Top Notes 
Orange blossom
Cardamom
Heart Notes 
Bulgarian rose
Leather
Oud
Base Notes 
Vanilla
Saffron
Dry woods
ParfumAholic
256 Reviews
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ParfumAholic
Top Review
30
Brilliant Black
When I hear the name "Valentino," I automatically think of the world-famous "Valentino Red" of various couture dresses and a man with sun-kissed skin and bright eyes.
The fragrances from the house of Valentino I find solid and okay, but not necessarily spectacular. However, almost all the bottles (Rock’n Rose, Valentina, Valentino, and Vendetta) remain vividly in my memory due to their very beautiful design. They are always special, striking, and high-quality, thus standing alongside the legendary designs of the Maestro.
More or less by chance, a sample of "Valentina Oud Assoluto" fluttered into my home some time ago. I was immediately curious about how this black flanker would stand out from the otherwise more rosy-toned and very feminine Valentina fragrances. Simply adding Oud to them seemed rather far-fetched to me.
"Valentina Oud Assoluto" starts off directly and without any preamble; an Oud-leather combination is unmistakable for me from beginning to end. The intensity, the fragrance color, and the "mixing ratio" of this duo I find pleasantly fluctuating throughout the entire scent journey.
"Valentina Oud Assoluto" is a dark and almost mystical fragrance. Black, yet not threatening or hopelessly gloomy. The Oud comes without any medicinal aspects; it is sharp as a knife but not piercing. The leather is certainly black, yet glove-soft and of such high quality that it would surely meet the high standards of Hermès and Tod’s for their exquisite leather goods.
The fragrance starts, as already mentioned, with an Oud-leather combo, where I would place the Oud component slightly above that of the leather at this point. Orange blossom provides an underlying brighter touch, while I cannot precisely identify the cardamom. There is something spicy at play, but I cannot say whether it comes from the Oud or the cardamom.
Towards the heart note, the Oud-leather mixture (which maintains a balance) is enhanced by an enchanting rose, which, with its full, softly sweet scent, creates a very own, elegant atmosphere and brightens the fragrance, almost making it radiant. I inevitably think of an elegant salon with heavy velvet curtains, a crackling fireplace, and leather furniture in one of those Gründerzeit villas. On the little table, long, dark roses in lead crystal vases release their fragrance into the room.
As the fragrance moves towards the base, the Oud-leather duo increasingly tips towards leather. The Oud becomes progressively "quieter" and softer, taking on almost balsamic, smooth qualities. Dark vanilla and the typical saffron scent blend with the Oud, forming a kind of counterpoint to the dark leather, alongside which some woods join (which I cannot specify further).
This scent journey lasts for hours, as the longevity of this fragrance is really very good for me at about 9 hours. I perceive the sillage as initially very strong, but it then softens somewhat, although I would still categorize it as strong. I have also noticed that the fragrance takes on unpleasant notes if one overdoes the dosage. As always, the dose makes the poison.
Anyone who chooses "Valentina Oud Assoluto" receives a very fine, soft, highly elegant, high-quality, luxurious, present, and confident fragrance, which is also housed in a stunningly beautiful bottle.
Okay, Oud and rose are not new inventions by Valentino or Olivier Cresp, but I find the execution very successful and, especially due to its quality, a prime example of this fragrance combination.
"Valentina Oud Assoluto" is indeed very present, yet not loud or even garish. The fragrance exudes nobility and class.
In my opinion, "Valentina Oud Assoluto" is definitely not a purely feminine fragrance, but can also be worn by men due to its dark aspects.
Therefore, an absolute test recommendation for all those who want to get to know and discover a special Oud fragrance. For Oud beginners, the fragrance might be a bit too much, while for those accustomed to Oud, it could trigger the notorious "must-have reflex." If the latter applies to some... I can't be held responsible ;-)
The fragrances from the house of Valentino I find solid and okay, but not necessarily spectacular. However, almost all the bottles (Rock’n Rose, Valentina, Valentino, and Vendetta) remain vividly in my memory due to their very beautiful design. They are always special, striking, and high-quality, thus standing alongside the legendary designs of the Maestro.
More or less by chance, a sample of "Valentina Oud Assoluto" fluttered into my home some time ago. I was immediately curious about how this black flanker would stand out from the otherwise more rosy-toned and very feminine Valentina fragrances. Simply adding Oud to them seemed rather far-fetched to me.
"Valentina Oud Assoluto" starts off directly and without any preamble; an Oud-leather combination is unmistakable for me from beginning to end. The intensity, the fragrance color, and the "mixing ratio" of this duo I find pleasantly fluctuating throughout the entire scent journey.
"Valentina Oud Assoluto" is a dark and almost mystical fragrance. Black, yet not threatening or hopelessly gloomy. The Oud comes without any medicinal aspects; it is sharp as a knife but not piercing. The leather is certainly black, yet glove-soft and of such high quality that it would surely meet the high standards of Hermès and Tod’s for their exquisite leather goods.
The fragrance starts, as already mentioned, with an Oud-leather combo, where I would place the Oud component slightly above that of the leather at this point. Orange blossom provides an underlying brighter touch, while I cannot precisely identify the cardamom. There is something spicy at play, but I cannot say whether it comes from the Oud or the cardamom.
Towards the heart note, the Oud-leather mixture (which maintains a balance) is enhanced by an enchanting rose, which, with its full, softly sweet scent, creates a very own, elegant atmosphere and brightens the fragrance, almost making it radiant. I inevitably think of an elegant salon with heavy velvet curtains, a crackling fireplace, and leather furniture in one of those Gründerzeit villas. On the little table, long, dark roses in lead crystal vases release their fragrance into the room.
As the fragrance moves towards the base, the Oud-leather duo increasingly tips towards leather. The Oud becomes progressively "quieter" and softer, taking on almost balsamic, smooth qualities. Dark vanilla and the typical saffron scent blend with the Oud, forming a kind of counterpoint to the dark leather, alongside which some woods join (which I cannot specify further).
This scent journey lasts for hours, as the longevity of this fragrance is really very good for me at about 9 hours. I perceive the sillage as initially very strong, but it then softens somewhat, although I would still categorize it as strong. I have also noticed that the fragrance takes on unpleasant notes if one overdoes the dosage. As always, the dose makes the poison.
Anyone who chooses "Valentina Oud Assoluto" receives a very fine, soft, highly elegant, high-quality, luxurious, present, and confident fragrance, which is also housed in a stunningly beautiful bottle.
Okay, Oud and rose are not new inventions by Valentino or Olivier Cresp, but I find the execution very successful and, especially due to its quality, a prime example of this fragrance combination.
"Valentina Oud Assoluto" is indeed very present, yet not loud or even garish. The fragrance exudes nobility and class.
In my opinion, "Valentina Oud Assoluto" is definitely not a purely feminine fragrance, but can also be worn by men due to its dark aspects.
Therefore, an absolute test recommendation for all those who want to get to know and discover a special Oud fragrance. For Oud beginners, the fragrance might be a bit too much, while for those accustomed to Oud, it could trigger the notorious "must-have reflex." If the latter applies to some... I can't be held responsible ;-)
13 Comments
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