Oud de Burgas Santi Burgas 2015

Help! When you, like me, spray Oud de Burgas from the innocently looking sample with the white label unprepared for what awaits you, that is probably the first, obvious thought. In the initial seconds, it smells like a cross between Zafar, Dahn Oud al Shams, and Co. A bit of cheesy foot, a bit of cow barn - everything that exists in animalistic oud facets. I really wasn't in the mood for that at the time of testing, and I have to curb the reflex to run to the sink - and I'm rewarded. Because after just a few seconds, this impression fades, leaving behind an authentic and relatively un-animalistic oud note, characterized mainly by an impression of used oil, wood, and earth. Just how a solid, normal oud quality smells.

And here lies the problem. Oud de Burgas smells like an oud that I would judge as a good fragrance component, but not good enough to wear it pure. It lacks a bit of melt and especially complexity. The oud note is blunt and hardly changes, whereas a good oud shines with thousands of facets.

The interesting thing about the fragrance is the modern synthetics with which the oud has been combined here. It gets a somewhat fluffy vibe, is lightened up, and the softness that the material naturally lacks is created by a distinctly synthetic veil, which is quite interesting.

After about 2-3 hours, I can even smell the oud only in the background, and what remains is mainly Iso E Super. I am sure that other modern chemical building blocks were used as well. Maybe a bit of Cashmeran? At least that was my first thought. But the base mainly smells of Iso E Super, through which oud occasionally shines through.

Exciting! Of course, Iso E Super harmonizes with woody notes, but in this combination, it is new to me. Yet the oud connects to surprisingly many olfactory touchpoints. The slightly sharp, fruity, and woody facets are perfectly captured, and everything enhances each other here. Iso E Super also has a certain silkiness and lightness that oud lacks, but which it gains at least in the base through this harmony.

I am not a fan of monothematic oud fragrances. For me, that simply is no longer a perfume. If I just want to smell like oud, then I buy an oud that hasn't already had much of its character taken away by alcohol and get a better quality for my money.

But if you want oud as a dominant note in a sprayable fragrance, then I find it beautifully interpreted here and strongly recommend a test to all fans of this direction.