MEMO PARIS
SHAMS OUD

2011

PERFUMER
Alienor Massenet

Pepper
Rose
Ginger
Saffron
Cypriol
Cashmeran
Tonka Bean
Tolu Balsam Absolute
Styrax Absolute
Labdanum Absolute
Oud

‘Shams means “sun” in Arabic, and the supreme star is indeed the glowing hearth of the fragrance, the inspiration for its woody, leather-scented incandescence, its blazing accents, the golden color of the fragrance. And the Shams formula has all the density of a spell. The warm, amber effect – in a word, solar – reaches its zenith with oud, that powerful wood resin, animal and mysterious, that transports us to the land of Arabian Nights.’ – Memo Paris

Memo is a brand that hasn’t been able to impress me as much as I’d like to (African Leather being my favorite), but Shams Oud escaped me for the longest and I was pleasantly surprised when I smelled it.

This is a natural smelling, spicy and heavy scent. It kind of reminds me of dry Tobacco and cigars, with a bitter tinge. Pepper is very strongly present straight away and Shams Oud can be a bit overwhelming at first.

It’s smoky; Fragrantica lists birch tar, but my retail sample card, doesn’t; either way it has that type of charred smokiness throughout with the dry, leaning towards muddy cashmeran in the base (Fragrantica lists vetiver, whereas the official card reads cashmeran and no vetiver).

Overall a very dry and pungent experience, with just enough warmth and sweetness to make it wearable. Not a style I would easily pull off, but somehow Shams Oud pulls me in. Daring in the way it’s charred, slightly animalic perhaps even, but well-blended to take some edges off. I’m impressed.