One of the areas of perfumery that I haven’t explored as much is artisanal oud, although I’m aware of it having a dedicated community. I have a vial of Aquilaria agallocha Roxb. extract from India and it’s very pungent—I haven’t done anything with it except sniff it from time to time. My most consistent experience with natural oud in perfume so far is deadofnight by strangelove, a well-rounded fragrance built around rose, oud, and sandalwood.
I learned of Oudh Osmanthus by Mona di Orio too late, and as of now have never had a chance to smell it, but it sounded brilliant from the descriptions by those who had. When I came across Osmanthud by perfumer Ibrahim Fuhaid from Saudi Arabia, featuring the same two complex ingredients, it was a no-brainer for me to select it as a sample request with a Luckyscent purchase.
Osmanthud (2024) is an all-natural perfume that blends multiple types of oud, including Laotian Oud, Trat Oud, Prachin Oud, and Indian Oud, imparting incense, smoky, and floral tones. Other players include Azerbaijani rose, tobacco, guaiac wood, Mysore sandalwood, and ambergris from Scotland. Did I forget something? …not when it’s osmanthus absolute!
Osmanthus as a key note takes many different forms in perfumery, and often it’s reduced to a pleasant shampoo vibe paired with freesia—but not so, here! It’s immediately recognizable as osmanthus absolute, with its deep, fruity, ripe apricot notes tinged with green, and leathery character amplified by pairing with oud. Along with other woods, the combination reminds me of Fleur de Cuir, a co-distillation of osmanthus flowers into a molecular distillation of cedarwood oil, except that it’s smokier and darker.
The notes seem to dance in turns on center stage, changing partners in a kaleidoscopic rotation, yet maintaining harmony as a whole choreography. The oud remains richly faceted but gentle, with no sharp edges. The rose isn’t immediately apparent to my nose, but waits in the heart of the composition, a luminous flower that enhances the brighter, peachy aspect of osmanthus. When the sandalwood and oud link arms, I recall deadofnight, though the creamy sweetness of the sandalwood is less pronounced in Osmanthud. The drydown settles comfortably into smoky wood territory.
What are your impressions of osmanthus and/or oud in perfumery?
Nose Prose 
I love oud and osmanthus, but from your great description, I don’t think I’ve experienced them like this before. Keen to do so!
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They do go well together!
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Not a big fan of ouds but Osmanthus is very much my thing. SL Daim Blond, my first love, Bottega Veneta, I searched the net to get back ups when I discovered they were d/ced. My most recent purchase was Les Indemodables Cuir de Chine.
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I remember trying Cuir de Chine and finding it wasn’t quite for me. I’m quite intrigued by the limited flankers of Vanille Havane by Les Indemodables, though, from the descriptions the owners have given in interviews.
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Nose Prose,
For reasons unknown, I am unable to comment on this post. I’ve tried multiple times.
Flaconneur flaconneur@gmail.com
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That’s so strange – this one came through! I haven’t changed any settings. Hope it’s just a glitch.
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OK, well this is something new. The message I sent to you created a post, and not just a private message. Here was my original response. So let’s see if this works.
You’ve touched upon one of my all-time favorite perfumes, Nose Prose. When it was first introduced, it was simply called Les Nombres d’Or – Oud. Later, after co-founder Jeroen Oude Sogtoen took over after Mona di Orio’s passing in 2011, it was renamed Les Nombres d’Or – Oudh Osmanthus. I can’t even begin to imagine what she might have accomplished in the years that followed. I was fortunate enough to make the purchase and own this perfume. It wasn’t an inexpensive one, and for good reason. It’s one of the best in my collection. You can read my thoughts about it on PER FUMUS. I’m glad to here that you too, seemed to enjoy it.
https://perfumuschicago.wordpress.com/2012/02/12/les-nombres-dor-oud-by-mona-di-orio/ LES NOMBRES D’OR OUD by Mona di Orio perfumuschicago.wordpress.com
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I’m glad you figured out the issue, as I don’t think I would have!
Yes, I was thinking of you when I mentioned Oudh Osmanthus and what I’d read about it. You created a lemming! 😉 I hope one day I can experience it for myself.
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Nose Prose, you might have enabled comments only through the original notification of your posts. I can’t comment unless I receive the notification directly of the post via email.
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That sounds like an interesting perfume. I struggle with the pungency of oud. I know I’d never want to wear it on a day to day basis, so I often just shun perfumes that contain the note. That said, there was something intriguing about Dead of Night. I guess it’s because they used real oud and not an accord. I wouldn’t wear it, though. As for osmanthus I prefer when it’s elevated to something more than shampoo. I recently sampled Osmanthe Liu Yuan from Le Jardin Retrouvé and it smells like they’ve used osmanthus absolute in that one. It’s smells so polished, faceted and happy.
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I wouldn’t wear oud every day, but sometimes it’s right for the mood.
The perfumes I’ve tried from Le Jardin Retrouvé have been pretty true to the featured ingredients, and it sounds like that’s the case for Osmanthe Liu Yuan as well – good to know!
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