Oud For Greatness
Initio (2018)

Oud for Greatness is one of my first olfactory experiences with Initio Parfums Prives fragrances, an international niche perfume project with many successful creations performed in collaboration with renowned perfumers as Maurice Roucel, Alberto Morillas, Guillaume Flavigny and famous talented others. To be honest not so much about Initio Parfums really catches my interest (none of their western-arabic bombastic aesthetic, the pompous Black Gold Project's "inlaid" bottles-style and the emphatic fragrances-"denomination"). Oud for Greatness is the Initio's prodigal son, one of the few really by me appreciated from the house and actually one of the most succesful western interpretations of the infamous oriental note of aoud (bold muskiness, aromatics, captivating mild spiciness, exotic far lands-aura, fairy tales-conjuration and authoritarian sensualism). Yes, Oud for Greatness is powerful on saffron, mild spices, patchouli, woods and ambergris but it is mostly something about it, His majesty King Oudh. The latter expresses in here many of the variegate nuances this infamous "ingredient" could magically unfold in a more western civilized spicy acception, being it in here at same time initially aromatic (freshly metallic spicy aromatic lavender), intoxocating (mild spices), boldly rubbery/medicinal (room cleaner/boots polish/dental detergent-like), woodsy and finally musky spicy with a musky-leathery final touch of ambergris and a subtle molecular brightness with all its dramatic theatricality and its power of sensual hypnosis (with its kind of "wide" laundry powdery and soapy exotic muskiness like the golden smell and the aromatic atmosphere of an orietal dreamy arabian hotel as in a fairy tale holiday from One Thousand and One Nights). This fragrance is initially a saffronic-rubbery-kind of incensey (dusty spices) "neutral" blast under my profane nose (it seems for a while to experience a sort of milder Durbano Black Tourmaline, since the spicy sweetness is on this phase effectively minimal). Saffron (surrounded by citric, rosey, metallic, herbal accents) is layed down a "rich in sensualism" bed of spicy musky western sweet molecular oud and balmy-leathery muskiness. Oud for greatness is in effects mainly a molecular sparkling accord of oud (turbulent and bursting but finally almost talky aromatic), aromatic lavender, mild intoxicating piquant "metallic" spices (as inebriating saffron, captivating nutmeg and cloves) and a bold patchouli. This is an hard to be faced accord really vibrant, dark, "butch", wide, encompassing and temperamental. Over the first intoxicating spray you are invested by a tornado of aromatic, molecular, kind of aldehydic and metallic spices joined by a sort of citric, medicinal, definitely rubbery and woody oudish surrection. Piquant dusty freshly-metallic spices gradually evolve towards softer mildness and suedish muskiness becoming warmer and warmer in a bed of erotic ambergris. The final product of this potent accord is a sort of woodsy, mildly spicy (strong on cloves along the way), aromatic, musky and virile monster compliment getter, extremely sensual (ambergris) and artistic. Muskiness is kind of confident and masculine with its leather-accents and a sort of warm and vaguely powdery ambergris-vibe. What doest overall smells like? Like a sort of mild cool/warm incensey rubber under my vulgar nose (like a sort of oudish more articulated, spicy and amberish Tom Ford Ombré Leather). I see just in part the most quoted (all around from reviewers) comparisons: I detect an olfactory connection to MFK Baccarat Rouge 540 in its initial metallic dustiness and rubbery-medicinal spiciness while definitely I don't see much in common with Dior Sauvage Elixir despite the shared aromatic lavender and an ambery bed of roots and spices, since Oud for Greatness develops an its own proper character basically founded on the various nuances of aoud. Finally the oud note unfolds all is complexity (musky, laundry, warmly sensual and exotic) teleporting the wearer (along a long long trip of adamant duration and agressive projection) in to majestic oriental ambiences of luxury and sophistication.

