O'Driù brings Niche back to its place (Olfactive Obsessions)

[Sybarite]

Fantastic, you are most welcome, but.....

A WARNING!

Just like when one sells their soul to the devil, there is a price to pay for O'Driu samples. Are you prepared to pay it? The price is that you must come back and join the discussion, no exeptions permitted. Isn't that right guys? AND, if you don't like them you must offer them on, because without skin..............they die. *gasp*.

~ LOL ... Yep, I gladly accept ur 'warning' and will indeed come back and join the discussion, no problem ! - In fact, looking forward to it. ... (Plus I imagine that I'll probably be promptly passing on 'Xvert' right along ... )

~ & thank u for passing them along !

[alfarom]

Guys, you scared me to death with XVERT. This morning I decided to give it a test and I was ready to fight against the most dangerous beast in the world...no way. Ok, I can't list XVERT among my favorites O'Drius but it's neither the monster I expected, nor as "pervert" as I wanted it to be. After the initial ugly blast of ear wax , the fragrance turns into a classic O'Driù. Probably denser than most of the other deliveries from the house, maybe even too much, but still something that has turned into an aquired taste to me...

[Trebor]

I finally got round to sampling LINFEDELE 1003 and, even though the note pyramid sounded exactly down my alley, I was left feeling extremely underwhelmed. I’m not going to describe what it smells like, as others have done so already (plus I need more time with it) but it’s probably one of the most genteel (or is that fleeting?) offerings by O'Driu so far.

I’ve tried it both on my skin and on a feather but its presence was too subtle after the first hour. I also so happened to have drops of 1001, 1002 and 1006 on other feathers at the same time and they performed a lot better.

I have to say that, as much as their creations are impressive, I’m finding the line very frustrating to explore – either they’re too expensive, sold out or fail to offer substantial longevity for the price they command (in most cases). However, I will continue to persist as I am sure the right one for me could be waiting around the corner…

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I received my samples of XVERT, JMT and HAIKU today.

At the moment, I'm leaning more towards XVERT as my favourite of the bunch. JMT is a dark and dirty jasmine but jasmine isn't really me. HAIKU smells like a possible hybrid of 1003 and 1004, with an element of VIS ET HONOR added to the equation. It's not bad but I could have done without the overt vanillic drydown.

XVERT roughly carries on from the olfactory theme of 1001-1006. It'll be my SOTD tomorrow...

[MonkeyBars]

Wore Londa 1006 today. Very similar to Gli Odori but (thankfully) a bit more aromatic and less amber. However, I find sweet balsamic (amber) and cumin to be an ugly combination, and this doesn't work any better than Gli Odori did for me. I generally only like cumin to be mixed with other non-sweet materials, though I'm still waiting for a cumin floral to knock my socks off. (Kingdom definitely flopped on me.)

Cumin is a very risky and bold choice for a house theme. It must be treated very carefully or it quickly takes over a composition. This is why people have such a hard time distinguishing some Odrius from each other imo.

I will be wearing all my O'Driu samples (which do not include the newest releases from this Summer) in the upcoming weeks.

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Yesterday was Linfedele 1003. This stuff is excellent. Big melange of herbs in the opening with an anisic undercurrent -- possibly basil, and certainly lots of wormwood that lasts for a few hours (!). I don't get birch tar like some have stated, but I definitely get a pine accord that's terrific. There are lots of bitter spices in the heart; in fact I feel it might be a little thick during that phase (as many all-naturals can get), but still good. I get a solid slab of labdanum (or maybe that's the real castoreum?) in the base along with an impression of high-quality patchouli, dry and woody. After the loud, bright, intense opening, it settles pretty close to the skin. If I had zillions of dollars I would snap up a bottle in a second. It's actually pretty close to my fantasy fragrance, just not quite green and sappy/leafy enough. But that's my personal thing. This is tasty, balanced juice.

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Today I went for Linfedele 1004. Supposedly this is the female version? There is a slight touch more amber but I would definitely call this unisex or masculine-leaning. The opening is another blast of cumin, this time more to my liking as it's accompanied by dry herbs rather than sweet accords. Once again the composition settles pretty close to the skin, no surprise for an all-natural. The cumin is really another overdose. I'm not that big a fan of fragrances that rely heavily on only one spice like this; spices, unlike florals, tend to lack the complexity and range to carry the theme of a fragrance. Nevertheless, the composition doesn't feel that unbalanced, considering, and the base accord with its light amber, dusty mineralic accord (myrrh?), and probably cedar, smells good. This one has quite good longevity.

[MonkeyBars]

Yesterday I did a full wearing of Ladamo. Whereas Linfedele 1004 was a study in cumin overdose, Ladamo is all about fenugreek -- and probably immortelle, too. This is a big fat maply accord, not unpleasant but a bit unrelenting. The base features a big hay-tobacco accord, which is clever in that it creates a seamless blend with the fenugreek. The composition has very, very good longevity and seems to project well too. By the point the base has completely taken over, I'm a bit overwhelmed by that main interplay of fenugreek and tobacco. The house notes are to be found in this base just as in the others I've tried, but I would prefer a more balanced use of the star players. Certainly more wearable than a cumin overdose, Ladamo's immortelle helps with much more depth. For fenugreek lovers.

