Bohemian Oud

Why is this beauty so snobbed? This is on another level, even better then Zara Magnificently Dubai and Red Temptation Winter! I guess we could sum it up as a smoky spicy vanilla, but I see more in it, it almost verges on chocolaty incense, it truly has a bohemian soul...screams bohemian from every angle, it has lots of cacao which is almost always poetic but in here it is more then that...it's the way the cacao moves, it's the texture that makes it "bohemian", what do they say about bohemian people? A rolling stone gathers no moss...and the opening here is truly airy and free. Then everything is grounded by the musty oudy base and spices, just a flash of light from the immortelle and again...isn't that what inevitably happens to most bohemians soul? They are forced by the status quo. Then comes the incense, malinchony hits you and you want your bohemian freedom back. Maybe I see much poetry in it because I kinda fancy myself a bohemian (a little), in any case this truly delivered to me. Often those fancy name are just that...an illusion given to the customers in order to sell more. Or maybe it's just me, cacao always has this effect on me, see for instance Dolcelisir by L'Erbolario, that one too smelled pure bohemian, post 68's social rebellions disillusionment. In this Zara one the color of the juice fits splendidly too! By the way this would be incredible on man, probably one of Zara most unisex and complex perfume; the other of the same line, Chapter 4 Oud, are: two of them feminine and one pure masculine (Endless Oud), this one is the most unisex, and special to me since my mind made a specific association to which I will later get to. Now, on to the scent: the opening is strong, strong cacao powder, the most beautiful intense cacao powder with just the right temperature in between warmness (sweetness) and coldness (bitterness). What I can say is that it is splendidly powdery, as if it were initially harvest in a pod and after some commotion the powder were spread in to the air creating a cloud! It has a sensation of movement, as if it liberates itself in air, spreading itself and traveling fast to enter your nose and hug you like a Linus blanket. I like how it smells but what I like even more is this effect! The cacao never leaves the fragrance but it decrease in intensity, as if little by little it retires back to its original pod form. In this middle fase it is the oud that shines and it is surrounded by a general earthy background in which I suspect a tad of patchouli is present. Yes, it is synthetic, not a drop of real oud in here. I can not enter in a long essay on the matter, the review is alredy too long, nor I have the knowledge to do so. What I can say is that synthetic oud is used just like vanilla, rose, orris and all the others precious materials replicated in a synthetic form, so I don't see the harm in it. If you wear ultra niche and selective composition such as Areej Le Dore (I barely afforded just a sample) or proper middle eastern attars then you won't like this, but I can assure you Bohemian Oud can compete with many other western designer oud, that cost three times more. The kind of oud used is sweet, humid and much musty. It is clean in the sense that is not barny or animalic, not yet medicinal, but it is so musty, it is the connotation that I prefer! Zara already used something similar in Red Temptation Winter and also in Magnificently Daubai x Jo Malone but here it is fives times more potent and musty. Some light vanilla softens its edges. Black pepper starts to come forward and poses itself on the oudy base, its relationships with the cacao is much interesting...the blend is masculine, poetic and dark, but in this gloomy encounter there is a flash of light brought in by the immortelle. This flower is a trickster, it is complex and can come in many shapes and forms, I think in here it is only lightly spicy but much earthy, gives an hey and tabacco-y undertone that reverberates at the edge of the spice, and its central role comes in the form of a burnt sugar smell, but like raw burnt sugar/sugar cane more so then spun sugar; it must be the immortelle, unless there is some other note that creates this sort of effect, you can feel it's different from the proper molecule that usually creates that effect. It reminds a bit of the sweetness in the Red Teptation family (and Baccarat Rouge) but here is less crystallized, more soffused, less sweet and more smoked. The mid of the scent keeps enriching when another layer of spices comes forward, it is a mix and in it there is something that clearly resembles cardamom, but of a more multi-faceted quality then the usual one Zara uses, since it smells lightly mentholated but much more smoky and spicy. Finally in the mid, close to the dry down, comes the incense with all its poetic beauty! It is a mix between ecclesiastical incense and smoked incense: elegant, powdery but also much balsamic, it's lukewarm in temperature and much diffused and light, with nothing stale about it (which sometimes too I enjoy in incense). The whole mix is very rich because the general woody and musty oud background is also still present. Some of the cacao makes a return and it is now sweetened by the vanilla. The proper closing is all vanilla, a good quality too, I don't find it cheap at all. It is liquorish and it also smells like tonka, with some nuttiness, and a light confetti sweetness. The perfume has a great performance, similar to the other previous Zara Chapter line. Last for about 7 hours on me, with evolution and a dry down that lingers until the night. Projection is moderate and few sprays suffice. It is perfect for autumn. As I was saying in the opening of this review, the mood and spirit of this fragrance is indeed bohemian. It is something I would imagine of smelling on Bob Dylan or Patti Smith or on someone from the Jefferson Airplane. Actually...there is a much beautiful song by Donovan that the Jefferson Airplaine covered in their Live at the Fillmore East, New York, it is called Fat Angel, one great piece of psychedelic rock, the song was about an Hell's Angels which was quite atypical...very kind, always helping and never fighting, and they all say he used to smell like strong spices and wood, the tabacco from his pipe lightly projecting the smell in the air, they all remember him for it!!! Even the song says so... In my imagination he could have smelled like Bohemian Oud! I, like many other people, looked at this collection with doubts in my mind. First to the oud part...and then to those names. Zara too will be added to the list of those who are continuing to use and abuse the theme of oud, I thought... Oud and its usage has sprung quite a delicate debate, and while I am all for cultural appreciation, this is afterall an art material with centurys of usage and as such it should be approched with respect, even if we want to put aside the strong cultural connotation associated with it. But the result is of my liking, I can't help it...first this of Bohemian Oud and secondly that of Perpetual Oud. I like it so much that I will add a spare bottle in my cabinet. As for comparisons I can say Zara Magnificently Dubai is more medicinal, masculine and bitter, much more cardamom centered; By the Fire Place from Replica, Maison Margiela is more musky, different spices and wood, also balsamic in a different way; now Pepe Nero by Nature's...that one is pretty close but much more boozy and the chocalate is "material", more solid, not an airy powdery cacao, I have smelled and tried them all.

