Friday, April 2, 2010

In Search of the Perfect Aoud


For months I have been searching for the perfect Aoud perfume.  Actually, I started by searching for the perfect rose - a dark, dirty rose - which somehow led me to Montale's aoud line. Then I got sidetracked.  Montale roses aren't exactly dirty, but they are different and dark-ish. The fact that they haven't exactly fit the bill has me a bit cranky.

For weeks - months! - I've gone back and forth between White Aoud, Aoud Queen Roses and Black Aoud until I am worn out. I loved White Aoud when I first tried it, but now it's just Band-Aids and vanilla.  Aoud Queen Roses is hovering somewhere between "oh, that's better than White or Black" and "Yeah... no."  Hated Black Aoud at first spray (too Lysol/Pinesol/Pledge), but that turned out to be the best of the lot.

Here's the thing: even when I like them in the beginning, I just get tired of them by day's end.  They last, but they seem a little needy, if you know what I mean, all medicinal and in-your-face.  Black Aoud gets a pass because it's more "clean" and less annoying.  But only slightly.

Still searching for the perfect, grimy rose.

2 comments:

  1. I could recommend Une Rose by Frederic Malle. Rose Poivre is interesting too, and getting onto Amouage, both Lyric Woman and Lyric Man are great, although I actually think the 'feminine" version is better.

    I've been venturing a little into the middle eastern oud attars/blends (the real thing is way too crazy expensive for my budget, and confusing) and there are some interesting ones out there that might open up a new perspective after the Montales?

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  2. Michael, thank you for the suggestions. I actually tried Une Rose a couple of years ago - before my serious dirty rose pursuit - and can't really remember how I felt about it. Lyric Woman is also on my list of 'roses to try.'

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