From ancients who first burnt incense to deities, oud perfumes has been created from the “Wood of the gods”. It goes by many names… including Oudh, Aoudh or agarwood. Worn by sultans, pharaohs and used for millennia, oud perfumes have a history that is deeply entwined with incense, ceremony and fragrance. Oud has a complex scent that is strongly redolent of dense honey, it can be animalic, smell like green grass, dark woods and leather. Despite a long Eastern tradition of appreciating oud alone as a dab on the skin the history of oud in Western perfumery is relatively recent. Today, oud perfumes are trendy with most designer and niche companies who bring its exotic scent to beginners and to those who search out this rare ingredient. Rose, amber, honey, vanilla and florals bring out its beauty, balancing and softening its natural strength.
Many fragrance experts believe Yves St. Laurent’s M7 Absolu was the first western designer fragrance that put Oud front and center in 2002 and where the craze for oud perfumes began. With a balance of citruses sweet and tart and grassy vetiver, M7 Oud Absolu finishes with ambrosial amber at the base. This masculine oud was developed by Tom Ford, who has now become famous for his oud perfumes.
L’Artisan Parfumeur Al Oudh: A mesmerizing trip by caravan to the Arabian Pennisula. Spicy and smoky, Perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour composed a fragrance that is fit for a sultan and is one of the best Oud perfumes we have tried, softened by orange blossom and rose notes.
Montale Honey Oudh: The House of Montale is known of their collection of Oud perfumes and often use notes that contrast the smoky resinous wood that is its trademark. In Honey Oudh, Montale combines it with silky smooth honey, amber and leather in a wonderful Oriental fragrance that is uni-sexy and perfect for those who love oud or who are beginners.
Jo Malone Velvet Rose and Oud: The rich romantic rose is one of the best pairings with oud. If you are looking for one of the best oud perfumes for women, this almost edible scent with notes of praline and chocolate is sure to please feminine fans of both rose and oud fragrances.
Versace Oud Oriental: A thousand and one Arabian nights… with powdery blossoms of rose blowing across the desert under a gilded sky. Golden saffron adds spice and basenotes of vanilla and ceamy sandalwood lends a touch of luxurious sweetness.
