Zaurac by Spirit Of Kings

Zaurac is exactly what everyone says: a spicy perfume with dark, elegant wood, a happy clone of Oud Wood, very decent and well-executed. I think the only difference, well explained below, is that among the variants, this one is the most polished and balanced, although in the dry-down it takes on a slightly clean aspect. Having tried the others, I feel it doesn’t surpass the original or Carved Oud, but it’s not bad at all and could be one of the good alternatives considering the price. Rating: 7.5/10.

When the clone is better… Has anyone heard ‘With a little help from my friends’ by Joe Cocker? It’s brutally superior to The Beatles’ original, so iconic that many don’t even realize it’s a cover until ‘The Wonder Years’ made it famous. Eighteen years ago, Tom Ford’s Oud Wood marked a before and after in fresh woody perfumes; it blew my mind, and I bought several bottles. With that success, other brands tried to replicate it: Fragrance Du Bois, Nishane, Thameen, and Spirit of Kings. Zaurac is the best Oud Wood (EDP) clone with higher-quality ingredients at a much lower price (and for 100ml). I sense more body and better craftsmanship. It’s linear with slightly better performance. It respects the texture of the original, but I insist: the only difference is that it feels higher quality and has more body. Comparing clones: Carved Oud (Thameen) is soft and polished, like a sanded and varnished wooden table versus the untreated table of the original, with modest performance. Oud Noir Intense (FDB) dries similarly but has below-average performance, neither great nor terrible. Kredo (Nishane) is a strange mix between ‘Unutamam’ and Oud Wood, dense, smoky, spicy, and addictive; an interesting twist, a very good Frankenstein. Provenzano did an excellent job with Zaurac; there’s no originality, but I don’t care. It’s a higher-quality offering than the cheap Arabic original; possibly the older brother of Oud Wood (Parfum) with its $445 price for 50ml would be a more balanced comparison.

I bought it blind and loved it. I wanted Tom Ford’s Oud Wood, but I saw reviews saying Zaurac was better and cheaper. I don’t know what the original smells like, but I rarely smell ingredients so well-crafted and realistic. It stands out at first for the cardamom, which I’m not a huge fan of, but once it dried down and the notes blended, I changed my mind. Its oud isn’t challenging; it’s perfect for beginners in the world of oud, though I recommend it for those over 23-25 or mature people seeking elegance. It’s super versatile: dates, weddings, the office (if you’re the boss), or any place where you wear a polo. It works better on cold nights, but it also works in spring without much heat, although performance varies. The box and bottle are gorgeous and of extremely high quality, heavy and worthy of the 190 euros. The sillage is moderate, but I get those ‘bursts’ of scent from time to time, just like with Layton. It smells like a millionaire, and who doesn’t like money? I don’t see why anyone would be uncomfortable with it, but learn from my mistake: don’t buy blind (unless you like the adrenaline, hahaha).

I agree with @ngarcia; it’s a good alternative to Tom Ford’s Oud Wood, with better longevity on my skin. I can vouch for that since I’ve tested both.

It’s the twin of Tom Ford’s Oud Wood; the quality and blend are top-notch. If the original didn’t exist, this wouldn’t lose anything. It’s more potent than I expected, finer, and a bit less earthy, very close to the original. Performance: about 7 hours with moderate projection.