Oud Bengal. Just received my sample of Oud Bengal. My first thought upon smelling it in the vial is…chocolate! I generously swipe myself to discover a rich leathery aroma radiating from the body of this Oud. A few minutes later, and this leatheriness is accented by an ethereal sweet note that drys into that clean woodiness of a fresh jungle Oud. This oil is rich and luscious, and I’m sure there is more to discover as the day unfolds.

Since writing this first review above, I have worn Oud Bengal many more times. Each time has been a unique experience. Perhaps the most enticing aspect of Oud is its ever-changing and ever-deepening scent profile. Oud is alive. Oud has a consciousness, and its interplay with the one wearing it is a uniquely intimate experience. Oud Bengal stays close to the skin, but is a joy to wear. The tobacco-suede note is at the heart of this Oud, and it hints at a note that you think will be that fecal Indian note, but instead there is a more indescribable jungliness mixing with the tobacco-suede notes. It is that Bengali note, unique to this Oud. It is subtle and yet provocative. I cannot quite describe it or put my finger on it, but every time I catch it, I know it…the Bengali note.

Bengal has become an Oud that I enjoy wearing on a more regular basis in the ordinary context. It is an Oud fit for all occasions. Today I swiped Oud Bengal earlier in the morning, and it lasted quite a while. In the evening, I could still catch it, but as I was going out to dinner, I decided to give it a kick by adding some Oud Royale to the mix. Royale also has some tobacco-suede notes, but it also has an incredible sweetness and depth. I was curious to see how these Ouds would interact. To my surprise, they were a wonderful mix. All night, I was returning to my wrist, basking in the unique aromatic collage emanating from my skin.  When I first smelled my wrist, about half an hour after mixing, I immediately thought…rose. I exclaimed aloud to my girlfriend, “It smells like rose!” She said that she thought I had been wearing rose all this time! I was captivated in a new creation.

I now feel encouraged to attempt mixing Oud Nuh with Amulya Attar. I will first try it on my wrist and see how it blends. Amulya is quite a powerful scent, and I feel that a full-bodied Indian Oud would “cut” its floral dynamic. Nuh will embody it, giving it a womb within which to grow. Nuh already has a floral quality to it, and yet it has that wonderful low barnyard note and body. What balance! I will try this soon and report my impressions…