Oud Monarch by Bortnikoff

We start with an infinite base and a scent that screams quality: it’s Bortnikoff, and it shows. It opens with a dense floral explosion that gives it some shine, though relative. With Bortnikoff, there’s always that floating resinous and balsamic sensation that isn’t declared but is felt. The shine is relative because the fragrance is deep and warm. The flowers join hands, and then in the dry down, the oud with cocoa. There are spices and an animal touch that isn’t torturous. All of this with a delicate musk. It’s a fragrance with elegant aplomb and aristocratic distinction. Now I’m calling myself Eduard, and I receive homage in my imagination. Smells great. Ultra-elegant, warm, and deep; it demands a certain attire, but today I don’t care, I’m enjoying it a lot. Cold days, formal situations, like the day they declare me Sir of my town. Lasts several hours, 6/7/8, and isn’t excessively projective. It warms. A masterpiece. The price, well, that’s Bortnikoff.

Oud Monarch is one of the fragrances that transports me to ancient times. Times of craftsmanship where the perfumer, with his tinctures and oils drop by drop, and with mastery, soaks his cloth and launches the perfume into the air to perceive its trail. Perfumes for personalities. For counts, dukes, queens, monarchs. A fragrance of immense depth and great delicacy. With a magical trail. Dominated by dense and resinous Thai and Indonesian oud combined with cocoa, it has enormous depth, to which vanilla also contributes, though not dominant. All wrapped in light rose notes in the heart and luminous floral touches at the beginning that last a short while and lift the density. What a beautiful combination and richness of ingredients. True bottled beauty. Greetings!

One of my favorite Bortnikoffs, one of my gourmands, and one of my ouds all in one. A delicious perfume with a mix of components—predominantly cocoa, oud, and animal notes—very well balanced, nothing excessive, that creates something distinct, elegant, and very tasty. Close to the skin, it’s one of the most delicious scents I’ve ever smelled.

A Bortnikoff gourmand. The opening is a vanilla base where the oud smells woody (nothing dirty) and the cocoa is prominent, accompanied by a bit of tobacco and cinnamon in the background. First-class quality here; you’ll smell genuine oud. Remember that in designer and many niche perfumes, it’s synthetic; if it’s real, they use it sparingly. Outperforming Bortnikoff in quality is fantasy. I’m a fan of the oud-rose combo, but I appreciate this oud-cacao one. Some say it smells like chocolate; that’s a lie. Let’s understand: A) Cocoa is the fruit. B) Cocoa powder is processed cocoa. C) Chocolate is a mess with sugar. D) Oud Monarch has cocoa. Modest projection with high longevity. If you like Kutay Russian Oud, etc., this is excellent. It’s not hard to see why it’s one of the brand’s most popular. The best in that collection and until today, my favorite. Wonderful!