Bohemian Oud is, without a doubt, my favourite of the four pieces in the Chapter N ° 4 collection, followed by Endless Oud , Perpetual Oud , and last but not least, Hipster Oud. I appreciate them all, but Bohemian Oud’s what made me say, “whoa”! It has a wow factor and is nothing, but I would say a delicious chocolaty incense. Bohemian Oud caught my mind when I tested them in-store with its powerful incensed twist. It engulfed me. It is an accord that transpires immediately in the headnotes, unlike other perfumes that put incense between the heart or base notes. You can’t imagine what this pale blue-grey juice smells like. And I find it a little hard to describe because I’ve smelled nothing like this beauty. It is not an ecclesiastical incense, but something that makes a bar of chocolate looks like someone has subjected it to a smoking process. It is sublime; it displaces me; it captures me. Inspired by the precious tanned leather of the East, ZARA has reinvented suede in its creations. In Bohemian Oud, the warm cocoa bean evokes the softness of the finest suede, and the black oud wood enhances the powerful scent of tanned leather. Bohemian Oud is a masterpiece, perhaps underestimated, in which incense is the backbone, copiously wrapped in a drape made of vanilla and leather. The nose sewed cocoa and immortelle notes into this drape and sprinkled everything with grated black pepper powder. It is such a complex fragrance that one might think about the layering combination of niche scents. The first thing that hits my nose is an aroma similar to liquorice, with a hint of slightly withered flowers. It is the smell of stale cut flowers but also that of chrysanthemums. This smell has many nuances: candied or dried fruit, hay, honey, camomile, leather, and curry. For those unfamiliar with these nuances, they are some ways the helichrysum flower manifests itself. Miserably, I was too hasty in my initial statement when I wrote, “... with a liquorice accord created by an overdose of incense and cocoa.” Actually, although the two notes come out clearly, it is the immortelle that creates the liquorice-like vibe. Afterwards, black pepper is what I smell right away in my face, sharp and spicy, in the initial blast, together with a gummy and smoky incense. I feel the sharpness of the pepper is more present on the paper strip or the sprayer. Instead, I get it on my skin for just a few moments. It is faint, and I must put my nose close to the skin to capture the spicy note. Instead, I get much of the touch of incense, which is there to darken the backbone. Okay, so the starter spray is superb dark chocolate with a hint of smoky incense. I think this comes from tamed Oud. Please, be aware that the Oud here is depurated, not animalic, faecal, or barnyard. Just minutes after that razor opening, it becomes very mellow, spicy, warm, and much safer. The most prominent note in the next phase is chocolate powder, together with patchouli and other woodsy notes, transforms into unsweetened cacao. Now the chocolate accord feels round and more profound than a cocoa froth. To me, resinous and smoky incense is also very prominent. This is stellar! This fragrance is purely a gourmand fragrance, with no citrus or floral notes, but the dried immortelle. It is a bitter chocolate note mixed with vanilla, smooth suede, and a tip of the Oud. Sweet, but slightly smoky. The best part about this fragrance is that it is not a gourmand in that it exists to emulate food or simply to be a “smell” of the taste of it. Both cocoa and vanilla turn out dusty, powdery, and not edible. The dry-down is all about dark chocolate perfectly blended with leather, Oud and resins. The latter dominate because these are in the top notes, but the secret is dark chocolate and vanilla well used for the sweet part and mixed with the leathery one. The patchouli adds the effect of chocolate and natural, earthy softness. Both vanilla and cocoa cut the sharpness of the spices and resins. The faintest touch of creaminess may be from suede-like addition, either labdanum or birch, and a nutty nuance may be from toasted vanilla and frankincense. It is smoky and smooth, has a bit of leather and smells like... unsweetened chocolate or cacao. Wow, what a surprise, this differs entirely from everything I have smelt. Initially, I take a heavily smoked cocoa, not the sweet type but parched and peppery; then, at first, it is pretty masculine, and the bottom is wonderfully smooth with a vanilla twist. The fragrance turns into a spicy, slightly leathery accord that is really addictive. Bohemian Oud is not for the faint of heart, or people who don’t like Oud or incense, because it is not the classic fragrance for your comfort zone, and it has a slant of masculinity and oriental style on a par with Middle East fragrances. I’m wearing it at work, and no one is offended. It is opulent and dense but not overwhelming. It fits properly in the cold month of fall and winter, both days and evenings, date nights, and special events. As for performance, projection and longevity are so-so, let’s say, below average. I need to reapply if I want to smell it all day. I'm basing my experience and review on a bottle I've owned since June 2022.

