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Licorice Oud
You might be tired of hearing this, but there’s another "Oud Wood"-inspired fragrance out there. And in China, a sack of rice has fallen over. However, the Black Oud by Zousz is actually worth a few words.
The independent brand from the UK is primarily known for men's grooming products (beard care, etc.). However, they couldn't avoid creating their own perfume, and thus the fragrance Black Oud was launched in 2020.
We don't need to beat around the bush, as the Black Oud makes it clear right away who its inspiration was. However, the fragrance is not a simple 1:1 copy of the well-known Oud Wood DNA from Tom Ford; instead, it expands on this basic idea and comes with a nice twist. The scent opens with a prominent dose of pepper, which remains quite noticeable for the first few minutes before receding to make way for cardamom. Here, you can probably see the biggest parallels to the original from Tom Ford. The oud (certainly a synthetic accord) then slowly takes its place between the creamy sandalwood (without becoming lactonic) and a soft, velvety leather. This "cozy" leather gives the Black Oud enough contrast compared to the original to avoid being seen as a mere copy. The leather is relatively softly defined in this case, remaining quite pleasant throughout and never feeling demanding or exhausting. With the patchouli, Black Oud gains a slightly earthy-chocolatey note. In the drydown, the fragrance becomes a bit sweeter, with vanilla and tonka bean providing enough warmth for the colder season to feel secure with this scent.
In the middle phase of the fragrance, another note emerges that piques my interest and somehow captivates me. It feels like a sweet licorice note that reminds me of my childhood. Additionally, there’s a faint "plastic" note lingering deep in the background, which also reminds me of something from my early childhood. Whether it was a type of toy or candy, I still can't quite define it.
With about 8 hours of longevity, Black Oud holds its own. For the first 2 hours, it projects quite strongly before becoming a bit more intimate.
The bottle fits comfortably in the hand with its rounded shape, is relatively heavy, and is equipped with a decent sprayer. However, those with "fingerprint phobia" should steer clear of the bottle.
In the end, Black Oud is a clearly Oud Wood-inspired fragrance that brings enough of its own ideas to the table with the pleasant leather note and this slight licorice vibe to avoid being considered a boring copy of a popular DNA. It is priced relatively fairly (around €55-65 for 100ml EdP) and impresses not only with a good price-performance ratio but also with decent longevity.
The independent brand from the UK is primarily known for men's grooming products (beard care, etc.). However, they couldn't avoid creating their own perfume, and thus the fragrance Black Oud was launched in 2020.
We don't need to beat around the bush, as the Black Oud makes it clear right away who its inspiration was. However, the fragrance is not a simple 1:1 copy of the well-known Oud Wood DNA from Tom Ford; instead, it expands on this basic idea and comes with a nice twist. The scent opens with a prominent dose of pepper, which remains quite noticeable for the first few minutes before receding to make way for cardamom. Here, you can probably see the biggest parallels to the original from Tom Ford. The oud (certainly a synthetic accord) then slowly takes its place between the creamy sandalwood (without becoming lactonic) and a soft, velvety leather. This "cozy" leather gives the Black Oud enough contrast compared to the original to avoid being seen as a mere copy. The leather is relatively softly defined in this case, remaining quite pleasant throughout and never feeling demanding or exhausting. With the patchouli, Black Oud gains a slightly earthy-chocolatey note. In the drydown, the fragrance becomes a bit sweeter, with vanilla and tonka bean providing enough warmth for the colder season to feel secure with this scent.
In the middle phase of the fragrance, another note emerges that piques my interest and somehow captivates me. It feels like a sweet licorice note that reminds me of my childhood. Additionally, there’s a faint "plastic" note lingering deep in the background, which also reminds me of something from my early childhood. Whether it was a type of toy or candy, I still can't quite define it.
With about 8 hours of longevity, Black Oud holds its own. For the first 2 hours, it projects quite strongly before becoming a bit more intimate.
The bottle fits comfortably in the hand with its rounded shape, is relatively heavy, and is equipped with a decent sprayer. However, those with "fingerprint phobia" should steer clear of the bottle.
In the end, Black Oud is a clearly Oud Wood-inspired fragrance that brings enough of its own ideas to the table with the pleasant leather note and this slight licorice vibe to avoid being considered a boring copy of a popular DNA. It is priced relatively fairly (around €55-65 for 100ml EdP) and impresses not only with a good price-performance ratio but also with decent longevity.
Updated on 12/03/2021
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8 Comments
Well done review.
Subscribed on YT!
Great sniffing adventure!