For an opulent and spicy new-season scent, these are the 8 best oud perfumes
Rich, smoky and seriously sophisticated, oud fragrances were made for autumn/winter spritzing - especially where these eight blends are concerned.
Heady, opulent and sensual, the best oud perfumes demand attention. The genre falls into the woody fragrance family, but depending on what it's paired with, oud can also be smoky or earthy. Essentially, it's versatile and incredibly nuanced, though always recognisable.
If you're unfamiliar with the note, oud has a dark, heavy and smoky scent that features in many of the best long-lasting perfumes. "Oud is a precious oil that’s extracted from the Aquilaria tree, native to Southeast Asia," explains Eva Carlo, Brand Perfume Expert for Creed. "It is extremely rare and very expensive." That explains why the best oud fragrances are often quite expensive, as the raw material is simply too costly. Often associated with the Middle East, oud is culturally linked to liturgy and tradition, not perfume trends. "In other parts of the world, it has been linked to spiritual ceremonies like the Jinko incense in Japan," adds Carlo.
As with all perfume notes, oud can be expressed differently, depending on what it's paired with. "Oud perfumes today have infinite variety," says Carlo, "many replicate the captivating Arabian scent of oud, which is rich, leathery, smoky, and animalic." Other perfumes use oud as a subtle base note to add depth and opulence. If you're intrigued or keen to invest, we've curated an in-depth guide to all the best oud-centric scents, loved and tested by our team.
The 8 best oud perfumes, per our beauty team
RRP: £325 for 75ml | Notes: sandalwood, oud resin
Reviewed by: Emma Stoddart
This is opulence, bottled. Smooth and intoxicating, Cartier’s fragrance combines creamy sandalwood with rich, high-quality oud. Totally unique, this scent stands out from all the others that we’ve tried and it’s safe to say - we’re completely hooked. Sandalwood initially steals the show before oud gradually makes an appearance, adding depth and richness. The lasting impression is smooth, earthy, and sensual, definitely one for cosy evenings in. While it’s not listed on the notes, we detected a slight sweetness that conjures up a fruity perfume note. This pleasant addition cuts through the otherwise earthy, woodsy, warming scent.
RRP: from £116 for 50ml | Notes: clove, Damask rose, praline and oud
Reviewed by: Emma Stoddart
A great 'entry-level' oud that’s not overpowering yet still captures the depth of this note. Paired with a realistic rose, this fragrance is a classic oud and rose combination that’s addictive from the first sniff. So much so, we’ve been wearing this one every day since that first spritz. Alongside oud and rose, the fragrance has a sweetness courtesy of praline. Together, you get a moreish, beautiful scent that will have people asking, "What perfume are you wearing?" Compared to some of the other best Jo Malone fragrances that we’ve tried (and there have been quite a few), this one boasts impressive longevity and will stick around all day and night long.
RRP: £245 for 75ml | Notes: cardamom, coffee, incense, jasmine, vanilla and oud
Reviewed by: Naomi Jamieson
Smoky and deliciously spicy, Bewitching Yasmine is touted as one of the best Penhaligon's perfumes and is a truly luxurious example of an oud scent. It's smooth and warm, layering notes of cardamom with rich coffee and smoky wafts of incense. Softer hints of jasmine and vanilla then emerge before shimmering down into that dark, moody base of oud. It's warm and sweet - there's an almost cola-like quality to it, and this decadent spiciness that really appeals in the colder, autumn/winter months.
RRP: from £175 for 30ml | Notes: bergamot, rose, jasmine, vanilla, Siam Benzoin and sandalwood
Reviewed by: Fiona McKim
Ranked among the best Creed fragrances, Royal Princess Oud is vibrant and flamboyant. It blends oud with berry and elegant rose to create an aroma that is incredibly luxurious and decadent. Truly a perfume worthy of its regal name. Like many of the oudy options on this list, it's definitely not quiet - so don't invest expecting something subtle. We would, however, recommend it to rose perfume fans seeking something richer and woodier.
