Thirty Three is a phenomenal perfume. I remember having bought it in 2013 and also immediately secured a second bottle. I ALWAYS blind buy my perfumes based on the information in fashion magazines (Vogue Paris [as it then still was called], Vogue US, Harpers Bazaar US and 'W' also based in the US) while I am situated in the Netherlands. I loved the perfume totally and still do of course. with interest I have read the reviews here. the [thèn] 33-years old Chinese Oud Oil was what attracted me in the first place and I have always encountered such Ouds also in Montale perfumes, even if it is contrary to what a lot of people say about Montale. I have always known he uses real oud in his perfumes, be it in micro quantities. yet this perfume contained this rare 33-years macerated and riped Chinese Oud Oil and if I remember correctly, also Rose Oil from China and as it was specified, from a White Rose. then of course the Taif Rose. well I am a Rose person. only this already had stopped me in my tracks. the Caoutchouc I had completely forgotten. but not the Metallic Note which I found endlessly compelling. as a gay man I have always worn Ultra Feminine perfumes, the louder the better (Montale but also all the 1980s hookers bc I was 23 when that decade begun ...). I read characterisations like 'heady', a 'heavy hitter' and a rather present perfume in the previous reviews and those were exactly the denominations I always loved my perfumes to have. whereas, also mentioned below, the Oud precisely imposes in its softness, yet endurance and with this rich woody profile, an Intense Dual Waltz with the Roses. a softness gathered due to the long ripening-process it had endured. (exactly what I always read in Ensars musings about oud). the Pepper, Caoutchouc, the Metallic Notes (genial), the Tea and the Iris give the perfume its austerity and exemplary character. what in 'kafkaesque'.com became denounced, as he really didn't, couldn't bear the Metality of the perfume, the Metallurgy, is precisely the feature I find so compelling. it draws the perfume fully in the Montale Troposphere. I am glad to still have the 1oz30mL as backdrop yet also 20% in the Original first flacon (which the backdrop also is). it was also rather expensive but that has never stopped me in my tracks. (I am not financially rich as having been a Nurse for 45 years but the more rich with my perfumial collection and recallings of my perfume history & ... hysteria.) this is an exquise perfume not for the fainthearted. as am I, as I love to shock the hell out of either conventionalisms. this is truly a Masterpiece of perfume.
Thirty Three
Command the room with a fragrance that feels like a hidden treasure. Thirty Three is a unisex masterpiece that avoids the harsh, "barnyard" tropes of typical Oud scents, opting instead for a profile that is luminous, spicy, and deeply floral. It is designed for the individual who appreciates the passage of time and the richness of high-grade natural ingredients. The experience opens with a vibrant, spirited blend of Soft Black Pepper, Candied Mandarin, and Rubber Tree Sap, creating a unique texture that is both fresh and industrial. At its heart, a massive, velvety Chinese Rose takes center stage, supported by White Tea and Orris, adding a sophisticated, "old-world" romanticism. The dry down is where the magic happens: the 33-year-aged Vintage Oud mingles with Patchouli and Heliotrope, leaving a creamy, woody, and slightly powdery trail that lasts for 10+ hours. Housed in a heavy glass bottle with a minimalist label, Thirty Three is a testament to quality over hype.