ArkangeL

I do enjoy Phlur's avant garde titles and play on words. Father Figure is a big title for a fig fragrance. Phlur is technically a "clean" brand, but this fragrance performs decently. Go FIGure. It is currently 45 degrees where I'm located, and in these temperatures I find the fragrance to be subtle, safe and pleasant. I have a sneaking suspicion that this is a warm weather performer. We shall see as we approach the Spring and Summer months.

Father Figure broke the mold for me, as I do not gravitate towards fig fragrances. How is it different? Sparkling white florals, sandalwood and vanilla. This beautiful combination makes it both easy and tempting to wear. Overall, Father Figure is a very clean, floral and aromatic take on fig. I imagine this would do wonders layered with vanilla or something deeper, but lovely on its own.

I found that the heart notes in this fragrance aren't nearly as "devoted" as the top and base. Vanilla forward? Yes, with an obvious candied lemon note that is there from the opening through to the dry down. "Follow your nose" as Toucan Sam says. Many people have claimed to smell Fruit Loops or Fruity Pebbles after smelling Devotion for the very first time. While this wasn't my first impression, the combination of notes can EASILY put you in the mind of children's cereal. At least during the opening. The orange blossom here is quite transparent, as it has been submerged into a pool of vanilla. Think of it as young and sprightly without being juvenile. Devotion is a sweet, youthful and playful fragrance in a stunning vintage-esque bottle.

I can only fathom that this creation represents Indonesian silk. If I had color synesthesia or had to relate texture so smells, I could very well see the typical colors and patterns used in Batik creations. Warm earthy tones such as browns, rust, various shades of tan and auburn.

Without hesitation, I was immediately put in the mind of Kilian's Intoxicated. Yes! The rumors are true! I almost couldn't tell them apart. In a past review, I recall referring to Intoxicated as a "niche Angel A*Men Pure Coffee". Soul Batik could very well be referred to as "niche Angel A*Men", but there's more magic bestowed from perfumer, Andrea Casotti. It's deeper, darker, much more mysterious and quite addictive I should add.

I found myself constantly wanting to smell the back of my hand, although I could smell Soul Batik clearly with my hands by my side. That should answer any questions you have about projection. I enjoy this fragrance and perhaps more than Intoxicated, but astounded that there is not a single note of coffee listed. Heavy on the cardamom, with incense finely blended into the ensemble of vanilla, amber and patchouli. I own both unregretfully, but would likely replace an empty bottle of Soul Batik opposed to Intoxicated.

While 1 Million Golden Oud is not groundbreaking, it did exceed my expectations for a designer release. 1 Million DNA, reaching into niche territory with a Middle Eastern vibe. If I could paint a picture, I’d say 1 Million meets Acqua di Parma Oud, with many similarities to RL Polo Supreme Leather. To no surprise as they share nutmeg, saffron and a coincidentally similar leather note. Ultimately, Golden Oud is an oriental woody leather with wisps of freshness and powdery tendencies.

1 Million Lucky is fun, but inferior to 1 Million Golden Oud. I personally found them to be nothing alike. The man who wears Lucky is not the same man who wears Golden Oud. Like comparing sweats to business attire. There are also many comparisons to Gucci Guilty Absolute, which I found to capture the essence of bandaids and medical tape. Everyone’s perception on scent is different however.

This release was for collectors and enthusiasts, although still potentially a crowd pleaser in the most sophisticated sense. Designer Ouds usually are.

After 3 hours the fragrance effortlessly continued to project, so performance is no question here. Golden Oud constantly reminds you of its presence throughout the day. My first blind purchase of 2024 and inconceivably without regret.

Bold, demanding and invasive. I recall Oud Save The King lacking performance, so naturally I underestimated the strength of this monster. Sandalwood forward with some emphasis on Laotian Oud.

During the first 10 minutes of wear, it almost smells like it’s on fire. After this phase, it dawned on me that “His Majesty The Oud” shares much in common with 24 Gold by Scent Story.

I fell asleep writing this review, woke up and His Majesty is still kicking. While it’s not original, it is a dense and high quality fragrance. You will see little to no change, but it does give quite a performance.