Perris Monte Carlo
Perris Monte Carlo
266 votes
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
Cumin's warmth erupts immediately, razor-sharp and almost savoury, whilst citrus notes snap against it like a whip—bright but not cheerful, rather precisely architectural. Jasmine arrives as a whisper, almost apologetic, tempered by that aggressive spice.
The composition pivots inward as frankincense smoke begins to rise, transforming the opening's sharpness into something more contemplative and textured. Patchouli and papyrus create a dusty, papery backdrop whilst saffron adds a subtle golden warmth—never sweet, always austere. The woody accords emerge more distinctly now, oud settling into the framework with a dry, almost leather-like quality that refuses sentimentality.
Birch and sandalwood become increasingly prominent as the fragrance contracts and concentrates, the oud now providing deep, resinous anchoring rather than projection. What remains is skeletal and woody—atlas cedar lending a slightly chalky finish—a fragrance that has shed its florals entirely, leaving only mineral dryness and the ghost of incense smoke clinging to skin.
Oud Imperial arrives as a deliberate contradiction—a fragrance that whispers rather than shouts, despite its grandiose nomenclature. Luca Maffei has crafted something altogether more cerebral than the typical oud spectacle: a composition where cumin's peppery bite immediately signals intellectual intent, whilst jasmine threads through with an almost papery delicacy, preventing any descent into cloying territory.
What makes this particularly compelling is how the heart notes create a kind of olfactory archaeology. Frankincense and saffron converge with patchouli and papyrus to evoke something ancient and scholarly—less souk bazaar, more monastery library. There's a desiccated quality here, as though you're inhaling incense smoke that's been trapped between aged parchment for centuries. The papyrus especially refuses to be romanticised; it maintains a stark, almost austere character that grounds everything in reality rather than fantasy.
Add fragrances to your collection and unlock your personalised scent DNA, note map, and shareable identity card.
3.9/5 (396)