No.288 Black Aoud

No.288 opens with a brief citrus flash of mandarin before the true heart of the fragrance takes over - a rich, jammy rose that sits front and centre, echoing Montale's signature rose-oud pairing. As it dries down, dark oud, labdanum and patchouli build a resinous, animalic base with a smoky, leathery edge. This is the aspect where Eden's version most clearly gestures at the original's character, though notably scaled back - Montale's Black Aoud is famous for an intense, almost medicinal oud sharpness and a barnyard animalic funk that makes it divisive; Eden's take is smoother and more polished, trading some of that raw intensity for wearability. Musk in the base adds a clean finish that the original doesn't really offer. Projection is strong to start but settles into a warm skin scent within a couple of hours, and longevity, while respectable, doesn't match the original's legendary all-day performance. This is best thought of as a rose-oud fragrance inspired by Black Aoud's DNA rather than a faithful clone - a good option for anyone who wants the concept without the original's polarising sharpness.