[alfarom]

My interview with Angelo Orazio Pregoni of O'Driù is finally out. If you're interested here's is the link...

http://www.basenotes.net/content/137...goni-of-O-driu

[MonkeyBars]

My interview with Angelo Orazio Pregoni of O'Driù is finally out. If you're interested here's is the link...

http://www.basenotes.net/content/137...goni-of-O-driu

Thanks alfa. I think this interview is full of ambiguous artsy fluff perfectly in line with the brand signature of O'Driu. That's not necessarily a bad thing. However, I'm probably in a very different space than a straight-up perfume enthusiast such as yourself; I'm an artist as well and spent about a year experimenting with all-natural perfume composition.

So, O'Driu juice does not shock my nose in the slightest, nor are the compositions off the chart or very new feeling. Rather, they are an exploration of the potential of natural perfume materials with a specific preference behind them, just as mine were. Sadly (for the industry), this is a lot more than I can say for most natural perfumery I have sampled (probably over 100 fragrances). Lack of concept (not to speak of skill and technique) is rife in natural perfumery. This is understandable, though not excusable, as most of the noses are not formally trained. One thing I can definitely say about O'Driu: there is a very strong concept behind each juice, whether you like it or not. No bland rehashes here.

Formally trained professional noses can have the opposite problem: slavish devotion to the suits that want a sellable product and don't understand that taking risks is the way to create products that can sell for decades -- similar to the music industry executives that squeeze the life out of their labels. I imagine a job in functional perfumery, or even low-level commercial perfumery, to be a rather drab day-in day-out. Folks like Ellena are most definitely the exception.

I'd love to go to one of the O'Driu performances some time. Have you seen one?

[alfarom]

Monkeybars, you have some great and solid points up there. When it comes to natural perfumery, yes, I've probably tested less than half of the fragrances you tried but I still find O'Driù to be on a higher level than most of the stuff in the same vein/style. What I mean is that to me, they take many of the typical aspects of this tipe of perfumery, and push it a little bit further. The brand is not obsessed by sales, the man he's doing his own thing with honesty with a meticolous research on raw materials. That said, I completely agree on everything you say...completely.

I was invited to one of his perfomrances in Milan but couldn't go because of my usual hectic shcedule...I hope I'll be able to go sooner or later. The interview was supposed to come with a couple of pictures took during one of his performances but because of male/female nudity Grant decided to not include them in the article (my guess).

On a side note, if you haven't already, I really urge you to explore a couple more "natural" brands. One being Testa Maura (available via Luckyscent). Carticasi and Acqua Di Casta are those to watch out....The other is Abdes Salaam Attar (http://www.profumo.it/perfume/home_english.htm). He's a Basenotes member known as "Profumo". Besides his compositions (all more or less gorgeous), you shouldn't miss the chance to put your nose on his tinctures and oils. He sells pure Castoreum and Civet tinctures that (both terrific) plus real Myspre Sandalwood and other rare olis...

[Foustie]

Yesterday was Linfedele 1003. This stuff is excellent. Big melange of herbs in the opening with an anisic undercurrent -- possibly basil, and certainly lots of wormwood that lasts for a few hours (!). I don't get birch tar like some have stated, but I definitely get a pine accord that's terrific. There are lots of bitter spices in the heart; in fact I feel it might be a little thick during that phase (as many all-naturals can get), but still good. I get a solid slab of labdanum (or maybe that's the real castoreum?) in the base along with an impression of high-quality patchouli, dry and woody. After the loud, bright, intense opening, it settles pretty close to the skin. If I had zillions of dollars I would snap up a bottle in a second. It's actually pretty close to my fantasy fragrance, just not quite green and sappy/leafy enough. But that's my personal thing. This is tasty, balanced juice.

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Today I went for Linfedele 1004. Supposedly this is the female version? There is a slight touch more amber but I would definitely call this unisex or masculine-leaning. The opening is another blast of cumin, this time more to my liking as it's accompanied by dry herbs rather than sweet accords. Once again the composition settles pretty close to the skin, no surprise for an all-natural. The cumin is really another overdose. I'm not that big a fan of fragrances that rely heavily on only one spice like this; spices, unlike florals, tend to lack the complexity and range to carry the theme of a fragrance. Nevertheless, the composition doesn't feel that unbalanced, considering, and the base accord with its light amber, dusty mineralic accord (myrrh?), and probably cedar, smells good. This one has quite good longevity.

Hey MonkeyBars. I loved your reviews of the Linfidele's. I found them really interesting because your impressions of these fragrances are almost identical to mine. I don't mind one iota being disagreed with, but it is really nice to agree too, it gave me a kick and made me smile.

Also....Yes, the Ladamo. The fenugreek. Yes, for sure, but I still say that the deep drydown is asafoetida. On paper it will actually remain for weeks, and it is sooooo asafoetida.

Thank You for your interview Alfarom. I really enjoyed it. I know the photos that you are talking about. MonkeyBars, I get stuff about the performances by email. I can't remember where I subscribed to that. Try their website?

BTW guys. I still keep losing my subscription to this thread so I don't know when someone has posted. I will keep checking.

