One Thousand and One Nights
Well, it looks like Nigel really came through on the old birthday front (thank you all for your kind wishes btw) deciding much against his better judgement to generously give me a big ole bottle of L’Artisan Parfumeur’s Al Oudh as his gift. Al Oudh has been sat on my wish list for quite some time now (which makes me wonder why I haven’t reviewed it already) and out of the slew of ouds available I believe that it is one of the few thatt brings something new to the party.
Al Oudh now joins my three other L’Artisans (Vanille Absolument/Havana Vanille, Traversée du Bosphore and Nuit de Tuberéuse) all of which, Al Oudh included, just so happen to be Bertrand Duchafour creations, thus proving that I really do have a “thing” for le Duchafour, and who can blame me? The dude is clearly a genius and with Al Oudh his skill of turning common accords entirely on their head is in full swing.
Bertrand Duchaufour created Al Oudh for L’Artisan Parfumeur in 2009. It’s billed as an exotic, spicy and woody oud with accents of rose and dried fruits. L’Artisan describe it as “the elixir of sensuality itself”, which is a very fluffy way of saying that it is in fact sex on a stick, or sex in a bottle to be more accurate. Al Oudh may not be what you’re expecting from an oud but that is exactly what makes it so captivating.
Al Oudh – “A heady elixir of Arabian woods”
The Notes
Top: Cumin, Cardamom, Pink Pepper and Date
Heart: Oud Wood, Neroli, Rose, Iris, Leather, Castoreum and Civet
Base: Sandalwood, Cedar, Patchouli, Incense, Myrrh, Vanilla and Tonka
How Does it Smell?
Al Oudh is not your typical oud, or even your typical rose oud, instead it is a spicy oriental with a deep oud heart. Right from the get-go Al Oudh is heavily spiced and devilishly smoky, dusting a bright red, oriental rose with pepper and great big slug of cumin whilst wrapping the whole thing in a shroud of leather. It is so spicy in fact, it would probably benefit from a slight name change – “Al Spice” anyone?
The cumin stays the main feature for the majority of Al Oudh’s lifespan, mixing with the animalic notes of castoreum and civet to create an all-out funk fest that leads one’s mind to think of hot, sweaty bodies intertwining. I know, I know, I really should keep my mind of the gutter but with Al Oudh I just can’t help it, it is pure filth. It also has a real barnyard quality to it (I like to call this “barnyard chic”) similar to that of Dior’s Leather Oud yet on a more refined and ultimately less pornographic level.
Dried fruit intensifies the sweeter, more gourmand facets of the big clove-y rose that sits along side the oud. Oud and rose are like perfume bloggers and kitties, they go hand-in-hand (or hand-in-paw). Both are rich, complex materials with sweet, sour and earthy notes that play off each other and along with the intensity of the spices give Al Oudh that “arabian nights” feel that is befitting of its name.
Where I think Al Oudh really excels is in the fact that the rose/oud accord is allowed to take a back seat to the woods, spices and animalic notes ensuring that it doesn’t fall into the trap of being an “oud-by-numbers”, as so many on the market are.
Al Oudh is one of those fragrances that is seamless right from beginning to end, I imagine Luca Turin would describe it as having “perfect top down design” and that’s a pretty good way of putting it. Right from the initial blast of heady spices and fruit to the warm base of rich, dry woods and velvety tonka and vanilla, Al Oudh hums along without hitting a single bum note.
Try it, but do so with an open mind. If you’re looking for a big medicinal Montale-style oud then Al Oudh isn’t for you, but if you’re in the market for a heavily spiced oriental that is masterfully crafted in perfect proportion then run, don’t walk to your nearest L’Artisan Parfumeur stockist.
The Candy Perfume Boy’s Guide to Oud
Al Oudh is included in The Candy Perfume Boy’s Guide to Oud as “The Barnyard Oud”.
Availability
Al Oudh is available in 100ml Eau de Parfum for £88.
Disclaimer
Image 1 news.cnet.com. Image 2 and all quotes via artisanparfumeur.com. Notes vía osmoz.com.
What perfect timing to read this review – I’m off on a shopping trip to London tomorrow and I have a list of about 10 things I want (I’ll only get one or two) but I’m gonna resniff em all, this is on there. I picked it up last time to buy but changed my mind when I saw the CDG EDP 2011 bottle <3 haha.
A great gift, enjoy it!
I must be psychic!
What else is on you list?
Enjoy your trip
I desperately want something smoke filled – I can’t afford Cuir – but I’m convinced Lonestar Memories will be my first buy, Tea by CDG is my backup.
I want something for summer too – I’m definitely going to try Amoroosa after your great write up. Also will retry Azemour by PdE, and am also hovering around Dans Tes Bras and Lys Mediterranea…
I will only get two bottles, got some hard decisions to make.
