Top Notes 
Heart Notes 
Base Notes 
04/06/2021
Elysium
815 Reviews
Elysium
Helpful Review
7
The Summer Scent of Jerusalem of the Aegean
Even on cold winter evenings, I can always feel the scent. It is enough for me to burn a few grains of its incense to be enveloped again by the aura of mysticism that pervades this beautiful island of the Dodecanese, called the "Jerusalem of the Aegean." Patmos is the place for resting the heart and the spirit. You can felt everywhere the scent of incense: practically on every windowsill, a burner spreads its swirls of smoke on the street. The same subtle aroma is also felt when walking along the island's paths and is given off by the spontaneous herbs used by the monks to make the incense itself.
Black Oud is warm and spicy, rich and complex for the more "thoughtful" ones. If you seek a deeply incensed cedarwood and sandalwood fragrance, one that would have scented the brightly dyed pillows of a harem, you need to look no further. Initially, the light gray juice caresses my skin with green darkness rich in herbaceous, dry, and frosted accords. I seem to catch traces of fig leaves, coconut milk, and anise at the first breath. It's bizarre, and the licorice-like vibe is onerous. You feel the wood chips right away, and I like the smoke rising from my skin. This opening is fresh, dry, without the presence of citrus.
As the scent evolves towards something oriental, the aromatic and relaxing notes of lavender combined with the resinous and balsamic notes of incense burst into the heart, supported by tobacco leaves and a splash of freshly grated nutmeg. Tobacco is mild, amiable, sweet, and goes well with other heart notes. Incense is not ecclesiastical but adds a touch of smokiness to the lavender here, similar to fodder, and drives away any soapiness. While nutmeg is a sweet spice, the heart isn't at all sweetish or nauseating.
The base notes' essence because agarwood represents one of the most ancestral and characterizing Middle East treasures. However, my skin shows the dryness of cedar shavings, present here in abundance as ISO-E super. The amber is salty, slightly hinted at ambroxan, leathery reflections of sticky labdanum, and Indian creaminess of sandalwood. The base has more chords than just woods; a pure white musk keeps the last trail clear and fresh. But wait a moment. Why did they call it Black Oud? Where is the oud? Gandini took the precious resin and subjected it to a slow and careful extraction and distillation process to expand its proud and unique perfume. The result is a subtlety, bitter background tone that integrates with the other notes with no medicinal or animal nuance hint.
Black Oud is the most seductive and disruptive summer fragrance I've ever smelled. I first classified it as an autumn and winter perfume and placed it in the perfume box suitable for the colder months. But I came across a press review which stated that they designed the entire Gandini collection for spring and summer. So, I took it back and tried it these days, and yes, it fits well in the crisp April weather, intimate enough for everyday use in the office or indoors, but also perfect on a summer evening and night occasion. Both sillage and longevity are moderate, it's not a suffocating oud-based essence, but a touch-up is enough if you want to feel it all day and evening.
This review is based on a 100ml bottle I own since July 2019.
-Elysium
Black Oud is warm and spicy, rich and complex for the more "thoughtful" ones. If you seek a deeply incensed cedarwood and sandalwood fragrance, one that would have scented the brightly dyed pillows of a harem, you need to look no further. Initially, the light gray juice caresses my skin with green darkness rich in herbaceous, dry, and frosted accords. I seem to catch traces of fig leaves, coconut milk, and anise at the first breath. It's bizarre, and the licorice-like vibe is onerous. You feel the wood chips right away, and I like the smoke rising from my skin. This opening is fresh, dry, without the presence of citrus.
As the scent evolves towards something oriental, the aromatic and relaxing notes of lavender combined with the resinous and balsamic notes of incense burst into the heart, supported by tobacco leaves and a splash of freshly grated nutmeg. Tobacco is mild, amiable, sweet, and goes well with other heart notes. Incense is not ecclesiastical but adds a touch of smokiness to the lavender here, similar to fodder, and drives away any soapiness. While nutmeg is a sweet spice, the heart isn't at all sweetish or nauseating.
The base notes' essence because agarwood represents one of the most ancestral and characterizing Middle East treasures. However, my skin shows the dryness of cedar shavings, present here in abundance as ISO-E super. The amber is salty, slightly hinted at ambroxan, leathery reflections of sticky labdanum, and Indian creaminess of sandalwood. The base has more chords than just woods; a pure white musk keeps the last trail clear and fresh. But wait a moment. Why did they call it Black Oud? Where is the oud? Gandini took the precious resin and subjected it to a slow and careful extraction and distillation process to expand its proud and unique perfume. The result is a subtlety, bitter background tone that integrates with the other notes with no medicinal or animal nuance hint.
Black Oud is the most seductive and disruptive summer fragrance I've ever smelled. I first classified it as an autumn and winter perfume and placed it in the perfume box suitable for the colder months. But I came across a press review which stated that they designed the entire Gandini collection for spring and summer. So, I took it back and tried it these days, and yes, it fits well in the crisp April weather, intimate enough for everyday use in the office or indoors, but also perfect on a summer evening and night occasion. Both sillage and longevity are moderate, it's not a suffocating oud-based essence, but a touch-up is enough if you want to feel it all day and evening.
This review is based on a 100ml bottle I own since July 2019.
-Elysium
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