Edition Rare Petroleum by Histoires de Parfums

Oud, Bergamot, Aldehyde.
Rose, Oud, Amber.
Oud, Civet Absolute, Leather, Patchouli, White Musk.

Yowza ! So, you like your openings full of smoky and leathery oud do you? This is slightly charred embers still hot and wrapped inside a leather satchel. The leather isn't burnt, but the heat has been building up inside of it.

There's intermittent, olfactory references to Mona di Orio's Cuir, but they are more akin to passing nods of acknowledgement. I'm referring to the smoke and leather when I make that statement. Petroleum is also a chameleon and does not remain this way for long.

Impressive to say the least and what's more admirable is the way Petroleum evolves through each stage of development. As the smoky leather and wood settle and dissipate some, a resinous amber begins pushing its way into the accord. It smells like labdanum to me, but regardless, it's very welcome and a terrific, complimentary note. The oud is soft but firm and a polite mainstay throughout. By this stage, I'm convinced that petroleum is a contemporary, westernized oud tuned to bring enthusiasts into the fold that are on the fence with oud in general.

While the heart reveals resins and dry rose, the base accord maintains leathery oud with a calm smoke surrounding it. During drydown, earth tones manifest along with a very sensual musk. The civet seems to be attenuated to assist the musk in being seductive. I expected it to be more prominent, but as it stands, it's right on the money.

This is a provocative oud and I must say for the record that I like it very much. Sillage is good and longevity is 6 hours plus on my skin. Thumbs up from Aromi for Edition Rare Petroleum by Histoires de Parfums. Those searching for an oud with more versatility, give this baby a ride and as always, a sample wear is recommended.

Comments

Black Suede by Avon

Nutmeg, Clove, Amber, Musk, Moss, Wood Notes. Yes.........I am reviewing one of the Rodney Dangerfield's of fragrance. Black Suede has been gracing medicine cabinets, for better or worse, since 1980 my friends. If you're expecting me to inform you ( like others may have already ) that Black Suede is a nasty scrubber, you will be disappointed. On the other hand, if you're expecting a glowing review claiming it's a diamond in the rough, you won't hear that from me either. I will say though that Black Suede doesn't deserve the hate it's received and most of that is due to snobbery aimed at Avon products in general. I kid you not when I state that a close relative to this fragrance is Cacharel Pour L'Homme. The array of spice in both ensure comparison, but the "smoother" of the two is Black Suede due to its implementation of Amber. While wearing Black Suede, one can detect a hint of "drugstore". That quality doesn't manife...

Oriental Lounge by The Different Company

Bergamot, Curry Leaf, Pepper, Red Rose, Tonka Bean, Labdanum, Satinwood. I suppose the first thing I noticed about Oriental Lounge is that as a man, this is a bit of a stretch to pull off. Since the core of Oriental Lounge is a powdery tonka and amber duo, it really does lean a bit too far feminine for me to wear. However, it would smell just as lovely on a woman and more appropriate as well. I bring this up simply because it's marketed as shared. I was wondering about the curry leaf. Actually, this "note" brought nothing to the table with the exception of possibly enhancing the pepper note just a bit. Even so, the pepper note itself was low key ( at least on me ) and both blended nicely with the citrus opening. From the onset of Oriental Lounge, it's unmistakable that this fragrance is.......well.....an oriental. From other opinions, I read some gripes about longevity, but it lasts on me quite awhile. This fragrance is uncomplicated and without much movemen...

Chanel copying Guerlain. Why?

Last month, I had the pleasure of trying Comète by Chanel, the latest addition to their prestigious Les Exclusifs line. This fragrance follows the release of Le Lion in 2020, another standout in the same collection. Like Le Lion , Comète is a beautiful perfume that captures the essence of Chanel’s refined elegance. However, both fragrances bear a striking resemblance to classic creations by Guerlain, leading me to ponder the direction Chanel is taking. Chanel has a great fragrance history. Not as hallowed and old as Guerlain but for past three decades it has far outshone Guerlain. In my view, no other perfume house has come close to Chanel’s excellence in this century. This makes their recent approach of echoing Guerlain classics somewhat perplexing. Have they run out of fresh ideas? Is Roger Dove at the helm of their fragrance division, or have they perhaps...

Il Mondo di Odore

Search This Blog