Landshark321
1
Nice mix of the two main notes, another solid Montale release
Oud Tobacco is one of Montale’s recent releases and is a mix of the two eponymous notes, with some citrus, spices, and sweets, which yields a sort of spicy, sharp, woody, resinous, sweet mix that’s very workable and apt for cooler weather. Cumin is the main listed note that accounts for the spicy, slightly animalic quality present throughout, but the oud itself does not contribute in an animalic or medicinal way, from what I can tell, but rather supports the sort of smoky, resinous undercurrent below the cumin, tobacco, and sweet contribution of tonka. The citrus / orange blossom notes are faint, at best, as the fragrance does not seem to express them very clearly to me at any point. Rather, there’s a generally well-blendedness and creaminess throughout most of the fragrance, and I imagine that the orange blossom especially helps facilitate a smoother blend.
Overall, it’s a very powerful and very agreeable entry, even though it somehow reminds me slightly of designer releases (i.e. Bvlgari Man in Black, albeit with less of a V&R Spicebomb vibe) while having its own character. It’s not quite as interesting as a couple releases from Mancera / Montale from about a year ago (Precious Oud and Oud Dream, respectively) but it remains impressive that their empire can churn out good releases so consistently.
In the US, Oud Tobacco is sold by Krystal Fragrance and Beverly Hills Perfumery with the standard pricing of $170 for 100ml.
7 out of 10