Estéban Belle au Parfum de Oud (2012): More than an Oud Perfume {New Perfume}

Yet another Parisian Germanopratin perfume house, besides Diptyque, are making sure that the neighborhood will waft of novel, Oriental sillages this fall.

Estéban, located off the other end of the Boulevard Saint Germain des Prés, on rue de Rennes, are proposing a new oud composition entitled in French like a painting, Belle au Parfum de Oud (Beauty with an Oud Perfume). It is part of a new collection called Empreinte (Trace) dedicated to those memories which are deeply hidden in our subconscious...

The fragrance is signed by perfumer Emilie Bouge of Charabot (see short bio) who already did Orientalissime for the brand in 2008.

While the oud material has become the classic key ingredient/accord to displace our olfactory sensations in a new direction, even provoking lassitude in some who may still view it as a fad although it is rather more of a big-deep cultural shift by now, Estéban promises to counteract any suspiscion that this oud will be just another oud-obsessed scent jumping on the oud bandwagon carefully stating "This is more than an oud perfume". 

"Belle au Parfum de Oud reveals the enveloping magic of a sensual Oud whose multiple facets vibrate following the rhythm of your pulse in a carnal alliance of skin, woods, resin balsams and flowers." (Our translation)

The Eau de Parfum is said to be the association of Oriental opulence with a Western sense of sophistication, hinting at a lineage of adapted ouds one has seen bloom in the West for the past several years (see Oud Aromania and The Oud Aromania is Here to Stay). 

Top notes are: mandarin, cistus, saffron / Heart notes: ylang-ylang, lily, nagarmotha / Base notes: oud, labdanum, patchouli. 

The fragrance is available 50 ml for 80€ on Esteban.fr

Via press release