Leather Oud by Dior

Wow, Leather Oud is exactly what I expected from Cuir Cannage. It starts with an intense leather, like freshly tanned, then moves into a penetrating oud that isn’t dirty or animalistic, mixed with cloves. In the base, there’s an odd creaminess, maybe sandalwood that sweetens it a lot on female skin (on male skin, the oud remains invasive). That final phase gives me a stomach ache only if the nose touches the skin, but overall it stays very elegant. Moderate projection and lasts 6-8 hours.

You can tell when a perfume has quality. This Leather Oud, which costs more than a grave, is the perfect example of something that doesn’t reinvent the wheel. But it’s worth the price because the palate is simply exquisite, and that’s proof. Whether it’s worth it depends on your wallet and tastes, but the quality is outstanding. Does the oud smell good? Yes, if you like it. I’m tired of it and almost hate it. Does it feel refined? Very much so. Does it bring anything new to the agar theme? Nothing under the sun; the composition leaves me indifferent because the oud archetype is already overused; they either do pink/oud combos, smell like plastic, or get dragged down by French accords. This one doesn’t reinvent anything, but when it dries down, amidst cheap perfumes that smell stagnant, Leather Oud keeps dancing, rising and falling, showing delicacy and grace. A key reason to pay more is the dry-down sequence: in bad ones, it’s linear and monolithic; here, it’s a dance. The fragrance itself smells like two hundred million things, very similar to Black Touch by Frank Olivier and others with oud and smoky sweetness. Leather Oud has a more transparent body, it projects perfectly, it has a sybaritic flavor, and a beautiful dry-down with delicate accords that make me visualize a web of esoteric echoes and whispers that almost disappear, coming and going in their tranquility. That’s not ugly compared to most fragrances I’m trying now, which have a stony, immovable dry-down. They say it smells like a goat pen and that you need to be used to oud, that it’s not for everyone. Nah, I’m sure that was the 2010 version with civet and honey that no longer exists (bravo Dior for reformulating and driving users crazy). This new formula will please any user of the Guerlain family or seductive perfumes. For me, it’s an oriental oud mimicking Western taste, super Frenchified with dressing table scales and a touch of decadent goth. This Leather Oud, which has little leather but lots of oud, is a clean agar wood within its poisonous nature, getting soaked in smoky sweet notes and interior warmth. It’s the perfume of a prince or princess locked in a tower under a spell, waiting for their beloved. It’s gothic, romantic, adult, mature, and suggestive, something you don’t wear every day to not break the magic. The perfect example of a fragrance worth paying double for, the quality is exquisite.

If you dig the style, you’ll be hooked. It’s powerful, no doubt: high-quality oudh and exquisite leather, blended to perfection. The projection and longevity are insane, with top-tier ingredients. It’s a masterpiece, but watch out: only 250ml available and the price is steep. If you’re looking for something bold, masculine, and full of character, it’s a gem. Cheers!