OUD ESSENTIEL by Guerlain

Brand: Guerlain ^{pronounce in French} 
Perfume: Oud essentiel ^{pronounce in French} 
Concentration: edp
Notes: saffron, oud, cedarwood, leather, frankincense
♔Ingredients: Alcohol, Parfum (Fragrance), Aqua (Water), Citronellol, Geraniol, Limonene, Farnesol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Linalool, Eugenol, Citral, Benzyl Alcohol, Isoeugenol
♔Information on the packaging: © Copyright Guerlain. Guerlain - 68, Champs-Élysées, 75008 Paris, UK KT12 4NH
♔Brand owner (now): LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton SE, France - www.lvmh.com, www.guerlain.com
♔Made in France.

  It smells medicinal, citrussy and sour, and my mind goes to the essential oil of Rhododendron anthopogon.

There it is also a bitterness which goes hand in hand with the medicinal aspect and recalls the moment when you take some pills but accidentally bite into them instead of swallowing them whole. The bitterness connects with the citrussy element as well to give the impression of lemon peel.

Oud essentiel feels vegetaly fresh and cold, and no woodiness or dryness is on the horizon.

Right from the beginning, I perceive something almost industrial and a little harsh. I say almost because the dosage is perfect. Its presence is so low that it does not disturb at any time unlike the opening of Oud by Robert Piguet or the prolonged discomfort in Rien by État libre d'Orange, Tonnerre by Beaufort London and Malt by Akro.

I would have not thought that the juxtaposition of similarly unpleasant (in theory) odours—the industrial on the one hand, and the bitter and sour on the other hand—could have a positive finality. I remember that moment when I read in a recipe book that you should serve the cooked Brussels sprouts with mustard. I found the recommendation strange, considering that two such individualistic flavours would clash. To my surprise, it was successful, as the mustard cut through the bitterness of the sprouts.

Although it is mostly a linear fragrance, I get a slight earthiness in the drydown when it also loses some of the initial edge. I enjoy how the sweetness keeps a low profile and it is here only to provide roundness, not to shine.

I sometimes notice a mothball note which, combined with the lemon peel, generates the feeling of partially wearing Bois Bélize intense by Nicolaï parfumeur-créateur. And I love that. I think the effect appears in the summer months.

My nose says that Oud essentiel is made of quality ingredients and it brings me pleasure every time that I wear it.

My verdict: 9 out of 10.