A few years ago, I attended a dance performance that was a mixed bill of classical and modern. After the audience was treated to two long modern pieces, in which dancing was somehow secondary to scenery, it let out a collective sign of pleasure and relief,when the curtain rose to reveal a classical ballet set. This incident illustrates my feelings about the latest launch from Serge Lutens. Having been uninspired by Nuit de Cellophane, bored by L’Eau and mildly interested in Bas de Soie, I find Boxeuses a welcome return of Lutens’ seductive, romantic and smoldering Oriental muse.

A woody-leathery composition, Boxeuses (which means “boxer” in French) will strike a chord in an ardent Lutens lover, especially those of us who yearn for Lutensian darkness and its tendency to perplex. The dominant element of Boxeuses is leather, which is set against a dark woody accord. Before the full richness of the leather drydown unfolds, the prelude of ambery-leathery and unctuous castoreum as well as incense-smoky labdanum sets the stage. Moreover, the contrast with sweet and floral notes allows one to experience the beautiful richness of smoky leather, crafted along the lines of Russian leather, which combines the birch tar smokiness and the animalic aggressiveness of isobutyl quinoline (classical leather aroma-material.)

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This post first appeared in October 2009, but I would like to remind you of this refreshing, fuschia tinted drink, which is perfect on these hot summer days. I have also been making it lately with Thai basil, which produces a lovely peach colored liquid.

Few things remind me more of summer than basil. Its interplay of bitter peppery notes and sweet licorice-anise is made vivid by the dark, tangy verdancy, a perfect counterpoint. In perfumery, it is a classical herbal note, used in both masculine and feminine fragrances for its cooling aromatic effect. Paired with citrus, it makes for a scintillating sensation. Thus, Hermes in-house perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena relies on the green note of basil to wrap its grapefruit accords in fragrances like Hermessence Rose Ikebana and Eau de Pamplemousse Rose. In fact, the combination of basil and lemon is a perfect one to appropriate for gastronomical explorations, whether one wishes to compose a simple salsa or a fish marinade. Furthermore, I would like to suggest another idea–a chilled drink that traces its roots to the Middle Eastern sherbet tradition. It is an essence of summer in a glass.

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Fragrances that can truly go from morning to night are quite rare, especially if one would like a sheer, understated sillage. Either one is wrapped in a thick scent veil all day long, or else there is hardly anything left by the end of the workday. Jo Malone Vanilla Anise is a rare exception, a transparent fragrance with a decent tenacity. Moreover, in contrast to many other Jo Malone fragrances, it has a beautiful body and a memorable drydown, despite being gauzy and light.

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The aroma that set the imagination of Middle Eastern poets and Sufi mystics aflame is a fascinating product of the process that via slow deterioration brings immortality. Oud is a resin released by Aquilaria tree species in order to protect themselves against fungus that decomposes their bark and branches. Developing over many decades, oud is priced above rubies. The high quality oud is a true dark gold, its fragrance ethereal and complex, blending nuances of ambergris, sweet incense, tobacco and wood. The lower grades, on the other hand, have a sharp, dark, less nuanced and pleasant scent. Its rich fragrance is used for scenting mosques and clothes in the Middle East, and it is believed that oud can ward off the evil eye as well as attract lovers.

A brief glimpse at the list of fragrances launched over the past couple of years and the launches still ahead this year make it patently clear that oud has been an au courant note for the first decade of our millennium. From Trish McEvoyto Tom Ford, it appears either as a central note or as a main component of a woody accord. At this rate, we might even see Bath & Body Works “Warm Vanilla Oudh”! On the one hand, the popularity of this complex note is surprisingly, for it is certainly not an easy scent to appreciate—sharp, animalic, pungent, intense. On the other, it is an exciting backnote for modern fragrances, lending a new dimension to the compositions. It pairs well with the traditional oriental notes, from rose to vanilla, as well as with the crisp modern ambers and the effervescent hersperidic notes. It should be noted that oud found in many fragrances is not the precious natural oil, which is not only quite rare, but also quite expensive. Still, a number of oud bases I have smelled have an interesting character that captures some of the features of the natural material, which is rich and seductive.

Therefore, I would like to give an overview of 25 or so of the oud dominated fragrances on the market and to highlight a few others to explore.

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