Oud for Greatness Neo Initio 2024

This review was revised in March 2026 as part of my goal to revisit every single fragrance I've ever sampled with my current knowledge of the market. The original review was written in June 2024 once Harrods' month of exclusivity expired and the scent became globally available. As a result of the revisions, the review was retitled from "It's just Torino22..." to "HALF PIVOT" to reflect the additional wears I've garnered.

I'd argue it's unequivocal that Oud for Greatness Neo is a flanker to the original Oud for Greatness Eau de Parfum - the woodiness might not be as dark, but it's still the same woodiness and the same saffron. The general structure of the scent has both fresh spicy and warm spicy aspects to it, much like Rehab does. The aromatic nuances come off stronger as a result of the woodiness being more tame, yet the primary difference between Neo and the original (in the opening & heart) is the fir balsam which adds this green-woody facet to the structure, meaning Neo is almost like a cross-over between Oud for Greatness Eau de Parfum and a fir/cypress forward masculine-aromatic scent like Roja's Apex Eau de Parfum.

In the actual dry-down of Oud for Greatness Neo, the scent's spicy-sweet-woody structure places it in the same market genre as most other sweet masculine-aromatic scents, incl. products like PDM's Layton, Nishane's Papilefiko, and Penhaligons' "The Blazing Mister Sam | Penhaligon's". In my original review back in June 2024, I felt like the structure featured a lot of overlap with Xerjoff's Torino22 and the primary driver of that Torino22 comparison is the mintiness that Neo features in the dry-down (reflected in Torino22's structure by the eucalyptus). In the revised review, I'm not fully pivoting on that comparison, but I do feel that Neo's utilization of fir & lavender in particular makes for a scent profile that sits somewhere between the sweet-aromatic-fresh style of Torino22 and the masculine sweet-aromatic style of scents like Papilefiko.

At the time of review, I summarized Oud for Greatness Neo as a typical Harrods cash-grab attempt and looking back at that statement in March 2026, I feel like I accurately predicted this scent's faith. Nearly 2 years after the release, Neo has only 228 ratings on Parfumo while Narcotic Delight (which also released later on in 2024) has nearly 4x as many. The exclusivity period limited availability and the scent never picked up steam thereafter, even with moderate PR campaigns in several European locations. I reiterate from the original review that Neo doesn't do the original Oud for Greatness Eau de Parfum much justice because it doesn't have the same trailblazer nature to it. Longevity of the fragrance is dead-average at around 6-7 hours and the sillage is also in the same ballpark (around the median). This collection (Black Gold Project) hasn't seen as many price hikes over the last 5 years as Initio's 3 other collections, reflected in the scent now (March 2026) costing €320/90ml vs. originally retailing for €315/90ml at the time. However, in the modern market, Initio's value as a whole is average to slightly below (which I'd say is also the case for Neo). All-in-all, Oud for Greatness Neo might've introduced something new to Initio's catalogue, but the changes that Neo made to the original OFG's DNA led to an entry in one of the market's most crowded genres and the clear masculine lean further reduced interest at a time when Initio was primarily still making unisex fragrances.

Top note: It begins with a slightly fresh note of masculine lavender and a citrusy note of bergamot; it smells more modern and contemporary than the OG.
Development: It's a combination of a classic, sweet, and aromatic masculine fragrance, with the Layton profile, with a light touch of Dextertic Toxic, a minty note reminiscent of an Amouage enclave.
Yes, it smells very similar to the OG, but more elegant and less aggressive.
Use: It aims to become a year-round perfume, a very versatile scent, ideal for the office. It could even become a signature fragrance.

Summary: It's a much more versatile perfume, very tasty, and this should garner compliments.
Compared to its predecessor, a lighter, more wearable, and more citrusy version, the green and spicy notes are rounder and less pungent.

I don't know what it is about Initio, but I just really enjoy the way they do fragrance and I've always felt a degree of redamancy from their fragrances in return. I get them and they get me.

