For years I have avoided sampling Mona di Orio Oud in fear that I’d fall in love with something that I would never buy. I have never bought a perfume $200+. Actually, I don’t think I’ve purchased anything $150+. When I witnessed something getting praised that retails for $500+, I knew to stay away. After two years of peer pressure, “Oh, Victoria, this perfume is so ‘you’, you’ve got to try it!“, I gave up. I’ve done more than try it, I fell in love with Mona di Orio Oud.
Mona di Orio Oud is a citrus cedar hugging an indolic floral, the seductress jasmine. The osmanthus, one of my olfactory weaknesses, is brilliant in this composition. MdO Oud softens with saffron-apricot and creamy, nutty sandalwood with oud. MdO Oud becomes a warm, musky, ambery woods fragrance with a “lived in” quality. It’s slightly smoldering woods with a balsamic vanilla (it sort of reminds me of Guerlain Shalimar vintage parfum at this stage). MdO Oud is incredibly smooth and soft. Yes, it’s a fragrance with some rather heavy notes and it does wear like velvet or fur; however, it’s seamless and you wear it (it doesn’t wear you).
Moral of the story – don’t try things that retail for more than you’ve ever paid unless you are willing to pay the price. I should be mad at my perfume pushers, but I’m not. I’ve enjoyed MdO Oud immensely. It has everything that I want in a perfume. Now I have to decide is it “worth” it to me. And honestly, I think my “cost per wear” would make it worth it (to me, can’t answer that for you). But, I don’t know. I’m torn.
Notes listed include elimi, green mandarin, petitgrain, patchouli, osmanthus, nagarmotha (cypriol), cedarwood, Laotian oud, musk, and ambergris. Launched 2011. PERFUMER – Mona di Orio
Give Oud a try if you like warm fragrances. Or if you like perfumes like Memo Shams, Malle for Dries van Noten, By Kilian Pure Oud, Keiko Mecheri Bois de Santal, Caron Secret Oud and/or Juliette Has a Gun Midnight Oud. This fragrance is unisex.
I find that MdO Oud has above average longevity and projection. It’s actually one that I preferred dabbed vs. sprayed.
The 3.4 oz bottle retails for $525 at Parfumerie Nasreen. Samples are also available for purchase.
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – A luxurious oud and osmanthus resting on a velvet chaise. I hate that I love it but I can’t help it. It’s one that when I’m not wearing it, I wish I were wearing it.
Want more reviews? Try…
From Top to Bottom – Perfume Patter
This is an absolute beauty , isn’t it? One of my faves! I bought a 5 ml split of it after reading Birgit’s review..I didn’t think I like osmanthus either but in this perfume it is just perfect! I wish they sold smaller bottles but that probably wouldn’t be cost effective for them (or us).
Lavanya recently posted..Seven Questions on Beauty : Tara from Olfactoria’s Travels
See, something like 5ml would be perfect for me because of how much other stuff I own.
I’m very tempted by this – http://www.luckyscent.com/shop/section/1/item/51722/brand/Mona_di_Orio/Discovery_Box_-_Les_Nombres_d%27Or.html
oooh! That is very tempting!
Lavanya recently posted..Seven Questions on Beauty : Tara from Olfactoria’s Travels
oh and by the way- does this mean I need to try Memo Shams?..:-)
Lavanya recently posted..Seven Questions on Beauty : Tara from Olfactoria’s Travels
Yes! If you can get your hands on some, do it!
If I haven’t already talked you into it, check out Gaia’s review on The Non-Blonde 🙂
I *Almost* bought into a split of memo shams but then thought that the amber might be a bit much for me. I am in London for a couple days this December- might try to sniff this in Harvey Nichols.
Lavanya recently posted..Seven Questions on Beauty : Tara from Olfactoria’s Travels
Sniffing it in person will be even better 🙂
I’m interested in a few of the other Memo perfumes but I haven’t tried them since they are difficult to try here.
I agree, this is a glorious perfume. Maybe my favorite oud. But I just can’t swing the price. Oh well!
breathesgelatin recently posted..5 quick impressions of lesser-known Thierry Muglers
At least we got to try this beauty, right?
I was thinking and I do think this is my favorite oud…maybe it’s tied with Memo Shams…but it’s one of them.
Ouch! That price tag hurts. It is a good size bottle though. Perhaps you’ll find someone who loves it as much as you and you could do a split so it isn’t quite so painful.
I’m thinking there are lots of people out there like me that love, have tons of other stuff and don’t want to commit to this much 😉
Well, maybe your husband will read this and gift it to you for Christmas? I fell hard for MdO Oud, too: luckily, I have a perfume angel who recently gifted me with the Mona di Orio sample bottle, which might not sound like much, but as you noted, it’s a perfume that actually works better dabbed. So this sample bottle will last me for awhile.
Thank you for the link, Victoria. I hope you wind up with this beauty.
This year I’ve only bought one bottle of perfume, a Serge Lutens. Back in the day, I would spend this much (and probably more) on perfumes (but I got numerous bottles).
I noticed that there is a discovery set with generous sized rollerballs. I may get that and either gift/do a giveaway or sell the ones that I do not love (that’s assuming that there are some that I dislike). And if I don’t do that, I’m asking for a bottle as a gift 🙂
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