Duro Nasomatto 2007 Extrait de Parfum

Never before has a fragrance managed to captivate me in such a direct and fearless way as Nasomatto's Duro. This scent is anything but conventional and friendly; Duro has enslaved me.

While in the realm of fragrances, Oud collections are sprouting up like mushrooms and are "refined" with floral combinations at all costs, Alessandro Gualtieri shows everyone else how it’s done: Duro is Oud in perfection, no sugarcoating, no detours, no compromises. Never has the incomparable scent of agarwood been showcased so perfectly as here.

From its excessively woody, almost piercing top note, Duro takes no prisoners. Hospital? Doctor's office? More like a whole lumberjack crew working in the early morning dew of an enchanted, sunlit forest in the Carpathians. Anyone who smells something synthetic or even medicinal here should give the Extrait de Parfum a few seconds on the skin and not spray it into their nose. I wouldn't claim that Duro's top note is one of the most aggressive and dominant I've ever smelled, but it was here that my addiction began, and my wrist threatened to merge with my nose.

But this is just the tip of the iceberg, and Duro has many more surprises in store. The base note, which sneaks in with even more woods and an indescribably soft suede, is a force to be reckoned with. No fruits, no flowers, no frills - just the subtly smoky and mild sweetness of the Ouds, which will herald its triumphal march later on. Duro is dry, warm, and indescribably soothing, a fragrant refuge of wood in the middle of nowhere.

And it gets even better. The base note of Duro is hardly expressible in words in all its splendor; it resembles a multiple orgasm. Duro practically lives on the skin and impregnates the surrounding air with mystical, balsamic accords and its unique wood-leather combination. Only Alessandro Gualtieri himself knows what this empowering scent note leads to.

Duro is sold as an Extrait de Parfum in a 30ml bottle and impresses with an extraordinarily high longevity. A spritz on a pulsating spot of skin is absolutely sufficient to carry the scent for much longer than 24 hours. Any other dosage would be almost grossly negligent. I won’t even argue about the occasions to wear Duro; it certainly suits as a business scent for meetings or for going out in evening attire. Since I have succumbed to it, I also wear it at home and indulge in its indescribably unique scent atmosphere without any occasion.

CONCLUSION: Those who appreciate agarwood in its full glory will love Duro; those who sympathize with dry, extremely woody scents are in the right place here. Anyone considering buying Nasomatto's Black Afghano with its overdose of amber would be significantly better advised with Duro, and anyone looking for a fragrance that stands out from the crowd despite its simplicity (or precisely because of it) should give this little Italian a try. And don’t say I didn’t warn you!