It was on my birthday trip to Boston this summer on which I discovered the oud offerings from Byredo. That house has never been one to produce particularly potent scents – they err on the lighter side of things – whispers of elegance ad slivers of sophistication – but nothing strange enough to merit the higher price points. (‘Black Saffron’ is one of the main exceptions.) They have a pair of oud frags – ‘Oud Immortal’ and ‘Accord Oud’ – and it was between these two that I was torn.
After sampling both, I decided on the ‘Accord Oud’ and its rich, leathery darkness. Opening with a powerhouse trio of blackberry, saffron and rum – it has elements of the exquisite ‘Straight to Heaven’ By Kilian and and undercurrent of Tom Ford‘s ‘Oud Wood’ and ‘Tuscan Leather‘. After a while, the scent deepens with the leather accord, clary sage and patchouli – and the rollercoaster has begun.
The first time I tried it, the city was hot and humid, and I showered it off after an hour or so – much too soon to get the full fragrance journey, especially of this beast. Still, it was enough to sell me – except for the Boston Saks, which did not have this one in stock. I had to wait to order it online from Bergdorf and Goodman. You snooze on your inventory, you lose on a sale.
It arrived a few days later, and when the calendar clicked to fall, I hastened to give it an office whirl. All the excitement and anticipation for a new fall fragrance – something I’d missed during the stay-home doldrums of 2020 – was dampened with a disappointing first time out. It smelled more synthetic and harsh than I remembered, and then it tapered quickly off – the worst of both worlds. Luckily, that may have only been the first few squirts of the bottle, for the next few times I tried it, the magic of that first try was back in full effect.
This is testament to the notion that the mark of a decent perfume or cologne – and how it performs – depends on numerous individual factors, and requires time to fully appreciate and understand. When this goes on me now, it still develops differently each time, and it varies based on whether it lands on my clothing or skin. The last time I tried it there were elements of Tom Ford’s ‘Soleil Brulant’ in the best possible way, when it rose up after a full day on the front of my shirt. On quiet days, and when it stays close to my skin, the leather is what comes out most. I like such unpredictability in our vastly unstable world, and I’ve come to appreciate it more than ever.
