Special Oud

To Buy or Not to Buy?

If Special Oud were a movie character, it would be a knock-off James Bond villain – all the posturing but none of the sophistication or gravitas. He might be wearing a velvet suit from a discount retailer.

Olfactory Experience

Special Oud launches with a potent cardamom and nutmeg blast, spiced but with a surprising medicinal edge, similar to a cherry cough syrup. The saffron adds a subtle leathery dryness. The heart attempts the kulfi accord, but reads more as a generic sweetened cream, missing the pistachio nuance of its inspiration. The rose is dialed down, almost imperceptible. As it dries, the base emerges dominated by vanilla and amber, creating a cloying sweetness. The promised woody notes are muted, yielding a plasticky drydown. The absence of sandalwood, a key element in the original, is definitely noticed.

Wear time & Sillage

I got about six hours of wear from Special Oud, with projection that extends to about an arm's length for the first hour, settling closer to the skin afterward. I wore it during a moderately cool evening out. It struggled to cut through the ambient scents and felt somewhat suffocating by the end of the night.