Oud Ispahan by Dior

This is a Rose + Oud + resin that delivers what it promises. Personally I didn’t like it, from the opening the rose dominates too much, and it smells like an old lady to me. On dry-down it’s true that the OUD gains strength and presence, but it’s not a scent that will stand out with the current Oud offering. I guess it will have its audience, but that’s not me.

Oud Ispahan is one of Maison Christian Dior’s best-selling perfumes, being the most oriental and challenging of the collection. It opens with an intense rose that at times resembles the rose water used in mosques. This rose is accompanied by ambery notes that give it warmth and a fairly sweet touch. In the opening you can barely distinguish the oud or the other darker notes. Personally I find the opening somewhat synthetic and overwhelming because of this sweet rose, but this can vary with everyone’s opinion. After a few hours you reach a middle point where the rose loses intensity and the amber stops being so prominent, this allows the oud, incense and musk to start to be felt. This moment where all the notes are perceived is the best part of the fragrance as it is a balance between the warm and cozy rose and the dark, dry and rough oud and musk. That combination of notes makes you feel like you are in a Middle Eastern mosque where the air is flooded by the smoke of burning woods and incense while the floor is soaked with rose water. As the hours pass the rose is almost no longer perceived at all and you are left with a dark perfume where labdanum, oud and a black and quite animalic musk are the notes that will be perceived until the end. In this composition the oud is not fully felt as the incense and musk steal its spotlight and hide it a bit. The longevity of this perfume is quite considerable, the first 2 hours you will perceive the roses and amber, the next 2 hours will be this balance point between roses and oud and for the next 10 hours the dark and deep part of the fragrance will be perceived. It should be noted that it is better to test the perfume on skin as this is where the fragrance really develops since on a blotter most of the time you will feel this intermediate point of the fragrance which is amazing but you will not know how it genuinely evolves on your skin. The projection is considerable for the first 4 hours of the perfume.

It’s the twin brother of Oud Touch by Franck Olivier, 85% similarity, a fantastic intense scent ideal for fall and colder seasons

Oud Ispahan is one of Maison Christian Dior’s best-selling perfumes, being the most oriental and challenging of the collection. It opens with an intense rose that at times resembles the rose water used in mosques. This rose is accompanied by ambery notes that give it warmth and a fairly sweet touch. In the opening you can barely distinguish the oud or the other darker notes. Personally I find the opening somewhat synthetic and overwhelming because of this sweet rose, but this may vary with everyone’s opinion. After a few hours you reach a middle point where the rose loses intensity and the amber stops being so prominent, this allows the oud, incense and musk to begin to be felt. This moment where all the notes are perceived is the best part of the fragrance as it is a balance between the warm and cozy of the rose with the dark, dry and rough of the oud and musk. That combination of notes makes you feel in a Middle Eastern mosque where the air is flooded by the smoke of burning woods and incenses while the floor is soaked with rose water. As the hours pass the rose is almost no longer perceived at all and you are left with a dark perfume where labdanum, oud and a black and quite animalic musk are the notes that will be perceived until the end. In this composition the oud is not fully felt since the incense and musk steal its spotlight and hide it a bit. The longevity of this perfume is quite considerable, the first 2 hours you will perceive the roses and amber, the next 2 hours will be this balance point between the roses and the oud and for the next 10 hours the dark and deep part of the fragrance will be perceived. It should be clarified that it is better to test the perfume on skin as this is where the fragrance really develops since on a blotter most of the time you will feel this intermediate point of the fragrance which is incredible but you will not know how it genuinely evolves on your skin. The projection is considerable the first 4 hours of the perfume.

It’s a blend of rose, oud, and resin that delivers on its promises. Unfortunately, it just didn’t work for me: at first, the rose is way too dominant and smells like grandma. Once it dries down, the oud takes over, but honestly, it doesn’t stand out compared to what’s available on the market now. It definitely has its audience, but it’s not for me.

Oud Ispahan is one of Dior’s best-sellers, the most oriental and daring in the collection. It opens with an intense rose, almost like rose water from mosques, accompanied by warm, sweet amber notes. At first, you barely notice the oud or the dark notes; the opening feels synthetic and overwhelming to me because of that sweet rose, though it varies depending on who wears it. Over time, the rose fades in intensity and the amber stops dominating, letting the oud, incense, and musk shine through. That middle stage is the best: a balance between the warmth of the rose and the darkness and rawness of the oud and musk. Imagine yourself in a Middle Eastern mosque: the air thick with wood and incense smoke, while the floor is soaked in rose water. Then the rose disappears, leaving a dark perfume with labdanum, oud, and a black, animalic musk. Here, the oud isn’t the absolute star because the incense and musk steal some of the spotlight. The longevity is brutal: 2 hours of rose and amber, 2 hours of balance, and another 10 hours of that dark, deep side. Best to test it on skin because on paper, you’ll only smell that incredible middle note without knowing how it evolves on you. The projection is strong for the first 4 hours.

It’s the twin brother of Oud Touch by Franck Olivier, with about 85% similarity. A fantastic and intense aroma, perfect for autumn and the coldest seasons.