Indonesian Oud (2012)
by Ermenegildo Zegna

at first it Smells like a horse shit though. But the good one. Love it.
Rose and oud made very suitable combo.
Warm, woody, and spicy notes made me fall in love with

You will notice the 2017 reviews differ from the previous reviews. That’s because this has been drastically reformulated. Indonesian Oud used to be a sharp, medicinal rose oud. Now it’s a leathery, smoky oud similar to Armani Oud Royal. Smells much better, proof that not all reformulations are bad.

Right from the start the oud leaps at me; not in an intrusive or unpleasant manner but quite civil indeed. This oud is in itself not particularly remarkable; it is eminently synthetic and resembles many of the attenuated and smoothed-over oud impressions that pullulate on the fragrance shelves of department stores these days.

The other core component of the composition is a pleasant, if somewhat generic, rose note. Not too dark and not bright either, it is a pleasant middle-of-the-road addition to the oud, blending in nicely.

A smooth patchouli is added on in the drydown too, and with a somewhat perfunctory bergamot lurking in the background the general impression is not lacking a touch of a brightish undertone, which is, at times, underpinned by hints of a generic woodsiness towards the end.

I get moderate sillage, good projection, and an excellent eleven hours of longevity on my skin.

Another pleasant but unexciting spring scent following the crowd of rose-oud scents in the current oud tsunami. Only the decent performance tilts it into the positive realm by the skin of its teeth. 3/5.

Wet and earthy like Javanese Patchouli, instead with Oud and Rose. The amber supports it in the background but everything is really balanced. Another excellent inoffensive scent that can be used in any formal settings or work.

Smells expensive and thick