Boss Bottled Oud by Hugo Boss

It features a very versatile oud, though not a youthful one, blended with the DNA of the Bottled line. Ufff, what a delicious fruity oud! It’s perfect for autumn. Longevity and trail are average, but it’s worth it for the price. It’s my favourite of the entire Bottled family.

From the very first moment it smells like the classic Bottled DNA. Three notes dominate: the typical juicy apple of the line, the cinnamon, and the Oud which gives it seriousness and warmth. It is not that animal or ugly Oud, but a kind, resinous and dark one. It smells to me of caramelised red apple with resins on top, smoked for a few minutes. At first it did not enchant me, but with patience it became a great discovery, although my use is limited by the temperate climate and the semi-formal context. It is appreciated that designer houses risk with this. I recommend it from the age of twenty-five. The projection is not the best but stands out in the first hour, and the longevity is notable, reaching eight hours. Recommended.

The Ugly Duckling of the Boss Bottled line: it is a woody oriental with intense spices such as clove, cinnamon and saffron, plus the Oud, resulting in something very dark and challenging. I believe only a zoo groundskeeper could give it compliments. My first impression was of an old, musty cupboard drawer. I do not recommend buying it blind. I end with a positive note: the last of the line, the Parfum, seemed excellent and very recommended. Regards.

The oud note alone. It’s not very pleasant unless it’s of good quality, and this one is moderate, not the best, but also not too synthetic, similar to Versace Oud Noir, though the latter is better. The oud in this perfume is so intense that it almost masks the other notes. When it dries down, it smelled to me like someone sneezing without covering their mouth. Haha, sorry, but that’s what low-quality solo oud smells like. In other well-balanced perfumes, it’s delicious and elegant. On the plus side, it lasts forever; it won’t come off even after a shower and projects quite well. It’s the longest-lasting from the house, because Boss makes good fragrances but they usually last 4 hours or less with little projection.

BOSS BOTTLED OUD: Hugo Boss has made a masterstroke with this Oud. It sits among my two favourites tested. A juicy, spiced and smoked apple opens the game for the Oud woods to shine with an elegance and subtlety I had never seen before. It is fine and sophisticated; the opening hooks you and the evolution conquers you. It maintains the DNA of the original Boss but adds its own personality, competing even with niche perfumes. The projection is just right and does not disappoint. The longevity is good; I have worn it for eight hours and it is still on the skin. It is a limited edition, so hurry before it disappears. Scent: 10. Projection: two hours well. Longevity: 8-10 hours. It is a MUST.

Boss Bottled Oud has delighted me; it is woody, fruity, and spiced. As MarcusRS says, it retains much similarity to its mother. It has the characteristic fruity opening of Bottled: apple, saffron, and spices, and what might be the oud, which in this fragrance, as in many others, comes in minimal quantity, barely perceptible. Its development is almost linear, and after 4 or 5 hours it becomes less spiced and the woody nature rises, but the fruity part remains. Despite being a woody oriental, I feel it is versatile; it’s not very heavy, so it can shine well in spring and autumn; it suits the mild climate, and evening wear is even better. On my skin, it lasted about 10 hours with medium-low projection. It is one of the Boss Bottled versions I have liked the most and one of the most versatile with oud. That combination reminded me a little of Opium Pour Homme, though not identical.

I bought this 2015 limited edition looking for something for evening wear. Upon application, it smells nervous and visceral, as if the apple and a saffron-dominant citrus are fighting, carrying an agreeable resinous wild berry scent. After five minutes, I recall Dior’s Poison, its men’s version, and between five and fifteen minutes everything blends without the oud standing out. The Bottled family is clearly evident; it seems they added oud to a known formula, and the note lacks the expected intensity. By twenty-five minutes, the Poison memory fades and it smells similar to Fendi Fan, but with less alcohol and more towards the berries. I like this stage; it seems to last linearly for about four hours, then drops to eight, with an agonising, semi-blurred dry-down on the skin, something rare in an EDP. The fragrance has three stages: the first four hours are interesting, then it changes until the oud finally appears, dying in a stuck finish at eight or nine hours. Overall, I’m not disgusted, but I would have liked more of that berry scent and a protagonist oud to crown the series. Surely in Mexico or outside the US, they would charge a fortune for this.