Essence No. 4 Oud

4 reseñas

Mostrando las más recientes primero.

• Darkbeat

  August 7, 2017

  

  A magnificent creation by Mr Kurkdjian; with just three notes he has crafted a mysterious, welcoming fragrance with a mystical air that stimulates the senses. The opening reminds me of Armani Prive’s Bois d’Encens, yet something more turpentine-like: a spiced, resinous, cold, and balsamic scent, exquisite. It emulates the sensation of fresh incense, not the smell of burning, but of unburnt stones, like opening a sachet filled with incense and breathing inside. I love it. This opening is long-lasting, holding for half an hour or more, and gradually turns woody. A very spiced and warm wood begins to emerge; together with the previous notes, they create an intense, resinous, vibrant, and balsamic woody aroma, exhilarating. In the end, the protagonist is the oud, with a subtle veil of very faint resinous vanilla, highlighting the multiple nuances of these woods. A scent of marked character, not for everyone. The oud here is very tamed: it is intense, but without that dirty, medicinal touch found in other ouds I have smelled; here it takes on a deep, spiced, warm, balsamic, and slightly creamy woody scent, only in the final phase and nothing exaggerated, adding that distinctive touch to round off the work. As I said, it is not for everyone; it needs someone who knows how to wear it. I particularly love it, but I find it hard to know what occasions to dress it for. Anyway, it is a beautiful perfume for cold or temperate climates and for the evening, although this depends on each person. The longevity has been over 9 hours, with good projection for about 3 hours, then it fades to moderate, but it is not bad at all. I would not openly recommend it due to the exorbitant price, but if money is no object, it is highly recommended.

• Josesan

  January 13, 2018

  

  Elie Saab’s Essences collection comprises four perfumes: Rose, Gardenia, Amber, and Oud. All created by Francis Kurkdjian after visiting Elie Saab’s haute couture workshop to ‘see the dresses and hear what they had to say’. The collection is based on the origin of the fabric raw materials and how they’re worked, aiming to translate the clothing’s aesthetic vocabulary into perfumery. Specifically, in Essence No. 4 Oud, he focused on the infinite variations around black, that colour which absorbs the entire spectrum and which both understand as the culmination of elegance. The first few minutes of ESSENCE Nº 4 OUD are a bit disconcerting; I only detect a chemical smell of turpentine, oil-based paint solvent. It’s not what I expected from such an expensive niche nor from an author like Kurkdjian, although I know of his penchant for chemical adventures, as with MA DAME by Gaultier. Nothing to object to because in art one must innovate and geniuses have to break moulds. Think of Picasso’s ‘Les Demoiselles d’Avignon’ or Joyce’s ‘Ulysses’: scandalous and misunderstood works at the outset. That’s why Kurkdjian must innovate and astound, because for fruity chulis, the current party is already complete. Over time, very little by little, the familiar smell (which I love) of black pepper, spicy and oriental, appears, but the turpentine remains, something I’ve never associated with oud or benzoin. ‘We’ll give it time!’, I think, because it can’t be just this. Minutes pass and the turpentine persists, though the pepper level rises. But that’s all. I tell myself: it can’t be that oud or benzoin smells of turpentine! I know there are many varieties: the Indian (animalic), the Cambodian (incense), the Indonesian (herbaceous), the Bangladeshi (leather), or the Dubai one (olives and tobacco). I also know that sometimes it’s westernised with cedar, patchouli, or camphor, but in ESSENCE Nº 4 OUD I recognise none of that nor any benzoin resin. Time passes and, at most, that turpentine adopts very camphorated, resinous cedar nuances. It’s not unpleasant, but it’s not what one expects from such an expensive niche and such a distinguished creator. From my humble opinion, Kurkdjian didn’t put in much effort. His development is monothematic, the scent is what I’ve described, and the trail and longevity are moderate. And here it’s a stroke of luck because the smell it would convey would be the same as cleaning brushes after an oil painting session.

• Lando

  August 24, 2021

  

  Balsamic oud, with that medicinal and burnt rubber touch that hooks you instantly. Suddenly, a deep leather and slightly animalic note, just a faint perception, a flash… Someone told me that the industrial, oily, and unguentous air I detect is turpentine and they are right, but it is a note that does not overwhelm. It is elegant, reserved, makes a difference, and is versatile: it does not project like a beast nor lasts forever, but it performs more than enough on my skin. In my opinion, it is for relaxing alone with a good glass of wine, dining beyond the beach shack, somewhat casual receptions, business, crossing the jungle, or walking the dog… a varied scenario, so to speak. After all, it seems the Laos Oud is like that. I like it immensely, immensely. A scent with personality.

• Lando

  September 8, 2021

  

  Balsamic oud, with that medicinal, burnt rubber note that grabs you instantly. Suddenly, a deep leather and slightly animalic touch, just a faint perception, a flash… Someone told me that industrial, oily, unguentous air I detect is turpentine, and they’re right, but it’s a note that doesn’t overwhelm. It’s elegant, reserved, makes a difference, and is versatile: it doesn’t project like a beast nor last forever, yet it performs more than enough on my skin. In my opinion, it’s for relaxing alone with a good glass of wine, dining beyond the chiringuito, somewhat casual receptions, business, crossing the jungle, or walking the dog… a varied scenario, you see. After all, it seems the Lao Oud is like that. I like it immensely, immensely. A scent with personality.