Year: 2013
Notes: candied mandarin, black pepper, caoutchouc, Chinese white tea, Chinese rose, Ta'if rose, orris, Damascus steel, vintage oud, aged patchouli, heliotropin
With the staggering array of rose-oud fragrances available, the last thing anyone needs is yet another rose-oud release, but that's what Ex Idolo's first offering is based on. Consisting of wild-harvested vintage oud, which has been aged for thirty-three years (hence the name), Thirty-Three is marketed as a more natural alternative to this well-trodden (and overexploited) olfactory theme.
Opening with some candied mandarin, the astringency from the Damascus steel is almost immediately evident (but complementary to the emerging mid notes). The black pepper and caoutchouc (or natural rubber) are both soft and non-intrusive, and the rose bouquet that follows is dark and jammy. However, it soon becomes obvious that the oud merely plays a supporting role, with the rose accords being the stars of the show.
Featuring hints of orris and white tea, the patchouli that surfaces is fruity and mellow (usually indicative of aged Indonesian patchouli). As the presence of the oud recedes, the patchouli supplements the woody aspect of the composition's subtle development. By the late-drydown, the woods have lowered their volume considerably, the Damascus steel shrieks even louder and the soft traces of rose are dewy in their demeanour.
With some resemblance to Frédéric Malle's Portrait of a Lady, Thirty-Three is more of a deep rose creation with an added serving of real oud. All in all, it's well-executed but its potency could have been more intense. Still, for those interested in genuine rose-oud offerings, such as Roja Dove's extravagantly expensive Aoud, Thirty-Three would be a more affordable option.
Opening with some candied mandarin, the astringency from the Damascus steel is almost immediately evident (but complementary to the emerging mid notes). The black pepper and caoutchouc (or natural rubber) are both soft and non-intrusive, and the rose bouquet that follows is dark and jammy. However, it soon becomes obvious that the oud merely plays a supporting role, with the rose accords being the stars of the show.
Featuring hints of orris and white tea, the patchouli that surfaces is fruity and mellow (usually indicative of aged Indonesian patchouli). As the presence of the oud recedes, the patchouli supplements the woody aspect of the composition's subtle development. By the late-drydown, the woods have lowered their volume considerably, the Damascus steel shrieks even louder and the soft traces of rose are dewy in their demeanour.
With some resemblance to Frédéric Malle's Portrait of a Lady, Thirty-Three is more of a deep rose creation with an added serving of real oud. All in all, it's well-executed but its potency could have been more intense. Still, for those interested in genuine rose-oud offerings, such as Roja Dove's extravagantly expensive Aoud, Thirty-Three would be a more affordable option.
