Gold Rose Oud by Tiziana Terenzi

Last week, I made a point of saying I hadn’t had enough time with a new-to-me brand and would write about it this week. Alas, no. Over the course of a week and a half of sampling I came to the conclusion that the fragrances in the brand were so mediocre I just didn’t want to write about them – and I’m in a place psychologically where I don’t really want to do big negative. Just not where my head and heart are at. Also, over the course of my research, I discovered that while they are widely available here (for some unknown reason) they are not stocked by Lucky Scent. This sort of tipped me over the edge because if something is even remotely interesting or good or just odd LS will stock it.

So, that ended that and I started looking through my samples for something else to write about as I did want to write about perfume.

I picked up and discarded a few things before coming upon Gold Rose Oud (2012). While I don’t see myself buying this it was decidedly interesting on first spray. So, off I went.

I’ve never really fallen down the oud rabbit hole. No good reason – just hasn’t happened.

Anyway, notes list for this is fir, sand (? – maybe they mean an accord), bergamot, rose, patchouli, black pepper (as opposed to pink), oud, honey, musk and sandalwood.

I just love love love the beginning of this: band-aids and masking tape – ie, dry, slightly astringent resinous something (I’m guessing oud – smart me). The nose on this, Paolo Terenzi, deserves accolades for this opening alone. Maybe there’s some fruitiness (the bergamot?) that helps to keep things from getting too dry, but it’s just a whisper, not much.

As things move along, I start to get rose, but I really have to stick my nose on my wrist and smell hard. If I don’t do that I still get the band-aid/masking tape but with the pepper becoming more prominent. But as the fragrance opens up on my skin it becomes a fruity rose with a very gentle undercurrent of resin. The pepper recedes.

The drydown is even gentler: pepper, musk, a whisper of sweetness from the honey, all smoothed out by what I guess is sandalwood, as sandalwood doesn’t appear for long on me. But having said that, then, there’s a surprise: around 8 hours in, after I thought we were done, I get a slightly musky, fruity, rose. It’s not shouty and I could still just smell it on my wrist the next morning.

This is a shape-shifter, especially at the end. I’ve seen different pricing for bottles on the nether web, but it’s always over £150. So, not cheap.

So, yes. Do you know this brand and the perfume? What are your feelings about oud?

 

  • Elizabeth says:

    Where can I find the samples though? Some articles posts the link to Amazon, which I find very useful…but they are all different…so, since I save the articles…I’ll have to look one by one to find the samples….any better way?

    • Cinnamon says:

      Hi, depending on where you are, in the US, Lucky Scent has the brand & samples. In the UK/EU Jovoy appears to stock. The company is based in Italy and may ship.

  • March says:

    Huh. I’m not a big rose-oud fan in general, but this sounds absolutely delightful!

    • Cinnamon says:

      I was surprised how good it was. That opening was just wonderful. But discovering the jammy rose hours later was also great. I will definitely enjoy my sample. I can’t see forking out for a bottle though.

    • Musette says:

      wait. whut?

      you. hate. rose.

      don’t you?

  • Dina C. says:

    I’m not familiar with that brand, Cinnamon. And oud is too pungent for me. For me it never seems to make anything smell better just band-aid-y and medicinal. My migraine-sensitive head just draws the line there. 🙂

    • Cinnamon says:

      I’ve discovered you can get a selection of these fragrances here but I’d passed over the house for samples. Who knew. Thing regarding oud for me is that my skin seems to push loads of resins towards sweetness — amber, sandalwood. So, I’m always on the lookout for something that stays true.

  • Eldarwen22 says:

    Never could quite get along with oud, too harsh for me.

    • Cinnamon says:

      Thing is this wasn’t harsh on me. But as I said in another comment my chemistry seems to push things sweet so it is nice to find something where that doesn’t happen.

  • Portia says:

    Hey Cinnamon,
    I’m sure I’ve tried some of these guys offerings but have no memory of them.
    I love oudh though. From as close to real as I can get all the way through to the el cheapo synth crap. They all seem to work for me. Considering how many base notes have been regulated out of existence oudh fills a need by adding depth and darkness. Really glad we have it.
    Right now I’m even wearing an oudh/rose+++ frag: Spice Must Flow by Etat Libre d’Orange. I like it a lot.
    Portia xx

    • Musette says:

      even though I am not an oudh fan, Portia, your comment makes me smile – you love perfume SO MUCH!

      xoxoxo

    • Cinnamon says:

      Interesting point of things being regulated out of existence. I like Spice Must Flow and think it’s a great winter/Xmas time fragrance. I’m going to have to investigate oud more now…

  • filomena813 says:

    I don’t have Rose Oud, but I do own four fragrances from this House: Arethusa, Lillipur, Laudano Nero and Maremma, all of which I enjoy wearing. I would own more from this House, but now most of their offerings are more costly than the original ones.

  • Musette says:

    Right before reading this review I picked up my little scrab of Amouage Tribute attar and was immediately reconnected to BIG LOVE of the rose, which is carried throughout the life (or half-life. it goes on and on and on) of this perfume/attar. But the rose is so gorgeously interwoven it’s never a burden.

    I’ve never really connected well with oudh. It’s fine – but it doesn’t make me swoony.

    xoxoxo

    • Cinnamon says:

      This really is less rose for me except for that late emergence. It’s all about the opening which is really quite good. I wish more houses offered small sizes — ie, like Malle and Le Labo. I’d be more inclined to cave if it was ‘only’ £50.