Oud Sinharaja
Bortnikoff (2020)

Oud Sinharaja opens with pleasant - not screechy - citrus notes. Then transitions to a floral-woody phase where the florals are restrained by a mild oud and perhaps other woody notes. It is a tropical bouquet, mostly Plumeria/frangipani in my opinion but also with a bit of jasmin and possibly other florals perhaps champaca. It's not feminine at all, completely unisex in my opinion. Later, the florals slowly disappear and we are left with resins or labdanum. It is a long lasting fragrance, very well blended and natural smelling. Much recommended!

Tropical paradise, laced with aqua-marine Sri Lankan oud, tropical flowers, and crystal blue skies. This one took me by surprise with it's freshness. The florals are fresh and subtly sweet, but not overpowering, and the whole composition comes across as quite clean. I'll be wearing this frequently in the warmer months, or anytime I need an escape to a hidden beach on a deserted island.

Oud Sinharaja goes on skin slightly airy fresh, with orange bergamot eschewing is normal sharp nature, dulled by warm cardamom spice and hints of smoothe real non-fecal smelling Oud rising from the base, before transitioning to it heart. As the composition enters its early heart, the smoothe non-fecal Oud remains, now slightly sweetened by benzoin, and also joined by a jasmine and magnolia fresh floral supporting tandem. The florals are light and airy, melding seamlessly with the smoothe Oud while additionally folding traces of the well-integrated warm cardamom spice still remaining from the open into the mix. During the late dry-down the Oud and florals vacate, as the composition stays slightly sweet and even a touch powdery, with the benzoin remaining, joined by ambery, woody labdanum through the finish. Projection is average, and longevity above average at around 9 hours on skin.

Oud Sinharaja is in many ways a fine perfume. The florals and the non-fecal smelling real Oud are so well-integrated into the mix that they come off as almost an overall accord as oposed to individual notes. The composition is a touch sweet but never reaches a point throughout its development where it can be considered *too* sweet. Instead, the combined effect is a highly wearable, rather safe combination that would work for just about any occasion. The ambery labdanum driven late dry-down is rather bland and uninteresting, but never over-the-top or attention seeking. The entire thing is refined, rather subtle and pleasant smelling at all times. What the perfume is lacking to a degree, is adventure, risk and depth. Nothing concerning, but nothing really distinctive either. The bottom line is the $350 per 50ml Oud Sinharaja is a sophisticated, pleasant smelling real floral Oud concoction that neither disapoints nor particularly impresses, earning a "good" to "very good" 3 to 3.5 stars out of 5 and a mild positive recommendation to conservative perfume lovers seeking something sophisticated but safe.