Year: 2009
Notes: bergamot, saffron, geranium, rosessence, Bulgarian rose, Damascus rose, Moroccan rose, patchouli, labdanum, oud, birch tar, papyrus, cedar, guaiac wood, vanilla, sandalwood, castoreum, ambroxan, musks
Midnight Oud is a generic rose-oud offering that's specifically catered for those who are afraid of trying anything non-Western, or even non-mainstream, due to its unsettling alien nature; for the faint-hearted, blissfully ignorant and oud novices; for the office workers who don't want to offend their fellow work colleagues; and for those who haven't had the patience (or sufficient opportunity) to fully grasp and understand real oud.
Largely 'inspired' by Montale's excellent Black Aoud, it's sweet, genteel and a monumental snoozefest. There's no richness, complexity or individuality to be found anywhere (and the tart fruity mid note isn't sufficient enough to redeem the composition in any way).
Instead, it's a lame combination of rose, oud and saffron that makes one's eyes roll back with such weariness. As for the oud, it's been sanitised and toned down to such a ‘civilised' level that there's no pungency, intriguing nuances or animalic qualities (which the musks certainly don't provide).
With timid sillage, and severely lacking in the longevity department, it's simply a fifth-generation carbon copy of what's already been done many times over.
Largely 'inspired' by Montale's excellent Black Aoud, it's sweet, genteel and a monumental snoozefest. There's no richness, complexity or individuality to be found anywhere (and the tart fruity mid note isn't sufficient enough to redeem the composition in any way).
Instead, it's a lame combination of rose, oud and saffron that makes one's eyes roll back with such weariness. As for the oud, it's been sanitised and toned down to such a ‘civilised' level that there's no pungency, intriguing nuances or animalic qualities (which the musks certainly don't provide).
With timid sillage, and severely lacking in the longevity department, it's simply a fifth-generation carbon copy of what's already been done many times over.
