Review of Al Oudh by aad de gids

some things needed to be researched first about this perfume I have in the 'Arabian Style' ornamentalized bottle without label from 2009. it appears there are several versions of the perfume. with these separate versions the 'Note-Pyramids' alter slightly, if also substantially. I discovered that in my (first) version Cumin was listed for Caraway. and it is very obvious it is in there. then in later iterations the Cumin disappeared for Caraway. both herbs are from the Umbelliferae family. but with fairly distinctive scent profiles. Caraway has a more anisic, fresh scent whereas Cumin is the scent for Body Odor, sweaty, curry-like, with a kind of Indian Comestibles Luring. meanwhile "Cardamom has a strong taste, with an aromatic, resinous fragrance. Black cardamom has a more smoky – though not bitter – aroma, with a coolness comparable to mint". (Cardamom belongs to the Zingiberaceae-family, related to Ginger.) then the Civet is mentioned in all (three) versions but the Castoreum (often misspelled like Castroneum in diverse sites) is at a given moment, disappeared. the Oudh is prevalent and present in all versions and I truly believe, assume, smell, it is. this is not 'an Oud without an Oud'. no matter how brilliant Bertrand Duchaufour is (and he is), here also he stands for a maximalist Creation of Art. now what happened with my specific Bottle is that the perfume has solidified into One Wall of Dense, Inimpenetrable Perfume. the main note imposing is without a doubt, the Cumin. (perhaps the reason it disappeared out of the Formula.) what I smell in my unbelievably stifling, suffocating, oversatiated perfume is Cumin, Oud, the Dates unmistakenbly giving a comparative schwung with Serge Lutens' Arabie. then Leather, Saffron, Spices, the Civet and Resinous notes. I must say that the Flowers to which I am always very prone, especially Roses, are all but demolecularized within the concoction in vitro. (Roses, Iris, Neroli.) the Patchouli of course does her deal to 'blacken' and densify this already unbelievably breathless perfume. and yet I love it. Dried Fruits, Woods, Tonka & Vanilla make this a very exemplary Eastern Bazaar Perfume. Jeanne Doré gave in 2009 as ingredients "contient des notes de cumin, cardamome, poivre rose, neroli, rose, castoreum, civette, cuir, musc, oud, santal, cèdre de l’Atlas, patchouli, myrrhe, encens, vanille et fève tonka" . auparfum. bynez.com I have a feeling (and now this perfume is discontinued and a look in the site of L'Artisan Parfumeur gave us a look at the relatively new perfume Ode A L'Oudh 2021 by Christophe Raynaud with Ingredients Vanilla, Oud, Safran) the exchange of Cumin for Caraway only happened just before ca. 2020. this all makes it a Momumental Perfume as well in name as also for those who go through a day actually wearing it (moi).