I have tried quite a few Montale fragrances since I posted about Patchouli Leaves back in March, but have learned nothing more about the house or its history, so can only repeat what I said then: Montale is a Paris-based perfumer with two lines: an oudh line based on the precious oudh (or agar) wood frequently used in Middle Eastern fragrances, and a regular perfume line. Today I am wearing Aoud Roses Petals, which features notes of oudh, teak, and rose.

Roses Petals starts with a delicate and soft rosewater, which is almost instantly buried under a haze of oudh. The first blast of oudh is often described as medicinal, and that is probably accurate although I don’t find it unpleasant exactly. Certainly it is pungent…

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