Velvet Oudh

Velvet Oudh by Rituals was released in 2026 and is a UAE Private Collection exclusive. This is a pity because I've had a few friends in Europe and Australia ask me for an oud recommendation and this one is an absolutely brilliant one. Lots of oud fragrances tend to take some oud or a synthetic smell-a-like, name it "Oud Something" and then go to incredible lengths to cover up the oud note so it is barely there. Velvet Oudh is not that. This is all about the Oud! If you want an entry level intro to what proper oud done properly should smell like (but without the hard or sharp edges or divisive or difficult complications) this is a brilliant one to try. As followers of my reviews may know, my all time favourite fragrance is Ombre Nomade by LV. The oud is heavy and unapologetic and the other accords in it are there to enhance and enrich the oud not to cover it up. It has occurred to me that the reason I enjoy Velvet Oudh is because there are a lot of parallels to Ombre Nomade. The oud is ostentatious and the fruity top and rose heart in this are similar to the LV powerhouse too. Where OM has that iconic raspberry note, Velvet Oudh has some lemon and some juicy, ripe plum and the effect is quite similar: it takes the sourness of the oud and echoes it in the succulent fruity accords. The rose and patchouli are stronger in Velvet Oudh so it has a more overtly floral middle but the comparison is certainly there. It is sweeter and a lot easier to wear than ON. Like ON, the sillage is impressive and it comes off you in billowing, bewitching waves of Middle Eastern magic in a way I think it is fair to say most people may not expect from a Rituals fragrance, even if it is an EDP and a pretty bold one at that. Performance is not ON levels but I got a solid 8 hours off this and it dries to a really sexy oud skin scent. Velvet Oudh is smoothed over by the vanilla in the base and I sort of feel like there is a fixative in this as well. Not Ambroxin but something similar, just to make this satin silky smooth. There are no harsh edges in this at all and the name is well chosen. Let's go back to the oud here, as this is which Velvet Oudh is all about. It is slightly sour and has that slightly skanky tinge to it that I love so much. It is very sexual, very confident, but sweeter than the LV ouds you find so there is no barnyard cow poke in the opening as you get with Myriad or Ambre Levant for example but the drydown is silky smooth and very rich. I think the oud is so well done and so front and centre in this one that Velvet Oudh would be a very nice layering fragrance to add that deep and heavier oud character to something lighter. I tried it yesterday as a base layer for Uruk Chronicles by ELDO and it was mouthwateringly gorgeous. This is my kind of oud. You only realise how much you are chasing it in other fragrances when you smell it as open and honest as it is here. I can liken it to when you meet someone and there is that instant sexual spark that tells you this person is sexually compatible with you. They are uninhibited, confident and have broad horizons that make you want to explore them. As a result you feel more confident and are more forthcoming about what does it for you than you might be with someone else. Oud is like that. "Dirty" but in a really good, confident way. The kind of dirty you like and on some level need. Shy, insecure and inexperienced people do not wear heavy oud fragrances like this. You have to know yourself a bit and be comfortable in your own skin to carry it off. It seems odd to ascribe this to a fragrance that is produced by a brand you can find in every shopping mall that is famous for (very nice) candles and shower gel but if you think as I used to, that is all Rituals are about then you're wrong and you should learn more about the fine fragrance work they do. Much like the 79AU Gold & 47AG Silver mini bottles I bought from them before Christmas, Velvet Oudh is a fantastic bargain at AED300 / US$80 / EUR65 for a (very nicely presented) 50ml bottle. Get your nose on this, and you'll be amazed. It is wickedly good. Three Word Summary - Non Apologetic Oud Scent - 9/10 Sillage - 9/10 Drydown - 7/10 Bottle/packaging - 8/10 Performance - 8/10 42/40

Been testing it for almost 2 weeks now and honestly this is a wonderful perfume with a beautiful oud note complemented by the rose. It's definitely not one of those fragrences that has oud in their name or notes just listed without a meaning, this is truly a wonderful very recognizable oud note, which for somebody that wants to get in the oud territory is perfect! By letting it macerate the oud note definitely becomes more rich and deep enhancing the longevity. It projects strongly for the first 1-2 hours on me then from that point it's more subtle however people standing close to you or walking behind will still smell it or if you're moving around a bunch, especially if your body is radiating heat it will boost the projection. From hour 5+ it sits closer to the skin, yet it's still noticable. Hour 7+ it becomes more of a skin scent, sometimes depending on situation still you can smell it without trying to get close to application points. Fades away completely after 10+ hours. This is definitely my favourite collection from Rituals!

I smelled the home diffuser of this Velvet Oudh fragrance and loved it. I would love to know if the perfume version is the exact same smell as the home diffuser. Smells lovely! Hopefully someone might know. Edit - I finally got to try it. Similar smell and although it does resemble the fragrance, it's not the exact same. This is just a rose oud basically, heavy on the rose and heavy on the oud. A bit of Saffron and patchouli in the background and the vanillic base is definitely there to bring some sweet creaminess to it. The oud is quite present but it's not too skanky but for some might be strong, and it feels synthetic (it is). Nothing new or groundbreaking but smells nice. The main issue here is performance. Arms-length sillage at most but longevity is poor and it becomes a skin scent after 3h+. So probably spray more for it to last longer. Update - after a few weeks of maceration, the oud note got quite stronger and more long lasting on the drydown. This perfume reminds me a lot of The Voice of the Snake/The Serpent, this one being the weakest one which might be good for some people since the other two are nuclear.

Smells nice, but the scent profile is so Middle Eastern. It’s lovely, well executed, and as many others have mentioned, the Oud component is not so aggressive. However, this dna is so common in the Middle East at this point. I definitely support this perfume if worn outside of the Middle East. Can’t wear it here tho, you’ll be smelling like every other dude.

First reaction gave me Oud Satin Mood vibes. I’m not sure if this is what Rituals was going for but it sure smells nice either way. To me, in comparison, it’s a bit less sweet with the rose note toned down ever so slightly. I would say that if you appreciate Oud Satin Mood but don’t want to drop the cash, this is a great alternative.

@CaptainMorganDubai you can order velvet oudh in Germany just fine. You can't try the perfume in store though.