Bitter herbal agarwood, a la Amouage Interlude sitting side-by-side with Baccarat Rouge 540.
Interesting combination that smells better than my description.
There is some creaminess that binds it all together, not a specific note, but the interaction of nutmeg with everything else lends a slight gourmand quality at times.
The many clones (Lattafa Oud for Glory, Afnan Supremacy in Oud, Ministry of Oud Oud Greatest) are so close it is hard to justify the ask from Initio.
Parfums de Marly Haltane is another that is in the family.

Strong. Manly. Slight spice. Dark.
Cold weather scent. Definitely NOT unisex if you have a traditional sense of what leans feminine or masculine. But who am I to deny a lady this jewel...wear on

Wear in the cooler to cold months and wear dressed up, doesn't come across as a casual frag. This right here is grown man ish.

Longevity ans sillage is beastly.
Cost is high like Snoop Dog

If you like the heavy woodsy genre, this kind sir, is for you!
Enjoy!

I simply love Oud For Greatness, and though it may not be a popular opinion, I believe the hype, and even the price are worth it. This is definitely a western oud fragrance and will be more appealing to those who haven’t dabbled too much in Oud, but every time I wear it, I discover new facets of its complex and inspiring personality. It’s sophisticated, elegant, and fits a variety of circumstances, working especially well in cold weather.

The opening hits with saffron and patchouli, and projects with power. Every time I put this in I can really smell it for the first hour, but it continues to give great projection for as much as 12 hours, way outperforming Tom Ford’s Oud Wood (another western oud favorite).

As it dries down, it maintains a linearity, but I find that the oud really comes through much later in its lifespan. Often I don’t even smell it until the day after, when I get a whiff on a sweater or jacket, and I think, “Ah, THERE’S the oud.”

Longevity and performance are just as good as the smell itself.

I haven’t tried some of the better clones like Oud for Glory, so it’s hard for me to compare, but I think Initio knocked it out of the park here. Definitely worth a blind buy of a sample if you’re interested in oud, or generally in spice and woody notes. Oud for Greatness has truly become one of my favorite fragrances in my collection, and outside of the fragrance community, is a scent that will set you apart.

I like complex fragrances that surprise when I wear them but I don't like to purchase a fragrance based on listed notes, only to search long & hard for those notes.

Oud For Greatness is straight-up "as stated." Not much complexity, no real surprises. On my skin it's the opening, initial, middle and landing notes, all as listed.

OFG opens with a brief but definite spice blast, which I suppose is saffron & nutmeg. And yes, there is lavender in the opening...lots and lots of lavender, which I have grown to detest in fragrances. Within minutes, a definite oud, or very sour woody note appears and seems to briefly overtake the opening notes. And I very briefly detect ultra-faint patchouli, which almost immediately disperses. But for quite sometime, I detect sour oud, wet wood and lavender.

Within 20-30 minutes on my skin, leather and rubber notes emerge that remind me of so many other similar fragrances I simply do not enjoy. Leather, rubber, oily resins. Some mention ambroxan, others mention ambergris...for me it's just a no.

An exceptionally masculine fragrance, I cannot imagine why a woman would want to walk around smelling like this. OFG is a powerful fragrance with forever staying power and extreme silage.

I may give MFK Baccarat Rouge 540 a try, as others have compared that fragrance to a kinder, gentler, more feminine Initio OFG.

One last thought...at OFG's asking price, I would strongly recommend a sample try. IMHO, this is definitely not a blind buy.

Hyped and overpriced, for no reason whatsoever. Saffron bomb type BR540 but here on a woody, sweet and spicy base. Pleasant and easy to approach but nothing special. Important trail and big duration, maybe this is the reason for so much hype, bah ... the fact is that with the money it costs, you buy real oud perfumes in which the raw material is there and it is natural and feels good without interference from synthetic aromas and musks. For me it tends to be feminine and certainly suitable for cold weather. EDIT after several hours I can confirm, very rejected, boring, cloying and, at least for me, annoying.