Keep your eyes peeled here because all going well I am planning some mischief.

And..... SYBARITE, get over here!!

[Foustie]

Hello everyone. It is really nice to see you all. HAVE YOU SEEN DARVANTS REVIEWS? If not you had better get over there......

[MonkeyBars]

Monkeybars, you have some great and solid points up there. When it comes to natural perfumery, yes, I've probably tested less than half of the fragrances you tried but I still find O'Driù to be on a higher level than most of the stuff in the same vein/style. What I mean is that to me, they take many of the typical aspects of this tipe of perfumery, and push it a little bit further. The brand is not obsessed by sales, the man he's doing his own thing with honesty with a meticolous research on raw materials.

Agree 100%.

I was invited to one of his perfomrances in Milan but couldn't go because of my usual hectic shcedule...I hope I'll be able to go sooner or later. The interview was supposed to come with a couple of pictures took during one of his performances but because of male/female nudity Grant decided to not include them in the article (my guess).

Those Brits are so straight-laced compared to laid back Continentals!

On a side note, if you haven't already, I really urge you to explore a couple more "natural" brands. One being Testa Maura (available via Luckyscent). Carticasi and Acqua Di Casta are those to watch out....The other is Abdes Salaam Attar (http://www.profumo.it/perfume/home_english.htm). He's a Basenotes member known as "Profumo". Besides his compositions (all more or less gorgeous), you shouldn't miss the chance to put your nose on his tinctures and oils. He sells pure Castoreum and Civet tinctures that (both terrific) plus real Myspre Sandalwood and other rare olis...

Thanks for the tips! I have tried some of those lines, I think... certainly Testa Maura.

So far my favorite all-natural houses are O'Driu, Bellyflowers, Aveda, and JoAnn Bassett.

Hey MonkeyBars. I loved your reviews of the Linfidele's. I found them really interesting because your impressions of these fragrances are almost identical to mine. I don't mind one iota being disagreed with, but it is really nice to agree too, it gave me a kick and made me smile.

Also....Yes, the Ladamo. The fenugreek. Yes, for sure, but I still say that the deep drydown is asafoetida. On paper it will actually remain for weeks, and it is sooooo asafoetida.

It takes a lot of guts to put that in a fragrance! It's the only other "pungent" (a la onions/garlic/leek) note I've ever experienced besides the extraordinary and strange Bogart Witness' chive note. It works amazingly, together with the styrax and musk, almost like an animalic actually.

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I had to take some time off to enjoy my collection for a bit there; I was spending more than half my days trying new stuff and I really missed my favs. (Vintage) Davidoff Zino is the one that's been seriously climbing the charts for me lately.

Lalfeogrigio: This one has the most fun name to say of all of them, I think. Care to hazard a translation, alfa? Well, it's very much in the vein of other O'Driu compositions, but I would say it excels in the area of development -- exceptionally smooth, gradual transitions from the bitter, herbal opening, through the spicy heart and into the resinous, funky drydown. On the whole, Lalfeogrigio does have that thickness of the other O'Drius, but manages to steer clear of being jumbled, while still playing at the far side of wearability density. The main theme for me centers around the surprisingly gratifying interplay between lemongrass and fenugreek (or immortelle). That is a very interesting story -- green, lemony, and rich. After this story has played out over several hours, the supporting cumin accord is revealed, and I must say it's actually a bit much to me. As mentioned before. I appreciate cumin but prefer a mild dose a la Bond Harrods Oud. The cumin is especially animalic here as the castoreum begins to peak out at this stage as well. As is often the case with smoothly transitioning frags, the longevity is especially good here -- though it's not loud, I can clearly detect the last phase after 12 hours! Very unusual for an all-natural, and I think it comes down to quite a solid dose of real castoreum. I think Lalfeogrigio shows the most solid, impressive technique -- performance, in a word -- of the O'Drius I've sampled so far. I can mention my private compositions in the same sentence with O'Driu all I want, but I never spent the time to develop the level of technique Sgn. Pregoni exhibits here. He's the real deal.

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Lalfeorosa: There's an amber theme running through this one -- benzoin and labdanum most likely -- that makes this composition a bit sweeter and more feminine (probably smack in the middle of unisex) than other O'Drius. However, it still uses the same favorite ingredients as others in the line: cumin, wormwood, probably lemongrass and castoreum. There might even be a touch of rose and/or geranium. Good longevity as is usual with O'Driu. Cumin and amber (or anything sweet really) is not a favorite combination of mine so it's not for me. But it's a decent variation on the O'Driu house theme. In fact, this first batch of compositions has an unusually low degree of variation; I'd be hard-pressed to tell some from others without some serious nose training side-by-side.

[MonkeyBars]

Leva: This one is distinctly more feminine than the others, with an up-front ylang accord, and probably some jasmine as well. I think I get house signatures cumin and immortelle as well, massaged into the composition. Moderately good longevity, quite good for an all-natural once again. I'm not too fond of cumin florals so it's not really for me. The base is remarkable for its strong animalic character -- likely a big dose of the real castoreum they claim to use -- lending a urinaceous intensity. It has a richer and more floral ambience than the castoreum in, say, Yatagan, which is all sweaty fur.

