2. Nawab of Oudh Parfum Ormonde Jayne 2012

It happens far too rarely that I experience that Wow effect right from the first sniff of a perfume, which is only triggered when a scent appears particularly high-quality, complex, and surprising. This was the case with Nawab of Oudh. I have yet to test anything truly comparable - that much is certain.

As a rule, I always spray first on a paper strip, which often gives me an impression that differs from the skin test. In this case, it quickly became clear to me that the fresh top note, which I perceived distinctly on paper, is less pronounced on the skin. Nevertheless, Geza Schön's creation has a strong form of brightness that initially exhibits an almost ethereal character. In the first minutes, many different scent directions collide: In addition to the aforementioned bright, diffuse note, it is primarily a lot of spice that gives Nawab of Oudh its oriental aura. I can definitely filter out the scent of allspice berries, as well as something peppery, but otherwise, without looking at the notes, little can be clearly named. A subtly bitter-green facet makes itself only fleetingly known, whereas the orange and light floral notes, which for me do not correspond with the typical rose scent, noticeably come to the forefront.

Actually, I like almost every form of citrus notes, as long as a certain freshness accompanies them - from strong lemony to bitter-green - but orange tends to lean more towards a fruity-sweet direction, which I usually dislike. After the top note, Nawab of Oudh is relatively strongly shaped by this orangey sweetness and additionally creates quite a Christmas impression with the now added cinnamon. In this respect, I can understand the comparison mentioned in a statement with Chanel's Égoïste, as it also features a cinnamon-fruit combination (apple instead of orange), subtly bright floral notes, and a warm-woody base. I cannot perceive oud at any point here. In fact, it takes quite a while before I would categorize it as 'woody.' In any case, it is such that the transparency and airiness created through the use of aldehydes, likely Iso-E-Super, and other ingredients occasionally reveal something woody. But only when the spices and orange have settled a bit does a beautifully dreamy note emerge that reminds me of sandalwood. This gives Nawab of Oudh a more than reconciliatory finish for me, as the stronger woodiness dims the sweetness. In this final section, the rose also makes an appearance, lending an even softer character to the base accord.

Nawab of Oudh lasts quite a long time on the skin, but over time, one quickly gets the impression that the scent only radiates close to the skin. However, this is due to acclimatization, as several times when I entered my living room, I could only sense this wonderful warm-woody accord in the air from the small perfume sample. I believe that the transparency and lightness typical of many creations by Geza Schön lead the wearer to leave a less intense, dense scent trail that can still be perceived very well because the scent does not cling as much to the body.

I have been able to test six fragrances from Ormonde Jayne, including this one, and even though none of them were ones I ultimately wanted to purchase, all convinced me in terms of quality. Nawab of Oudh is particularly too spicy and sweet for me in the middle section of its scent development, but nonetheless, I would absolutely recommend a test to expand one's own fragrance horizon.