Oud perfume notes: what oud smells like and which FAAN bottles use it

What oud smells like (and what it does not)

Oud, also called agarwood, comes from a dark resin that forms inside certain trees. In perfume it smells of wood that has been near a fire: deep, balsamic, a little smoky, with a leathery or even slightly medicinal edge. It can also have a sweet, honeyed side. It does not smell of a pine forest, a fresh cedar pencil or a sauna. Think of old furniture polish, a leather bag and incense in one breath.

The product data lists oud as a note. It does not say whether it is natural oud or an oud-style accord, and we do not claim either.

How perfumers use oud: top, heart or base

Oud is heavy, so it almost always lives in the base. It lasts for hours, anchors lighter notes and gives the scent a dark floor. Perfumers then decide what to put on top of it. Fruit makes it friendly. Resin and spice make it ceremonial. Flowers make it romantic.

Oud in the FAAN range

Two bottles list oud, both in the base.

• Qasida Sahm is an Eau de Parfum written for him. It opens with mango, lemon, pink berries, ginger, raspberry, green mandarin and bergamot, moves through blue coumarin, jasmine, cedar, dry woods, cardamom, lavender and clary sage, and ends on oud with nagarmotha, musk, amber, a leather accord, vetiver and wolfwood. The tagline says it: fruit first, dark oud last. Projection 3, longevity 4, listed for autumn and spring.
• Amjad Honour is an Extrait de Parfum with frankincense, elemi and cardamom on top, patchouli, rose and saffron in the heart, and vanilla, amber, oud, ambergris and benzoin in the base. Projection 4, longevity 5, listed for autumn and winter, one of our best sellers.

No other FAAN bottle lists oud, so if you see the word used loosely elsewhere, check the notes on the product page.

What it is paired with in these pyramids

In Sahm, oud meets nagarmotha (an earthy, smoky root), musk and amber, with leather and vetiver for dryness. That makes it a dry, woody, slightly dusty oud. In Honour, it meets vanilla, amber, ambergris and benzoin, which are sweet, soft and resinous, so the oud reads smoother and warmer.

Same note, two characters: dry and masculine in Sahm, plush and resinous in Honour. Our Sahm review describes the first, and the Honour review the second.

Wearing advice: season, sprays, who tends to like it

• Two sprays are enough for either bottle.
• Honour belongs to autumn and winter. Sahm is the milder, listed for autumn and spring too.
• People who like leather, incense, dark woods and old libraries tend to like oud. People who dislike anything smoky or medicinal tend not to.
• If you have never worn oud, spray a little on a scarf rather than skin, and judge it after an hour.

If you like oud, start with Amjad Honour

Honour wraps oud in sweetness, which makes it the gentle way in. If you find it too deep, Sahm has a fruity opening that eases you in and a lighter Eau de Parfum concentration. For another note often found beside oud, read our guide to amber in perfume and the one on cardamom. The full range is in all FAAN perfumes.

FAQ

Does Qasida Sahm contain oud?

Yes, oud is listed in its base notes, together with nagarmotha, musk, amber, a leather accord, vetiver and wolfwood.

Is oud only for men?

No. Amjad Honour, which lists oud, is listed as unisex.

Is oud always strong?

It is a long-lasting note, but how loud it feels depends on what surrounds it. In Honour it is one of several resins.

Related reading

• Amber in perfume and the FAAN bottles that use it
• FAAN Qasida Sahm review: notes, strength and when to wear it
• Cardamom in perfume and the FAAN bottles that use it