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Londa 1005: The cumin powerhouse of the series. Relying on wood -- sawdusty, coarse-grained copaiba balsam, to my nose -- to underpin the intense, spicy, animalic cumin is a smart choice, and one I've experimented with as well. Delicious crisp herbs (wormwood and rosemary?) up top and tons of musky castoreum and a touch of amber in the drydown complete the picture. Cumin as a theme is a bit much for me, but to my thinking, it would be tough to do a cumin "solépice" any better.

[Foustie]

Check this out guys http://www.odriu.com/ecommerce/store.aspx Their online store.

[drseid]

Check this out guys http://www.odriu.com/ecommerce/store.aspx Their online store.

Excellent news! I have been waiting for that PayPal portal to be up for months. Now to save up some funds and I can finally add Linfedele Haiku to my collection.

Edit: Did I say "save up some funds?" Who am I kidding? Order placed. :-)

[Trebor]

Check this out guys http://www.odriu.com/ecommerce/store.aspx Their online store.

Yep, it's been up for a couple of days now. My bottle of Ladamo should be on its way soon...

[Foustie]

Oh exciting news drseid and Trebor! Congrats. Let us know when they arrive boys, and post pictures and impressions! I got my Linfidele 1003 some months ago. I was keeping you guessing because I had planned some mischief on this thread. Might still....

[Sybarite]

First of all, Foustie, please forgive my taking so damn long to fulfill my promise to you, and finally posting this. ~ I really needed to take my time with these to get my head around them, as they're certainly quite the assault on the senses.

I've only been able to sample 4 O'Driu scents so far (thanx to Foustie's generosity) - & these were : Xvert, Linfidele 1003, JMT (Jasmine Mean Time) & Lalfeogrigio ... And boy, after repeated sampling (kinda essential with these) I'd probably say "love/hate" best describes my relation to these (at least , so far.) - And when I say 'luv/hate', I totally mean it. Whilst I'm still kinda torn between weather I actually 'luv' or 'hate' these - even just within one of these scent's development I could find myself going back & forth between the two - hating it one minute, then luving it again sometime later. They are so complex, but one thing is for sure - I much prefer their 'drydowns' to their 'openings' which are at best = kinda scary. - If I were to wear these I'd probably need to spray them on at very least one full hour before leaving the home. They're quite difficult going at first. ... (I also think/believe that the one's I'll probably prefer will be the ones with less of the 'herbs-on-steroids' O'Driuade signature. Which I can appreciate from an 'originality' point of view, but am not really much of a fan of, at the moment, unfortunately. It's just the wrong end of 'gourmand' for me. Just a little far too close to smelling like a soup or a stew for me. Which is the last thing I want to smell like. - Altho' I will also add that it's still early days, & repeated sampling has already caused them to grown on me considerably, so who knows (?) others may just surprise me yet ..... . (Plus I have a feeling Laurhum & perhaps Haiku is going to be 'my ones'.)

Out of these 4, only one of them came close to something I'd actually consider wearing (& is therefore my fave one so far), & that is : Lalfeogrigio. - It's the only one that I enjoyed all the way thru, with no component to put me off. For an 'all-natural' fragrance it's really quite impressive ! In fact they all are regardless of whether I liked them or not. So whilst I certainly think these are very interesting fragrances, even masterly composed for 'all-natural' compositions, I can't really see how anyone would actually want to wear and be caught smelling of some of these. >>> Like Xvert for example.

When it comes to Xvert I'm afraid I'm in complete accord with Foustie. As a quick reminder, I quote : "God help us. What the hell is this ... Onions, garlic, asafoetida, sulphur, halitosis, cumin ..... who would want to adorn themsleves with this?" ... And this would be my exact sentiments too - who would want to smell like this ?!? ... The only positive I could think about it, is that I thought it thoroughly original & immensely brave that somone would actually dare use 'garlic' as a note in a perfume. Which is exactly what it smelt like to me - tho' I agree that 'asafoetida' probably makes better sense. (Not that I'd know for sure as I've never actually sniffed the stuff.) To me it had all the characteristics of garlic halitosis. ... The only part of Xvert I could enjoy was the very, very far drydown, when all that was left was a rather pleasant smoky 'dry-green' residue. But all that came before was just downright frightening. How anyone would want to smell like this on purpose is just beyond me, sorry ! ... But it's certainly by far the most unusual frag I've sniffed to date - I'll give it that much. ~ (I mean, it makes my heretofore most detested frag > Yatagan, smell like a bed-of-roses in comparison.)

I know that Linfidele 1003 is one of Foustie's faves, but I'm afraid that tho I found it interesting, and even liked certain aspects or moments along it's development. Unfortunately something in it's first half just didn't agree with my nose. There's a rather strange 'urinous/pissy' quality/note, that together with it's strongly herbal facet just made it rather difficult for me to enjoy overall. - If this is a typical example of the signature "O'Driuade", then I'm afraid I'm not going to be much of a fan I don't think. I think they are fun to sniff for their originality, but not to actually wear personally, unfortunately. ... Tho' it certainly has very impressive longevity especially for an 'all-natural' composition, which in itself is rather commendable. (This seems equally true of all 4 that I've tried so far.) - '1003' does ultimately have a rather pleasant drydown. But the first 3/4 of it is just too hard going for me. ... However I'm still really interested to try the Linfidele 'Haiku' version, which I believe I'll far prefer (at least from what I've read).

