DIOR
OUD ISPAHAN

2018

PERFUMER
Francois Demachy

LABDANUM
PATCHOULI
OUD
ROSE
SANDALWOOD

Oud Ispahan was first released in 2012 OUD ISPAHAN (2012). It was reformulated in 2018 OUD ISPAHAN (2018).

‘NAME
Oud Ispahan elegantly embraces an oriental identity: it is the olfactory translation of an Oriental palace, where shimmering hues meld with intoxicating scents to become one.

CHARACTER
Sophisticated charm and a traveler’s soul influence the powerful character and accents of Oud Ispahan. It is an uncompromising fragrance that highlights its woody force with the spicy, decisive character of Damascus Rose.

DISTINCTIVE FEATURE
Oud Ispahan is a fragrance that arouses curiosity and invites you on an olfactory journey with its oriental soul tinged with a floral softness.

COLOUR
The ochre hue of the Oriental palace that inspired the fragrance and the intense red of the Damascus Rose.

FAMILY
Oud-floral. It is the member of the Maison Christian Dior family of precious Ouds with a floral signature. A captivating fragrance that gives this olfactory evocation of the Orient a powerful identity, based on an Oud accord adorned with the softness of Rose.

INTENSITY
Oud Ispahan is an intense fragrance that cannot be forgotten.’ – Dior

‘Oud Ispahan opens the doors to an ochre-walled Oriental palace filled with captivating fragrances. The smoky trail of smoldering Wood, the softness of floral Water lingering on washed hands. It is the fragrance of this voluptuous atmosphere where odors of Rose, Frankincense and Resin waft in the air. A fragrance as velvety plump as the Roses of the Orient.’ – Francois Demachy

This review is about the 2018 reformulated version of Oud Ispahan.

Oud Ispahan is a great balance of a rose with soapy, earthy and fruity hints and a saffron and oud base. The saffron gives the fragrance a leathery edge as it dries. The opening has a bit of a rugged edge, although these newer formulations supposedly miss the real kick of the original releases. I still think it’s quite loud with a bit of edge and solid performance overall.

There’s a sweetness that comes through. Labdanum is listed, but it can get really sugary sweet. The longer my (40ml) bottle of Oud Ispahan sat on my shelves, the more sugary it became, to the point that I almost found it juvenile, at least for what Oud Ispahan should be in my perception.

This rose and oud (and patchouli and saffron) style has been done to death, but Oud Ispahan is a reference point for it. As mentioned, the newer bottle gets too sweet for my taste eventually, but this may also depend on the batch or how it ages. Generally speaking, I’m still a fan of Oud Ispahan, but it would be nice if Dior dared to keep it on the daring side.