Top Notes 
Green cardamom
Pepper
Heart Notes 
Cocoa
Base Notes 
Oud
Elysium
898 Reviews
Elysium
Very helpful Review
6
A stunning unconventional Cocoa-Oud accord
Today I am wearing Ungaro III Oud, which is supposed to be a flanker of the Original Ungaro III with a bit of more sensuality and mystery, and it is all worth the blind buy! The scent follows the oriental woody-spicy oud trend, yet without the presence of the rose. The fact that it doesn't have any rose, even the slightest of rose, might be a plus, in my opinion, because you immediately move away from the oriental middle eastern vibe. Don't get me wrong, I love the blend of rose and oud, yet I think oud is very versatile and could deliver a new generation of scents when used in Mediterranean style scents. Seriously.
First impressions are mainly black leather, bitter cocoa, and a hint of balsamic woody-amber notes of oud in there, but little trace of the original version. The oud is barely present enough to call this an oud fragrance if that is what you're looking for. However, the slightly burnt leather and bitter cocoa are beautiful to my nose.
Ungaro III Oud opens up very sharp, spicy, and crisp, with an undertone of medicinal note, a kind of like cough syrup, probably that is the cardamom giving the sharpness on the opening. Besides, there is a bit of burnt leather, as I mentioned, it is not disturbing but can only be noticed when smelled close on the skin. The same goes for pepper; it doesn't last very long but creates a "barbershop" vibe on the opening for a few minutes.
Then the tart cocoa mixed with oud take the lead. It is all we can praise! Clean oud, this time not dirty, opulent, or burnt. It smells fresh, and cocoa is also not dark but very round, giving warmth to the scent. If you're anything like me, and you're a big fan of chocolate -believe it or not, some people aren't- you will love this stage, being this the most gourmand part of it.
For those who are in search of oud scents without a rose but more linear and fresh type, this is a must-try. Longevity on my skin is moderate, while performance-wise, it's not a beast though I went light with the sprays. As I've already said, it compares quite differently to the original version, being something that would be ideal for Autumn or better for Winter. They're different enough to warrant owning both if you happen to like oud-based cologne.
-Elysium
First impressions are mainly black leather, bitter cocoa, and a hint of balsamic woody-amber notes of oud in there, but little trace of the original version. The oud is barely present enough to call this an oud fragrance if that is what you're looking for. However, the slightly burnt leather and bitter cocoa are beautiful to my nose.
Ungaro III Oud opens up very sharp, spicy, and crisp, with an undertone of medicinal note, a kind of like cough syrup, probably that is the cardamom giving the sharpness on the opening. Besides, there is a bit of burnt leather, as I mentioned, it is not disturbing but can only be noticed when smelled close on the skin. The same goes for pepper; it doesn't last very long but creates a "barbershop" vibe on the opening for a few minutes.
Then the tart cocoa mixed with oud take the lead. It is all we can praise! Clean oud, this time not dirty, opulent, or burnt. It smells fresh, and cocoa is also not dark but very round, giving warmth to the scent. If you're anything like me, and you're a big fan of chocolate -believe it or not, some people aren't- you will love this stage, being this the most gourmand part of it.
For those who are in search of oud scents without a rose but more linear and fresh type, this is a must-try. Longevity on my skin is moderate, while performance-wise, it's not a beast though I went light with the sprays. As I've already said, it compares quite differently to the original version, being something that would be ideal for Autumn or better for Winter. They're different enough to warrant owning both if you happen to like oud-based cologne.
-Elysium
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Elysium
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