Hindi Oud Nasha

A fantastic oud, categorically the best I've ever smelled. For reference I've smelled a few Bortnikoffs, a few Areejs, Dusita's Oudh Infini and the Frederic Malle desert gems (all great too) but this Hindi Oud Nasha is on another level. I'll review by sharing what I remember of my first time smelling it and what I now think having worn through a full 0.2ml sample. The first time I smelled this, I got maybe 3 or 4 seconds of the most perverse, nigh-scatological semi-demonic black flames all up my nose before I got, as you'd expect from such a composition, somewhat nose-blinded. Like a one-two knockout punch, Hindi Oud Nasha expands in the nose until it becomes so large as to become undetectable, like zooming in on an object so far that it suddenly becomes the size of the entire world, and you can no longer recognise what it is. It's really quite diabolical-smelling, though anyone who has taken their fair share of Hindi ouds before this won't be deterred entirely, I'm just saying be prepared for a shock. Like almost every other perfume that offends me the first time I smell it, I naturally couldn't stop wearing Hindi Oud Nasha until I had conquered and understood it - and thankfully, it only took a couple of extra wearings for my nose to grow accustomed to its intensity so that I could actually explore and dissect the perfume rather than merely being laid flat by it. Lo and behold, beneath Hindi Oud Nasha's surface lies a powdery and aloof floral, replete with unsweetened orris and rose but backed firmly by smoking resin. It's (to my nose) strangely womanly in a way (though the scent itself is totally unisex) - think a young woman clad totally in funereal black silk, hair turning into smoke at the ends, bright red lipstick, recumbent and lying back whilst falling asleep in a state of queenly boredom. There's an almost watery quality to this floral, or if not watery then wintry at least, and it feels as though a central flame (the oud) is threatened from all sides by the wet and cold but continues burning regardless. If this is too poetic I apologise, but like all masterpieces, this perfume really does move me to imagery like this - it's more of an emotion in a bottle (or a mini eppendorf) rather than a "scent" per se. The thing that keeps striking me about Hindi Oud Nasha is how simply beautiful it is - and I'm really not abusing the word by saying so. This isn't the kind of "beauty" that requires one to squint their eyes and turn their heads and internally redefine the word for the occasion at hand. It's actually, really beautiful, like any other canonically beautiful perfume, and it's the first time I feel this way about an oud. It's got me wondering if the true powers of oud really can only be reached through the use of an attar as a medium... Hindi Oud Nasha makes me feel beautiful (admittedly in a slightly gothic way) - it's austere (likely from this ocean of orris) but refined and dignified. My favourite of Sultan Pasha's Ouds (and all ouds I've smelled so far) - really unbeatable stuff!! EDIT: Just to add (I'll probably expand even more in the future) but I've continued to smell more and more natural ouds since writing the review almost a year ago and Hindi Oud Nasha still remains unsurpassed. It's just such a brilliant composition.

Between the Black Stone and the black of night broods Sultan Pasha's Hindi Oud Nasha, a rose-oud of seemingly infinite depth whose flowers entrap its wearer in redolent contemplation. One might be making hajj or very well lost, floating in outer space, about to cross Hindi Oud Nasha's event horizon... the attar is that dark, condensed by amber, benzoin, musk, and the eponymous oud oil of which Sultan Pasha boasts to have used over 60% in this composition. The floral leather fragrance right up to its name doesn't shy away from smelling like an exemplary Hindi oud, and so you also get plenty of barn and hay but only on the outward, projecting edges, which are tinged with mimosa, orris, and a clever use of hops, shining over rose petals. All the notes (and just look at those roses) are mixed with such a deft hand that their dark, incensey profile becomes smooth and regal as opposed to course and feral. Combine the exhilarating and sultry aspects of Prin's Saringkarn, the agrestic qualities of ALD's Beauty and the Beast, the prim stature of Bortnikoff's Triad, the magic perversion —and power—of Montale's Black Aoud (or Ex Idolo's 33, as you wish) while using materials that are better blended, and you have Hindi Oud Nasha, a narcotic attar that sucks you past the point of no return.

Animalic Indian incense. The opening is sharp and pungent. Like something feral emerging from wet earth. I am reminded of Indian incense I've smelled in the past. Hindi Oud Nasha also smells like a refined version of Musk Amber by Indian perfume brand Sugandhco. I am new to real oud so I am not a good judge of quality of the oud, but my feeling is that it is authentic. A few minutes in sweet resins surface to smooth out the animalic edge. The perfume is dense and complex and morphs continuously. The ingredients are obviously quality and the composition tells a story, in this case I imagine a powerful king overseeing a wild, overgrown kingdom. Is it wearable? This is the opposite of sanitized mainstream perfume and people not into niche or natural ingredients will probably not have a frame of reference for what they are smelling. This is not something you wear to the office or on a first date. Personally, I am intrigued but it doesn't feel like me. As for "value", I dipped the bent edge of a paperclip into my sample vial and applied to my wrists. This was enough to give a soft projection and hours of longevity.

I don't know why nobody mentioned it, but this has Abdul Samad Al Quarashi's DNA all over, at least in the first hour or so. Same heavy, heady and honeyed sweetness of rose that appears almost fruity at times on a bed of gentle but clearly detectable oud. Really reminds me of Al salah or even Al safwa blends, but greener. Dries down much calmer tho and with pronounced musk/ambergris notes which add a more comforting, powdery finish. It's an absolutely amazing attar, I just feel that in my collection it's niche has already been filled by the ones mentioned previously.

Subhanallah. I have never smelt anything like this in my life. This is from someone who has collected and sampled some 400 frags, many niche, including ensar oud, around 12 of Areej Le Dore, all of Amouage; as well as a bunch of pure ouds and mukhallats. Both as an oud and a fragrance, this might be the best thing I've ever smelt. I can't stop sniffing my wrist. update: if you know Mukhallat Dehn Oudh Al Muattaq by Ajmal the oud is of a similar vein (obvs, both Hindi oud) but this has had any hint of harshness rounded out. You can imagine a progression from Ajmal Dhen Oud Al Shams, through the Al Shams special edition, through to Al Muattaq, then to this; as the oud is progressively rounded out and better blended. But the spices and other components to the Ajmal aren't anything like this. But it's the closest comparison I have. All I might be saying here is that it's Hindi oud, which you know. .. Yeah I give up. Never going to be able to describe this. And I just want to be selfish and enjoy. Also literally the head of a needle's worth on the wrist and it is still absolutely PUMPING 30 mins later. Update 2: it stayed this way for around 4 hours (which on my skin is saying something, scarcely anything lasts 3). Update 3: I've had two showers, washed tools with antiseptic, and applied another perfume over that wrist which has since faded and I can still faintly smell this oud underneath.