Accord Oud Byredo 2010

When it comes to copy & paste, one can notoriously make a huge mistake. This applies not only to highborn wannabe-doctors, but a similar error has occurred at Byredo:

The in-house poet had called up the old file of Oud Immortel to write the new sermon directly in the correct text format. It had to be done quickly, considering there were five new releases in 2010. While creating the title line, he simply copied the term “Leather Accord” from the pyramid as the name for the stuff, even correctly omitting the “Immortel,” but then accidentally deleted the “Leather” instead of the “Oud.” Silly. Now the stuff is called Accord Oud instead of Leather Accord, and Byredo just pretends that the two fragrances somehow belong together. And everyone else is sent on a wild goose chase looking for the agarwood.

It must have been like that, because: “Where is Oud?” I feel like the esteemed water lily. I recognize no Oud. Not even a replica like in Oud Immortel. Nothing of the sort follows later (in the famous “Where-is-Behle?” question from Bruno Moravetz, Jochen Behle at least showed up).

However, this doesn’t bother me at all. I am satisfied with the so-called leather accord, especially since the wannabe Oud in the accidentally mishmash Oud Immortel didn’t really excite me.

But perhaps I should start earlier: Blackberry. Aha. Count me out. Alternatively, a consumptive one. Saffron gives the leather a dry, rough elegance that I quite like. Regarding rum, a quote from my favorite colleague: “Rum…hm…I can convince myself.” Nothing to add to that. Sage (while I’m already checking things off): Not explicitly, more as a bitter addition in the background. For patchouli and powdery musk, however, a ‘cheers’ to my colleague, who - unlike me - identified both in the third hour, and without any announcement!

For me, a leather note develops practically immediately, reminding me of Cuoio by Pal Zileri. Nice. After a few hours, I feel somewhat at home, as the leather note takes on that throat lozenge-sweet licorice quality that is pleasantly familiar from other Byredos. The fact that I can tolerate this well should not disguise that there should be some variety at some point.

Nevertheless, I do not share the largely unanimous disappointment. I find the prevented Leather Accord quite decent. It spares me that often intrusive fruity note that has apparently been compulsively part of too many corresponding fragrances since 2007. Gradually, it glides from rough to sweetly subtle and remains appropriately persistent. After spraying it on at seven in the morning, the leather note was still distinctly present until around 3 PM, although it became distorted in a typically Byredo manner (see above) towards the end. Eventually, I also smell the musk, finally, I might almost say. By 4 PM, it’s practically over. I find that perfectly fine.

Whether it is a candidate for purchase, I do not know yet. It might be a bit too plain overall. It’s enough that I work in accounting. I don’t need to smell like that.