Blackberry Oud

When I noticed this fragrance line and I saw that they had the perfumers name attached to it, I was very curious, because usually these collaborations that Zara has like that are very successful. All of them appealed to me, except for the Musk au Lait – I was put off by the label that it was designed to be layered. I blind bought the other three, and all three of them were honestly intriguing when I saw the notes. When they arrived and I sampled them, this one stuck out to me and I wanted this one on my skin as soon as possible. The blackberry is definitely an interesting fruity note, and it matches well with the oud. It’s not that much of a middle eastern type of oud to me, honestly. While not listed, I mostly get a leather note that reminds me of other leather fragrances of Zara. I wish they released more notes, and I’m kind of confused why some of these fragrances have their notes broken down in top, heart and base, and others aren’t. But I guess in my case, it’s definitely a successful blind buy. As I’ve become more interested in leather fragrances, I’ve been more into the leather-floral combinations. This one has me intrigued to have more leather-fruity fragrance experiences. I really love the packaging of these bottles too: while the cylindrical bottles are typical for a lot of Zara’s fragrances, the marble/stone look of the lids push it to a much higher end looking style to me. The boxes too are unlike anything that I’ve ever seen a Zara fragrance coming in: cylindrical black boxes with that marble effect look on the top of it, each box matching the lid and color scheme of the bottle itself. Honestly, I was tempted to keep the boxes, and I rarely keep them, but I just couldn’t justify it because of space saving reasons.

This is a gem, well done Zara! I usually lean towards gourmand scents, and oud isn't really my thing. But this is pure magic. Upon spraying, it's fruity, and the blackberry is absolutely noticeable. It changes very quickly, and the leather note completely takes over (which is strange because it's not listed in the notes—and I see others have pointed this out too :D). This is what makes it dark and pushes it in a more masculine direction. It feels weird to write this, but it totally reminds me of a car interior scent. Then, during the dry-down, the fruit dominates again, but in a beautiful, elegant, sweet and feminine way. That’s my favorite part. It’s beast mode all the way through, only quieting down at the very end, but it can still be felt on the skin even after more than 12 hours. It's not a boring or linear scent at all—I think it’s a masterpiece. On the flip side, it can be very polarizing. It’s the kind of scent that you either love or hate, so it’s worth testing cautiously around people.

Not a safe blind buy, but a very good fragrance. A big step up from mostly floral and soft gourmand perfumes they usually put out. Not a fan of leather but this one is very good. A fruity, leather, very dark and seductive. I noticed that the ladies are a bit surprised by this line, because as I said most Zara perfumes are crowd pleasers (not a bad thing) but this line actually has a concept and it’s done greatly. Also the presentation and packaging are really good. I am impressed. It has been a long time since Zara did something so cool.

On my skin, this comes across as really leathery (which I loove), so I'm a bit shocked leather isn't listed in the notes! Personally, I don't pick up much blueberry. I'd like to add that on my skin it lasted well over 12 hours —to say I was shocked by its longevity is an understatement. It's a great fragrance, but definitely polarizing: some of my friends love it on me, while others aren't fans. Also in a way it reminds me a bit of tom ford ombre leather, i get the same vibe from both of them.

Fruity oud with a soft, feminine touch. If you have Oud Maracujá, this feels like its small, girly sister. They belong to the same fruity-oud family, but this one is smoother and less harsh, without the slightly masculine edge of OM. Zara Blackberry Oud is actually well above the average Zara fragrance in quality. The blackberry adds a sweet fruity softness while the oud stays gentle and wearable. Overall, a very pleasant and easy fruity-oud option that I would definitely recommend.

A delicious offering by zara, with a sweet, gourmand blackberry accord and a gritty, dark oud. I gotta say, i really like how Zara does oud. For the price it smells pretty good. This belongs to the same family of Oud Maracuja and Passionfroudh, only the latter of which I have smelled. This is the now classic combo fruit+oud. I think it works well here. My only problem is that the blackberry is really, really sweet. Maybe too much. But I still like it!

I looove this perfume, however no staying power about 6 hours longevity and strong projection. I think this is so nice that I am willing to apply a lot of moisturizer or vaseline to to make it last even longer. I got this one, fashionably london, elgantly Tokyo and love explosion. Fashionably London is a beast and I love that one as well, just wish this one was as beastly.

I’ve never received so many compliments on a fragrance since I started wearing this one. And that’s despite having owned much more expensive and sophisticated perfumes. I think it’s a very feminine scent. And it’s definitely not just for autumn or winter. In my opinion, it’s a perfect summer fragrance. It has great sillage—I leave a scent ‘trail’ wherever I go.

This is a very woody scent, unfortunately I can't notice much of the blackberry notes despite that being the main reason I bought it, but the oud notes are still really good. Also, fragrances tend to not last on my skin very long, even expensive ones, but this was a nice change and I could smell it on me throughout the night and day

This is so Beautiful, im not sure which Maison Crivelli perfume its more like . I have Oud Cadenza and have tried Oud Maracuja. . There are similarities to both. I would say you don't need to spray much , it drys down beautifully there is a fruity creamyness to it later. Such a great perfume

I’m so happy to have found a dupe for L’Artisan Parfumeur Cuir Grenat - it’s been on my wish list for a while but th price is just too much. I tried this in Zara today and bought it immediately as to me it smells pretty similar to- berries and wood - delicious

This is so good!! Who would think that blackberries goes well with Oud! I love this combo. Its blended so well and rather lasting. Another great fragrance from Jordi.

