Oud Malaki by Chopard

What a good one at a steal of a price. It’s a very realistic light tobacco that’s present from start to finish, alongside a sweet note I can’t quite place. The opening is that plus a hint of lavender in the background. In the heart, coarse and powdery spices take over, and in the dry down, everything settles on a woody and amber base without losing the tobacco and the sweet accord, which becomes a bit less prominent. I really like it; it’s easy to wear and versatile. It works great for cold days, even in the office, since projection isn’t its strong suit… although so is longevity. It’s a mature scent, but the sweet note makes it more age-inclusive. I’ve really enjoyed it; it’s by Ropion and the price is ridiculous. Interesting to have it in the collection.

Looks great and a steal of a deal. It’s a very realistic blond tobacco note present from start to finish. It has a sweet touch, I’m not sure what note that is. The opening is like that, with a lavender undertone. In the dry down, coarse and powdery spices; at the end, it settles on a woody and amber base without losing the tobacco or the sweetness, although the latter fades a bit. I love it. It’s easy to wear and versatile. For cold days, it works even in the office since projection isn’t its strong suit… although neither is longevity. It’s mature, but the sweet touch makes it suitable for various ages. I really liked it, obviously, it’s by Ropion. And the price is ridiculous. Interesting for a collection.

Oud Malaki is an underrated beast that people review without even giving it a proper try. It opens with an amber note that quickly yields to a light tobacco blend with soft oud and spices, creating a semi-sweet tobacco-oud accord of brutal quality and refined elegance, without the typical heavy oriental weight. As it dries down, the aromatics gain strength; the lavender emerges between the tobacco, adding sweet floral nuances that make it addictive—you can’t stop smelling your own arm. It’s my second bottle and I’m not tired of it; I like it more each time and wear it as my daily signature. It lasts 4-5 hours with projection and 15-20 hours close to the skin, always soft, elegant, and refined—nothing invasive but definitely noticeable. For around 50€ for 80ml, the value is unbeatable. It’s clearly one of my favorites.

Just to add that I love it. I saw on YouTube reviews that the sillage was minimal and longevity poor, and that it didn’t match a luxury house, which made me doubt. I have hyposmia to some chemicals and sometimes there are bombs like Bentley, 212, or Aventus that smell like water to me, I don’t know if that influences; however, to me it seems an excellent fragrance with great longevity on my skin. While I don’t notice an overwhelming sillage, I do perceive a feeling of being elegantly dressed. I think it would be rich or pretentious to slap fragrance everywhere you go, and maybe that was Chopard’s idea, but as I said, my ragged nose might be wrong. The bottle is a jewel that gives us an idea of what we’re putting on. Just like the comments below, I don’t see it as very feminine or alpha-male, so carpe diem.

First of all, I think Chopard is an immensely underrated house with many hidden jewels. Oud Malaki is a high-quality aroma at a ridiculous price. From the very moment, you feel a lot of smoky, resinous, and very woody tobacco, without being aggressive, with an oud that I do detect and is super pleasant. It evolves softly, slightly sweet, and mixes everything well until becoming an elegant perfume with good presence. I see it as more masculine than feminine, for cold climates, with good performance for the rich aroma it delivers. The only perfume that reminds me of something is Journey Man by Amouage, although the latter is more complex and has green nuances that make it different. I would definitely have it; having several tobacco perfumes in my collection, I don’t think it’s redundant. Note: 8/10.

Gucci Rush at 80%.

Quite dry and harsh opening with a very potent Artemisia (Mugwort) note mixed with spices. This dry part reminded me of Caravelle Epicée by Frapin and I didn’t like it too much. Little by little the tobacco appears (for now I haven’t distinguished the leather) and the fragrance softens and sweetens, reaching its best part after about two hours. The base is woody with a quite soft and well-done Oud note, not as overwhelming as in other fragrances. Overall, I liked it and after the opening it leaves a quite pleasant perfume. Longevity is very high (more than 12h) with a soft sillage that, after the first movements, stays closer to the skin. The bottle is fantastic!!!