Top 10 Best Oud Fragrances for Men

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Want to know what the best oud colognes are?

Well, my friend, today you’re in for a treat because we’ve just put together a complete list for you. Because here’s the thing…

Just about every fragrance company has jumped on the bandwagon and released its own oud scent. The problem?

Some of them are good. Some of them are GREAT. But… most of them are TRASH! Yep, it’s true, my friend. So…

We rolled-up our sleeves to separate the wheat from the chaff… And finally, after a TON of research and nose-testing 57 different ones — here are 10 worthy of your attention down below:

In a hurry?

Our Top 3 Picks:

• 1. Initio Parfums – Oud for Greatness
• 2. Tom Ford – Oud Wood
• 3. Creed – Royal Oud

Jump Links

• 10. YSL M7 Oud Absolu
• 9. Diptyque Oud Palao
• 8. Floris Honey Oud
• 7. Nasomatto Pardon
• 6. Jo Malone Oud & Bergamot
• 5. Acqua di Parma Oud
• 4. Versace Oud Noir
• 3. Creed Royal Oud
• 2. Tom Ford Oud Wood EDP
• 1. Initio Parfums Prives Oud for Greatness

#10 Yves Saint Laurent M7 Oud Absolu

Mature, Sophisticated & Masculine

In a nutshell:

YSL M7 Oud Absolu is a manly dark, spicy, smoky woody scent that is softened with some sweet-earthy patchouli, warm amber, and fruity orange citrus.

Here’s what you need to know:

YSL M7 Oud Absolu is a newer (improved 🙂) version of the iconic original “YSL M7” (which is now long discontinued). In case you don’t know…

Iconic YSL M7

YSL released the ground-breaking original M7 way back in the day whilst still under the creative direction of Tom Ford. Why was it considered ground breaking?

Well, get this, M7 was the first “westernized-oud” fragrance to be released by a well-known designer house. And M7 is what started off the entire oud craze in the western world. Oh…

And in case you’re wondering, M7 got its name because it was the 7th Male fragrance released by the house of Yves Saint Laurent. (Male 7) Anyway…

To be crystal clear, my friend.

More Refined Modern Version

This newer M7 Oud Absolu release does NOT smell exactly the same as the discontinued original M7. It’s very similar, but it’s softer and more refined. In fact, let me tell you how this newer improved version smells…

M7 Oud Absolu starts off with a blast of uplifting fresh fruity orange citruses mixed with some rich, dark woodiness. And…

As it settles on your skin, the orange fades and the oud begins to shine through. And it’s smoothed out with some earthy patchouli, warm amber, and whispers of resinous, smoky incense.

Warm Amber

It smells dark, earthy, and smoky — with a nice contrasting orange citrus and warm amber sweetness.

Now to be clear, my friend:

This is a serious-smelling scent. It’s mature and masculine, so I would say it’s more suited for classy guys aged at least 30-years and up. It’s also tailor-made for cool weather: fall/winter (and cool spring nights). And…

It’s perfect for formal/semi-formal, special occasions, work/office, etc.

Now, I should point something out:

Mature & Classy

If you’re looking for a room-filler, this is NOT it.

This is an EDT and doesn’t shout out for attention. We found it projects about an arm’s length for the first few hours. And then it sits closer to your skin, and we clocked it to last about 4–7+ hours.

That said, I would stick with 1–3 sprays MAX. 🙂

Update: Just a quick heads-up, YSL has now renamed this to simply “M7”. However, you can still discover both differently named versions available online. Do they smell the same, though?

Yes, my friend. In fact, we tested them both side-by-side and they both smell the same and they both last the same, so just grab whichever one you can find cheaper! 

Remember, though, both of these newer M7s do NOT smell the exact same as the now long-discontinued, first-ever original M7. (IMO, these newer versions smell more refined!)

Anyways, the first-ever release of M7 is rare, so it goes for bonkers money — and it’s NOT worth it, my friend. (Unless you’re a collector.)

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#9 Diptyque Oud Palao

Smoky Wood With a Hint of Rose

I’ll be brutally honest with you, my friend…

Oud Palao is a complex and daring fragrance. What do I mean? Well, this has a slightly animalic “skanky” woody note.

