Aoud by Roja Dove

The scent is exactly what the name promises: a rich yet soft and refined oud, with a rose that holds its own against the agarwood. At first, the verbena refreshes it, adding a citrusy, almost metallic and rough touch; it’s a tease that leaves you unsure if it’s a flaw or a stroke of genius. Then, the oud and rose merge into the two pillars, with dark woody and floral nuances creating a warm atmosphere. After a few hours, I barely notice the other ingredients. In short, the perfume works well and has its place, though one must remember that in 2011, that blend was uncharted territory. Today, almost every brand has something similar, at much lower prices. What I’ve tried from Roja so far smells good, but it doesn’t quite justify such an investment.

In my opinion, Roja is currently above the rest of niche houses. I recently bought Oceania and it’s impressively good, but Roja Aoud is my favourite perfume in the world. It’s the best rose-oud combination I’ve had the chance to try, light years ahead of fragrances as prestigious as Phi Une Rose de Kandahar by Andy Tauer. It has an undeniable animal/sexual touch; I don’t want to be too descriptive, but it’s the embodiment in perfume of an encounter with a girlfriend you love deeply, showered an hour or two before with Legrain Moussel gel. It has a unique effect: when you breathe, you clearly note a scent that, curiously, is also in Oud Wood on a good day. A kind of sublimated Moussel gel. Very good fixation and non-linear evolution. I’d say it suits any season and moment, though perhaps a bit more nocturnal than diurnal. In such a hostile world, a fresh Aoud from Roja, with its Swarovski crystals on the cap, constitutes a reminder that divine things also exist.

Pure luxury perfume. I reserve it for night due to its insane price: 450 euros for 30 ml forces you to apply very little. What I love is that its moderate trail maintains the same intensity for hours without changing a bit. Rose and oud make it unisex in my opinion; I’m increasingly sure that rose fits perfectly with men’s pH, even though many refuse to wear it. It’s warm, woody, and has that ideal musky touch for dates in autumn or winter. The only flaw is that it stains clothes, so you have to be careful. Roja Dove launched the Crystal version for this, but for me, it loses the magic and character of that intense red.