Oud Blanc

This. Fragrance. Right. Here. I don’t think I’ve ever been an oud person. But this winter, my skin said YES. The start was a baby punch, not at all as loud as most ouds. And the fragrance seemed to sashay between notes as it dries down. It was such a lovely experience that I had to buy it. @Serene River below said everything that came to my mind when I tested this perfume in store and then on my skin overnight. Testing it on my skin overnight only solidified my awe of the perfume. Whenever I woke up or shifted positions I would catch a whiff of delicious, creamy, smoky vanilla and fruit. And the fruit is not obtrusive or adolescent - it’s like having charcuterie and when you make your cheese and meat cracker you add the slightest dab of fig preserve for a soft but present sweetness. I can’t believe I’m saying this but this fragrance could very well be a staple & signature for me! And I’ve been searching for years. I have no idea how it will perform in spring - I guess we will just have to find out if I don’t finish it before then 😂.

The first sniff was nothing special, the second sniff and I was hooked. Its powderyness and oudness are so nice, it's creamy like the santal blanc from Van Cleef & Aprels but this oud fragrance is leaning towards more masculine and has such a summer fresh scent to it. Truly a remarkable blend. I have tried some other white musk oud blends and this one stands out the best, very savoury.... a definite win 9/10, but I am not giving it a 10/10 because I feel it doesn’t change after a awhile, it stays the same but I half expected it to change into something better than it already is. Now looking at the ingredient list I notice the aldehydes that I thought I hated in fragrances but it simply smells amazing in this blend. And I smell the smokiness that comes from the incense. A beaut. Definitely for those who like something Vanille type but not overwhelmingly sweet fragrances, but more of a balanced creamy smoky ones. I guess the creaminess feel comes from the white musk, really works great in this blend.

Usually I’m not a fan of Oud, but the sweetness in this fragrance sold me. Heavy, sweet vanilla at first, and dries down to expose more smooth Oud and subtle rose. I sprayed more of this than I would have liked, and it is most definitely a fragrance for wintertime. The scent is simultaneously sharp and smooth, and surprisingly isn’t too overwhelming for me, as I’m usually not a fan of things that are too too sweet on my skin. The vanilla compliments the smokiness of the scent and they simultaneously bring each other out while also making it so that the smell isn’t too intense. Smells to me like you chucked Oud and vanilla pods into a saucepan with brown sugar and let them smoke the melted sugar. Overall pretty nice, but my only complaint is that it can irritate my nose a bit due to the aldehydes and sharper Oud.

I live in UAE, Abu Dhabi where everything is about oud, I'd say that my nose can catch the right real oud among so many "oud" used in perfumes, here, the oud is of high quality synthetic oud that is better than real but commercial oud . The rose is prominent and of a high quality , both oud and rose are tamed by soft musk and sweetened by non edible vanilla , honestly I couldn't pin point the incense but there is a tiny smokiness in it that might be the effect of incense , I really enjoy this unisex fragrance and most of this line of VC&A, chapeau bas Anne Flipo.

This is Oud Bouquet but brightened up by the aldehydes and much more wearable. I wouldn’t say this is a “clean oud” but it’s very palatable. It could be a day or night fragrance and it’s multi seasonal if you spray accordingly. With that said, it’s more wearable than Oud Bouquet but it’s still a pretty strong fragrance. It’s not really similar to Oud Satin Mood, that’s much more rosy, and less powdery. I have Oud Mood, Oud Bouquet and I reach for Oud Blanc the most. I’ve had it for a few years, love it and would repurchase it! The best from Van Cleef imo!