Seriously, this scent packs a punch, and is not for the faint hearted. What the?!? Who’s it for, then? 🤷‍♂️

Well, my friend, this is for those of you who have a more developed nose and looking for something challenging. So if that’s you, read on…

High Quality

In case you didn’t know, Diptyque is a French niche perfume house that create luxury fragrances and scented candles. But listen to this…

Diptyque’s Oud Palao often gets compared to another luxury fragrance called Oud Ispahan from Christian Dior’s high-end collection (which, incidentally, made it onto our best rose perfumes list).

And to be honest, they do smell quite similar and have the same sort of vibe. However, they also have their differences, too. Here’s what we found…

Oud Palao Vs Oud Ispahan

Oud Palao is:

• Denser and stronger
• Contains slightly less rose, so it leans more masculine
• More woody and smoky
• Oh, and more affordable!

To be honest, though:

BOTH are great. But if you want a more refined, upscale version (or you love rose), I urge you to try Oud Ispahan. Anyway, with that out the way…

Let me tell you how Diptyque Oud Palao smells:

Strong, Dark & Smoky

This opens up unapologetic, with a strong blast of dark smoky-oud, which is softened with a hint of slightly sweet, deep-red rose. And to reiterate:

This opening may be off-putting (especially if you’re new to oud). But please don’t disregard the fragrance just yet because the longer it’s on your skin — the better it gets…

Because when it starts to dry down, a pipe tobacco scent and a splash of boozy rum make an appearance to help tame and smooth the scent. And as the fragrance slowly develops…

Mysterious Vibe

Everything eventually morphs with some smooth, creamy sandalwood, a pinch of vanilla sweetness, and a touch of earthy patchouli.

It smells rich, dark, and woody. And complex and mysterious!

Now, this is unisex (but leans masculine), and it’s more suited for the mature 25+ crowd.

When to wear?

Formal/Semi-Formal

This is a heavy scent, so it’s geared for the fall and winter. My friend, definitely don’t wear it when it’s hot outside! Trust me on this. 🤦‍♂️

It’s great for formal, semi-formal, special occasions, nights out. However, I wouldn’t recommend this for the office/work as it’s simply too loud (that said, 1 spray under your shirt may work).

And there’s no doubt about it…

Performance is Insane!

You see, this is an EDP, and we found it jumps off skin for the first 2–3 hours (leaving a heavy scent trail).

And then it slowly starts to sit closer to your skin, and in our tests, we found it to last an impressive 7–10+ hours.

So be careful not to overspray, my friend, or it will end up wearing YOU. 😎

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#8 Floris Honey Oud

Does What it Says on The Bottle

No surprises here, my friend…

Because you get EXACTLY what the name on the bottle says: More specifically, a gorgeous, high-quality sweet honey and woody-oud scent.

What’s that? You say, who are Floris?

British Luxury House

If you didn’t know, Floris is a British family-owned luxury brand that has been creating fragrances since 1730.

Yes, you read that right, my friend, so they’ve been doing this stuff for 290+ years. They must be pretty good at it by now, right? 🙂 Anyway…

This scent is part the Floris family’s most prestigious range — their Private Collection. These are exclusively produced in small batches. But listen to this…

This scent was originally created exclusively for Harrods of London, and it contains genuine oud oil from a certified sustainable source of agarwood.

Private Collection Exclusive

So this is obviously not “cheap” and is definitely NOT for price shoppers.

With that said, let me quickly tell you how it smells…

This opens up with a blast of super-realistic-smelling, sweet, thick golden honey, with smooth, dry woody-oud sitting in the background. (Note: the honey is not overly sweet, though.)

Nice! 🍯🪵

And as it starts to settle, the oud begins to creep up and joins forces with the honey, and they remain the dominant players. And they are both supported with a soft fresh rose lurking in the background.

Super-Realistic Smelling

And eventually a hint of creamy vanilla, amber, and dark earthy patchouli show up to add some sophisticated depth.

And all these notes are perfectly blended and balanced:

It’s rich, it’s sweet, it’s warm… and it’s woody. And it smells incredibly luxurious and comforting.

