Oud Abramad by BDK Parfums

Oud: the Oriental beast; capable of making a perfume smell like a stable, sweaty horse, or strong cheese. Probably the most talked-about note in recent years. Hearing that a perfume contains this ingredient can put some people off. But this is a tamed oud, one you have no reason to fear. Upon spraying, it begins with a petrolic saffron with a slight leather scent, though this lasts only a few seconds. It quickly transforms into a dry wood, accompanied by a cold incense, like an unlit incense stick before being burned. The rose and cumin are very subtle—at least on my skin—and merely add a slightly powdery texture. In the dry down, I also detect undeclared nuts, like dates. The perfume itself is quite linear; from this point on, it doesn’t change much. The oud here is likely an accord. I don’t know if it contains natural oud, but if it does, it’s worked very cleanly: it isn’t animalic, medicinal, or milky, as pure oud often is. This remains elegant at all times. Every time I smell it, it makes me imagine an antique wooden piece of furniture, conveying the same sensations: maturity, cleanliness, and a touch of opulence. The performance on my skin is good. It starts with quite a bit of force for the first two hours and slowly fades to skin scent over about eight hours. Being an oud perfume, we could expect more, but it seems reasonable; it can always be reapplied. As for occasions, I feel it is sumptuously elegant and for occasional use. It works well for a gala, an elegant dinner, or any place where you want to project maturity and authority. It isn’t versatile in that regard. If you are young, I wouldn’t wear it without a suit: it requires the right bearing to pull it off. This perfume has no sweet notes nor is it too warm; it is practically pure wood. As for climates, I see it as versatile, just with care in the heat, as it does have some weight. I simply love it: a tamed, clean, elegant, aristocratic oud. It’s not something everyone will like at first sniff, but if you are into this type of perfume, you will really love it. For me, a 10/10.

Oud Abramad by BDK is a rose-oud blend with saffron that, as it dries, leaves a smoky wood and incense, almost like scented wax, until the end. Performance and quality are decent, but with that profile, there are better options, such as Emir by Micallef. I would wear it cool for elegant events and find it more masculine. In the end, I wouldn’t keep it, and it’s not the best from BDK in my opinion. Rating: 6/10.