Oud Alif

It's funny how my nose "develops" over time. Not in the physical sense of course, but when I first smelled this, I thought it was a cloying mess. Then the owner of a well known niche house told me, "niche fragrances tell a story, they are not to be discovered while standing at the counter and spaying on a tester strip, they are to be discovered and unfold piece by piece." This statement makes so much sense and is why I am so into niche now and is all I collect. This stuff is just complex. It's sweet, but it's not. It's oud note is very strong and let's you know it's there at all times of the composition. I think the saffron note compliments the oud in a great way and the dark chocolate keeps things sweet and dark. The patch is what makes all this seem complicated because it's there but I can't detect it as a note, it's like it blends with the other notes to make its own note. Very very interesting juice. It makes me want to see what else this house has to offer.

Stunning creation. This smells like a £300 niche perfume and I can’t believe I bought it at M&S ! The ingredients list on the website seems to insinuate these are at least 90% natural which to my nose is clear. The patchouli in this is incredible and one I can only compare to perfumes I have in my collection that cost £200+ and it’s done so well. This is a Smokey masculine feel and rich formula not for the faint hearted. The chocolate note shouldn’t fool you here, it’s clearly been used to round out that opening to simply prepare you for what’s to come. For the price, the journey this perfume takes you on is nothing but a masterpiece. No wonder these guys have upped the price recently from £65 to £85 a 30% price increase because if you know you know. Buy it if you like dark, dusty, Smokey, old, decrepit, haunting vibes. Not mass appealing. I love it.

Recently given a 10ml sample, and more or less immediately purchased the full bottle. I've encountered broadly similar creations for a decade or more, but this is far away the best crafted that I've tried in a very long time. I like oud – but never in combination with rose. From the instance of application, ascendant notes are oud, incense, and dark chocolate – the latter to my surprise lasting well into the dry down. At some point saffron, leather and patchouli subtly entwine for an intriguing artisanal totality. Projection and longevity seem decent. Linear for the duration. For someone who has petitioned against vivisection, the ethics of Shay & Blue is a powerful draw. No hesitation heaping maximum praise on this one.

This is a really, really good oud fragrance and not because it stands out but rather that it doesn't. I let out the obligatory oud sigh of appreciation so it scores on that front. Oud Alif is so smooth and well done, it does have a leather quality to it and a creamy patchouli, I found it very impressive. A gourmand oud is how I'd describe it and understandable considering the rest of Shay & Blue's fragrances have that Food or at least fruit twist. Performance was good but never in your face and the price won't break the bank either. The theme of this house is wearable scents and this one is certainly that. Brilliant stuff!

I bought a few samples to go along with Salt Caramel as that's the one I really wanted to smell and I'm so glad I did. I love this, on me and on my bf. I'd say its perfectly unisex with the Oud and some rich sweetness coming from the chocolate. This one to me smells incredibly well blended and everything just *works*. If you don't like patchouli, obviously you aren't going to enjoy this. Very smooth and elegant vibes for both male and female tastes. On opening my BF did say he felt it a bit feminine but the dry-down changed his mind. Its more my cup of tea than his so I will happily wear it :)

One of my favourite fragrances I ever owned. A blind buy as it was being discontinued at a luxury perfumery. I wore it every evening until empty. Sweet in the most savoury way possible. The depth that would linger in clothes for days and build. Every time I wore this at work as a flight attendant, I would be asked so softly what it is that I am wearing. Sadly I have not seen this for sale again, even online. The fragrance for mewas a heavily mellow smoked dairy and sugar free hot chocolate on a humid day amongst a cacao plantation.

I haven't really smelled a ton of oud heavy fragrances so I have little to compare to but I like it. Like that the leather feels beaten and dusty rather than new car leather which isn’t my taste. Dont smell the chocolate too well, it kind of hangs out just to smooth out the edges. Patchouli is there but blended in.

FANTASTIC! This will not be for all but I love it!! Perhaps the smokiest of all my fragrances! Like a winters bonfire! Not sure whether this fragrance contains naturals or not but it’s definitely well worth the money! 10/10

One of the better Western ouds, and does have a hint of Amouage!

This is quite possibly the best fragrance i have ever smelled.

Ok so this is surprisingly good. Very unisex, rich and strong with the ‘perfume’ patchouli smell, and a very inoffensive woody, almost nutty oud. I find it less easy to wear than MH oud eclat, it’s slightly more masculine leaning than that, but of a similar ‘mainstream safe oud’ kind of category. Obviously they don’t smell the same, this has nothing of that synthetic BR540 DNA. I like it. It’s also nothing like the smoke in By The Fireplace, this is a very soft smoke, more like a smokers leather handbag than a roaring bonfire. In fact, the longer it’s on my skin the more it reminds me of the smell of the inside of my late mam’s handbag (she was a smoker). A mix of old smoke, tobacco, good quality leather, and good quality 80s perfume. It’s very nostalgic for me and I love it for that reason. Not a safe blind buy.