This is amazing. I am naturally drawn to smoky, woody, and spicy scents so this is right up my alley. The opening is indeed quite reminiscent of By the Fireplace, which is mine and my husband's favourite fragrance of all time. However, Bohemian Oud is more like a cousin than a twin. To make this distinction you may need to be well acquainted with By the Fireplace. It is certainly not an identical dupe, but it does share similarities and is definitely in the same family. It's opening smells like burning wood with a lot of pepper. By the Fireplace definitely smells more like a contained fire in an actual fireplace, whereas Bohemian Oud has a slightly astringent undertone that is reminiscent of an outdoor fire in the woods. There is a little something that is subtly evergreen about it's first impression which I greatly appreciate. The opening feels more like a fire out in an open forest with damp, fresh cut wood while BTF feels more like dry wood burning while staying cozy inside. I hope that makes sense. This description might lead one to believe this leans more masculine than BTF, but in my opinion, Bohemian Oud leans ever slightly more feminine as soon as it begins to dry. Once the opening settles, the cacao truly shines. Instead of the vanilla booziness in BTF, Bohemian Oud offers a gentle chocolatey touch–a sweetness that is needed, appreciated, intriguing, and a pleasant change from the typical vanillic sweetness, and doesn't lean boozy at all to me. TLDR; It opens more fresh than BTF but dries more gourmand and less smokey than BTF, though all elements are still detectable in both throughout their lifespans. Chefs kiss. If you like BTF, there is a very good chance you will like this. If you don't like smoky or woody fragrances, I'm not so sure it's for you. This DEFINITELY screams cool, crisp autumn nights by the fire and enjoying nature's beauty with good company. One spray on my wrist lasted about 3.5 hours. After that I oversprayed all over because I craved more even though it was definitely still detectable. I could still smell it on me and my husband the next day. My only regret? I didn't buy a second bottle. This is divine. Don't sell it out forever, please–I need more. I bought a bottle the day it launched and it's sold out in Canada already, of course. I lowkey hate being this honest but I must give credit where credit is due. As always though, this is a super misleading and ridiculous name for the fragrance. Do not trust paper samples with this one as the paper latches onto the fresh, peppery opening and doesn't develop the way it does on skin. On the skin, at least my skin, it transforms into something truly magical.