Oh, and you’ll be pleased to know, it’s also unisex, so you can share it with your significant other.

Luxurious & Comforting

Now, this is more suited for the mature and sophisticated 25+ crowd for formal/semi-formal wear.

And as it’s quite bold, it’s more suited for the cooler weather. I would definitely avoid wearing this when it’s hot outside as we found that it becomes sickly sweet.

The good news:

This is long lasting as it’s an EDP, and we found it to be detectable on skin for around 7–10+ hours. Please note, though, it’s not a powerhouse.

Long Lasting

We found it radiates off skin, about an arm’s length, for the first few hours — creating a nice scent bubble around you.

However, it then slowly pulls back and hovers very close to your skin.

That said, go easy on the trigger as this is quite bold. Stick with 1–2 sprays and you’re good to go.

Oh, and finally, it’s worth mentioning:

Floris also take great pride with their presentation because this comes beautifully presented in a premium-looking box, which opens up to reveal the classy bottle sitting in a podium. Anyways…

If you love honey, don’t sleep on this.

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#7 Nasomatto Pardon

Luxurious Dark-Chocolatey Woods

In case you’re not familiar with Nasomatto, it’s an indie niche perfume house that create super-unique, daring luxurious fragrances. Oh, and by the way…

Although Nasomatto may sound like a Japanese brand, it’s actually an Italian brand based in Amsterdam — created by perfumer Alessandro Gualtieri (who calls himself ‘The Nose’). You see…

Nasomatto is simply two Italian words combined (Naso & Matto) — which translates to Crazy Nose. 🙂 Anyways, let’s take a quick smell of Pardon…

Addictive Aroma

Nasomatto’s Pardon opens up with a dry, bittersweet dark chocolate mixed with slightly smoky woody oud. And these are joined with whispers of cinnamon and white florals. And to be honest:

This opening could be harsh for some people (especially if you’re just getting into fragrances). But make no mistake, my friend, after about 15 minutes, it settles down into something truly special.

Because eventually, the oud amps up… and it’s smoothed out beautifully with some sandalwood and a hint of tonka bean sweetness. The end result?

Sophisticated, Dark & Mysterious

A sophisticated rich, dark-chocolatey woody aroma — with a nice hint of warm sweetness. 🍫🪵

It’s dark, it’s sexy, it’s mysterious. In fact, we found this to be a head turner; people want to know what you’re wearing.

Now, I should point something out:

Nasomatto’s Pardon is NOT for the young crowd; this is grown-men’s stuff. It’s a modern, sophisticated scent for mature well-groomed 30+ guys. Furthermore…

Special Occasions

Its dark, warm aroma is more appropriate to be worn ONLY in the cooler months: fall/winter (or very cool spring nights).

And I would say Pardon is more of a special-occasion scent: formal, black tie events, date nights, nights out, etc. By the way…

Pardon is an Extrait de Parfum (a strong concentration) that comes in a 1.0 fl oz (30 ml) bottle size, and it’s NOT cheap, my friend. But the good news…

A Little Goes a Long Way

Because this is HIGHLY concentrated, we found that you only need to use 1–2 sprays MAX… and you’re set for up to 8+ hours!

Furthermore, we found Pardon to project about an arm’s length for the first few hours (leaving a nice scent trail). And eventually, of course, it settles in closer to your skin.

Bonus: the bottle looks awesome and comes with a unique wooden cap. Plus, you also get a normal sized cap included, which makes it easier for travel with. So…

If you love the aroma of dark chocolate, don’t sleep on this!

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#6 Jo Malone Oud & Bergamot

A Fresh Interpretation

By the way, this pick also made it onto our best Jo Malone scents post. For good reason! Anyways, more importantly, how does it smell?

Well, no surprises here, my friend, because you get exactly what the name on the bottle says. Let’s break it down…

Bright, Sparkling Citruses

This opens up bright, with a blast of fresh, sparkling bergamot citruses, and a mellow-smelling dark, smoky, woody-oud sitting in the background.

And as it settles, the citruses start to fade, and then slowly the smooth, smoky woody-oud creeps to the surface. And is joined with some cedar and a hint of orange sweetness.

