Ok, so this isn't entirely an 'initial impression' as I've worn this a few times now.
If my task was to write as few words as possible, I'd simply say it smells like this:
Original Aoud starts out deceptively light - ethereal even. A gentle and cool morning breeze carrying a hint of the dusty desert in its wake. The sun hasn't risen yet, but oh, it will, and with it the full heat and intensity of the desert will be known.
The development of Original Aoud follows a the development of a day in the desert. As mentioned, it starts quite cool and vaporous, it surrounds you but like a deep bass wave, its source is hard to pinpoint. It warms quickly, and there is just a hint of sweetness amidst the dusty coolness. This is not a fecal or barnyard oud - this is stripped of those qualities and retains only those essences which will not get in the way of calm introspection or meditation. And that is why I posted a picture of a city above, and not just a desert. It smells of desert, the color tan, of warm and dry air, but there is a spiritual quality to it that I would imagine would be found in the mosques and temples of such a city.
L'Air du Desert Marocain is an amazing fragrance, but it encapsulates not only the desert air, but the spices and sweetness emanating from the streets on the outskirts of a small Moroccan village, lined with artisans and vendors on one side and a vast and dry expanse of desert on the other. It is sweet and dry and yet rich and opulent too. Original Aoud is a relative, sure, perhaps a distant cousin, a cousin who chose the life of an ascetic, instead of the more worldly pleasures that LDDM indulges in. There is no hint of earthly desire or hedonism in Original Aoud - it is the essence of the desert - and the inevitable introspection that comes from being surrounded by such a dry and almost featureless environment - in a bottle. This isn't something to wear to impress the ladies (or men) or to draw unwarranted compliments from random passerbys. This is something to be worn for one's own good and well being.. to be worn when a calm sanctuary is needed, when focus is of the utmost importance, or when one simply wants to clear the mind be it for meditation or relaxation.
Sillage is average and longevity too (compared to other Montales). Regardless, it's worth sampling if you are interested in very dry scents. It is, of all the scents I've smelled, without question the one I'd recommend in response to the question "What would a holy man/mystic/shaman wear?"
If my task was to write as few words as possible, I'd simply say it smells like this:
Original Aoud starts out deceptively light - ethereal even. A gentle and cool morning breeze carrying a hint of the dusty desert in its wake. The sun hasn't risen yet, but oh, it will, and with it the full heat and intensity of the desert will be known.
The development of Original Aoud follows a the development of a day in the desert. As mentioned, it starts quite cool and vaporous, it surrounds you but like a deep bass wave, its source is hard to pinpoint. It warms quickly, and there is just a hint of sweetness amidst the dusty coolness. This is not a fecal or barnyard oud - this is stripped of those qualities and retains only those essences which will not get in the way of calm introspection or meditation. And that is why I posted a picture of a city above, and not just a desert. It smells of desert, the color tan, of warm and dry air, but there is a spiritual quality to it that I would imagine would be found in the mosques and temples of such a city.
L'Air du Desert Marocain is an amazing fragrance, but it encapsulates not only the desert air, but the spices and sweetness emanating from the streets on the outskirts of a small Moroccan village, lined with artisans and vendors on one side and a vast and dry expanse of desert on the other. It is sweet and dry and yet rich and opulent too. Original Aoud is a relative, sure, perhaps a distant cousin, a cousin who chose the life of an ascetic, instead of the more worldly pleasures that LDDM indulges in. There is no hint of earthly desire or hedonism in Original Aoud - it is the essence of the desert - and the inevitable introspection that comes from being surrounded by such a dry and almost featureless environment - in a bottle. This isn't something to wear to impress the ladies (or men) or to draw unwarranted compliments from random passerbys. This is something to be worn for one's own good and well being.. to be worn when a calm sanctuary is needed, when focus is of the utmost importance, or when one simply wants to clear the mind be it for meditation or relaxation.
Sillage is average and longevity too (compared to other Montales). Regardless, it's worth sampling if you are interested in very dry scents. It is, of all the scents I've smelled, without question the one I'd recommend in response to the question "What would a holy man/mystic/shaman wear?"
. Anyone want to send me a sample? 
