AREEJ LE DORE
THE HISTORY OF INDONESIAN OUD
2023
PERFUMER
Russian Adam
Indonesian Oud
According to Russian Adam this fragrance has captured the scent of heated up resins. It’s said to have a sweetness and rich, deep spiciness. The only composition in this History Of Oud collection that’s not been infused with smoke/vapors.
This is part of the History Of Ouds collection. Most are on the more expensive side, but this Indonesian Oud was the outlier at $160/22ml, so I went in for a blind-buy. Here’s why I am happy that I did, although I may not keep it in my collection indefinitely.
Indonesian Oud is comprised solely of its namesake material. So maybe it’s not a surprise that this is one of the less complex Areej Le Dore offerings that I’ve tried (aside from the Indian attars from last year).
This reads mostly as a patchouli scent to me. Now patchouli, albeit an interesting scent profile, is rarely comforting enough for me to actually wear frequently. Time has shown again and again that I end up selling most of the patchouli fragrances that I started out really enjoying. In the case of Indonesian Oud, I feel I may have found one that works for me, but time will tell.
As with patchouli, this oud is sweet, earthy and spicy. What sets it apart however, is a strong cola scent. It has the sweet spiciness akin to cinnamon and maybe pepper, mixed with a syrupy almost fizzy core that really makes this come across as cola to me. It’s not as bright and acidic as the opening of Roja’s Enigma Pour Homme, but it does stick around longer.
While very earthy, Indonesian Oud isn’t all that green. It reminds me a little bit of Pekji Battaniye (a great earthy patchouli) or the tingling henna flower from Dixit & Zak Oud Rosa.
When smelling my skin up close, this is a tad too earthy. In the air, the cola tinge lasts for the entire wear, making this highly enjoyable. Also, I think it will layer great with other fragrances, especially rose or other substantial florals.
I enjoyed it so much, that I bought a back-up bottle to be sure (I ended up giving that away in my Best Of 2023 awards). I know that long-time Russian Adam fans crave the more complex and heavy stuff, but my favorites so far are Gul Hina and Indonesian Oud (which is good news for my wallet). Definitely worth a try, also for those that aren’t knee-deep in the oud realm.