La Collection M7 Oud Absolu by Yves Saint Laurent

First time buying perfumes in this world, I jumped on the hype of M7 and because it’s YSL, since La Nuit de l’Homme has been my obsession for ten years. I understand that if you’ve tried the original, this might seem weak, but for newcomers, it delivers; it’s not generic and the longevity on skin is high for what’s currently trendy. Personally, I don’t love it, but it intoxicates me; the blend of patchouli, myrrh, juniper, and oud is unmistakable, oriental, woody, elegant, dark, and adventurous. Maybe I value it more for the thrill of owning that beautiful bottle and what it represented, or for stepping away from standard scents. I’ll use it for special occasions… 48 euros for 80 ml is a more than fair price.

Great perfume and aroma, far from that 2002 M7 of which, thank God, I have a decant; this Oud Absolu lacks performance and projection. Fortunately, there’s a house of inspirations that has one between Oud Absolu and the original M7, getting closer to the original which is a delight, with 9-10 hours of longevity.

Versatile, refined, elegant, masculine, and timeless. An aromatic success that every lover of scents should smell. The patchouli and soft oud in just the right measure fit perfectly, and the myrrh gives it a final different and attractive touch. The resulting aroma, with few declared notes, makes it distinctive compared to other designer scents, even niche ones. It doesn’t need to be strident or ultra-intense, and it isn’t. Praise would be too short; better to try it before someone comes up with the idea to disappear it forever, just as they did with Gucci Guilty Absolute.

Domesticated version of the 2002 M7, a near-niche perfume jewel born from the magical collaboration of Morillas-Cavallier. This 2011 M7 is of oud, logically, as the ‘father’ of the 2002 was the first in the West. This M7 is more sweetened and has reduced performance to make it more ‘digestible’ and commercial for the general European and American public, though it remains equally charming, elegant, seductive, and tasty for any man over 30. It smells phenomenal: elegant and versatile oud, original, nothing mass-produced, mature without seeming musty or old-manly, sweet without seeming like a syrup pancake, a boomer strawberry gum, or a lemon tart. Easy to find in the West (Primor, for example) at a moderate price, 60-70 euros for 80 ml, without the recent price hikes due to genuine mediocrity. Longevity and trail: to be honest, it doesn’t last as long as the 2002 version, but your 6-7 hours are no problem, and with 6-7 sprays, you can smell it from half a meter for an hour and a half. I don’t know what the hell M7 those people who say ‘Fugaz’ have. Good versatility. Although there are people for everything, I don’t see this for kids fans of Bizarrap or Rauw, and I think it works better under 30 degrees. With extreme heat, it can be suffocating. My eternal signature aroma alongside D&G Pour Homme.

M7 is climbing the ranks in my tastes without mercy. You can smell it just thinking about it. I don’t recognize the mandarin, but M7 has a sweet, creamy, and elegant scent, nothing cloying, delicious. It’s not a gourmand cologne… but it whets the appetite. The sweetness gives way to patchouli, wonderful, camphorated, and fresh. A note I enjoy and recognize more and more. The oud in the background, but it doesn’t stand out, perhaps as a slightly bitter touch. The only problem I see is longevity; it doesn’t last long, at most a couple of hours in its full glory. Anyway, it’s a magnificent scent worth it.

I finally fell for it. I agree that the oud sets the pace from the start, guiding the evolution from a non-typical mandarin to a floral myrrh that is pure delight. It has a sober, elegant sweetness, perfect for a distinguished and formal man; I can’t imagine wearing it with casual clothes. Once I tried it, I got hooked and want to smell it all the time. The longevity and projection are decent, but I wish they were stronger. Even though the price is high, I’m willing to pay for it. I highly recommend giving it a try.

Ideal for winter and rainy autumn days. It’s woody with myrrh notes that add warmth and sensuality. It doesn’t have much projection, making it versatile for many situations, though it requires elegance. I even appreciate that it’s not invasive; when the wind blows, you get little bursts of scent without it being a dense, annoying perfume. It’s a great option for business, romantic dates, and formal events with casual attire.

Similar to the original M7 but polished for a broader audience. The scent and longevity are very similar, except the opening of the original is a bit rougher and stronger. Given the original’s price, it’s better to pay for this one at a perfumerie.

Blind buy, and within the first second, I thought I’d made a mistake. I was looking for something elegant for winter, like this discontinued version that many spoke highly of, saying it was a misunderstood perfume that you had to buy. As I said, the first minute scared me; I smelled mandarins and some unisex scent I didn’t like, but in just 5 minutes, it started transforming! By 10 minutes, I loved it: it smells very elegant, sophisticated, different, very autumn-winter for formal or semi-formal wear. It reminds me of Italian winters; I feel like a Sicilian mafia gangster, haha. In the world of oud, it can only be surpassed by niches, but among designers, I think nothing beats it; I tried Versace Oud and it’s good, but M7 Oud Absolu surpasses it by a lot, becoming more masculine. I don’t know what the first M7 was like, but this one is great. If you’re looking for a designer oud, here it is; Morillas knows what he’s doing, so buy it with confidence. It’s long-lasting, with moderate to high projection and trail. I see it for ages 28 and up, pure elegance and very sexy, alpha male.

