oud — Perfume Reviews — Lavender and Spice

Tom Ford Oud Wood

Tom Ford’s Oud Wood was launched in 2007 as part of their Private Blend series, intended to have a smaller audience and a mark-up suitable to low volume compared to their other, already expensive, lines for the masses. This is a dry fresh wood perfume of the period that helped pushed the use of synthetic oud as a key branding ingredient in commercial perfumery. To do that, everything else is toned down (we dream of promised spices) and the oud is kept clean, floral, fruity, with some rubbery, smoky, tobacco along for the ride.

Tom FordLavender and Spice StaffJanuary 31, 2021oudComment

Creed Royal Oud

This 2011 release is a favorite of Creed fans as well as those looking for a refined cedar scent. Cedar, listed here as a heart note, is present throughout the relatively linear dry down. The galbanum and angelica lend different facets of very intense green incense, keeping this from getting too dry or falling too quickly into the creamier sandalwood/musk. If one ground pepper up finely enough and mixed it with dried bergamot and lemon zest, they may get a similar experience as we had with the opening of a 2020 decant of Royal Oud.

CreedLavender and Spice StaffJanuary 22, 2021cedar, oud, galbanumComment

Pekji Ruh

Indie perfumer Ömer Ipekçi launched his Turkish label Pekji in 2015 with a focused set of scents reinterpreting classic genres. Ruh, which means spirit, was meant to return the tired “Oriental” perfume category to a sense of place and narrative.. The fullness and fruity opening of the Turkish rose is blended masterfully with bright fruitiness of cardamom and the bitterness of coffee. The spicy/floral depth blends well into the oud, ambery musk base with excellent longevity.