The Oud Caravan Rasei Fort. 2023

okay, here we actually have a representative of the much-maligned "animalistic" oud. which is by no means intended to cast a negative light (or shadow?) on him, but rather to distinguish him for me. and "animalistic" is for me the most exposed predicate with which i can assign an oud, then since i love oud, there is no "fecal" for me.

but it is much more than just that. if you take a look at the fragrance notes from the classification, you will see that pretty much every note from the chart to be mentioned is hidden in this elixir. and eliciting all these attributed notes from it is no work of art, as it rises from the skin like a small explosion of sensual impressions immediately after being sprayed on.
the first impression might lead you to believe that it is a little disharmonious, as if there were too many opposing components, as if it were just a little too much of everything.
too much dark, too much fresh, too much blossom, too much sweetness, too much acidity. but this impression is quickly dispelled and all the notes of the mosaic blend into a harmonious overall picture.
this complex fragrance painting of a hundred colors becomes all the more astonishing when you compare the numerous notes of the classification chart with the comparatively manageable notes of the fragrance pyramid. it only becomes clear how masterfully interwoven this fragrance is when it unfolds in such a wealth of impressions.
you really get pretty much every one of the notes indicated here (of course, this is always a matter of individual preference), but none of the notes is too predominant and none of them is really lost, each gets its moment to be present.

he masters the play of light and shadow mentioned at the beginning perfectly. but it is not that we get an either-or, but a both-and. if we are briefly in the light, he lures us with his shadow, if we then go into the shadow, he promises us light again.
i caught myself, when i first tasted it on test strips, having to pick it up again and again to smell it again and again, because i could never really "believe" it, because i could never quite grasp the scent; but it fascinates with every sniff, because it constantly plays with all its notes, almost as if the individual notes and nuances fluttered like butterflies around the constantly blossoming bud called oud.
and then finally, applied to the neck, you sit complacently and enjoy yourself, watching almost meditatively as the fragrance rises, ensnares and beguiles you. you please yourself by allowing yourself to be seduced by its sensuality.
...all right, I realize it, I'm raving... i confess, I'm in love...
but still, for me, truly fabulous craftsmanship at the height of its powers, fully exploiting all the possibilities in this fragrance.

normally i never judge the price of a perfume in the star rating. i think it's always a very personal thing, what value you place on a fragrance, or an object in general. some people spend thousands or millions on a painting that other people wouldn't be worth 30 euros, or that another painter would make for a few hundred euros.
yes, 350,- euro for 30ml is a very proud price. therefore, this is a fragrance that i will only wear very exclusively and selectively. of course, i am tempted to buy 1-2 bottles in stock if the financial situation allows it. perhaps also due to the knowledge that this piece of gold is limited due to the vintage oud it contains and that this masterpiece will never be available again. therefore, i have to guard it like the treasure it is.

but despite the price, i recommend anyone who likes complex yet harmoniously composed ouds with a recognizable oud scent to try it at least once. before you spend the same money on 100ml of a good fragrance that doesn't completely wow you like this one does, i like to invest in such works of art.

fort & manlé have already thrilled me with bojnokopff and late harvest, and the new qahwa is also fantastic, but here he has once again outdone himself.
hats off, mr. rasei fort