Among the many ingredients which sharply divide perfume lovers, licorice and oud would rank high on that list. I am that contrarian which enjoys both. I like the sharply herbal darkness of licorice. I adore the medicinal tinted ouds; like smelling a bandage on my finger. When these notes are combined in a perfume you might expect an obstreperous off-putting composition; which it might be for some. I found the perfume which does this, The House of Oud Crop 2017, exactly the combination I was looking for.
I became acquainted with The House of Oud last year. Founded by perfumer Andrea Casotti and oud distiller Mohammed Nashi. One of the things they are doing is creating yearly limited editions which feature a specific oud called Crop. The first one Crop 2016 was built around a green Kalimantan oud that was compelling. I was curious to see what Crop 2017 would bring.
Andrea Casotti
This vintage works with a traditional oud full of those medicinal aspects I enjoy. It is not as unique as the oud in Crop 2016. For Crop 2017 it seems as if Sig. Casotti wanted to explore the depth of how dark you could take an oud. Instead of lightening it up he drives it even deeper with licorice.
Crop 2017 does not have a pyramid as much as everything sort of appears. Very early the herbal pure licorice of a throat lozenge is dunked in a glass of absinthe. What this creates is souped-up wormwood accord with the licorice maxed out. Before I get much time to enjoy this the oud rumbles in like a rhino into a china shop lifting the licorice accord up and slamming it down on top of itself. This is where Crop 2017 hovers and if the idea of acerbic herbal boozy bandages makes you go “oooh!” then, like me, you will be in bliss. I enjoyed this so much that I almost was disappointed when the sandalwood began to find its way in. It was so normal I was irritated with its presence.
Crop 2017 has 12-14 hour longevity and moderate sillage.
I am reasonably sure if I asked many oud lovers whether they like Crop 2016 or 2017 most of them would choose 2016. Not me. Crop 2017 is one of those reasons I enjoy niche perfumery. Everything doesn’t have to be made for the masses. Sometimes it can be made for us who want to hang out on the event horizon of licorice and oud.
Disclosure: This review is based on a sample I purchased.
–Mark Behnke
