Shay & Blue Oud Alif & Amber Rose

Today, we’ll look at two more fragrances from Shay & Blue London: Oud Alif and Amber Rose. The first is a spicy, woody scent accompanied by smoky leather, dark chocolate, saffron, and patchouli. The second, Amber Rose, is a fruity-floral which includes a “dulce de leche” accord of sweetened milk and “white amber.” I’m afraid neither one is my cup of tea, and I found them both to be extremely difficult fragrances to test, albeit for different reasons.

OUD ALIF:

Source: Shayandblue.com

Source: Shayandblue.com

Oud Alif is a “Fragrance Concentrée” created by Julie Massé in conjunction with the brand’s founder, Dom De Vetta. It was released in 2013, and is described on Shay & Blue’s website as follows:

Oud Alif via Fragrantica

Oud Alif via Fragrantica

Oud Alif – creamy, soft, rounded woods, inspired by the great gourmand oud fragrances of the Middle East. The best oud agarwood from the rare aquilaria tree, spiked with the richness of chocolat noir and notes of elegant leather, saffron and dark patchouli.

Top Note – Fine Oud Agarwood On the Nose, the Rich Intensity and Fullness of Arabian Woods. Hypnotic. The Alpha Oud.
Heart Note – Darkly Smooth Chocolat Noir in the Heart, and Soft Saffron Tempering and Balancing the Woods.
Base Note – Deep in the Dry Down, Napa Leather and Dark Patchouli Anchor This Sophisticated, Elegant Blend.

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Etro Rajasthan

The massive Indian state of Rajasthan is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen, in a country that I loved as a whole. From Jodhpur, Jaipur, Udaipur, and several points in between, I traveled in stunned awe, marveling at the splendour of princely palaces but also at the state’s natural beauty. There were other places in India that stole my heart more but, for sheer impressiveness, the ancient cities of Rajasthan are hard to beat.

Source: Fragrantica

Source: Fragrantica

Yet, my feelings about Rajasthan were actually not why I was so desperate to try the perfume by the same name from the Italian fashion house of Etro. No, in this case, it was purely a superficial issue of bottle beauty. I’m really not one to be swayed by perfume packaging, but Etro‘s Rajasthan was a distinct exception to the rule. From the moment I saw the bottle, I loved it. Back when I would post about upcoming releases, the only one which ever tempted me solely because of the packaging was Rajasthan. Later, when reviews came out, I lost my enthusiasm, as the character of the fragrance didn’t seem to match the splendour of that vivid packaging. Still, when I passed by an Etro boutique in Paris, I made sure to give Rajasthan a sniff and to get a sample. Alas, the bottle really is fundamentally better than the scent. By a landslide….

Source: Etro.com

Source: Etro.com

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Xerjoff Richwood: Smoky Sandalwood

On a mountain top in Rajasthan grows a Tree of Life whose mighty body is made of smoky sandalwood. Gnarled roots of oak and rosewood dig into patchouli earthiness, while its limbs bear bright, yellow citruses. Higher up, hidden amidst a canopy of more patchouli leaves, lie rosy flowers that drip a dark plummy liqueur. Natives come from far and wide, bearing gifts of incense that they burn in tribute to the magnificent tree that they call “Richwood.”

Source: ishafoundation.org/blog

Source: ishafoundation.org/blog

Richwood is a stunning sandalwood fragrance that grabs your attention from the start with its smoky woods, spicy patchouli, and an aromatic booziness that veers between oak-soaked cognac and plummy liqueur. It is an eau de parfum from the Italian luxury house of Xerjoff (pronounced as “Zer-joff”), which was founded in 2004 by Sergio Momo. Officially called “XJ Richwood,” the fragrance was release in 2010 as part of the XJ 17/17 Stone Label Collection whose name refers to the stone labels on the handcrafted bottles. It is intended to be a more affordable option than the collection’s original packaging which consisted of extremely expensive, limited-edition Murano glass art or quartz. According to Now Smell This, XJ Richwood (hereinafter just “Richwood“) was created by Jacques Flori, the nose behind Amouage’s Opus IV and Jovoy’s Psychedelique, among other scents. And it is really quite something.

Richwood in the Stone Label bottle. Photo: Xerjoff via The Parfum Shop website.

Richwood in the Stone Label bottle. Photo: Xerjoff via The Parfum Shop website.

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Bois 1920 Sushi Imperiale: Not Sushi

Art by Matthias Hauser Fotografie. Source: hauserfoto.com (Website link embedded within.)

Art by Matthias Hauser Fotografie. Source: hauserfoto.com (Website link embedded within.)

Well, it doesn’t smell like sushi, I can tell you that. Sushi Imperiale is an enjoyable spicy oriental with star anise, woody patchouli, milky black tea, and fougère elements that is done in a classical style reminiscent of other fragrances on the market, from Guerlain‘s L’Instant Pour Homme Eau Extreme (“LIDGE“) to YSL‘s Opium Pour Homme. For many, Sushi Imperiale seems to be delicious, cozy comfort scent dominated by either tart apple cider, or nutmeg-cinnamon apple pie. For others, it is a masculine cologne with a citrus and anise spice mix that turns more oriental. Almost everyone thinks it has monumental sillage, but no-one thinks it smells like any form of nigiri, sashimi, or maki. Given some of the oddities put out in today’s perfume world (such as Secretions Magnifique), one should be thankful for small mercies.  Continue reading