RRP: from £165 for 35ml | Notes: violet accord, Turkish rose absolute, Bulgarian rose essence, Laotian oud, Siamese benzoin, vanilla and amber accord
Reviewed by: Emma Stoddart
Oud is a versatile note that can smell rich, earthy, sweet or light – depending on what it's paired with. If, when it comes to fragrance, you have a sweet tooth – let us introduce you to this pick from the luxury French fragrance brand, Maison Francis Kurkdjian. Laced with sweet vanilla and light florals, this oud perfume smells powdery, sweet, and fresh, all at the same time. A complete contrast to traditional oud perfumes associated with the Middle East, this fragrance offers a fresher take on oud that’s extremely wearable. And although it’s lighter than others, it is still a long-lasting scent that will stick around from dusk until dawn.
RRP: £310 for 70ml | Notes: peach, geranium essence, osmanthus absolute, magnolia essence, oud accord, suede accord, cypriol essence and labdanum
Reviewed by: Naomi Jamieson
Marrying fruity hints of peach with soft, leathery wafts of osmanthus and delicate magnolia, this latest Byredo launch is textural and smooth. It shifts and develops on the skin, softening into a deep, smoky base of oud accord and suede. It's an extrait, meaning it's highly concentrated and really lingers on the skin, enveloping and trailing you for hours and hours. Ideal if you're searching for a very rich, long-lasting scent to wear this autumn/winter.
RRP: from £152 for 30ml | Notes: rosewood, cardamom, Chinese pepper, oud, sandalwood, vetiver, vanilla and amber
Reviewed by: Emma Stoddart
Tom Ford’s Private Blend Oud Wood pays homage to oud’s Middle Eastern roots. "Evoking the enveloping warmth of incense-filled temples, this groundbreaking composition of exotic, smoky woods includes rare oud, sandalwood, rosewood, eastern spices, and sensual amber," says the brand. From this description, you can imagine the sort of scent this is – smooth, smoky, with a hint of spice. We believe this unisex fragrance will appeal to many. It's sophisticated and elegant, and we adore the addition of vanilla and tonka bean that adds an overall creaminess to this otherwise rich scent.
RRP: £119 for 50ml | Notes: caramel apple, spiced rum, chocolate oud
Reviewed by: Sennen Prickett
Bearing an uncanny resemblance to delicious spiced cinnamon apples, this fragrance is reminiscent of cosying up on the sofa on a rainy day with a mug of hot chocolate. Boasting a warming and almost delectable blend of notes, including spiced oud, chocolate, caramel apple and cinnamon, this rich and elegant perfume dries down to reveal a sweet yet musky aroma. That said, it’s not overly sweet or heavy, instead taking a more sophisticated, chic and grown-up approach to typically gourmand scents.
How we tested the best oud perfumes
As with all of our fragrance guides, each one of these scents has been worn firsthand by a member of the team, either for a full day (to monitor its staying power and the way it wears on the skin) or for months, if not years, as many are also long-standing favourites of ours.
While testing, we took into consideration who each perfume might appeal to, as well as what season and settings they might be best suited to. And as mentioned, while oud is a very expensive ingredient, we tried to include a range of options to suit different budgets, as well as an array of different fragrance houses.
Is oud a feminine scent?
Oud is typically described as having a masculine scent, hence why it’s present in plenty of men's colognes as well as unisex fragrances. However, when combined with soft florals or sweet fruits, it can also take on a feminine scent. On its own, oud is very distinctive – "it smells rich, leathery and animalic," says Carlo.
Why is oud so expensive?
Because of its rarity, high demand and the effort of extracting it, oud is one of the most expensive oils in the world. "A very small percentage of the Aquilaria tree goes through the process of infection, caused by an infestation of insects that create a fungal infection in the heart of the tree," explains Carlo. "Over many decades, this darkens the infected wood – known as agarwood – which by now has developed the rich aroma that is distilled into oud oil."
Extremely rare and costly, "around 40 to 70 kilos are needed to yield just 20 to 40ml of oil," says Carlo, "and each tree that has the infected wood will only have four kilos on a good day." This explains why many of the best oud perfumes come in way over the $100/£100 mark. It is an extremely long-lasting note on the skin and rarely needs reapplying through the day, which does help counterbalance the expense somewhat.