When it comes to Jasmin Mean Time (JMT), it's quite allot different from the others, that I wouldn't have even guessed it was an O'Driu. It's a far more simple/straightforward composition in comparison to the others. I actually quite liked this one myself, if only because of the more toned down 'herbals' and less 'busy' nature. There are still some herbals here, but they are quickly overtaken by the central diva, a gorgeous jasmine who takes centre-stage (& then remains there, dressed in a perfect gown of saffron.) - I'd say this is an absolute must-try for any jasmine lover. You can immediately smell the high quality jasmine (authentic - nothing quite like it. Something which is unfortunately getting ever more scarce in frags nowadays.) ... This is easily my second favourite so far. And whilst I think it's an absolutely stellar jasmine fragrance, the caveat is I just don't think the price is quite justified. €1600 for 50ml is IMO just far too steep, no matter how authentic & incredible the quality of jasmine absolute used. - I mean I totally understand that 'naturals' aint cheap nowadays, but still €1600 is just outrageous. (Sorry but I'd never forgive myself if I spent that much on a fragrance. Plus I don't think it's justified that anybody should.) ~ But it's certainly a stunner of a jasmine fragrance !


Sorry I haven't gone into much details about these, like their comprising 'notes' etc. But not only are these far too complex for me to even attempt correctly deciphering them, but others have already done so elsewhere on this thread & far more eloquently, so .... .
However, I'd really luv to sample some of the rest of the collection, so if anyone would like to try these 4 & has a few to swap with me, I've still got a little of these left - somewhere between 0.33 -> 1.5ml. (I mean 1.5ml aint exactly much, (let alone 0.3) but they're easily enough for at very least one or two samplings each. And when you consider JMT's asking price, this means this tiny bit alone is supposedly well over $61 worth. See just how c-r-a-z-y that is ?!?) ... Please PM me if interested.

~ And once again thanx so much for your generosity Foustie, it's really most appreciated !

[thebeck]

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Okay, it’s too soon for me to go into detail about the compositions but I feel I’ve spent enough time with them to provide a summary of some sort.

First of all, these fragrances are amazingly complex and really demand your attention – more so than the releases by most niche houses I’ve encountered. Each composition requires more than a day of sampling and musing over and, even then, there are still facets yet to be discovered. Intensely engaging with the potential to induce sheer madness, I’m utterly amazed at the labyrinthine and shape-shifting demeanour of O'Driù’s offerings.

Upon initial sampling, I’ve never experienced any line of fragrances leaving me with an overwhelming insatiable desire to further explore. Angelo Orazio Pregoni isn’t only an alchemist but also a seducer of the olfactory senses, and seems to have pinpointed in the human brain exactly where to hit you with his creations. Whether or not the memories and imagery, generated by each creation, matches the perfumer’s own is immaterial as provocation itself appears to be the ultimate goal.

So, will I be buying any? If you asked me a couple of days ago, my reply would have been something along the lines of “Hell, yes! I just need to pop out and purchase a black balaclava…” However, over time, I have come to realise that most of them are, as alfarom has already pointed out, works of art. And like most works of art, we can either enjoy them for what they represent (but wouldn’t even consider owning them) or are simply unable to afford them so admire them from afar. The fragrances from this house reflect this concept perfectly, and I truly believe that what O'Driù is doing is the true future of perfumery – releasing a limited edition fragrance in small batches, possibly evading IFRA regulations, while keeping the flame of creativity alive.

So, returning to the question about acquiring any O'Driù fragrances, now that the dust has settled and that period of euphoric madness has subsided, the answer is ‘no’. Yes, I’m certainly impressed with them and am excited about any future releases but, like works of art, it’s better to experience their olfactory complexities and then walk away with only lingering recollections. Now that’s not to say they’re completely unwearable (I feel most of them are), nor vile or grotesque (far from it, albeit one in particular), but they’re not as ‘practical’ as I would have wanted them to be, for the reasons set out below:

1) Lasting power: I don’t know about the rest of you but I don’t find most of them particularly long lasting – some completely disappear off my skin within 3-4 hours. Okay, so they’re natural but, given the prices, I would have preferred more tenacity. While I strongly feel that, as artistic statements, they can be priced at whatever level the perfumer desires, as a fragrance consumer, I would have appreciated more endurance (especially at the prices set). While there’s substance in the compositions themselves, the same can’t be said for most of their bases.

However, in all fairness, I feel that each collection performs differently – the Genesi Serie (Ladamo and Leva) are the most tenacious out of all the ones I’ve tried but it’s quite ironic that they’re also the cheapest releases available. Both linger on my skin for more than 12 hours with ample sillage. As for the ones with numbers after their name, they are among the worst in the longevity department. As for the rest (e.g. Vis et honor, Laurhum, etc.), their longevity wildly varies.

2) Spray attachments: These only come with bulb atomisers. Sorry, but after spending that much money on these olfactory works of art, the last thing you need is a bulb atomiser. That’s a real deal-breaker for me. Yes, I could decant the contents into a smaller atomiser but I would have preferred a choice (in the way that some of the Guerlain exclusives offer).

