Eureka! Yes, I've finally had a 180 and now appreciate (and desire) many of the Montale aouds and attars much more recently than before. I've went ahead and pulled the trigger on a juiced-up Red Aoud along with getting a smaller bottle of Aoud Cuir d'Arabie. The reason why I chose Red Aoud was that I love foody gourmand scents and am sometimes comfortable with wearing some "overwhelming" and "whack-you-in-the-head" scents. (e.g. ELDO Rien)
Red Aoud's notes together create an illusion of a 'spiced red pepper almond chocolate' that later reveals a creamy/milky version of the rosy Montale house aoud drydown. Despite it's sharpness, I felt that it would be appropriate as a "first Montale." (Even though I feel that White Aoud is actually a "better" creation, I feel that it is less 'me.')
...And 20ml of Aoud Cuir d'Arabie, IMO, would surely be more than enough in the long run for me to appreciate its uniqueness.
The ones I especially like and can see myself owning in the future are White Aoud and Aoud Flowers. (I think Aoud Flowers is a very special beast, one that I feel is underappreciated when compared to Black Aoud)
The only problem with Montale is that I think a 100ml bottle from the aoud line with extra concentration would probably last forever.
Anyway, what I want to say to the "unconverted" is this -- keep on keep on keep on trying, sampling, and don't be afraid to wear it as a full SoTD!
It's definitely not for everyone, but I've seen many "turnarounds" on Montale in the past, so who knows -- the next person may be you.
Red Aoud's notes together create an illusion of a 'spiced red pepper almond chocolate' that later reveals a creamy/milky version of the rosy Montale house aoud drydown. Despite it's sharpness, I felt that it would be appropriate as a "first Montale." (Even though I feel that White Aoud is actually a "better" creation, I feel that it is less 'me.')
...And 20ml of Aoud Cuir d'Arabie, IMO, would surely be more than enough in the long run for me to appreciate its uniqueness.
The ones I especially like and can see myself owning in the future are White Aoud and Aoud Flowers. (I think Aoud Flowers is a very special beast, one that I feel is underappreciated when compared to Black Aoud)
The only problem with Montale is that I think a 100ml bottle from the aoud line with extra concentration would probably last forever.
Anyway, what I want to say to the "unconverted" is this -- keep on keep on keep on trying, sampling, and don't be afraid to wear it as a full SoTD!
It's definitely not for everyone, but I've seen many "turnarounds" on Montale in the past, so who knows -- the next person may be you.
Yes, I disliked it back then, and it still doesn't work for me today.
I agree though that I rarely see people writing about it.