I don't know what it's dupe for- however I love how fruity, woody it is. I feel like a pretty, dangerous creature.

As others have commented, there are similarities with Jordi Fernandez’s Maison Crivelli fragrance, Oud Maracujá. Particularly the dry down, which has the leathery oud notes that feature in OM, as well as Cuir Infra Rouge and Oud Stallion. However, those scents are nuclear and cost an absolute fortune. Zara provide a more economical alternative. Basically, Oud Maracuja is 11x more expensive per ml than Blackberry Oud, so it’s worth trying even if you end up not being a fan. Blackberry Oud is way toned down compared to those perfumes. It is quite sweet at first, but this doesn’t linger for long. For the price point, it is excellent value. If you are expecting a dupe of any of the above scents, you might be a bit disappointed, but it is definitely worth trying. I know I can wear this to work without repelling my colleagues! That’s a bonus.

A dupe or not, this is a great perfume for this price point. It openes with juicy and sour fruits together with the dark-smoky-leathery oud. The drydown is bit darker but still keeps that juiciness of the fruits. Projects well enough to get my husband compliments. 100% unisex. I sampled on paper Oud Maracuja and yes, they are extremely similar, maybe on skin they differ a bit.

For a ZARA, its ok, but nothing groundbreaking. The idea of rose-oud combo is done to death, but the blackberry shakes it up nicely, adding some fruity notes, and slightly bitter, raspy tones in both opening and drydown. My issue is that i would have preferred the balance to be much more towards the oud (i know there isn't real oud here for that price, but ZARA can do a very convincing recitation of the note as seen in gems like Bohemian Oud) instead of towards the blackberry as it is now. But after all, the name is "Blackberry Oud" not "Oud Blackberry", so it is what it is. As is, it leans more towards the feminine side of the scale, and it does not stick to your skin for long either. Not a bad pick, but not in the upper echelon of the house.

This is a refined version of imperial vally from Gissah, smoother with a hint of fruits. I wish the fruity note was more prominent though, also there is a strong leather note that is not listed

× The Oriental Oud Era: before 2000 Before this millennium started, in the world of perfumery, the Oud ingredient was the King of the Oriental Perfume Family, The original oud presence in perfumes was complex, strong, animalistic, funky and dirty in a masculine way. A symbol of power and greatness Even spirituality, because it has that depth, ancient vibes. × The Westernised Oud Era: after 2000 # The first stage: 2000 - 2010 I believe, M7 YSL 2002 started everything. But that stage provided real first-class blends, tamed oud in a way that amazed even Arabs and the Eastern countries, because oud kept its depth and woody characters, but with no less animalic skanky smells Another great example of this stage is Oud Wood by Tom Ford, 2007. > In the 1st stage, the most important ingredients that were mixed with oud are: wood, spices, heavy citrus, and herbs.. Etc # The second stage: 2010 to 2020 During this stage, oud perfumes began to evolve into more unisex, delicate, romantic, or silky scents. Etc > In the 2nd stage, the most important ingredients that were mixed with the oud: Rose, Saffron, and leather.. Etc > Good examples for this are: - Oud Ispahan Dior, 2012 - Oud Malaki Chopard, 2012 # The third stage, 2020 till today We are living in a time when oud is mixed with (jammy tropical fruits such as mango and passion fruit) The oud has become sticky, sweet, and you hardly distinguish the type of oud used (is it Indian or Cambodian... etc.) even in niche brands which should use original and natural ingredients as they sell at high prices > Good examples for this are: - God of Fire Stéphane Humbert Lucas, 2024 - Oud Cadenza Maison Crivelli, 2022 - Oud Maracujá Maison Crivelli, 2023 > In the 3rd stage, the most important ingredients that were mixed with the oud: Red fruits, tropical fruits, and sweets such as caramel ===== Lament and Wish: "Now, for drama purposes, you need to imagine sad background music while reading the text below" Nowadays, we live in a time when the King of the Oriental Family has become just a jam in a jar. That poor king has been forced to change his gender under the pressure of trends and new moda. I pray this stage ends ASAP, and (The fourth stage) to revive the true spirit of oud,,, the deposed King of oriental perfumes. Regards

I came to this fragrance with a bit of scepticism. How close can this be to Oud Maracujá? Isn't this another case of an empty hype for a "perfect dupe"? Well guess what. I came home blown away. This does truly smell like OM. It has the exact same fruity oud scent like OM that's neither old-school Tom Ford Our Wood nor the silky kind of MFK ouds but its own thing. The fruity note listed here is obviously blackberry and not maracuja but my nose can't tell the difference here. The Zara version is also less dense and more airy but that only makes it more wearable I think. It's a respectable performance, it's not gone in two hours but also it's not a room killer two day fragrance like the Crivelli one can sometimes be. Truly an outstanding release from Zara. Kudos to them for working with a great perfumer. It's kind of pricy for a Zara release but it's more than worth it in my opinion.

I guess it doesn't really work with my skin chemistry, but on me it's only a dry, slightly spicy oud. Even a bit medicinal which is a characteristic of oud, but there is no warm base (musk or ambre) to soften it... But there are almost unnoticeable red fruit notes if I really want to feel them. Not unpleasant, just not awakened any emotion in me. I am a woman who really love unisex scents and I think that this one is absolutely unisex so it surely can work on men! I truly would like to smell it on a man of any age. Give it a try guys!