Extreme Oud
Kilian (2012)

This was my favorite of the brand's oud line. An amped up version of Pure Oud, it came across as very dark and woody, with the saffron and castoreum providing a spicy leather undertone. Not for everybody, but it's the kind of oud scent that's right in my wheelhouse. Pairs well with a black leather jacket.

Don't get me wrong. I'd absolutely love to own a bottle of By Kilian Extreme Oud. I'd also like to have the kind of disposable income to make the purchase without the color draining out of my face.
I love the opening. Very dry from the start. A strong clean dry oud. Leather from castoreum and possibly cardamom (in some places listed as an ingredient, in others not). A bit of petroleum jelly that fades pretty quickly. The strong oud, the leather and possibly vetiver (again sometimes listed, sometimes not... I don't really smell it) make this a decidedly masculine offering. I love the dryness. There's a subtle elegance. It broods on the skin. It's quiet. But I think those very qualities may not make too many potential user's hearts start to pitter pat with excitement, especially at the price. Then again the limited availability in the states and the fact that it's a limited edition may make all that a moot point anyway. The projection seems on the reticent side.
I like the drydown as much as the opening. It doesn't seem to go anywhere, but that's the thing, it stays pretty much it's good self for a good long while: a natural masculine skin type scent. Very nice stuff. For a combination of quiet, strong and masculine in a fragrance I don't think you can do much better.
The subtle elegant feel of Extreme Oud naturally calls to mind the subtle elegance of Calice Becker's 2009 creation Pure Oud. For me Pure Oud is about as close to perfection as you can get in a fragrance, Oud or otherwise. Ms. Becker hit the ball way out of the park with Pure. She'll really have to muscle up to ever do that again. I hope she does. With a little tweaking I think Extreme could have been as exquisite as Pure.