Oud Ispahan (2012)
by Christian Dior

I just ran out of my sample of this and I wanted to wait until I had used through it before I gave my review.

It's safe to say I have smelled this mix before... Oud, Rose, & Patchouli. Seems to be a very common combination. But I can say that this particular blend is breathtaking. At first it comes across as your average runofthemill Oud but as it dries down you get a much more complex soft smooth blend of Oud, Labdanum and rose. Very rich, complex, soft and sensuous. Overall this is really a fantastic Oud fragrance for oud lovers!

Excellent Projection and Longevity as well!

This is an outstanding fragrance that will make you feel like a king. Don't buy it if you don't like rose because there's loads of rose in there ;)

Oud Ispahan is the first in-production Dior Privee I've tried on skin for the first time in a while, and much like its strong reputation, it does not disappoint.

As most can attest, this starts off with a sharp, acerbic blast of labdanum that fades into a rose/oud mix that is softened by the heart of sandalwood along the way.

It is in the family of rose/oud blends that are so commonplace, but the addition of labdanum is what gives Oud Ispahan its own character, a slightly feminine character, in the vein of the cosmetics smell that is a key aspect (for me) of Chanel Coromandel and Dior Homme Intense. It's also slightly powdery so I can see this leaning feminine for most people most of the time, but it's surely unisex enough for men to wear effectively and enjoy. As far as I'm concerned, it dresses up better than it dresses down--I would wear this at night exclusively.

It's a rose/oud scent that sophisticated in both of its key elements. The rose isn't a sweet or heavy rose but rather a relatively fresh, bright rose. And the oud is soft, terribly harsh. It's not a dry desert harsh scent, but rather something moist and welcoming.

Performance-wise, Oud Ispahan is superb. I'll echo that it's tremendous in terms of both projection and longevity. Its power can be polarizing for both men and women, I can imagine. Certainly this should be reserved for colder weather, and might not be ideal for scenarios where you do not want to stand out.

Any rose/oud fans should check this out. Among rose/ouds that I've tried or own, I'd still probably give the edge to Armani Prive Rose d'Arabie, which is simply a little more welcoming, a little better blended in my opinion. Still, Oud Ispahan is surely the favorite of many, and I'll have to try it some more.

8 out of 10

Sillage and longevity are off the charts, but the scent, while enjoyable, is nothing special.

If you really enjoy this scent, skip the $300 orientalism in a bottle and find your local Arab/Middle Eastern book store, market, mosque, etc.--basically anywhere you might find cheap middle eastern oils being sold--and you can pick up this exact same scent with the exact same sillage/longevity for a about $10 a bottle.

An excellent example is Oudi Al Haramain, which can be had online for $8.

This one is named after the nuclear power plant in Iran. If you overspray it, you will be surrounded by an atomic cloud of a piercing and artificial oud smell, which burns your olfactory nerves and stays on your shirt forever (even after washing).

Apply it lightly (one spray, maximum two) and you will be rewarded with a lovely rose-oud composition.

I'm not sure if it's anywhere near price-worthy, but smells very nice anyway.