N°1 Oud by Etienne Aigner

Coriander, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Jasmine, Rose, Violet, Clove, Oud, Leather, Cashmeran, Saffron.

Etienne Aigner has been perhaps my favorite designer house over the course of 4-plus decades. With N°1 Oud, they have released a westernized "oud" in keeping with the likes of Ferrari Essence Oud. On my skin, N°1 wears like a Ferrari-Lite flanker. Not as heavy or dense, nor as pungent as the Ferrari, yet good in its own right and especially so now since the prices have come down to $40-50 NIB for 100ml. It leans masculine and is marketed as such, but masculines these days just aren't as macho as some used to be. That's not necessarily a bad thing.

N°1 Oud is a scent I like to wear in these cold, winter months. It's simply appropriate and it exudes a warmth during the wearings. It opens a bit sheer and completely developed. The contrast of the violet and clove notes is surprisingly enjoyable. I didn't expect to like it, especially since nutmeg is also listed, but somehow it all works.

Once the spices dissipate after 10 minutes ,to a lower volume, what remains on me is a soft cherry agar note. This is accented with a leathery quality and it compliments the woods nicely. There's no conventional development on my skin, but it's all good. All that matters is that the totality smells good.......and it does. Sillage is moderate with longevity approximately 4-5 hours before reapplication. Thumbs up from Aromi for Aigner N°1 Oud and as always, a sample wear is highly recommended.