This fragrance is the shadow of what M7 once was. There’s no doubt it smells good, but it lasts two hours after application; the performance leaves much to be desired. It smells of earthy, dark patchouli accompanied by an animalic base and synthetic oud. If it were four times cheaper, it would be recommended. M7 seemed like a good perfume when it launched, a great creation by Morillas and Cavallier: virile, sexual, dark, and woody. Also, I loved the advertising with the model posing shirtless and pensive. This one today is a weak, decaffeinated, and expensive perfume. Extremely expensive for what it offers compared to other oud fragrances that have emerged since. Search, compare, and if you find something better, buy it; yes, there are better ones.

I refused to use it, viewing it as the result of the destruction following the discontinuation of its predecessor. I remember trying it almost at launch and saying, ‘but it barely smells.’ I had the reference of the original M7, which was a bomb at launch, so I always felt it was insufficient. I spent years without smelling it due to absolute resentment over what they did to it. I hated it so much I wished they’d pull it from the market; it seemed like a joke to its followers. I smelled it again yesterday… Now it didn’t seem as insufficient as the first time. Maybe it’s due to olfactory fatigue from the predecessor. It’s true it doesn’t smell the same or very similar; they resemble each other, but here the mandarin is more noticeable in the opening. At one point, I was sure I smelled vetiver (at least in the new translucent bottle). I think they’ve increased the prominence of the myrrh, turning the oud almost into a sweet leather. In its dry down, it’s very similar to ‘Oud by Armaf’ and Opium pour homme EDP. In fact, comparing Armaf Oud in one hand and M7 Oud Absolu in the other, there were moments I couldn’t tell the difference. Moderate trail. Lasts about 4 hours, then drops to skin level where it can linger for another 8 hours before disappearing. It’s not a bad fragrance, but not a memorable masterpiece. Of the entire ‘La Collection’ line, I still think the best stop was Rive Gauche, although it’s quite far from what it used to be…

So happy… This brought back memories of Fahrenheit Absolute (minus that violet note), likely due to the oud and myrrh blend. It’s a top-tier oriental. Lasted about 9 hours with decent projection. I see it as perfect for autumn and winter, clearly for evening wear. It deserves a spot in any collection. Straight to the wishlist!

A spectacular oud-based perfume. Unfortunately, I never got to compare it with the original version, but I still love it. The performance isn’t beastly, but there are worse; if it were higher, it would be a 10. The opening is a powerful burst of oud, breathless, with potent, medicinal, and dirty wood effluvia. Gradually, the tangerine enters, regulating the roughness, though at times it seemed to catch a hint of Loctite superglue, but it was minimal and unimportant. Then the patchouli gains presence, accentuating the woody, powdery, earthy feel with a mysterious movie vibe. Thus, subtly, it sweetens resinously until ending with an elegant, exquisite wood with resinous, sweet, and semi-attacked nuances that take the breath away. It has conquered me hands down, and now I’m obsessed with knowing the mother fragrance; if it’s rougher and wilder, it must be a treat. Performance is good, around 7 hours on skin, with regular projection. The start is spectacular but fades quickly, a shame for such a succulent aroma. Best for cold and temperate climates and its habitat is the night. I recommend it without hesitation: an elegant, sober, and refined aroma, but with moderate performance, so better to try it first and then tell us.

Darkbeat, I perfectly remember the day in 2002 at a magazine where they gave out drops of the original. When I put it on my wrist and brought my nose close, I think I shed a tear. I had never smelled an agarwood before, and it had to be this unjustly discontinued gem—the most narcotic yet refreshing and humid fragrance I’ve ever tried.

M7 Oud Absolu, although it doesn’t feel retro, reminds me a bit of 80s creations; it’s a striking, enigmatic, elegant, and sophisticated oriental scent. Opening with woody, powdery, and balsamic chords, with an artisanal facet that recalls the holistic world or naturalist shops. I find the tangerine note volatile, vanishing in a few minutes. Its oud, with a certain pharmaceutical air (much subtler than in M7), reminds me of my childhood: we used to travel to Bogotá to my uncle’s apartment, full of wooden furniture emitting a similar smell, giving warmth and welcome. It bears some resemblance to Fahrenheit Le Parfum or competes in the same league; its quality is comparable. Performance: moderate fixation and projection. Conclusion: a very interesting proposal from Yves Saint Laurent. Honestly, I like it more than its original perfume. Fragrance: 9/10, Longevity: 8/10, Projection: 7.5/10, Versatility: 7/10.