BackToTheOud

I love patchouli. This one is different. Somehow it reminds me of herbal tea or cough drops. I’m not exactly sure, but it definitely feels familiar to me.

To compare it with Monsieur. by Frederic Malle, Monsieur. is more about rounding off the patchouli and giving it a finer polish; it also has a somewhat medicinal quality, but different from this one, as it is a bit fresher and lighter in terms of the ingredients alongside the patchouli (though it still feels like it has a bit more patchouli) compared to this one, if you will.

I think I would personally choose this one over Monsieur. and I already thought that one was good. This one stands out more, while Monsieur. is a bit calmer.

This one has something floral and herbal due to the ingredients in the top note, hence the association with cough drops. And on the other hand, there's this resinous, leathery aspect. Very special (just like me, maybe it fits then when I wear it in everyday life, haha) and very niche. I quite like it, but I can imagine it might rub some people the wrong way here and there. But in the evening, it will work for suitable occasions.


I find it well done. It’s just like a work of art. I have also read an association with cheap incense sticks. I can somewhat understand the comparison to incense sticks, but it doesn’t smell cheap or artificial at all. To me, it smells quite natural and high-quality.

Here you get a very authentic rose, and I believe Matiere Premiere also has Rose Absolute in it. Most manufacturers lie when they claim that.

After a while, you really get those incense vibes that are described here, BUT in a high-quality way. It has depth, complexity, and quality that Indian incense sticks could never bring. It's just the association that comes to mind, so definitely give it a try. I can't really confirm that it smells as synthetic as some comments suggest; I wouldn't categorize it that way.

And the comparisons to Portrait of a Lady: Yes, it is somewhat comparable, although Portrait of a Lady builds its Oud accord from spices and other materials, interestingly going in the direction of rose-oud, and the rose is somewhat different.

This one leans more towards Oud Palao by Diptyque, which I think is more similar to it than Portrait of a Lady, which is also a rose-oud scent but with pronounced incense vibes; this one is just more sophisticated, balanced, and comes across as more high-quality.

And whether something is unisex or not, I don't really care about that; I would easily wear this as a man, and I also love hardcore lavender, patchouli, and vetiver scents.

I am currently testing the fragrances from Amouage, and I would say they are not for the inexperienced.

This one is really balanced for my nose. I can clearly perceive cognac, grapefruit, and cumin. There is also an animalic note, but smooth, not too strong, as has been reported here.

Definitely oriental, and it may remind some of a spice cabinet. I also find that you can notice the quality of the fragrances that Amouage offers.

It's also not an inconspicuous office scent, like Reflection Man or Lyric Man.

The best Amouage for me is Jubilation 25, then unfortunately comes Reflection Man (even though it is so hyped, it is unfortunately good) and Lyric Man, which are more suitable for everyday wear. After that, for me, come Overture Man and Journey Man, which are really creative and unique, but indeed bolder.

What can I say, it's relatively simple, but balanced. People who don't like patchouli might be swayed here, as it comes across really soft. It's become one of my favorite scents.

For me, it almost leans towards gourmand, with the pepper, cocoa, and vanilla making it almost gourmand for me. Very, very pleasant.

The scent is different from what I have known so far, and I have been at this for quite a while. Really creative and special. I needed several attempts to get used to it; at first, I didn't particularly like it.

Saffron, eucalyptus, and bergamot are already very unusual in the top notes. I especially had trouble warming up to the eucalyptus, but it becomes weaker after a while, and then the sweetness from the guaiac wood comes through better, making it rounder for me.

Unfortunately, I don't know Torino21 yet, but all these Torino scents are said to differ quite a bit from each other. With the different Alexandrias, etc., the scents are closer to each other.