Annette Neuffer
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
Bergamot and black pepper ignite immediately with an almost aggressive brightness, while ginger and cinnamon create a warming spice bed underneath—think attar quality rather than culinary familiarity. The Murcott tangerine cuts through with citrus sweetness, creating momentary chaos before saffron's earthy thread begins organising the composition.
The spice retreat reveals the true architecture—five rose varieties unfold in succession, with jasmine providing creamy counterpoint and frankincense lending ceremonial weight. Moroccan orange blossom and Tunisian orange blossom add bitter-almond undertones that prevent the florals becoming predictable, whilst broom adds a slightly herbaceous, almost soapy dryness that's essential for balance. The oud begins asserting itself here, woody and slightly leathery beneath the florals.
Sandalwood and benzoin Siam create a milky-woody base whilst the labdanum and opoponax deepen into amber-leather territories—almost parchment-like in texture. The beeswax emerges as a subtle binding agent, holding residual vanilla and lingering saffron together in what becomes a dry, almost incense-tinged skin scent, intimate rather than projected.
Avicenna White Rose & Oud arrives as a calculated clash between Eastern spice bazaar and hothouse floristry. The perfumer has constructed something deliberately complex: there's immediate friction between the ginger-cardamom opening and the densely layered rose heart, where at least five distinct rose expressions jostle for attention alongside Egyptian jasmine that brings almost heliotropic creaminess. Rather than blending into rose soup, these florals maintain individual personalities—the Bulgarian Rosa Alba offers powder-dusted refinement whilst the Persian and Turkish varieties introduce deeper, slightly peppery contours. Elemi resin threads through like incense smoke, preventing the composition from cloying.
What distinguishes this from conventional floral fragrances is the oud foundation. Rather than acting as a supporting player, the Assam and Vietnamese variants form a woody-resinous backbone that transforms the entire proposition into something more architectural than atmospheric. The opoponax and labdanum create this almost leather-like amber undertone that grounds the florals, preventing them from drifting into mere prettiness. The beeswax note is particularly clever—it adds a honeyed, slightly waxy texture that suggests warmth without sweetness, allowing the saffron and remaining spice notes to maintain dryness throughout.
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3.9/5 (110)