Anyway, enough meandering – time for some quick comments about each of the nine I’ve tried so far (consider this an attempt to break things down to manageable bites). Btw, Lalfeogrigio and Lalfeorosa have yet to sampled as I originally deemed them as too expensive, only to realise that they’re available in 100ml, as opposed to 50ml like the others:

Ladamo – I completely agree with alafrom about this being a superior version of Fareb (even though it contains no immortelle). thebeck, once you smell Ladamo, you’ll throw Fareb in the trash! I’m really tempted to purchase a bottle of this but am not sure how comfortable I’d feel about smelling like a curry house with a celery fetish…

Leva – I get the cough syrup vibe at the beginning but I don’t find it that off-putting. It starts out like an intense and high-end version of Chypre Rouge before blossoming into a darker interpretation of loukhoum (or a herbaceous loukhoum with lashings of burnt sugar). It’s really growing on me but I already own a loukhoum scent and am not confident about trading it in for this.

Laltrove 1001 – I absolutely love this dark and earthy forest green fragrance. I smell a lot of galbanum but this could simply be the wormwood and cypriol weaving their magic. Longevity is okay but difficult to detect after a couple of hours (it lasted much longer on one of the feathers that came with the sample). Unlike many of the others, it stays true to the opening, even during the drydown. It would have been full bottle-worthy if it was more tenacious. Such a pity…

Laltrove 1002 – a close relative to Londa 1006. They both start out beautifully as grassy herbaceous offerings before transforming into something very different later on. Due to the similarities with Londa 1006, I was somewhat distracted and didn’t make any mental notes about either. However, I do recall preferring Londa 1006 more.

Linfedele 1003 – I didn’t get a sample but, if anyone would like to forward me one, please PM me.

Linfedele 1004 – this was initially a personal favourite but I’ve made a sudden u-turn on it. Yes, it definitely smells sexy but it also strongly reminds me of Opus IV. As I already own this Amouage offering, owning Linfedele 1004 seems pretty redundant. It also offers the best longevity out of the six numbered creations, remaining quite close to the skin.

Londa 1005 – No, no, no! Awful! Yes, the opening is vile and it takes a very long time for the composition to redeem itself. All the while, glimmers of mint, lemongrass and lavender makes things a fraction more bearable. It’s the only one I dislike but can still recognise its later virtues. Unfortunately, I didn’t follow its evolution as much as the others. But the drydown is dank and mouldy, and probably second best in the longevity department after Linfedele 1004.

Londa 1006 – like Laltrove 1002 but I think I get a mandarin note during the drydown.

Lafro – I didn’t get a sample but, if anyone would like to forward me one, please PM me.

Vis et Honor – another personal favourite and one of the most compelling. The juxtaposition of the bitter almond, clary sage and galbanum is amazing. At first, it left me confounded but then grew to appreciate it even more. Longevity is a little better than most but still insubstantial (although I have noticed that it performs differently every time I apply it – sometimes lasting for ages and at other times not).

Laurhum – I would say it’s the most conventional and yet softest out of the line. After the impressive top notes, it’s very reminiscent of Santa Maria Novella’s Toscano but far lighter and ethereal. Both sillage and longevity are frustrating to say the least but, when you do manage to get whiffs of it, it’s rather divine. Another potential purchase that is now a no-no.

As others have mentioned, many of these remind me of Xerjoff releases where they tend to be top-heavy but with insubstantial bases. However, the main difference is that the O'Driù bases are just as fascinating to smell as the top notes, with most Xerjoff bases being both bland and synthetic.

Anyway, I need to revisit them in a couple of days but I think everyone should sample them for the experience, if nothing else. Even taking the ones I dislike into account, there are hardly any duds.

I think I’ll wear Ladamo tomorrow as my SOTD…

trebor, you've really mirrored all my thoughts above, leaving me with not too much to add.

Lasting power - you say 3-4 hours. I get 30 minutes to an hour on most. Can get up to 3-4 hours with Vis et Honor. As you said, huge variances.

As far as throwing Fareb in the trash, it's not happening. Yes, Ladamo is the superior frag, but since I get near zero lasting power from Ladamo, I won't be buying a bottle. My favorite so far is Latrove 1001. Actually I like Lalfeorosa and Lalfeogrigio the best. Nothing challenging about those two, except for the price.

These are "journey scents" - they'll take you to places you've never been before. They'll make you think of things you never thought of before. You'll lose sleep thinking about them. You'll be crazy about them one minute, and hate them a minute later. You'll think you finally know them, only to find out you don't. Now that's art.

O'driu really is about the 8th art. From scent, to packaging to service.O'driu simply takes all aspects of perfumery to a new and exciting level. Totally unique. Here's the problem with being so unique. Many, including myself find these scents so unusal, they tend not to be pleasing. I'm loving the sampling part, but haven't had the desire to purchase yet. I also would be afraid to wear outside my home, for fear of people saying you stink. If my nose hasn't evolved enough to enjoy these, I doubt that "joe public's nose" will enjoy smelling me either. I'll bit the bullet soon, and wear to work to see what happens.

