Aoud Musk by Montale, 2010

I had originally written off Aoud Musk as upon my first smell on a card I felt that an earthiness overpowered everything else in this fragrance. I had bought a sample so I thought I'd may as well wear it and I'm glad I did. This opened up to be a wonderful fragrance full or warm woods and musk with a very masculine feeling to it. It remains quite linear for most of it's lifespan however this is not a bad thing as it feels comforting to me. I was worried about this having animalic characteristics however it is much more earthy. The longevity of this is great and anyone who is close to you will be sure to notice. This is on my list to get in the future.

For me Aoud Musk remembers Amouage Opus VI, which i find more balanced. Aoud Musk is indeed a wonderful fragrance but quite linear. Musk is not animalic. Unisex. Worth it certainly.

Extremely woody and medicinal (i agree with Alfarom about its "cedarwood vibe") after the first blast . At the beginning indeed i smell Aoud Musk so close to Nasomatto Duro (very close effectively) and to Montale Dark Aoud with its rough woodiness, the role played by saffron and the spiciness going on (the spices are anyway less aggressive than in Dark Aoud). With the following development the smell loses its initial sharpness and the musk stands out in order to soften the aroma. While Dark Aoud holds on to be dry, stark and sulphureous, Aoud Musk becomes finally more rounded, ambery and fruity. Another challenging beast from Montale.

Ok, this is a very loud fragrance but I love it. The opening is quite typical if you're already familiar with Montale's ouds. A strong medicinal/synthetic cedarwood vibe and botloads of saffron joined by the distinctive Montale's hallmark: a prominent and harsh oud note! It gets even darker (yet warmer) in the drydown with the addition of dark woods, vetiver and some musky-amber. Bold but never claustrophobic, tremendously woody and intense, it always claims your attention and everybody else's by surrounding everything with its dark warmness. Someone says it's similar to Nasomatto Duro, and for a few aspects I agree, but Aoud Musk results much more balanced and definitely not vulgar! Outstanding sillage and extraordinary lasting power. One spray on the neck and you're set for the whole day, night, late night and early moring after: be aware! Surely not for laidback type of guys!