Despite the name emphasising "oud", i cannot say i detect any hints of authentic agarwood resin in this, unlike other ZARAs (Bergamot and Leather Spritz comes to mind), but for what it does have, this scent does it surprisingly well, certainly a standout from the ZARA lines sold in these tall cylindrical bottles. There are three main players in the note breakdown - smoke from the incense, robust leathery accord and spicy black pepper. The rest of the notes are way behind, in the background, maybe rounding up some of the rough edges, but barely noticeable and being dominated from start to finish by the hardcore smoke/ In the opening you can feel some of the powdery sweetness of the cacao and vanilla, but that quickly gets subdued by the smoky incense and rustic leather accord, and the later half of the opening is all about the incense and black pepper tingling your nostrils, and the drydown is robust smokey leather all the way down. It is not overly complex or multifaceted, but what it does it does it well. Not the most natural smelling notes you can get, especially if we involve niche scents, but not overly synthetic either, solid, unapologetically masculine cold weather fragrance from ZARA. Edit: Now, after sitting for a few days and being sprayed some, the smoke does not comes out quite as aggressive, and while still there, it is allowing the other notes to breath a little, even further enhancing the richness of the opening, the mix of black pepper and cacao comes out quite beautifully. Edit 2: I am yet again reminded why it is important to let fragrances breathe for a week or two before getting even a first impression. Now after oxidizing and even shaking up the bottle few times, the Oud is has finally arrived and it has been spectacular - easily comparable with Magnificently Dubai and Bergamot and Leather Spritz.

I have never bought a perfume so fast and with absolutely no hesitation before. I have also never felt the urge to talk about a perfume or submit a comment straight from the car after the purchase! I am in shock!!! I didn't see that coming..... 😳 I feel really astonished by this masterpiece. Scenes from a memory burst into my brain.(Been there-done that-kind of situation here:) Walks in the Mediterranean paths by the sea under the Greek pine trees in early summer, crushing the needles with my feet and smelling that earthy brown powdered ground. A friend opens a leather pouch with vanilla cream scented tobacco to stuff his pipe while we rest by a trunk. I'm eating some milk chocolate and take a sip of my filtered coffee. We remain in silence as we gaze the calm waters underneath. If I should indicate a particular place, this should definitely be an island like Agistri (close to Athens, Greece). The depiction of the smells above describes exactly the experience one gets from this perfume. In case you've never been to a place like that, just imagine a cognac-type of booze poured on a smoked wood (oud-incense) in the opening and creamy vanilla (sweet) with some cocoa powder (not sweet) in the dry down. I can relate the smell of Bohemian Oud with my beloved discontinued 💔 Angel Muse but without the honey accents, as well as the long forgotten Woman Chocolate by Zara (2013? release). 👌🏻10/10

This is so good. No alcoholic opening, but that may be because I have a brand new bottle of the original formulation. I am an incense maniac, and this is the incense fragrance of my dreams. Opens with a beautiful rich black pepper and unlit church incense wrapped up in a spiced dark cacao, earthy vanilla bean pods and immortelle. I do detect leather, but this is not an animalic leather, but a soft suede. There is a synthetic oud accord that has been stripped of any earthy or animalic qualities. On my skin, the sweetness, while soft, dominates the dry down and after about thirty minutes it becomes softer, sweeter and muskier. However, when I spray it on clothing, I detect the rich cacao, incense, a robust leather and pepper in the dry down, which I adore. A suprisingly mysterious, atmospheric, and dark fragrance. I think this would smell incredibly alluring on anyone and I think it is perfect for autumn and winter dates, casual wear and is perfectly safe for work. the sillage is intimate on skin, but is moderate on clothing and lasts longer, and I do think with enough sprays and a lotion you can potentially increase it. I love it enough to look past the performance.

I can't get over how much I love this perfume. I just wish it lasted longer.... it still lasts a good few hours, but sits too close to the skin for my liking. perfect blend of vanilla incense cocoa and woods. also, becomes much smoother after macerating for a month or two. when I first smelled it it smelt like burnt tires to me. i still have to wait 4-5 mins for it to settle down after spraying, even now after maceration. but that burning tyre smell dissipates really quickly. just such a unique scent. i wish there were a designer or even niche version of this with better projection and longevity. this is alll i want to wear in the winter. edit: hoooly smokes this becomes so much smoother and stronger after maceration! its now been nearly a year since I bought this, it makes a little bit of a cozy bubble and lasts well into the 6-hour mark. I've heard rumours that the new batches are more incense heavy and more bitter, which I hope are false because this is gorgeous smoky woody cacao vanilla softness.