These are the kind of scents one might make 180 degree turnaround after spending more time with them. I'm going to sample every couple of months to see if my nose adjusts to them.

In the meantine I'm looking forward to some other samples like Boutonniere #7 by Arquiste, Musc Tonkin by Parfums d'Empire, L'Homme Infini by Parfums Divine, and Opardu by Puredistance.

In the end, O'driu gets thebeck's approval in spades. O'riu is an awesome company, offering true art for perfumistas. Just because the scents didn't personally speak to me, doesn't mean they won't wow you. I'm actually looking forward to their "secret perfume" using 3% synthetics and pulling together some accords and ideas from previous releases. Get some lasting power and hopefully something a wee bit more mainstream, and I'm game.

O'driu - I'm trying to love you. I look forward to the day one of your creations speak to me.

[MonkeyBars]

Laltrove 1002: This one is a heavy hitter! I'm starting to think that the "1000" series all consist of the same ingredients but in widely differing proportions. This one has nice balance of cooking herbs (feat. rosemary) and wormwood in the opening, ylang and slightly sugary jasmine pitted against lemongrass and a light cumin (nice!) in the heart. The base features a lemony accord (listea?), some patchouli, and GADS of urinaceous, sweaty castoreum. That animalic hit places Laltrove 1002 in the same company as Jicky or Ungaro II (though those feature civet). It's the strongest dose of castoreum I've ever experienced and it's very challenging. In fact, this is the only O'Driu so far that I feel I need to try again before I can really "get it" -- often the case with very animalic compositions. (My first impression of Ungaro II was "weird and animalic.") The transition through the opening phases is slightly fast, but Laltrove 1002 is nevertheless a well-paced construction. Longevity of that base accord is very good -- 10+ hours.

- - - Updated - - -

Lasting power - you say 3-4 hours. I get 30 minutes to an hour on most. Can get up to 3-4 hours with Vis et Honor. As you said, huge variances.

Hm, I didn't find they differed that much. 30 minutes? Are you sure you applied the same amount of each? It's not always easy to gauge the quantity of juice. I don't use the applicator but instead dab the vial on my wrist and apply to various places. After 10 dabs or so, I look at the vial to make sure I got about a 1/4 ml out of there (up to 1/2 ml for EdTs).

When I first started applying frags from sample vials, I gauged the strength by how much top accord was coming out. I found I was generally underapplying, as the top accord dose of fragrances varies a lot.

Either that, or you're judging sillage longevity. If I can still smell the composition an inch away from my skin, I count that as part of the longevity.

[alfarom]

Yep, it's been up for a couple of days now. My bottle of Ladamo should be on its way soon...

Excellent news! I have been waiting for that PayPal portal to be up for months. Now to save up some funds and I can finally add Linfedele Haiku to my collection.

Edit: Did I say "save up some funds?" Who am I kidding? Order placed. :-)

CONGRATULATIONS!

Lalfeogrigio: This one has the most fun name to say of all of them, I think. Care to hazard a translation, alfa?

Lalfeogrigio is the contraction of L'Alfeo Grigio which means Grey Alpheus as per the greek mothology but Alpheus is also open to several meanings:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpheus

trebor, you've really mirrored all my thoughts above, leaving me with not too much to add.

Lasting power - you say 3-4 hours. I get 30 minutes to an hour on most. Can get up to 3-4 hours with Vis et Honor. As you said, huge variances.

As far as throwing Fareb in the trash, it's not happening. Yes, Ladamo is the superior frag, but since I get near zero lasting power from Ladamo, I won't be buying a bottle. My favorite so far is Latrove 1001. Actually I like Lalfeorosa and Lalfeogrigio the best. Nothing challenging about those two, except for the price.

These are "journey scents" - they'll take you to places you've never been before. They'll make you think of things you never thought of before. You'll lose sleep thinking about them. You'll be crazy about them one minute, and hate them a minute later. You'll think you finally know them, only to find out you don't. Now that's art.

O'driu really is about the 8th art. From scent, to packaging to service.O'driu simply takes all aspects of perfumery to a new and exciting level. Totally unique. Here's the problem with being so unique. Many, including myself find these scents so unusal, they tend not to be pleasing. I'm loving the sampling part, but haven't had the desire to purchase yet. I also would be afraid to wear outside my home, for fear of people saying you stink. If my nose hasn't evolved enough to enjoy these, I doubt that "joe public's nose" will enjoy smelling me either. I'll bit the bullet soon, and wear to work to see what happens.

These are the kind of scents one might make 180 degree turnaround after spending more time with them. I'm going to sample every couple of months to see if my nose adjusts to them.

In the meantine I'm looking forward to some other samples like Boutonniere #7 by Arquiste, Musc Tonkin by Parfums d'Empire, L'Homme Infini by Parfums Divine, and Opardu by Puredistance.

In the end, O'driu gets thebeck's approval in spades. O'riu is an awesome company, offering true art for perfumistas. Just because the scents didn't personally speak to me, doesn't mean they won't wow you. I'm actually looking forward to their "secret perfume" using 3% synthetics and pulling together some accords and ideas from previous releases. Get some lasting power and hopefully something a wee bit more mainstream, and I'm game.

