ROSE WEEK 2017 – An Amber Rose
It’s Rose Week on EauMG! This is the annual celebration of rose-centric perfumes! This week I’m reviewing 6 fragrances that display a different aspect of rose perfumes.
I don’t mean to sound smarmy, I’ve decided to give perfumes launched post-2009 with “oud” in their title a chance. OK, I agree; That sounds smarmy. Like many people that have followed niche perfumery throughout the years, I suffer from oud fatigue. This has nothing to do with the note or the material, this has to do with me being fatigued by “oud marketing”.
Anyway, I’ve had a pleasant experience with Art de Parfum so there’s no reason for me to avoid their Sensual Oud. It’s not really an oud anyway, but a rose.
Sensual Oud opens as this “chewy rose” that’s like spicy roses and fruit leather. If you have an oud aversion, don’t be scared of this perfume. Instead of smelling like a barn, this oud is soft, warm and suede-like. For most of the wear, Sensual Oud is a leathery saffron and a jammy rose. It eventually dries down to “dark woods”. Sensual Oud is one of those examples of French perfumery’s take on Middle Eastern perfumery.
We sniff saffron, rose and woods frequently in perfumery because it’s a winning combo. Like peanut butter and chocolate, this just works. I may say I’m “fatigued” but the truth is that I’m always in the mood to wear something like this.
Notes listed include cloves, geranium, dates, saffron, rose, suede, patchouli, oud, cypriol oil and nagarmotha. Launched in 2016.
Give Sensual Oud a try if you like saffron roses or jammy roses. Or perfumes like Trish McEvoy Black Rose Oud, Armani Privé Rose d’Arabie, Terry de Gunzburg Terryfic Oud, X-Ray Lacquered Rose, By Kilian Rose Oud and/or Montale Aoud Purple Rose.
Projection and longevity are above average.
The 1.7 oz bottle retails for $135 at Indigo Perfumery. Samples are also available for purchase.
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Saffron rose. This may be a common theme in perfumery since it’s such an easy/likable combo. I can’t help that I like it so! I think Art de Parfum has made a really nice woods/rose/saffron that retails for less than equally performing perfumes.
Want more reviews? Try…
Fragrantica – Raluca’s review
It lists some spicy notes that you don’t make much mention of–was it not particularly spicy? I’m always in the market for cloves and rose in combination.
I didn’t find it to be that spicy. Mostly that chewy/leathery saffron. Those spicy notes may amp up on others’ skin though.
I love DSH Perfumes Souvenir de Malmaison. It’s more of a carnation, but it has a lot of rose. And a lot of clove and black pepper.