Arabian Nights - Pure Oud (2009)
by By Kilian

"Blending oud oil with other essential oils such as papyrus oil, gaiac wood oil and saffron oil, Pure Oud is composed as a contemporary interpretation of oud."

This one starts oud as a smoky, burnt woody aroma, much like if I was working in a woodsmith factory and after the day of work this was the smell that would be attached to me adding some saffron. The Oud note here is so pleasent and easy to wear compared to Montale Black Oud, YSL M7 (original formula) with their medicinal vibe!

11th January, 2012.

I cannot add more than has already been said from the previous reviewers - the top notes smell JUST like real oud oil that i've smelled (animalic, turpentine, woody, thick) but the it's leanness, synthetic/chemical middle and top notes start to show their true side and leave one feeling underwhelmed, bored and sort of hoodwinked at By Kilian's prices.

8th January, 2012.

I'm getting to the conclusion that comparing western ouds to the real thing is turning a bit pointless. Anyone interested in real oud should probably stop looking for it in western compositions and order a small vial from any oud farmer selling his products on the internet.

That being said, there are western ouds that still smell terrific and Pure Oud is, in my opinion, surely among them. The fragrance is like a dark and monolitic sphere that hits your nostrils with a pungent leathery/spicy aroma. The woods and balms break in right away and start to interact with other elements creating a sort of kaleidoscopic effect that is based on countless micro-nouances ranging from black to yellow via brown. Oily, viscous and appearantly minimalistic yet incredibly complex. In this context Pure Oud may somehow resemble the real thing as the scent is so unlike anything we are familiar with in our daily lives, that our brain fail to classify it through the usual associative parameters.

Pure Oud is surely dark, gothic and somehow dreadful but never claustrophobic or overpowering. Its monolitic but not heavy. Extremely addictive and so pleasant to wear.

Downside: average lasting power.

27th December, 2011. (Last Edited: 9th January, 2012.)

A relatively positive recommendation on Pure Oud from me. It has a rubbery, slightly medicinal Gaiac heart mixed with real Oud that I find intriguing and is keeping me interested in smelling it throughout its development. Amber, and maybe a hint of musk join the Oud to form the base of the scent. I have to give By Kilian some points for using real oud in its composition, and keeping to the scent's name in spirit. Projection is above average here, but longevity is only average. This is not the easiest scent to wear, but still nice on the whole. I would say 3.5/5.

If this more straight Presentation of oud scent is too much for you, then the other By Kilian Arabian Nights oud scents may be more appealing to you... Rose Oud for a Rose dominant oud, and Incense Oud for a reference incense scent that may not contain much or even any real oud, but smells incredible nonetheless.

29th November, 2011.

I’m sorry – this one just screams of “hey let’s take advantage of the current oud frenzy, slap a name on a bottle, throw some synthetic garbage in there reminiscent of oud and charge $400 for it”. Really, this one is a disappointment. There is a slight medicinal and animalistic wood opening, but this vanishes quicker than ever leaving behind a wood and saffron base, which also vanishes quickly. At least with Rose Oud they combined the ingredients to closely resemble an Arabian attar of the like, but this one I’m afraid is pure marketing gimmick.

8th November, 2011.

REAL OUD OIL vs. OUD 27 vs. KILIAN

If you've NEVER smelled real oud, or only know Montale's ouds or Oud 27, let me chime in here.

VS. OUD 27

First of all, I can't imagine why anyone would compare this to Oud 27, as this is a completely different animal. Would you say Pinot Grigio is a terrible wine because Pinot Noir is so great? The comparison makes no sense. Oud 27 is sharp, primal, spicy, and to me vinegary and slightly rancid. It's a cool smell.

Kilian's Pure Oud is impossibly deep, woody, soothing, with only pleasant band-aidy smell that, to me, reminds me of actual oud.

VS. MONTALE

Montale's "Original Aouds" comes closest to Pure Oud, btw, but with less depth. I love Black Aoud, but that has little in common with Pure Oud, obviously, because of the rose.

VS. REAL OUD OIL

As I type this I have Oud 27 on 1 wrist and Ensar Oud / Oriscent's "Cambodi Caramel" on the other wrist, which is $110 / ml, and I only happen to have because I am writing a story for Model News dot com, and a number of companies were kind enough to send me a bunch of samples I could normally in NO WAY afford.

Although Cambodi Caramel is only one type of oud, it has quite a lot in common with the Chinese, Malaysian, Indian, Indonesian and Burmese ouds the companies sent me to review. Let's just say ALL of those oud oils have more in common with EACH OTHER than with Oud 27 OR Pure Oud.

What does REAL oud smell like, to me? Take mud, mix it with coffee and a little peanut butter, add a pinch of menthol, raspberry and strain it though a band aid. That's real oud, to me, with variations.

KILIAN'S PURE OUD

When all is said and done, Kilian's Pure Oud is my favorite. It's ungodly expensive, has crappy sillage and doesn't last all that long. I spray it on my shirt now, so I can smell it longer. I also bought the travel spray (vs. the bottle), so I can spritz it on when I need it. (Say, a date.)

But I love it. Yes yes yes.

Just writing this review because this is the kind of information I was I'd had before I smelled real oud and all the oud perfumes, and I hope it helps someone.

3rd July, 2011.