Okay, since Asha cross-posted, I am going to do a synopsis of something I wrote today, too.
See entire thread at:
http://community.basenotes.net/showthread.php?t=224091
"Thanks to abubakr al-misky I am smelling some of the finest natural essences, real ouds, the "liquid gold" of perfumery, plus some rare, natural animalics....
[Ouds] smell bitter, medicinal, and deeply woody, a bit smoky, and similar to a pile of aged oak mulch, as if wood resins are leaching out slowly in the sun. They are hot and bittersweet, and very strong.
Each one, from different countries of origin, smells slightly distinct from the others. Here are what I have smelled:
Cambodian Classic - Warm, a bit fecal, woody, hints of sawdust, with some sweetness in the drydown. Complex, deep, and medicinal.
Junnid Cambodian - Warm, less fecal, with some rubbery nuances, sweeter in the drydown. Hours later, the most dramatic development. Cinnamon undertones.
Indian Aged 10 Years - Also called "Hindi Assam Qasoosi Kadeem," which means the tree was 40-50 years old and the oud has been aged for a decade. Cooler, least fecal of all, most deeply woody, straightforward. The strongest and longest-lasting.
Vietnam - Warm, sweeter but less complex or strong as Cambodian.
Vietnam Wild - Herbal, not fecal, less bitter or woody, mildest with pleasant, sweet, green, haylike note. Hours later, fairly sweet and even a bit fruity or floral.
...There really isn't any synthetic substance that can replace this ingredient. It is too complicated to replicate in its entirety. Only fractions of this scent could be copied, and then, even the longevity or development would not match the actual substance.
One more special one here, my favorite, because it is a perfume composition, and very, very beautiful:
Dehn Misk Maliki Supreme - The meaning is "Oil of Kings Musk Supreme." Oud with some subtle floral and spice underpinnings. I can't describe this properly. Starts out smelling like woody oud, and then a dark, rosy floral creeps out, followed by spiciness similar to clove and other sweets. The whole fragrance is highly diffusive, bittersweet, and extremely pleasing, sensual, sexy, and mysterious. It is fabulous. Hours later, powdery, sweet, lovely. Is there white musk in the base? And maybe a touch of vanilla?
Now for the animalics:
Ambergris - Salty, dry, bitter, very diffusive, gradually sweetens. I didn't get much on myself, and it didn't last as long as I thought it would.
Musk, Red - Dry, unsweet, musty, pungent, powdery, bitter, dusty, leathery. This is not at all like synthetic musk. It is nowhere near as sweet, and it is much, much stronger. Hours later, sweeter and very complex. Sharper and more masculine than the white musk. As time passes, it just gets better and better.
Musk, White - Smooth, musty, powdery, starts out bitter and ends up sweet and leathery. Smells more like what we have grown accustomed to as "musk," and yet, it is so much more animalic than the synthetics we use. This is drier, and dirtier. Hours later, still sweetening and becoming powdery. This is very nice. Smells like perfume all by itself. Still later, smells very sweet and close to some synthetic musks. Now I see what chemists have tried to capture--it is the drydown phase, alone, of real musk. This is gorgeous."
I let my cats smell my arms, and they both started licking me. They have never done this before.
Profumo was gracious to send me a box full of civet.
I smell like I rolled my arm in horse dung. Does Dzing! have civet? And how*ever* in the world is this note useful in perfumery????