If you are gourmandish person, and bought this for the cacao note, but disappointed by the first pepper bomb, Please please take time to like this.This worth it. First, decant a few ml into a travel spray bottle and let it macerate in a cool, dark place for over a month. Then, try again on a cold day, spraying it on fabric. 2023 Dec I bought this online sale and was big punched by pepper note. Not the fancy pink pepper, but the bold, coarsely ground black pepper you'd use on barbecue or cheese pizza. I was so so disappointed. But now, two months later, 2024 Feb, it smells completely different. It's warm, slightly burnt, and creamy cocoa. There's no more barbecue smell that punched me. It's a sexy, mysterious, and beautiful sweet addictive scent. Imagine yourself sipping on a healthy, adult-oriented cocoa drink with little sugar while baking cookies for your children.

This is another niche type of perfume from Zara. It is chocolaty vanilla goodness with smokey, woodsy base. This fragrance is complex, well blended, smooth and intriguing. My husband asked if I found another winner layering combination - he was surprised to found out it is Zara fragrance. Zara is just hitting it out of the park with their latest releases. Can not wait to see what else they will come out with <3 (the bar is set high now, so they better keep up with our expectations) I only wish their fragrances had longer longevity (I would pay WAY more for them) as carrying heavy bottles of perfume with me is not ideal ...lol (If anyone wants to have “beast” fragrance from Zara - Rose Gourmand lasts for DAYS on clothing)

i've heard great things about bohemian oud and i've finally got myself a bottle. on initial spray, it's straight up black pepper and let me tell you i made the most stank sour face ever! 10 minutes pass by and while doing some dishes i thought to myself "i'm not baking cookies...?". come to find out, IT'S ME! the dry down is where the magic happens; creamy-cocoa with some smokiness from the incense. i totally get the hype now. with a little patience, you'll get what i'm saying! i know zara mostly makes more misses than hits but this little chameleon is DEFINITELY one of their best. niche quality for a very fair price! and the bottle = gorgeous!!! i can't wait to display this one :)

One of the best Zara's I've smelled. It's more cocoa/vanilla than incense, but both are present. It projects very well from the skin and I constantly get a waft of this beauty. The longer it stays on the skin, the more vanilla-y/ambery it gets, but never too sweet. I detest sweetness. This really does not seem like something you'd expect to find in a fast fashion brand, but voila, I guess the line between mass and niche perfumery is blurring. *I walked out of the store with a small bottle, thinking that was all I needed given the size of my collection. Then six hours later, I returned to the shop to exchange it for the big bottle because I smelled so darn good in this :)

bohemian oud is a scent i genuinely love. the vanilla and amber give it this warm, cozy sweetness that feels rich and comforting without ever becoming immature or cloying. it has that soft depth that makes it feel grown and enveloping at the same time. personally, i don’t wear it because it’s my sister’s signature scent, and it’s so strongly tied to her that it feels like hers, not mine. but whenever i smell it on her, it feels perfect. honestly one of the most beautiful scents i know. there’s nothing i’d want to change about it. i just adore it.

So glad to finally be able to get this. I think it’s great that Zara decided to bring this back, because it is a really good fragrance. The scent profile is above a lot of designer releases and definitely leaning towards niche. Niche fragrance usually have more quality ingredients and a fuller body, but this one is holding up pretty good as well, with cocoa, woody notes, incense and vanilla. Highly recommend it and well done to Zara for the release and for listening to customers.

I really, really like this one. I use it mainly as a layering tool for boring vanillas or floral scents, but is good on its own as well. Opens up with incense, sweetness, turns rapidly into burnt woods and powdered cocoa. Layered with by the Fireplace or Commodity Milk (or even both) is very intriguing and a compliment getter. After maceration it lasts at least 6 hours on skin, longer on clothes. At this price point? Absolutely worth buying!

I tried it tonight in a Zara shop, and I got to say that on my skin, it is truly a gourmand fragrance. It reminds me of Shaghaf Oud and, oddly enough, of L'interdit Rouge in the dry down. My favorite of the Zara's Oud line, with Hipster Oud firmly in second place. At least 6 hours longevity on my skin. EDIT August 26, 2023: Wow! Today, the dry down smells identical to Zara's Rose Gourmand or Afnan's Dahaab Saafi.

This perfume is AMAZING!! It's exactly what I was looking for without knowing I was looking for it. On me I don't detect much oud, but the chocolate notes are out of this world, plus the smokiness makes it reminiscent of having a cup of cocoa at a campfire (but more like the tail end of a campire, when all the wood has already burned down and you are thinking cozy, sleepy thoughts of bed). Just delicious.