It’s crisp, fresh, and light. And it has a sophisticated feel to it, which attracts a LOT of compliments. Not surprised because listen to this…

This was actually created by award-winning master perfumer Christine Nagel (who is now the in-house perfumer for Hermès). Enough said. Oh, and…

Sophisticated

Please don’t let the name “Intense” on the bottle deceive you, my friend, because this is NOT intense-smelling (more on this in a second.) Intense simply refers to the concentration of the juice inside the bottle.

The beautiful part?

This scent is completely unisex — so you can share it with your significant other. Bonus. 🙂

Even better…

Super Versatile

It’s also super versatile: for all ages, all seasons (except hot summer days), and all occasions. You can wear this from formal to casual: dates, special occasions, work, office — you name it!

Now, to be perfectly clear:

As I mentioned before, this is not an intense-smelling scent. In fact, it’s very subtle, so if you’re looking for a powerhouse, this is (definitely) NOT it, my friend. Because here’s what we found:

Subtle

When first sprayed on skin, the scent projects about 2 ft for the first hour. And then it sits VERY close to your skin. So please keep this in mind, my friend.

Oh, and we found the lasting power to be ballpark: 4–6 hours.

What’s the bottom line?

If you’re looking for a safe, light, and mass-pleasing woody-oud scent… then I urge you to try this.

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#5 Acqua di Parma Oud EDP

A Fresh Citrusy Take

In short: This is a unique-smelling fresh-citrusy oud/leather combo.

If you’re unaware, Acqua Di Parma is an Italian luxury lifestyle company that create high-quality fragrances. Speaking of…

To discover more blockbusters from the brand, visit our best Acqua di Parma list. Anyways…

This unique scent is part of the brand’s premium Signature of the Sun collection (formerly called the Ingredient Collection).

And in this collection the brand focus on one ingredient that they blend with their classic Colonia citrus scent DNA. In fact, let me just tell you how it smells…

Fresh Citruses

This opens up with a blast of fresh bergamot and orange citruses, with a touch of dark, dry woody oud sitting in the background. However…

As it settles, the citruses take a backseat and the oud starts to amplify. And it’s backed up with a hint of slightly sweet leather and whispers of spices. And…

All of these notes blend beautifully to give you a dark, fresh, leathery woody aroma — that smells…

Bold, Masculine & Luxurious

And finally, it dries down to a rich, sweet woody musky base.

Now, this is perfectly suited for a mature 25+ gentleman for formal/semi-formal wear: Suit and tie affairs, special occasions, work, dates, and the office, of course. And the best part…

You can wear and enjoy this in ALL seasons (except on scorching-hot summer days, that is). Oh, I just remembered something…

New Bottle Design

Just a quick heads up, my friend, ADP updated the bottle design to a new sleek black-color (picture below on the right).

However, I still see some of the older-bottle design (pictured below on the left) floating about. So don’t worry, it’s the same-smelling juice in a different bottle.

And we’re happy to report to you:

Performs Great

This scent performs GREAT as it comes in an EDP (Eau de Parfum) concentration. Please note, though, it doesn’t scream out for attention (which is not very gentlemanly, right?).

In fact, our testers reported it projected politely off their skin (about an arm’s length) for up to the first 2–3 hours. It then sits close to your skin and lasts around 5–8+ hours.

Bottom line:

If you’re looking for a safe, easy-to-wear, versatile oud fragrance… I urge you to try this.

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#4 Versace Oud Noir

Modern & Mass Appealing

Introducing Versace’s modern take on oud. (And they don’t disappoint!)

Let me break it down for you:

This starts off slightly fresh, dark, and spicy… with a blast of bitter, zesty orange. The orange is also paired with a hint of black pepper with a dark woody-oud sitting in the background. And…

Dark Spicy Zesty Orange

As it starts to settle, the saffron kicks in with a hint of cardamom, and together they smooth the oud out beautifully with some spicy sweetness.

And eventually, a touch of patchouli and leather shine through, and these add a smooth, dark-leathery woody vibe. So…

It smells dark, warm, and sophisticated. Oh, and unsurprisingly, this scent also gets a well deserved place on our best Versace colognes post. Anyway…

Smooth & Sophisticated

To be clear, my friend:

This is not for the young crowd; this is a mature scent that is more suited for the well-dressed 25+ crowd.

