Chinese Exclusive Ensar Oud

Chinese ouds have captivated me, I admit!
Whether it’s “Hailam Kilam,” “China Syang,” or “Hainan 2005.” They all have something special, something unique that sets them apart from all other oud varieties.



They are much softer and more subdued than, for example, Hindi, Cambodi, or Malay ouds. Not that I don’t also really like and appreciate their characteristics, but ouds from regions like Hainan or Yunnan simply provide me with a unique experience. No trace of barnyard, leather, or the like. In the opening, they are slightly bitter, medicinal, reminiscent of fresh, light sawdust. Lightly sweet and very creamy in the base. Hailam Kilam, for example, strongly reminds me of white chocolate.



Aside from the fact that these ouds smell special, they are also among the most expensive and rarest varieties that exist. Most experts say that wild Chinese oud is practically non-existent today.



Even the good Russian Adam made it clear during the presentation of his “Chinese Oud” that without the help of his friend “Jamira Oud,” who is also a distiller, he would have had no chance of using this rare and extremely costly material for one of his fragrances.



So it’s no wonder that I was more than just expectant when it came to the officially first “Oriscent Perfume,” which, according to Ensar, contains large quantities of various Chinese ouds like Hailam Kilam, Yunnan Kinam, and Hainan Kinam.



For those who can’t quite place the term “Oriscent”: That was the name of the brand in its early days. The name symbolizes a special “distillation technique” that, according to Ensar, only he himself masters and which remains unmatched in product quality to this day (at least according to his own statement). The brand is now called “Ensar Oud,” but to this day, you can still purchase vintage ouds like “Kyara LTD,” “Royal Kinam,” “White Kinam,” or “Nah Trang LTD” on the website, which were distilled using this special technique. Perhaps it can be compared to the “Swiss Made” seal in watch movements. One can certainly sense where this branding, alongside the quality, also makes its mark. :-)



Inspired by the Hainan attar, these extremely rare oud varieties should be accompanied by some citrus-fruity top notes and white flowers as heart notes, as well as a creamy base of sandalwood, vanilla, and beeswax.



Considering the slightly dried fruit and vanilla pudding reminiscent aroma of the ouds, this sounded very fitting and symbiotic to me at first, although I did have some concern, not least due to the sometimes very dominant notes like pepper, tuberose, and saffron, that the fine nuances of these beautiful ouds might get overshadowed.



Now to the scent: 
The opening was, as expected, extremely citrusy. Not necessarily sharp citrus. More like the flesh of the fruit, almost identical to the smell that wafts into your nose when you nibble on the peel of a fresh mandarin. The scent that spreads throughout the room within seconds and that you can’t quite get off your fingers... perhaps a bit softer. Quite quickly, however, a rather strong, papery sweetness joins in, mixed with a slightly bitter, medicinal note that clearly comes from the oud and is truly typical for Chinese ouds. I somehow had a DIRECT image of a freshly opened pack of Jaffa Cakes or chocolate refreshment sticks in my mind. The combination of the oud, pepper, saffron, sandalwood, and vanilla creates an impression of dark, bitter chocolate. Almost gourmand.



After a few minutes, orange blossom and tuberose add a slightly soapy touch, which is further enhanced in conjunction with the powdery but by no means animalistic musk. 

And then… yes, and then? Then not much else happens. I’ve worn the scent now for a total of 3 days in a row - sometimes on my arm, sometimes on my neck, in the crook of my arm on clothing… and I must say, aside from the fact that it becomes sweeter over time, it doesn’t undergo much transformation on me. 



Please don’t get me wrong - linearity is not inherently a bad thing. For me, this only applies if the scent itself is already interesting enough. In the case of Chinese Exclusive, I must admit that while the scent is not bad, it is also far from spectacular. My initial skepticism regarding the dominant notes in contrast to the very fine but complex ouds has unfortunately been confirmed. My girlfriend even said the scent smells almost 1:1 like her hair treatment. Aiaiai…



The strong citrus and somewhat heavy sweetness suppress the beauty and complexity of the actual main players so much that, in my opinion, they are hard to “enjoy.” Even after several hours and in the dry down, Yunnan Kinam and Co. unfortunately fail to break through the rest of the pyramid and present their true beauty. These oils are not comparable in strength and radiance to ouds like “Tigerwood” or “Hindistan Kala,” which you can practically smell through the bottle cap. I find them, as I said, much more fragile and fine, softer and more subdued. Compared to most ouds, they are almost shy.



I would even go so far as to say that these ouds are not suitable for a spray perfume at all. They are already so complex and fine that it is almost impossible to do them justice within a perfume.

The dry down has for me the typical, slightly sweet musk/sandalwood Ensar base. I would bet that contrary to the claims, Bourbon vetiver from Madagascar is also included. 


That Chinese Exclusive, like actually all other EO scents, smells incredibly natural and high-quality, I probably don’t need to mention explicitly anymore. 

After the Tigerwood PP, however, I am now firmly of the opinion that such highly complex and rare ouds, just like Kinam distillations, are hard to fully appreciate within a perfume. I consider the Hainan attar to be a sensible alternative. It ultimately offers a very similar DNA and performance, but costs a fraction, although this one is still costly. 



When it comes to the pure appreciation and rarity of the ingredients, with Chinese Exclusive you certainly have an almost unique collector's piece in your possession. However, if you expect a unique and creative DNA that places these wonderful oils in the spotlight and does not overshadow them, you will likely be disappointed in my opinion. Especially if you have smelled them in their pure form. 

Additionally, CE is a very quiet scent. Neither sillage nor longevity could really convince me. After just 1-2 hours, the scent is EXTREMELY close to the skin. While you can still faintly smell the scent on the skin after 8 hours, by then it is “only” the typical Ensar base and no longer a clearly recognizable “Chinese Exclusive.” Further in the comments...