Oh, Louis! You want to grab some attention too, don’t you? Today it’s supposed to be oriental, and you’re glancing over at "Arabians Tonka | Montale." And because we’re feeling particularly bold today, there’s even a note that no one else has used so far, along with civet for an animalistic touch? You’ve really set yourself quite a challenge!
And for that, quite a bit has been brought out (at least according to the pyramid) to really make a statement! Alone: Not much of it is perceptible. Bergamot, lemon, and orange suggest an explosive citrus start, but at most, a faint hint comes through. Cypress, patchouli, rosemary, and hammer shrub (the first and only fragrance on Parfumo to use this note! Finally!) raise expectations for a green scent with a spicy twist, but even there: No luck, at least regarding the green notes. Spice is indeed present, but similar to the citrus elements, it remains subtle, never taking center stage. Tamed cardamom is something you find rather rarely. So what sets the tone then? A look at the base notes reveals part of the answer: Vanilla-amber provides a consistently present, warm sweetness right from the start. Not listed, but from beginning to end the star of the show is: hairspray… Because that seems to be Louis' definition of an oriental: sweet hairspray with minimal spice. It only becomes woody, if at all, to the extent that I wonder if I’m imagining it or if there’s actually something in that direction (maybe the cypress?). And the whole thing isn’t particularly daring in its execution; the civet kitten is far too well-behaved and polished to stand out or even cause a stir. It settles for a restrained presence.
Restrained is also the performance. While the longevity is still acceptable, the sillage is a tragedy, at least with my bottle: Four sprays on the neck, 5 minutes later out the door, and despite the wind, it’s more sensed than actually smelled. Right now it’s lying on a test strip (sprayed 10 minutes ago) about 50cm in front of me on the table and I smell... nothing. I absolutely cannot understand the reviews here, and it doesn’t seem to be my skin, so it must be an extremely weak batch as an explanation. The performance is in no way comparable to the
Extreme Amber from the same house, which performs like a madman (my girlfriend’s scarf still spreads the scent in the room days later). A similar performance would have suited the Extreme Oriental well, if only to do justice to its name. Because it doesn’t smell bad at all, as long as you can deal with the sweet hairspray DNA. However, with the current performance, it feels like someone who really wants to let loose and, to celebrate the day, drinks a second beer and even smokes a cigarette. Extreme is not present here at all.
The bottle, on the other hand, leaves a much stronger impression: angular, black, with a golden sprayer and golden lettering, plus a black cap with a wood look. Of course, it’s made of plastic, but you can easily and securely lift the bottle by it. For me, this is a significant plus point. The sprayer has a rather short stroke, especially in combination with the not particularly potent content, requiring multiple pumps, preferably 3-6 times more than less. Nevertheless, a successful presentation; black and gold really makes a statement as a color combination.
Conclusion: Is the Extreme Oriental recommendable? Maybe. Those who want to take a first, tentative step towards something oriental-niche (the step is really very small) can certainly use it as a reference. Especially since it doesn’t break the bank at 20€. Unfortunately, it has not been available at DM for quite some time, just like the other fragrances from the brand, making prior sniffing impossible. As a blind buy alternative, I recommend the "Taraf (black) | Zimaya," which goes much stronger in the direction of Arabians Tonka, though it doesn’t replicate it exactly. It’s more of an “inspired by” than an exact copy. However, it performs stronger than the Varel and costs even less at 15€. Neither are serious candidates for an oriental. At least Varel retains the title of "Only Hammer shrub perfume on Parfumo." Well then.
Top Notes 
Cypress
Bergamot
Lemon
Orange
Heart Notes 
Cardamom
Gurjum balsam
Neroli
Patchouli
Rosemary
Base Notes 
Amber
Vanilla
Civet
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