And it’s also more suited for cool spring days/nights, fall, and winter. We found the summer is a no-go (it’s too dark).

Subtle Projection

It’s great for formal wear, special occasions, casual, dates, nights out. And it’s also office/work safe.

Now, I should point something out:

If you’re looking for a projection monster, this is NOT it.

You see, this is an EDP and projects softly off skin (making it easy to wear). In our tests, we found it projects about an arm’s length for the first few hours.

And then it sits VERY close to your skin. However, we found it to last a decent 5–7 hours.

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#3 Creed Royal Oud

Smell Like Royalty

What it is:

This is a high-quality, sophisticated spicy woody scent.

In case you’re not familiar with Creed, it’s a luxury niche perfume house that has been creating fragrances for 240+ years! Seriously. Oh, and speaking of…

You can also check our top 10 Creed fragrances to discover all the ones that we’ve tried and tested and recommend. (Spoiler alert: this is one of them!) Anyway…

Luxury Fragrance House

Gotta be honest, despite the name of this scent, the most dominant notes in this fragrance are actually spicy cedar and sandalwood. In fact, the oud only plays a supporting role. So…

To be perfectly clear:

If you’re looking for a raw, punchy dominant-oud fragrance, this is NOT it. HOWEVER…

If you’re looking for something that’s just “oud-ish”, then it doesn’t get much better than this, my friend. Let’s take a sniff…

Spicy, Fresh & Woody

This starts off spicy, fresh, and woody… with a blast of sparkling bergamot and lemon citruses… mixed with some spicy pink pepper and strong cedar wood.

You get an opulent-smelling fresh-peppery green-woody aroma. However, it’s not until the dry-down that the oud makes its presence felt. So stay with me…

Because as it starts to settle on your skin, the citruses quickly fade and the spicy cedar takes center stage. And eventually…

Creamy Sandalwood

Some creamy, warm sandalwood and white musk join the party. And these smooth the fragrance out beautifully. And finally, a subtle touch of smoky oud shines through. The end result:

A luxurious creamy, spicy-woody scent with a nice hint of sweetness.

Now, this is not for the younger crowd; it’s a mature, masculine scent for sharply dressed guys aged 25 and up. (And more suited for formal wear).

In fact, this smells PERFECT for special occasions and upscale events. Or even dates, nights out; plus, it’s work/office approved.

That said, you can absolutely wear this dressed down as well, my friend. And in terms of seasons:

Sharply Dressed Gentlemen

This is tailored for fall and winter wear (or cool spring days — just spray lightly). This is not one I would recommended for the high heat, though. Does it last long?

Well, this is an EDP concentration and doesn’t scream out for attention. It projects nicely (about arm’s length) for the first 2–3 hours.

And then it sits closer to your skin, giving off pleasing gentle wafts. And we found longevity was in the 6–8+ hour range.

Oh, and I will not even try to “sugar coat” this for you, my friend:

This scent is expensive. Very, VERY expensive.

BUT it’s good stuff. Very, VERY good stuff! 🪵😎

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#2 Tom Ford Oud Wood EDP Version

Luxuriously Smooth & Creamy

Here’s what you need to know:

This scent is part of Tom Ford’s Private Blend collection. This is the brand’s exclusive, luxury line of fragrances. What makes them luxurious?

Well, simply this: this collection has been created using higher-quality ingredients, by some of the world’s most renowned perfumers. Plus…

They also smell unique compared to other typical mainstream scents, so when you wear them, you stand out from the crowd. Oh, and by the way…

This is currently our #1 pick on our best Tom Ford fragrances list. Yeah, it smells good. Real good! 😎(But it ain’t cheap, my friend.) Anyways, put simply…

Easy-To-Wear

What Tom Ford‘ did here, was to take a soft woody-oud note and masterfully blend it with some other creamy woods and spices — to create one of the best-smelling and most wearable ouds on the market. In fact, let’s take a quick sniff…

This opens with a deep, spicy peppery rosewood with a “transparent” oud note sitting in the background. And…

As it starts to dry down on your skin, the slightly smoky oud tip-toes in, and it’s eventually smoothed out with some creamy sandalwood, cardamom, and a pinch of vanilla and tonka bean sweetness.

