Lucky Oud
Bortnikoff (2019)

A lovely blend of floral sandalwood with woodsy leathery underpinnings. I don't find it excessively sweet; the sandalwood is clearly not from the famed buttery Mysore variety. Can't really comment on the wild Thai Lotus other than it seems to bring a subtle floralcy to the sandal note. Skeptics might even be tempted to call it a marketing ploy to play up the desirable ‘exotic factor'. I'm sure some would disagree but IMO Dimitry could have used another flower in its place and it probably wouldn't have made all that much of a difference scent-wise.

Interestingly however the area of skin you apply it affects its presentation and evolution. In the crook of my arm the oud shows up early: a deep baritone presence with slightly rubbery nuances. On the back of my hands however, I get more of the tea rose and warm floral sandalwood and less of the oud.

In a nutshell: refined. Or perhaps ‘underwhelming' if your tastes lean towards the stronger more challenging end. Thankfully mine don't.

Not a projection beast, Lucky Oud is arguably the house's friendliest oud fragrance to date. While I'm not blown away, I can't deny its charm as a versatile oud number for daily wear.