A very nice Western Oud fragrance...very smooth, elegant and very likable. Sadly, I have a ton of these "nice" Western oud interpretations so I won't be purchasing a bottle. Performance is quite nice is that it lasts 7-hours on my skin and projects moderately, which is just fine for this kind of fragrance. Although it is suitable for men and women, I personally feel it leans slightly more masculine. I am not a fan of chocolate when used in fragrance, but it's stays in the background and is well-behaved. Overall, a definite try for those who love Western Oud fragrances or are looking for a oud scent that isn't too potent, medicinal or animalic...just a very nice Western Oud scent.

I like this fragrance, upon initial spray the leather is the dominant note but its soft, the chocolate/cocoa and light patchouli are at the base carrying that leather and most probably what gives it that airy softness. As it dries down the chocolate and patchulli fade away making the leather note more crisp/sharp maybe spicy?. The dry-down has this lingering sweetness in the background which holds everything together so nicely (not too sweet), it gave me Amouage interlude vibes. I don't detect oud in this fragrance but its nice.

The problem with Oud is that it can be quite medicinal and headache inducing for me, but not this fragrance. What a blend! The Oud is tame, the leather blending in nicely. As the fragrance progresses the chocolate lingers in the background, a lighter dark chocolate or even bordering on milk chocolate. There is a creaminess to the fragrance, it sits on my skin so well. This isn’t a projection monster, making it perfect for close encounters and office settings.

After 5 hours or so it's a skin scent but it's nice for the first few hours when sillage is within about a foot. This is one of the more discreet ouds and very wearable if you detest some of the loud offerings from Montale and Mancera. The leather is just as present as oud while the chocolate note is in the background. Very different from the normal oud but it's a bit too tamed for my liking.

I like an Oud that projects more than this, but I like the drydown a lot. It is not in the same league as Dior's Leather Oud, which is a drydown masterpiece, but it has a sexy manliness that works. Would suit a dark-haired/hairy-chested man who is a little rugged and smouldering... well that's my fantasy anyway. x

Warm and spicy. A lighter and less complex version of Amouage Interlude. Longevity is not as much as expected for me, sillage is moderate. For the money, I would stick to Amouage Interlude which is more complex and longer lasting.

I like it... but it's too much like Shay & Blue Black's Club London. Same vibe. So why repeat myself? It's quality, though.

This is a nice scent. Masculine, get whafts of leather, patchouli and a woody note. No "oud".

This is Amouage in a light version!

Oud Alif Shay and Blue—too sharp and dark—either the leather or oud isn’t agreeing with me. Definitely quality but not to my taste specifically. Other leather scents are better. Other oud scents are better. I have consistently struck out with this brand with the exception of Salt Caramel, which is to die for and totally FBW!

This is the first Shay and Blue that I have tried that I really do not like. I personally see it as masculine and having been married to a fireman for over 30 years all I can smell when I tried it is the smell of the Smokey clothing they dump in the laundry room after a fire, I also get a medicinal smell, for me I actually find nothing good to say about it, a real scrubber. Update. The drydown is actually quite nice and sensual but could not wear it with the full smoke just to wait for that.

Couple of months ago I made a training by my self, whether I am capable of differentiating oud oils of different origins from each other, so I ordered samples from the following 5 products (they needed to be almost pure ouds, without blended with other ingredients) Agar oud (Blue Kenam by Abdul Samad el Qurashi) Cambotian Oud (Oud No.8 Darkwood forest) Indian Oud (Oud Hindi Abdul Karim al Faransi) Loathian Oud (Dyptique Oud Palao) Thailand Oud (Oud Thai Classic Abdul Karim el Faransi) At first spray each of them smelled more or less similar, but by the time they layered apart from each other, how much you distinguish it, depends, whether you spray it on skin, glas , paper or textile, some of them turned resinous, some turned more floral, some of them turned earthy, woody, and some into animalic-fecale shades. Yet in Oud & Alif , I couldn't catch any of the Oud sorts above. Similarly neither dark chocolate (otherwise if prominent, then so noticeable as in Bocanero Orto Parisi) definitley not a slightest trace of saffron (No one could miss that typical dusty sand alike smell known from so many examples) and not a tiniest hint of patchouli by accident (otherwise so earthy in Villoresi Patchouli, so animalic in Mazzolari Lui, so dusty and spicy in Dyptique Tempo, so balsamic and incensy in Monsieur de F.Malle, so ambery velvety and creamy in Profumum Roma Patchouli) Some Leather could perhaps be there but so well hidden behind and for sure as synthetic as the oud inside. All I can truely identify is chemical tobacco and vanille with some sort of blurry muddy opaque "wanna be ambery" shades behind. 3 hours longeivity on skin, moderate to low projection, I would categorize it as "oriental daddy tobacco cologne,which belongs to the discount shelf of cosmetic markets" I ordered 4ml sample.I will use the remaining 2.5ml as W.C. spray

