Zeta Winners and Montale Oud Cuir d’Arabie

Zeta Winners (March’s draw from last week) – drawn by the fickle finger of fate random.org — Suzanne M., Rappleyea, and Francesca!  (Francesca, congrats, have you ever won anything? Me neither.)  I’ll email you three.  If you didn’t win – Patty’s giving away four more on yesterday’s post.  Okay, here’s Tom.

by Tom

Commenting on my post on Tuesday about Christian Dior Leather Oud, Fernando wrote after being frustrated by Dior’s website and the clueless SA’s at the Boston Dior Boutique he was turning to the Montale.  I agree.  The earlier Montale has the same four notes (oud, tobacco, leather and woods) but the volume is turned up.

Smelled side-by-side with the Dior, Leather Oud seems wan and rather pinched, the cedar feeling more Faber than fabulous.  The Montale’s tobacco has the moist fattiness of the good stuff fresh from Dunhill, the leather full, rich and aniline dyed, the wood hand-polished and the oud is, well, oudier.  Writing that this is no way overpowering and in no way unfeminine.  Birkin bags are leather after all.

I do like the Dior mind you.  I like Montale’s earlier more full bodied take on the same four notes better.  Thanks Fernando for reminding me.

$150 for 50ML at the usual suspects, available easily online.  My sample is from my bottle.

photo: Lady Gaga with her scribbled-on Birkin Bag.  Oh, the Hermanity!  I think she raffled it off, or gave it to a fan or sent it to the moon or something….well, it’s hers to do with as she would but my heart is swimming in blood…

 

  • Persolaise says:

    I think the Montale and the Dior are quite difficult to compare with each other.

    The ‘problem’ with the Montale, if you want to use that word, is that it’s amazing opening notes don’t last as long as you’d like them to. The Dior may be more ‘toned down’, but it doesn’t grow quiet as rapidly as the Montale.

    But that’s just what I think.

  • nozknoz says:

    Also, I love “Hermanity” and I appreciated Tom’s posting the additional perspective on the leather oud topic. I was just reeling from the revelation of the besmirched Birkin bag. Love her dress, though (or weird shorts, or whatever that is that she’s wearing).

  • Fernando says:

    Ooooo. I’m feeling validated.

  • Francesca says:

    Yay! actually, I have won things, but not til fairly recently.
    Thanks!

  • Datura5750 says:

    I love that Bach cantata BTW, need to listen to it now!

  • nozknoz says:

    WOW. That Birkin bag is truly depressing. We both need to go spray on something totally absorbing like Amouage or S-Perfume 100% Love or FM PoaL and flop with a cool compress over the eyes.

    • Musette says:

      For the record, I was the one who posted for Tom and threw that photo (and snarky comment) in there. That being disclosed, I am totally with you on the Amouage/cool compress idea! ^:)^

      xo >-)