Montale
Montale
158 votes
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
Damask rose bristles with brightness, cutting through with a dewy, slightly sour green quality that catches you off-guard. Beneath it, woody notes emerge immediately—the oud announces itself without aggression, more like smoke viewed through frosted glass.
The turmeric blooms, bringing unexpected spiciness that plays against the rose's fading freshness. Patchouli and vetiver deepen the woody base into something earthy and mineral, whilst sandalwood softens the composition, allowing the heart to breathe with understated complexity rather than punch.
Amber and vanilla finally dominate, but they've been tempered by the journey through spice and wood, landing as warmth rather than sweetness. The oud lingers as a woody whisper, having shed its initial boldness, and the fragrance settles into creamy, skin-scent territory.
White Aoud arrives as a contradiction—a fragrance that takes one of perfumery's most imposing materials and wraps it in the softness of damask rose. This is not the animalic, smoky oud that dominates many Middle Eastern fragrances; instead, Montale has orchestrated something more nuanced, where the rose's dewy, slightly tart character softens the oud's typically aggressive woody spine.
The heart is where White Aoud reveals its true architecture. Turmeric adds an earthy, slightly bitter warmth that prevents the composition from becoming too floral or saccharine, whilst the patchouli and vetiver ground everything with mineral earthiness. The sandalwood acts as a stabiliser, lending creamy smoothness to what could otherwise feel sharp. There's a spiced, almost curry-like quality that emerges—not culinary in a cheap way, but rather the sophisticated dryness you find in niche oud compositions from Creed or Tom Ford's Private Collection.
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3.9/5 (87)