Ombre de Louis Privezarah

Olfactory Experience

Ombre de Louis Privezarah starts strong, immediately recognizable as "inspired by" something quite opulent. The incense is prominent, but not a resinous church incense; more like burning raspberry-scented incense sticks in a poorly ventilated teen's bedroom. There's a medicinal cherry cough syrup accord battling the incense for dominance. The heart attempts oud and rose, but the oud is a whisper, a suggestion of barnyard, quickly overtaken by a cloying sweetness. It dries down to an amberwood scratchiness with a hint of plastic, reminiscent of a doll's head left in the sun. The geranium is barely detectable, sadly. It misses the original's nuanced leather and smoother ambergris.

To Buy or Not to Buy?

Wearing Ombre de Louis Privezarah is like attending a high-society event in a rented tuxedo that smells faintly of mothballs. You get the impression of luxury, the *idea* of the original, but the finer details, the elegant touches that truly make it special, are conspicuously absent. You save money, certainly, but you also sacrifice refinement.

Projection Power

On my skin, longevity is surprisingly good, sticking around for 7-8 hours. The projection is initially monstrous, easily filling a room within the first two hours, settling to about an arm's length for the remaining time. I tested this during a rainy afternoon at home. It was too loud and insistent for such a relaxed environment. This is strictly an evening or outdoor scent.