A fragrance which starts of with earthy oud & creaminess, but then morphs into a clone of a famous Amouage fragrance... I applied 6 heavy sprays 0 -3 hours - 1 foot projection. You are initially hit with a strong, earthy oud but after less than a minute you sense a creaminess, which balances this fragrance very well. I didn't get the chocolate, instead a generic smoothness. I don't see any similarity to Nasomatto Pardon 3 - 5 hours. 4 inch projection. Smoky ash starts to come in 5 - 8 hours. 1 inch projection. This fragrance radically morphs into a completely different fragrance. Introducing Amouage Interlude Pour Homme without the projection. Leather is distant but there This is a well made fragrance with twists and turns. Unisex to begin with but more masculine in the end IMHO this is a fragrance more for lovers of oud, than chocolate or leather Quite affordable Good

A very nice fragrance. The notes detailed at the top are quite accurate. Leather more so than oud up front. Then the oud emerges and leather moves to the background. Sweet, but not sickly. I don't get dark chocolate but perhaps some milk chocolate lurking in the background. Crème Brule part way through in the mix as well. This is not a "moist" oud like say Tom Ford Oud wood, and not a dry oud like Creed Royal Oud....kinda half way between. Fantastic balance. Having said this...I can't see this being a real signature/distinctive scent for someone due to its balanced and even blending, but it is very-very nice. Will not offend, but will not wow either. Very pleasant. The whole line reminds me of Parfums de Nicolai in quality, style, and the very well blended nature of the fragrances. More longevity with Shay & Blue though.

I like the drydown of Oud Alif much better than the opening, but that’s true much of the time when I’m testing Oud dominant perfumes: the first phase are often too strong. Oud Alif does have a medicinal and synthetic (rubber, vinyl) vibe in the opening that I didn’t like, but it dissipates in about 15 minutes. Even though there’s Dark Chocolate in the profile, it’s not sweet or gourmand. The drydown is a 180 degree turn: it’s creamy, warm and very natural and easy to wear. I detest Montale and Mancerra Oud perfumes, and happily Oud Alif is not in that camp. If I cross paths with a grey market find, I would not pass it up.

A friend gave me a big decant of this jus and every time I wear this, it always (always) reminds and strikes me as a softer version of the very potent Amouage Interlude for Men (my Interlude bottle is from the 1st/launch edition around 3 years ago). This is a very nice choice for daytime use and the Amouage Interlude for night. It creates an alluring and mysterious scent trail that wont offend those people who are very sensitive to strong spicy oriental scents. So if you find Amouage Interlude for Men too strong/potent, Oud Alif is an excellent alternative. Just my own opinion, me thinks :)

It Is Astounding!!!!!!! Deep, voloptous, oudy/woody and ohhh so goody!! I wore it some weeks ago during an informal fashion show a friend of mine threw. When mingling everyone stopped me asking what a wore and luckily I had the bottle with me....suddenly I found myself surrounded by ladies demanding to be sprayed and the bottle got more Iphone attention than the frocks did.....I have over 160 bottles in my collection and none has had this much attention! Matz Stockholm

LOVELY. CREAMY, STRONG, SWEET FOODY, OUDY. It's everything an oud should be. I sprayed Pardon on my other hand to get a contrast with the cocao and the dark chocolate in Alif. Alif started out STRONG and ready to start some trouble. 30minutes later.....Nothing but sweet, beautiful comforting chocolate creamy oud. It's not SCREAMING out like Pardon, It's permeating quietly. Can't wait to spray up for a FULL wearing tomorrow. I'll check back then.

Quite interesting, moody, and happily delicious. It is a harsh oud sweetened with dark chocolate, it's like bokhoor in an assorted chocolate shop (godiva, Prestat, Nehaus) amazingly blended and beautifully luring. Edit (15th Dec 2016) Umm, i guess i was mixing it with something else at the same time, when i tried it in their shop in London, it wasn't anything like the sample i bought from one website, another typical oud so far. Pity.

Heavy on the leather oud but cradled by sweet cacao. Despite the tricks and amount applied I didn’t get the longevity or projection (peer-tested might I add) that I was expecting. There aren’t any deterring notes, nor does the masculine side overpower the sweeter side. Overall attractive scent that I can take seriously.

Very smoky, dry oud fragrance that is more on the masculine side to my nose. I mostly get the oud and leather. Unfortunately I really don`t pick up any of the chocolate here. Quite a complex and challenging fragrance in a good way. Very well done, excellent quality, I get great longevity and good sillage.

My favourite oud fragrance. Oud with chocolate nuances = gorgeous!! Fairly understated and elegant. So smooth and well blended. Unisex. I love this during summer evenings, but it works all year round. Good longevity. When my 10 ml runs out I will be buying the 100 ml.

I like this one a lot. Slightly sweet and slightly smoky oud. It is well blended and rather creamy. It is not over the top and very wearable. If it performed a little better I would be very happy. I got about 5 hours and then it is not projecting much at all.

This is amazing. I hate vanilla. I get a warm vanilla/amber at first with the oud but that quickly dries down into a deep, spicy, rich oud that is woody, leathery and dry. I used part of a small sample vial around 6:30 a.m. At 2 p.m. it still is going strong.

This got the DNA of Memoirs Of A Trespasser, Its OK! Smoky sweet.

Great smell it's a shame it's so weak.