I see it the same way, I found both terrible..
Iris Ghalia: Trifecta didn't do the cheesy oud any favors either, the current Purple Rain releases still have that lingering vibe 馃槄
For me, it has a similar "fermentation level" as Animal Farm and Hainan 2005. It ruins every composition for me, as it always feels out of place somehow.
Definitely not a bad scent, but I prefer the OG and the Hailam-Kilam version much more. Hailam-Kilam is also Chinese Oud, but to my knowledge, it's distilled without prior fermentation, making it much finer, sweeter, and without that bitter/cheesy note.
Iris Ghalia: Trifecta didn't do the cheesy oud any favors either, the current Purple Rain releases still have that lingering vibe 馃槄