I tried this right after trying (and scrubbing off) Zara's Wood Street, so when this one opened with all of that pepper, once again, it definitely was something that I was not for. But when it came down to it and I allowed this one to dry down, I really came to enjoy it. Not fresh at all, but warm and spicy. Definitely smokey, and with a sweet undertone. I really like it.

Seriously this smells niche: chocolate and pepper and Oudh and vanilla.... The incense is there, tangy and dark, but not in the forefront.... It's very sweet, but not in a girlish way, and I reckon a lot of blokes could pull off wearing this. I could have sworn I get a bit of tobacco and a goodly waft of patchouli in this, too. Really nice stuff, recommended.

Warm milk chocolate with hints of peppery tangy incense. Very unique, very beautiful. Projects very well within the first 2 hours, becomes a comforting skin scent for another 4 hours. Perfect for autumn and winter, very snuggly. Another solid Zara scent, have to say I'm very impressed with their offerings as of late.

I like this a lot by its own and it is not much like by the Fireplace that I also like. This has notes of leather which for me place the fragrance in a completely different direction. There is chocolate and no nuts, in comparison they might be in the same scent family but definitely not a dupe.

I have to let this one dry down before I feel like I love it, but yeah. I really do love it. It smells so beautify warm and sexy, it's bold, and unique. I smell chocolate, pepper and incense the most. Can't wait for the weather to cool down a bit so I can wear this more!

Dry woods and a faint sweetness. It reminds me coming from the beach through the woody boardwalk, and vendor nearby is making something caramely. It’s discrete and subdued (I would enjoy more humph to it). Could be someone’s signature fragrance. Price is unbeatable.

This is so good. Definitely along the lines of By the Fireplace (I might even call it a dupe), but I actually like Bohemian Oud better. The chocolate-incensey notes are so pretty and interesting. Perfect cozy fall scent.

I got a lot of compliments about this perfume when I layer it with rose fragrances, I prefer layering it with Angel Nova because smells like a chocolate cake with raspberry and a little sparkle of roses

This is one of my "head b*tch in charge" fragrances. I wear it when I want smell and feel like I'm asserting my dominance. I work in a medical group in a military base, and it gets compliments!

By the fireplace clone! My first thought before reading anything on here. 90% similar, very very impressive. Only differences (barely noticable) is this is slightly sweeter and less smoky.

ZARA BRING THIS BACK RIGHT NEOWWWWW 😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😫😫😫 I BOUGHT MM BY THE FIREPLACE BECAUSE THIS GOT DISCONTINUED AND SOMEHOW BOHEMIAN OUD IS BETTER THAN THE REPLICA ONE. BRING IT BACK 😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡

This is a really nice perfume from Zara, I can't get enough of this, also this is my first "oud" scent and some girl gave me a compliment that I smelled like freshly baked cookies! :)

This smells like you layered Madj Al Sultan by Asdaaf with Lattafa Ameer Al Oudh Intense Oud and added dark chocolate & a slightly skanky/earthy oud. This is 🔥🔥🔥🔥

I am obsessed. i love by the fireplace equally as much as this scent. i want to bathe in this. i love how smoky it is. i hate you zara for discontinuing this.

This is VERY pretty. I love it! Try layering this with oriana by parfums de marly. You will smell like a marshmallow but a smoky one.

By The Fireplace clone. Great longevity. No burnt plastic, these peeps noses are broken.

Bohemian Oud + Red Temptation= Divine..Could not stop sniffing myself..:)

Layers incredibly well with Hypnotic Vanilla. I got compliments!

Forget about all the comparisons. This smells delicious!!!

