THE HARMONIST
OUD NEBULA

2024

PERFUMER
Guillaume Flavigny

laurel
oud
saffron
tonka bean
bulgarian rose
amber
cedarwood
leather
sandalwood

‘Oud Nebula is a fragrance that beautifully honours the essence of rare, time-old materials. Elevated top notes of laurel and saffron unfurl to reveal a dazzling beating heart of leather, sandalwood and tonka bean above a hypnotic closing overture of amber, shimmering with oud. It’ll make no less than a classic, timeless addition to your collection.’ – Harrods

I’d heard Oud Nebula being described as ‘overly leathery’ prior to trying it and for my personal taste, I 100% agree. This is a well-constructed, pretty common leather scent to my nose, especially as it dries down.

The opening has more of the floral tinge to it, but still with a suede and saffron leather core. It’s instantly on the dark side, with a minor silver lining. As the wear progresses, it becomes sweeter.

It morphs from a… refined? leather, with some shoe polish qualities that reminded me (off the top of my head) a bit of Atelier Materi Cuir Nilam, to a more horse-saddle, sweeter, barnyardy leather on my skin. A lot of ambrette-like nuttiness, bordering on almond, and while not as sweet and woody perhaps as for example Matiere Premiere Falcon Leather, I was reminded of that DNA here too.

I know that oud can take many forms, including leathery ones, but I wasn’t reminded of an oud fragrance with Oud Nebula per se. Much more a leather that I’ve smelled a couple of times before. I’d put Oud Nebula over the more muddy earthy sweet Maison Crivelli Oud Stallion as far as ‘oud’ leathers that I’ve reviewed in the broad direction, but I wasn’t a big fan of that one.

Oud Nebula is well done, but it’s not for me and not overly eccentric or exciting. And I don’t think it’s as nice for me personally as the aforementioned Cuir Nilam or the Falcon Leather Extrait either. It’s certainly not one of my favorites from The Harmonist.