oud, Woody, with just enough Amber to lighten the dampness that most Oud's typically have if they're at all strong. The citrus is hard to pick out but it does clearly add a depth to the scent, while the Spiciness gets lost in the Wood/Oud. The packaging suggests forests and woodlands but the scent is not quite that. Lacking fresh notes or Ceder this scent is definitely an understated warm Oud, not a musky woodland smell. Readers familiar with top and bottom shelf perfumes will know that a good lower-shelf perfume is often much more worthwhile than a bad higher-shelf perfume. 24 Gold by ScentStory, for instance, has most of the virtues of a top shelf perfume but at a very affordable price. This Pino Silvestre is similarly a stand-out lower-shelf perfume, and an excellent investment for anyone buying for an adult man without a practised nose. It might be worth getting something more subtle for a more practised nose but this will do for most men's non-professional occasions. Oud Absolute is understated in most respects: it doesn't fill a room, stays reliably and close to the skin, and it doesn't change much over time. Many women I know would be happy to sit next to this on a couch, or to run into it at a party. It's soft enough not to overwhelm the rare person who can't stand even an inoffensive scent (like this one), while strong enough to be unmistakable. It's not at all a risky buy, especially for its price. I recommend one or two sprays before casual occasions, inside or outdoors. It's better as a winter scent but it won't shock anyone's sensibilities in the summer. Nothing about it seems desperate unless it's used too much by an already-desperate person. It's affordable, flexible, and an overall nice addition to my collection of men's perfumes. About the other reviews: I detect none of 'burnt rubber' or soap. I suspect that there's either a (significant!) difference between batches or that some other users have spoiled product. The most accurate criticism in other reviews are of Oud Absolute's longevity: it doesn't last for many hours but, sprayed on the wrists and ribs, will certainly last through a party. Small warning: the initial spray and 5-10 minutes is much more potent than the following hours, so don't take that period to be very informative about what follows.

Even though it has the soupy-like scent, but I like it this way. A slight touch of Oud is nice.

Below Average on all accounts. The oud note is laughable. Longevitey - 3/10 Sillage - 4/10 Scent - 3/10 This is a deceptively sweet and soap-like cleanish scent with a touch of spice. The synthetic oud note bursts in at first spray and is quite a beautiful scent but then almost disappears completely after 5 minutes, converting to a heavy and also synthetic and unlike-able sanderwood scent. Totally underperforming frag but that was to be expected for the price. (Nothing like the Original Pino Silvestre but I don't think it's meant to be anyway.) Don't bother with this frag unless you want a really soapy and sanderwood smelling scent that passes for shower soap.

Woody with some oud and cheap artificially flavored candy. Don't get the high overall rating. We like different stuff, but 4.07, come on. Update. Tried it again, but in very coold weather this winter. It got better. Not good, just better. A little less "childish".