This perfume really took me by surprise. I’ve never liked many Zara perfumes and I’ve never liked Oud. The name appealed to me on the shelf and something made me smell it and thank god I did. I’ve just got back from Seville and me and my girlfriends fell in love with whatever particular type of incense it is they use in their churches. I said a million times this holiday ‘I wish I could smell like that’, but they were just fleeting comments, I had no idea it was a real possibility. Bohemian Oud is somehow exactly that smell, that fills the boutiques of Seville, Spain. I’m obsessed. The first spray is not my favourite but the dry down is mesmerising. It opens with a strong smoky leathery black pepper smell that is very (too) masculine, but that instantly drops out and the fragrance softens into this deep musky incense smell. One thing that really surprises me about this perfume is the eventual sweetness which must come from the vanilla and perhaps even the cacao pod. I imagine all Chloé and Isabel Marant wearers to smell like this in their lace and suede attire. I can’t say the Oud note is hugely noticeable as it could just be confused for the incense but it’s definitely more there than it is in Zara’s Hipster Oud. I’ve been looking for an incense fragrance that suited me for a while, particularly as a big lover of Paulo Santo, and after being massively disappointed by the synthetic Glossier ‘Doux’ release. This is my perfect witchy fragrance, it’s mysterious, deep but delicate. I could wear it in a church pew or on a date. It’s sexy but powerful. And I love how it goes somewhat animalistic on my skin, I have to say one thing about Zara’s fragrances is that they seem to sit lovely with my natural pheromones. I can’t say it projects as much as its Hipster sister, but I’m glad to have found my little Seville in a bottle.

Zara tends to withraw Chapter No.4 fragrances (Bohemian, Endless, Hipster, Perpetual and Sensual Oud). UPDATE august '25: Online, it seems that Bohemian, Hipster and Perpetual are available, offering also the choice of Bohemian & Hipster set. When I first tried Bohemian, it was giving fireplace/wet forrest scent. Afterwards, a new version came out, that smelled more like vanilla fireplace. Today, I feel that Zara tries to give a bold character to these perfumes, not the vanilla one that many other perfumes of this company have. It would be nice to see all Chapter No.4 together as a package, so we can have the whole winter/forrest/village experience. I really make an exception for this series, as well as for Jo Malone cooperation with Zara. inspiration in words: "In the mountains, in a wooden chalet with a fire burning, you roast marshmallows and drink your favorite hot beverage, while warming your feet with your grandmother's knitted socks. Christmas is probably approaching, but every day you enjoy the snow, the fir trees and the smell of the forest after the rain. Tomorrow, you'll prepare a rich meal combined with raisins, mulled wine, and mountain herbs, while wearing a checked shirt".

Got this while buying perfumes at Zara with my wife. We both have collections, and we like to include some Zara fragrances on them. Also, I was looking for this perfume for a long time, and when we tested it, we came to the same conclusion than with Bohemian Oud: Not for average female tastes. And, as I discovered with Bohemian, this is the kind of notes I like more: Incense, Oud, Leather. "This is for only for you" she said without even applying it on her. Is unfortunate that Zara discontinue this Oud collection (I'm still looking to test Sensual Oud), so I didn't think it twice and bring the bottle home. Is NOT as strong and in your face as Bohemian Oud, so I probably will use it on semi-casual occasions, like couples dinners, night BBQs or weekly business meetings. Moderate performance with this new bottle. Cacao and vanilla notes are very subtle. I will macerate it for a 4-6 weeks, and wait for the Fall season. If you are a man (or woman) who like Oud, Leather or other strong notes, go for it. PS: My wife passed on using this. To manly for her because of the incense note.

This perfume is a femme fatale in a tailored suit slinking into a smoky room. Bold and mysterious; perhaps because the black pepper is pungent but there are complex layers underneath. Impressive for the low price. People aren't kidding about giving this perfume time to macerate! Originally it was just black pepper that faded into an oriental vanilla, but now I smell the woods, and it's intoxicating. Pencil shavings are definitely easier to detect than cocoa (I'm really jealous other people can smell cocoa). If I consider it in isolation, the smell is a bit like a massive crackling bonfire and a couple uneaten marshmallows, but on the skin it really smells like a character more than any inanimate object. This person is dangerous, with a sharp wit and a hidden weapon. Very, very dry, but thankfully not powdery. I pick up on cedar notes. If anyone can recommend other masculine-ish fragrances without any citrus, please let me know. Something like this with a little bit of rose would be sensational.

Dossier Floral Marshmallow, Killian Love Don’t be shy, MM Replica by the fireplace, and then comes to this Bohemian Oud. Same vibe, similar notes, only the dried down varied between these. For the copycat Zara and Dossier, the dry down is no different, you lost all the special elements and left with a vanilla and light touch of wood and sour from flower/fruit. Longevity is 6 hours maximum even after shower, not good for sensitive skin, budget friendly if you wanna smelt classy and mysterious. I would take a bottle of this to enjoy the little brief moment of pepper (an hour maximum) from Replica by the fireplace without paying over the nose, but beside that, not gonna re-buy.

