Ispahan or Esfahan is an important city as it is located at the intersection of the two main north-south and east-west routes that cross Iran. It is famous for its Persian-Islamic architecture, grand boulevards, covered bridges, palaces, tiled mosques, minarets, and it also has many historical buildings, monuments, paintings, and artifacts. Isfahan’s fame led to the Persian proverb “Esfahān nesf-e-jahān ast”: Isfahan is half the world. And Oud Ispahan is the other half, absolutely. Oud Ispahan, named after the Iranian city, follows a traditional path by pairing oud with its beloved partner, rose. This perfume tells the story of two conflicting Persian souls, rose gold and black gold, or dry rose and burnt oud.
The fragrance belongs to the oud and rose family of blends, and the scent is mesmerizing from the start. The labdanum with which Oud Ispahan opens is acute, massive, balsamic, alcoholic, and gives it the distinct character of him. Its amber and slightly leathery quality are warm and seductive. It smells so damn raw and rough with hints of an old worn, and smoky leather jacket. Wow, that leathery deal was entirely unexpected for me, causing an internal struggle between pain and pleasure. The oud is already there; it has a smoky scent of some burning wood that blends with that of the floral water when you wash your hands in the unique bowl. The labdanum, the flowers, the woods give the perfume an almost camphorated nuance.
My decant is more oriented towards the oud, while the rose is drier than the gelatinous or the clerical one. About me, I have only a faint perception of the dried Persian rose note. Yes, the rose is dried here. Sure, it’s still there, but it doesn’t scream. Some roses first have a fresh and delicate scent and then reveal a peppery appearance, and here it contrasts dramatically with the darkness of patchouli and oud. I find this approach interesting because the trend for perfumes with a heart note of rose is to create a sweet, crunchy, and fresh accord. Here it is dry, smoky, woody, and resinous while maintaining a certain freshness. Instead, I get tons of labdanum on top of patchouli and saffron. Patchouli is soft, complements the scent with an earthy warmth without ever getting lost in that rough, harsh vibe that’s all too common. And the oud is very well balanced. After a while, when the labdanum and rose fade, I am left with saffron and oud, a mix that gives off a strong smell of dirty smoke and firewood. The rose continues to persevere on my skin. It is so seductive with soft hints of incense and camphor underneath and gives the perfume a slightly sweetish crease. The middle stage is like a Turkish delight that spreads up to the nose.
On the finish, it is slightly dusty and dries into something incredible, smoky pink, resins, incense. Agarwood is recognizable by the animal and leathery smell it gives off when it is burned. It is an intense, resinous, warm, slightly smoky, powerful, complex, aphrodisiac, hypnotic aroma, with few analogs in nature. The fragrance is so soft in the atmosphere where incense, some warm and pink resins persist, and the scent has a sensational and velvety oriental rose aroma. The oud adds an erotic edge to the fragrance; it is not medicinal, it is not sharp, it is mild and silky, an actual riot of luxury and calm. It has to be the addition of the resin that makes it so accessible. The rose is still there. It never competes with the oud; they both support each other beautifully. There are hints of a nice animalic nuance; I assume it comes from the oud and patchouli blend. Finally, creamy sandalwood and dry cedarwood are very docile, just to add some woodiness and keep the oud from entering the unsightly territory.
Although some aspects of Oud Ispahan seemed unexpected and surprising to me, and its elegant fragrance is a classic marriage of rose and woods, this perfume is not for everyone; at least, that’s my feeling. If you shop blindly expecting a natural succulent rose with a little oud to balance it out, you will be disappointed. It’s actually the other way around: rich leathery oud with a whiff of sweet rosewater to balance it, but not by much, so the oud is quite dominant here. The fragrance is winter par excellence, and it should be outstanding on summer evenings because it is not at all cloying. If you will wear it to the office, spray it lightly, as it has a noticeable trail and longevity. Longevity is excellent, and the projection is lovely, especially in the early hours, and I believe she won’t leave her winter clothes until after a few days have passed.
This review is based on a decant I have owned since February 2021.
-Elysium
#camphorous #leather #floral #woody #winter
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