Special Oud by Al Wataniah

It opens fruity and floral, with a unisex or even feminine vibe that some girls might not appreciate (I tested it), but as it dries down it becomes woody and smoky, gaining a masculine and seductive character. It’s not for everyone, but if you’ve been in this for a while and are seeking something interesting, challenging, and standout, it’s a good option.

Received it today and I was disappointed. The declared notes, truthfully, I feel none of them. There’s just a slight sting at first, then it’s linear, soapy and sweet bergamot or grapefruit, and that’s about it. Afterwards, it settles into something between peach and floral; I don’t know what flower it would be. I don’t sense woods, vanilla, Oud, or leather; it’s a totally feminine fragrance, for a woman over 35. Not at all recommended for men. It has nuclear longevity, but the issue is you have to like it for that to be positive, otherwise it’s terrible. The first blind buy that I didn’t like at all. I’m going to gift or sell it.

Just arrived and currently testing it; what a handsome fragrance. The box is a bit flimsy cardboard, but the bottle is robust and beautiful with a metal cap; it even includes little wood shavings inside (they say it’s woody notes and Oud). The scent is a surprise: it starts well Arab and quickly shifts to a vibe I absolutely love: a vintage fougère à la Ted Lapidus or Jacques Bogart, very eighties, soapy, barbershop style (even though I only shave myself), mixed with a touch of rose. I’ll keep monitoring the performance (it seems brutal). Hope this helps, a humble servant from Patagonia.

Greetings! I’ve just familiarised myself with this perfume, which arrived a few days ago. Undoubtedly, it has quality: a beautiful bottle, cap, atomiser, and those little wood pieces inside. The scent is also well-executed and cared for. It’s a difficult and complex aroma; my issue lies with the base: it opens fruity and spicy, highlighting peach and saffron with lots of pepper. After that phase, in the heart, it remains spicy with an interesting floral accord. The problem arises in the base: a complicated oud that smells greasy, grating, and even gives me a headache; it reminds me of car grease and unaged leather, very wild, yet it doesn’t lose its spicy body. Performance is bestial: one spray flooded the room. It’s an interesting aroma, full of enigmas; I’ll give it time to interpret it better, but it will never go unnoticed.

Around 2019 there were two ‘sibling’ perfumes due to similarity: Shurah by Rasasi and Huberta by Kelsey Berwin. This Special Oud joins the trio as a domesticated version of both. It has an almost soapy tone in the heart, which differentiates it from Huberta, but it follows its path. It’s for cold weather or transitional seasons. It’s economical, so in my opinion, it’s interesting.

An oud, saffron, and red fruit bomb. Absolutely unisex. It’s an oriental fragrance completely different from the traditional. Beast mode activated, it’s worth it, and the price is superb.

I won’t contradict the previous review, as I only tested it once and they are probably right. However, I thought that, being so beautiful, well-presented, and well-made, the best approach is to use it with moderation; perhaps we are in ‘best mode’ and make the mistake of ‘bathing’ in it. Having said that, if you like it (as I do), use it with caution. My opinion: here I found one of the best patchouli scents I’ve ever smelled (almost on par with Molinard’s ‘Patchouli’ from 1999); it’s the protagonist note. I don’t detect all that myriad of extra notes, except the oud (pleasant and subtle), a slight cobbler’s leather, and a spicy accord (pepper and perhaps saffron; lately I’ve been getting used to this note in Arab brands). Writing this, I think the ‘burnt’ effect noted by others comes from the patchouli in high doses. You don’t just have to smell it; you must test it on skin before buying (I agree with the previous commenter). On my skin, it has had a quite pleasant evolution.

Excellent quality and performance for the price. Although it resembles the Rasasi one, it maintains a high-quality aroma in its ingredients. I recommend it blindly if you want to smell different from everyone else.