10
Top Review
King Blue, King of Paradox
Crafted in 2023 by Hamid Merati-Kashani (Mr. Layton) and Alexis Grugeon (Mr. Flaming Lemons), King Blue is a surrealist fragrance that thrives on contradiction. It opens with a fresh burst of citrus (mandarin and blackcurrant laced with pink pepper) radiating brightness. But this lightness is fleeting. Almost immediately, a barnyard-tinged oud and smoky resins pull the composition into shadow, creating a tension that will define the scentsperience.
This is where King Blue becomes truly interesting: it is both bold and restrained, abstract yet grounded. The heart reveals a smoky blend of frankincense and amber, while the base unfolds into a textured landscape of Assam oud, sandalwood, oakwood, and patchouli. A leather note emerges not as a dominant force, but as a bonding factor. It gives me the idea of worn suede, with a rubbery, rooibos-like (a.k.a. tea) nuance.
After the 4-hour mark, the dry down reveals an ashy, more refined leather that lingers close to the skin, offering an intimate presence which will last for the rest of the day.
Despite its potent ingredients, King Blue defies the weight typically associated with oud fragrances. It wears surprisingly well in heat, and - in my opinion - its abstract heart renders it genuinely unisex.
This is not a typical oud bomb, nor a traditional leather-based scent. It’s a fragrance of dualities: fresh yet animalic, loud (in the first hour) yet wearable, ideally masculine yet fluid. King Blue is an outstanding olfactory paradox, where disparate elements converge into a composition that is abstract, powerful, and unexpectedly versatile.
PS: if it is the first time that you are trying King Blue, avoid smelling it close immediately after you sprayed it - especially if you are not used to oud in general. Let it sit for a while and smell it in the air.
On hotter days, I usually spray it on skin only just below my lower chest... It works like a charm.
This is where King Blue becomes truly interesting: it is both bold and restrained, abstract yet grounded. The heart reveals a smoky blend of frankincense and amber, while the base unfolds into a textured landscape of Assam oud, sandalwood, oakwood, and patchouli. A leather note emerges not as a dominant force, but as a bonding factor. It gives me the idea of worn suede, with a rubbery, rooibos-like (a.k.a. tea) nuance.
After the 4-hour mark, the dry down reveals an ashy, more refined leather that lingers close to the skin, offering an intimate presence which will last for the rest of the day.
Despite its potent ingredients, King Blue defies the weight typically associated with oud fragrances. It wears surprisingly well in heat, and - in my opinion - its abstract heart renders it genuinely unisex.
This is not a typical oud bomb, nor a traditional leather-based scent. It’s a fragrance of dualities: fresh yet animalic, loud (in the first hour) yet wearable, ideally masculine yet fluid. King Blue is an outstanding olfactory paradox, where disparate elements converge into a composition that is abstract, powerful, and unexpectedly versatile.
PS: if it is the first time that you are trying King Blue, avoid smelling it close immediately after you sprayed it - especially if you are not used to oud in general. Let it sit for a while and smell it in the air.
On hotter days, I usually spray it on skin only just below my lower chest... It works like a charm.
7 Comments
I've been patient with my SO bottle... managed to resist, until I snatched a tester at a ludicrous price.
Like there's decent creations and then there's King Blue. A league of its own, defying the rules of perfumery.