If you're reading this you know that Oud For Greatness went from a slightly different direction off-branch from their main lineups to then lowkey become one of the finest and most wearable daily ouds ever made. It is probably *THE* western interpretation, western style iteration of this central accord in perfumery. I've always thought the OFG was so different to their Carnal Blends, Magnetics and Hedonists that if it wasn't produced in that iconic bottle, you'd struggle to think they came from the same house. Upon closer inspection though, you can see the characteristic spiciness and superlative blending on show.

So it is with Oud For Greatness Neo which is an adjacent reimagining of the OFG original but with a greener, slightly fresher and more herbal vibe. A lot of reviews suggest it is more wearable than the original OFG but I find them about the same in that regard. Interestingly, I prefer the original on my skin because I love its rich, indulgent sweeter core, but the feedback from my friends and family is that OFG Neo is a nicer experience for those around me and that they prefer it on me. Certainly I've had more compliments from OFG Neo than from OFG, and I've gone through two testers of the original in the last year or so. Neither are unisex but OFG is closer to it than OFG Neo is.

The opening of OFG Neo is green and herbal. There is fir and I think some balsam and cypriol in it and it reminds me a lot, oddly, not of Haltane which is the Parfums de Marly that everyone thinks is closest to this (and it is, in fairness), but of Layton Exclusif which always seemed a bit greener, spicier and with more camphoraceous things going on in that vibe than its original. Layton Exclusif is a very rich, very finely blended woody, incredibly wearable oud with a fruity top and a spicy and lavender middle that lasts 10 hours on the skin and is a compliment magnet. So it isn't that far from OFG Neo, even if it is a much more complex animal and has all that gorgeous cinnamon, coffee, amber, patchouli, woods and vanilla running through it that OFG Neo doesnt have. OFG Neo is a much more stripped back, more linear, very oud-centric effort that is surprisingly fresh on the skin for an oud fragrance. It has a distinctly European forest vibe for me that the original was never close to to my nose.

As with all Initios, conversations about what it smells like tend to take a back seat to discussions about how you wear it and when. It is funny that, isnt it?

Well, OFG Neo is, perhaps unsurprisingly because of what I've just said, a reach very much in the ballpark of Layton Exclusif for me and the two are pretty much interchangeable for me which might sound surprising to some. Both are amongst the most wearable non-freshies I own and both are a hugely satisfying spray that have always given me great enjoyment to wear and will no doubt continue to do so. Both are reaches that I go for when I want projection and performance but something mass appealing that everyone around me will enjoy.

All the other Initios I own (Mystic Experience, Blessed Baraka, Side Effect, Atomic Rose and Can't Get Enough, with the new Wild Rush on order and Paragon a likely arrival before the summer if I can't find it for a sensible price) are supposed to be evening wears and are a bit more challenging to carry off during the day. It lacks the drama and suspense of some of the Carnal Blends I own and it doesn't have the hedonism and pulse-racing frisson of wayward disobedience either. Weirdly, OFG Neo is probably more versatile than all of these, does benefit from a bit of daylight apricity in the winter months and is ideal for a daily wearer, especially to the office. If there is such a thing as a safe, mass appealing, non-challenging oud daily wearer, OFG Neo and the wonderful new Oud Liasons by Ormonde Jayne are definitive examples of it.

Three Word Summary: Green Forest Walk

Scent - 7/10
Sillage - 8/10
Drydown - 7/10
Bottle/performance - 7/10
Performance - 8/10

37/50

Clean, fresh aromatic spices and balsam wood with a touch of lavender and bolstered by an oud and musky foundation.

Fall, spring, or winter seasonal. Leans masculine. The depth of the oud and balsam contrasted by the airyness of the florals, aromatics, and musk make this fragrance flexible for almost any use. Above average performance and sillage.

A lighter, pleasant oud interpretation.

This fragrance was absolutely fantastic back in the day, such a massive sillage & a big crowd pleaser (in u are into crowd pleasing). The blend from the oud to the saffron, come together very & leave the wearer very cheery & the people around asking what it is.

However, the recent iterations seem to be a lot lighter & lack the previous boom & longevity from the earlier batches, its still a good enough fragrance to wear regardless.