O'driu - I'm trying to love you. I look forward to the day one of your creations speak to me.

That's exactly what happens with something "groundbreaking". When Chanel No.5 came out back in the days, the hard-core perfumistos horrified seeing a brand clearly stating that their new fragrance was composed using a massive dose of synthetics. It immediately divided the audience in two parts. It took several years for Chanel to consolidate the presence of No.5 on the market but, eventually, it became a pillar of perfumery.

Now, DON'T GET ME WRONG, I'm not comparing O'Driù to Chanel and, most of all, I'm not comparing any of their compositions to No.5. What I'm trying to say is that when someone comes out with something completely "new" (at least for the majority of us), the "WTF effect" is really part of the game. In my personal vision, the O'Driù former line is to be taken as a sort of manifesto of what has to come. Something aimed to shake the often stagnant niche world more than to sell billions of bottles.

Now, I can basically relate to almost everything you said, thebeck (and as I previously told you, I was sure Lalfeogrigio would have made an impression on you) and I'm glad that, somwhat, you're supporting this brand. They totally deserve it!

[O'Driù helpdesk]

A year has lapsed since the Basenotes’ international users started discussing about O'DRIÙ’s alchemical fragrances, its olfactory obsessions and niche perfumery.

Today, the “O'DRIÙ brings Niche back to its place (Olfactive Obsessions)” thread is one year old, and it’s still active thanks to the many users continuous participation.

Angelo Orazio Pregoni celebrates this first anniversary with a poem, dedicated to all those who continue to fuel his longing for Olfactory Obsessions.

[Foustie]

Isn't this wonderful! Just wonderful. Today, to celebrate, I am wearing my Linfidele 1003, and I am transported to a landscape of power and imagination. This makes me think of a Celtic Forest with trees and aromatic herbs, dry bracken and pine needles crackling underfoot and the air drenched with oxygen and the scent of possibility. When I wear it, it becomes mine. I love it.

Thank You O'Driu.

[drseid]

I'll join Foustie and I am sure many others in conveying my gratitude to Angelo and the great folks at O'driù. After amassing a decent sized collection over the years there are few fragrances that I come across that truly have me waiting for their arrival in the mail with great anticipation (even many that I truly love) but when Linfedele Haiku came Monday I was so elated that I had to show it off around the office letting folks get their first O'driù complete experience. It is that kind of childhood-like joy that captures my overall love of the house and the spirit of the people behind it. I find the fragrances a completely unique and utterly satisfying experience, and that is the highest praise I can give. Many thanks indeed!

[sarıpatates]

I got the thread anniversary mail and thought I'd post here.

Today I'm resampling the newest odriu, and trying to make up my mind about it. I'll post again in this thread later about it but in the mean time, I'd like to thank odriu for providing me with free samples with beautiful presentation.

Thanks.

[Foustie]

Oh you got your Linfidele Haiku! Fantastic. Wear it in good health drseid!

[d4N13L]

They know how to captivate de enthusiasts!Oh, how they know...

- - - Updated - - -

I'll join Foustie and I am sure many others in conveying my gratitude to Angelo and the great folks at O'driù. After amassing a decent sized collection over the years there are few fragrances that I come across that truly have me waiting for their arrival in the mail with great anticipation (even many that I truly love) but when Linfedele Haiku came Monday I was so elated that I had to show it off around the office letting folks get their first O'driù complete experience. It is that kind of childhood-like joy that captures my overall love of the house and the spirit of the people behind it. I find the fragrances a completely unique and utterly satisfying experience, and that is the highest praise I can give. Many thanks indeed!

And what your coworkers think about the fragrance?

[drseid]

Oh you got your Linfidele Haiku! Fantastic. Wear it in good health drseid!

Yes indeed, thanks Foustie. I was so giddy showing it around the office letting folks sample it that while I posted its arrival in the "Today I Bought" thread, I forgot to mention it here.

[Foustie]

I got the thread anniversary mail and thought I'd post here.

Today I'm resampling the newest odriu, and trying to make up my mind about it. I'll post again in this thread later about it but in the mean time, I'd like to thank odriu for providing me with free samples with beautiful presentation.

Thanks.

Hello stranger.

[alfarom]

Happy annyversary to everyone! It has been a great year with O'Driù!

Sorry guys and gals for being late but, appearantly, I don't receive notifications when someone posts in a thread I subscribed to.

[forfreddie]

Hey guys
Ok so I finally bought Leva - I know I know you all think it's the poorest one :P Well, ever since I sampled the entire original line, it's always been my favourite - maybe it is it's simplicity compared to the others - I love the intensely green olive note, it's oily texture, the over the top bitterness of the lemongrass and the insanely gorgeous vanilla drydown - it had to be mine (and the lovely people at CampoMarzio70 also gave me the remainder of the Haiku tester which has about 10ml of juice in it! - gorgeous, I'm jealous of the people who have a proper bottle of the stuff)
My one question - do any of you attatch the spray pump? I have heard nothing but bad thinks about those pump/puff things, or do you all splash? decant into a spray bottle? I know it's an amateur question but, just wondering what you guy do with your juices
Also a strange design to have such large bottles (100ml?) and part fill them for 50ml?