Manila Oud

Manila Oud Parfum was launched in May 2021 and is another creation of the perfumer Renato Lopena Jr. It is part of the authorial fragrance collection of his independent brand, Wren Atelier, founded in 2020. Inspiration comes from the history of the Philippines, with the discovery of Fernão de Magalhães, in March 1521, and the spread of Christianity. The name pays homage to Manila (Maynilà), the capital of the Philippines and the country's second-largest city in terms of population. Manila Oud's fragrance is classified as chypre-woody and brings notes of ginger, nutmeg, and Calamansi on the top. In the body, notes of elemi, Banana Cue accord, and Sampaguita. In the base, notes of labdanum, incense, patchouli, leather, amber, and of course, OUD. First question: are you a fan of fragrances with that animalic OUD note, quite different from the current “oud accord” that has been reproduced by all brands, whose result is a mixture of sandalwood and chocolate? So, keep reading this review until the end! Manila Oud touches the skin with the spicy warmth of nutmeg combined with ginger. And the more citric facets of this one, gain even more strength with the presence of Calamansi, as the Philippine lemon is called, which is one of the most important and present fruits in the local cuisine. It is a hybrid fruit (mandarin and kumquat) with a very sour taste. However, the more leathery and resinous notes of the base explode, from the beginning, making the olfactory experience more interesting, since the drying presents a structure different from most fragrances. And in that sense, the notes of labdanum and incense are the ones that most impact me, right off the bat. If you ever felt a taste of the smoke from a good burning incense, in your mouth, then you know that there is a slightly salty and even bitter effect on the back of the tongue. And it reproduces with this creation! The sweetened side (which is not sweet) is very interesting, as we have a mix of the softest nuances of Sambac jasmine, with the freshness of the elemi resin (originating in the Philippines) and an incredible Banana Cue accord, a popular delicacy made with Saba bananas fried in a mixture of hot oil and brown sugar and served on bamboo sticks. As if that weren't enough, Manila Oud carries a base that, by itself, would make an incredible fragrance, especially for those who like more rustic leather nuances. Here, the notes of labdanum, leather, and OUD confer a unique richness, which is only found in compositions with better-quality raw materials. It reminds me of the olfactory signature of some creations by the house of Fueguia 1833, of which I was already a fan. For me, Manila Oud is not a fragrance for restricted use on colder days. It is elegant, sophisticated, and has a style that tends to please men. And although structurally it is a chypre, it behaves like a woody-ambery fragrance that sometimes decides to behave spicy, other times more leathery and even smoky. On my skin, it doesn't seem to leave much of a trace, but it is, without a doubt, a balanced and delicately thought-out creation, one of those that are indispensable in any niche collection.

"One of the star ingredients of this fragrance is Elemi, a resin from Pili tree." -description from the brand This has a nice beautiful calamansi opening. The Elemi here reminds me of Encre noire Al extreme. I can't figure out what I'm smelling until I also smelled something similar to Hermes Eau des Merveilles. The elemi resin here stands out like in the description. It is supported by a creamy oud, banana cue note, nutmeg and patchouli. The elemi here is well supported by other beautiful notes that prevents it to be too resinous. It somehow borderline fruity and floral. I usually dislike nutmeg which I can't stand in Mancera's Black Gold, Initio's OFG, Narcisso Rodriguez Bleu Noir, but I like the nutmeg here. This can be a signature scent and can be worn day and night, because it has a distinct gentle character. It also reminds me of something that you can wear on the beach idk whats making this tropical. Also reminds me a bit of Nishane Nefs. I think I'm falling in love with the elemi note. "A fragrance that talks a little bit about the history of the Philippines with Magellan's discovery and the spread of Christianity." -description from the brand The tropical vibe here reminds me of a boat that landed on the shore while they wear leather and the incense here represents christianity. I can compare the quality of this brand to Zoologist Perfumes on how it tells a story through the notes.

Wren Manila Oud - creamy oud - I started my fragrance journey not knowing what real oud smells like. Glad that local perfumer @thefilipinonose was able to let me smell natural oud tinctures and was amazed at how animalic they were, but not the woody oud accords that we get in 99.9% of fragrances that say “oud” in the packaging. Natural oud is soft and radiating. So, Mr. Lopena starts this perfume with a chorus of local citrus fruits, mainly Calamansi lime. Then transitions seamlessly to what resembles a Oud-Chypre. Creamy laotian Oud is combined with caramelized bananas, woods, and florals. This creates a rounded fragrance as its whiffs from skin. Drydown is a woody-amber chypre that tones down the banana, yet retains the oud. I understand getting a perfume from the Philippines to US/Europe would be hard, but this one is worth the effort.

This was in my top 3 along with Annapurna and Batuk. My first bottle from them after purchasing the discovery set. The balance of florals, citrus and sweetness just makes it a wonderful signature scent. Easy to wear in any time of the day. Truly truly a wonderful scent!

I find this as an aquatic chypre- there is a note that evokes the deep sea floating on labdanum. It pierces through the banana note and spices.. wear sparingly and best worn in the cold weather