Dehn el Oud Mubarak Swiss Arabian

The Dehn el Oud Mubarak and its brother, Dehn el Ood Shaheen, offer the interested Oud enthusiast a wonderful insight into the world of Oud scent without putting too much strain on the wallet. I personally preferred the Dehn el Oud Mubarak, so we will focus on this one here.

Oud as an ingredient is always a tricky subject. Few fragrance ingredients are as controversial as agarwood. From "Is there real Oud in here?" to "How much Oud is actually in this?" to "Oud can't possibly smell like this," all reactions are possible. My personal standpoint is a bit simpler and more rudimentary. It has to smell authentic to me. I don't care if the Oud is created through a blend of other ingredients and thus isn't "pure Oud." However, what is ultimately unavoidable is a personal benchmark for this scent. The nose needs to know how Oud can actually smell. And since there are already so many different interpretations, a little overview can’t hurt.

I would categorize the Dehn el Oud Mubarak as "deep balsamic woody." It starts off with a wonderfully dark, slightly balsamic wood note. Personally, it reminds me at times of shoe polish or furniture polish. There’s also a slight medicinal aspect to it. The concept of depth in fragrances is always relatively hard to define. I also imagine something complex when thinking of depth. For example, if you look into a room and can already see the end or the wall opposite, then that, for me, is the opposite of depth. But if I can't gauge how far the room extends inward, then I understand that as depth. And it’s the same for me with fragrances. If I can’t dissect something on the first sniff, but can already sense or smell notes in the background that only fully unfold over the course of the fragrance, then I perceive that as depth or complexity. Alongside this slightly medicinal wood note, a hint of leather gradually emerges. The Oud here olfactorily reflects its physical presence. Absolutely viscous, dark, and captivating. Towards the end, the fragrance gains a bit of sweetness, applied only minimally and adding small accents.

The Dehn el Oud Mubarak somewhat reminds me of the Oud Cashmere Mood from MFK. Deep balsamic, dark, and with this wonderfully warm wood aura. This is definitely how Oud can smell.

The small 6ml glass bottle looks elegant and valuable with its cut facets. Here, you get a completely coherent overall package for just under €40.

One thing we must be clear about is that this will certainly not contain the highest quality, best, or "most beautiful" Oud. That is simply not feasible at this price. But it doesn’t have to be. I see these 2 perfume oils from Swiss Arabian as a benchmark for how Oud can smell. And for me, it’s secondary whether the Oud here is "completely pure." A benchmark doesn’t always have to represent the upper limit. It serves as a guideline for future comparisons with other "Oud fragrances" and trains the nose in terms of how real Oud can smell. And for this fair price, it’s a great alternative for beginners.