Ocre Doré

Green oud and guaiac, what a nice surprise! I wore Ocre Dore once during summer and while I liked it, this skanky woody fragrance didn't impress me as much as it does now in a cool fall evening. Mate/tea and galbanum open as strongly as guaiac and oud to make this perfume almost sparkly. I couldn't believe what I was smelling! But the term "fresh spicy oud" came to mind instantly. The tea note never turns soapy/geranium-like and the mate remains bitter during dry down while guaiac and oud fuse into a comforting dry, smoky woodiness. Three hours in I begin to smell the perfect fougere base with just enough labdanum to keep its oriental warmness and patchouli-oakmoss to not lose the fougere edge. The bitterness of wood, tea and fougere all blend flawlessly now. It's really amazing! Projection is medium, but longevity is as good as I remembered (7hrs). I'll be reaching for my decant very often this fall. I hope it doesn't run out! ETA: my anti-perfume BF said the dry down smelled "kinda like a tree". Well that explains why I like this so much ;)

This is a very unique fragrance. I find it too masculine to consider wearing myself but I can see where it might be considered unisex because it has some very sweet, feminine notes along with very strong, deep, masculine, woody notes. The sweet notes are quite interesting. I get the labdanum and patchouli but there is something utterly strange as well which I'm guessing is the white truffle. I like it, as well as the predominant masculine note which I think is the Guaiac wood. I'm hoping I can get my husband to submit to a trial of this. I see it as something for a mature but adventurous man. It would make a wonderful signature for the right person. It's completely original, long lasting and luxurious. I continue to be impressed with this line.

From first spray, Ocre Dore announces itself as a dry, woody, resinous scent. There's limited green at this stage, but the spice and very light tea note makes this seem like one sitting on a log in the woods on a hot summer's day, sipping chai tea. The galbaneum in this just becomes more prominent as it wears on, lending a more intense resinous feel that is laced with a mild patchouli. This is the unfurling of the heart of Ocre Dore, and so it is beautifully laced with a curtain of oakmoss. There's something else that I can't put a finger on, maybe it's the mate and white truffle? As it dies down, a little more green and labdanum shows up to balance out the woodiness, making the scent more "whole" - a resinous wood that for some reason, is almost tasty and warm. The overall woodiness of Ocre Dore lends some masculinity to this fume, which is listed as one for women. I would say that this is what a woman would wear to feel in control, but a man could definitely pull this off without any problems. Sillage was slightly wanting, but not bad at all. All in all, it lasted 5 hours, with the last hour or so existing almost like a skin scent.

I love the opening of Ocre Doré, it's one of the nicest, almost talc-dry tea and mate accords anywhere, cool with just the right whiff of bitter in the dusty texture of the scent. I don't perceive the galbanum directly, it's folded into the mate and tea for a lovely effect. Right behind all that is a soft and lovely patchouli and moss combination that sweetens and warms up the beginning of the heart (not sure that I pick up any kind of truffle note, except maybe in the generally "dusty" character). Things are still quite dry, but there's a touch of sweetness there, I think it's the gaiac wood, softening and easing the perfume out of its cool green tea opening. The labdanum in the drydown is subtle, just enough resin to make this fresh breeze of a scent more alluring. To my nose, Ocre Doré is cool, feminine, and refreshing, a lovely and unusual perfume that wears light and dry.