Bohemian Oud opens rich and spicy, with a distinctly thatchy note à la Zadig & Voltaire’s This Is Him. As the overtones fade, its pepperiness pushes through, almost bittersweet enough to be confused for nutmeg (to its credit). This is followed swiftly by the cacao, leaving behind a spicy vanilla base that lasts better on clothing than it does on skin. While certainly similar to Gold Myrrh Absolute, Bohemian Oud lacks the intensity and endurance, leaving this closer to a skin scent than a powerhouse set to turn heads. If treated like an eau de toilette and kept close to hand, however, it’ll keep you feeling cozy and warm, and more than a little sexy during the cooler months.

Bohemian Oud doesn’t smell like By the fireplace at all. The initial notes I have noticed was the strong incense, leather and black pepper. As a woman, I love unisex perfumes but to me this is a pretty much strong and complex perfume. More suitable for a masculine scent. I don’t like it as much as I love the perpetual oud. The opening I get is too much smokiness from the incense, but I do appreciate the dry down of this perfume. It smells so good. I would probably mix this with vanilla perfume from Kayali. Though my preference is some kind of a sweet, sophisticated that is well blended with oud, I think I could work this out by mixing with other perfume.

Opens quite smoky from the incense and slightly oud-y. This slowly turns into a semi-sweet coco powder kinda smell with slight bit of sweetness. The smokiness is still there in the background but definitely subdued as opposed to the opening. This does turn sweeter and slightly creamy in the dry down. Overall a great scent. Definitely unique smelling and must be worn weather appropriately, else it could be a little too much. If this had a marshmallow note, it would’ve been just perfect. Nevertheless, you could always pair it up with a marshmallow scented cream/perfume. 8/10.

This is a stunner ! First you get this peppery blast that has an undertone of something powdery , like the smell of cacaopowder when you open up the package mixed with this vanillin smell of pudding . Bingo ! Got it , that’s what it smells like , like a mix of vanilla and chocolate pudding . Can’t really smell immortelle , in have EO of immortelle and can’t really connect that smell of it in this perfume , nor do I get a lot of leather or oud . We all have different skin chemistry so that might be te reason , but I do like it and it’s quite long lasting too .

I love the stages that this one goes through! It is in no way simple or linear. At first you get hit by a very strong dose of black pepper that lingers for a while, while you get introduced slowly to the smoky elements, followed by sweet cacao and vanilla. On me the sweetness is very subdued and you have to look for it, but it balances out the strong smokeyness and spiceyness. I think it would be better suited for cold weather. Lasting power is 8+ hours and projection is good for the first 2. It feels very niche in my opinion.

Sorry, but I actually prefer this to By The Fireplace! With that, I get cookie dough and campfire smoke (which is fun, but not for me), and with this I get amber-y sweetness with incense and mellow entry-level oud. Pepper and church. Edit: I’ve been layering with Tam Dao, to give my girl a bit more staying power, and it’s excellent. Thoroughly decent for a budget buy - I’m going to grab a back up while it’s available. Edit Edit: hang on, Vanille Antique? Obvs much weaker, but...

Kinda similar opening to amouage royal tobacco??? For a Zara fragrance, the oud is not too inaccurate to be honest. The vanilla in this though, is really not my favorite. Not sure about this. Yeah, it's similar to by the fireplace, but it's darker, with the addition of the amberwoods and cocoa. Slightly cloying but not overwhelmingly so. It's pleasant, and gets much much lighter as it dries down, getting floral and sweeter as time passes.

Got it because reviewers said It's similar to By the Fireplace, while in fact it rather reminds me of Akro Dark (which I am happy about). The pepper note in the begging is a bit intense, but it settles on my skin quite quick. After pepper disappears, there is a nice mix of Dari chocolate and smoke note, with a slight emphasis on smokiness. Overall I like this perfume, but sometimes it feels a bit mature for me.

This fragrance is really unique to me, it's a smokey, woodsy, vanilla/chocolate scent. It literally smells like you're sitting next to a campfire enjoying a cup of hot chocolate and it's dark, you can see the stars and moon and there's this chilly, cool autumn breeze. It's very addicting and cosy. I will use this a lot in fall and winter, this fragrance will definitely keep you warm!

Very peppery and smoky, reminds me of a bonfire. Not bitter at all, there is a very faint sweetness to it. Intriguing, at first is almost shocking to the nose then becomes addicting. Smells pretty masculine but it works as a bold scent on a woman. I like it!