The result?

Smooth & Classy

A sophisticated, masculine, smooth and creamy woody scent — with a warm, spicy sweet undertone. And it smells GREAT. 🙂

And to be clear, this is NOT for the young crowd. This is a classy, mature scent that is tailored for well-dressed 25+ guys.

The beautiful part?

This is super versatile because you can wear this dressed up, dressed down, days or nights, in all seasons (just avoid hot summer days) and for all situations. However…

It truly shines for formal and special occasions, weddings, office, dates, nights out etc.

Now, I should point something out:

Seductive Scent Cloud

This is a reserved, seductive scent that sits close to your skin and draws people in for a second sniff 🙂. So…

If you’re looking for a fragrance that screams out for attention, you will be disappointed with this, my friend. Trust me.

You see, this is an EDP and we found it projects softly for the first few hours (about arm’s length).

And then it pulls back and sits close to your skin and gives off gentle wafts. Nonetheless, even though it’s soft, we found it to be detectable on skin for a good 5–8+ hours.

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#1 Initio Parfums Prives Oud for Greatness

Premium Pick: Strong & Seductive

Here’s the skinny…

Initio Parfums Prives is a fairly new French luxury niche perfume house. However, they quickly made an impact in the fragrance community with their strong, long-lasting, regal-smelling fragrances. In fact…

The brand pride themselves on their use of high-quality natural ingredients and world-renowned perfumers. Speaking of…

To discover the brand’s other top releases, check our newly updated best Initio fragrances list. Anyhow, listen to this…

Natural

This release is part of the brand’s Black Gold Project collection and contains REAL natural oud oil from India. And to be clear, my friend:

Despite the name of this scent, this is NOT one of those aggressive, raw skanky type of oud fragrances. That said…

YES, it is powerful! But it’s NOT overwhelming because it’s well blended and smooth, so it’s fairly easy to wear.

In fact, in the online fragrance community, this is universally known as one of the best niche oud fragrances. Ain’t gonna argue. 🙂 Anyways…

Let me break it down for you:

Semi-Sweet

This opens up with a blast of dark, dry smoky woody oud… mixed with some semi-sweet saffron, lavender, and whispers of sweet nutmeg. And…

As it starts to settle, the oud gradually smooths out and becomes less and less prominent.

And as it dries down, some patchouli shows up and adds some green dark earthiness, along with some light musk. The result?

Deep, Dark & Mysterious

You get a deep, dark, and mysterious-smelling smoky woody aroma with a hint of spicy sweetness.

It’s sophisticated, regal smelling, and screams quality. Watch heads turn. 🙂

Sophisticated

Now, this is unisex but leans masculine, and it’s more suited for the mature 25+ crowd.

And it’s best worn in the cooler weather: fall/winter (and cool spring nights if you spray very lightly).

This smells great for special occasions, dinner dates, nights out, or even for casual or office wear (use with caution, though — aka 1 spray under your shirt 👍).

Addictive Scent Trail

OfG is an EDP and in our tests, we found it jumps off your skin for the first few hours (she’s loud, but not a room filler). Plus, it leaves a gorgeous scent trail!

It then sits closer to your skin and creates a nice scent cloud around you, which lasts about 6–10+ hours. And the good news…

A little Goes a Long Way

You only need to use 1–2 sprays MAX… and you’re golden. So the bottle should last you a LONG time!!! Speaking of…

The black bottle is simply gorgeous! It has a unique gold-colored design and comes in a premium-looking box that lifts up to reveal the bottle sitting in a podium. But it’s the juice that counts, right? And it…

Works like a charm. 🙂

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Now, it’s your turn…

So there we have them, then, all the best oud perfumes for men we tested and currently recommend. But…

We would love to hear from you:

Have you ever tried any of these? What is your favorite oud based scent ?

Or maybe you have a question.

Either way, please let us know by leaving a quick comment below right now.

Where to go from here?

To discover some more complex-smelling niche oud fragrances, check out our best Amouage colognes. These are more challenging. And…

For more woodiness you check out our sandalwood cologne reviews.

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