VERSACE
OUD NOIR

2013

Black pepper
Bitter Orange
Neroli

Saffron
Cardamom
frankincense

Oud
Patchouli
Leatherwood

Oud Noir was one of my first purchases when I started getting into the fragrance hobby. I had sampled it alongside Tom Ford Oud Wood, which it seems to copy (somewhat) and to my own surprise (and others’ disgust), I may actually prefer Versace Oud Noir to this day.

That’s not to say that it’s an objectively better fragrance. Oud Noir smells highly unnatural and frankly, a bit grating and acidic in the opening. It’s brighter than Oud Wood and to my nose it smells less ‘old’.

Especially in the drydown, Oud Noir does a solid job for this scent profile to me and I’ve worn it quite a bit, before eventually passing it along to a family member as my collection grew.