I’d love to come to your talk with Perfume Lovers but my work wont allow any time off in School holidays – too many kids want their faces skewered haha.
That’s quite a wish list! Lys Mediteranee is glorious, as are most on your list.
It’s a shame you can’t make it to the talk. I’m sure we’ll bump into each other at some event in the future though
I’ve only ever gave LM a passing sniff but have craved it ever since – I love the sound of the simplified oil too and it’s greater density, it may be a purchase.
Yep I’m sure we’ll catch up in person soon
I’d forgotten about the oil! They do one for Musc Ravageur too don’t they?
They used to – it was wonderful! But everywhere stopped stocking it and now its gone off the Malle website
Lys M is still available though i hope!
Drat!
Let’s hope they still do have Lys M
Well done, Mr Butterworth!
Al Oudh is not for me, but that doesn’t come as a surprise, does it?
Enjoy your new bottle (loooove the bottle btw!).
Didn’t he do well?!
There’s something reassuringly heavy about the L’Artisan bottles isn’t there?
Nice one CPB
Thank you Portia!
First of all, happy belated birthday.
Secondly, I really, really love Al Oudh too. I agree the name is a bit misleading, but the perfume is a knockout, from start to finish. And as for the barnyard elements… if you’ll permit me a sneak preview of a certain text… I’d say “this is scent as satyr, louche and incorrigible from horned head
to cloven hoof.”
I wonder what this “certain text” could be….
I am now even more eager to read it!
Nigel is a star.
Sounds like this is incredibly well done. I plan on going to the L’Artisan shop in Covent Garden this weekend so I shall give it a sniff and think of you
Enjoy your funk fest!
He’s alright I suppose
Do try it when you’re at L’Artisan, I’d be intrigued to see what you think. Maybe you’ll be joining the funk-fest too!
I really hate Bertrand. Those synthetic, ugly fake sandalwood dry downs…..so glitzy in the openings but so unfulfilling, so lacking air…….I have Aedes de Venustas (given as an expensive birthday present), which is so impressive in the opening stages, all that Japonilia, but then it just dries, and I really mean dries, down to a cynical base I can’t abide. I have used it as a toilet spray but this has only worsened it, clearly…
Really? That’s interesting, I find that for the most part his compositions are consistently good from start to finish. I haven’t tried the Aedes de Venustas though!
I seeked Nuit de Tubereuse because of you so now I’ll be hunting this one down…thanks a lot! hahahaha
Apols!
I only sniffed this in the bottle once and thought “Oh dear, sweaty man!” I really should work up the courage (Man-Up if you will) and go back and try a skin test.
It definitely has a masculine sweaty vibe to it.
Do try it on skin, it’s not as frightening as you may think.
What a great coincidence – It so happens that Al Oudh is exactly the scent I’ve been surrounded with all day – As it was my SotD.
], and it’s nowhere near my favourite oud or ‘fume. But it’s still certainly very pleasant nevertheless.
Actually I too was not exactly that impressed with it when it first came out, as I felt that for “an oud” it left allot to be desired. Not quite as oud-y as I’d have liked and wished. … But since I stopped expecting what I expected it has grown on me quite considerably. It was also the one scent that went further than any other towards increasing my appreciation of cumin. (Usually I’m not exactly a fan. But here, for some reason, I really enjoy it). … And I even don’t mind the rose/oud combo here either (something else I’m usually bored to tears with.)
I don’t quite agree it’s that sexy a satyr of a fume [I've others that far "out-priapus" it IMO
…. and a great prezzie !
Now I just have to go find me a sugar-daddy who’ll purchase me Ms. Di Orio’s Oud as my belated prezzie. It was top of my “want-most-but-know-there’s-no-chance-in-hell” birthday list.
I think Mona’s Oud was on the top of my “never gonna happen” list too
Al Oudh isn’t as oud-y as the name would suggest and I think you’ve raised the point that this is a very good thing indeed. I’m glad it was able to help you appreciate cumin more, it’s a fab note when it is used properly.
P.S. … The bottle is however definitely my favourite L’Artisan’s
It’s a tie-break between Al Oudh and Nuit de Tuberéuse for me!
This one is definitely not for me but I’m really glad for you: after all, you got a perfect surprise gift
That I did!
My SOTD was Nuit de Tubereuse. Now there’s a gorgeous bottle! (And I’ve got the big one!) I went to get my sample of Al Oudh to test tonight but apparently I got rid of it. All I remember was “bonfire”, not cumin or anything else. I’ll get another sample and try it again. After all, it’s by my main man, B.D. Congratulations and your birthday and excellent gift.
Thank you Suzy Q!
Nuit de Tuberéuse certainly does have a beautiful bottle, I have the small one which isn’t quite as nice as the big one. There’s just something so handsome and impressive about those big 100ml L’Artisans.
I get where you coming from with your bonfire reference, it certainly has a woody-smoky quality to it. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts!
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