Stylish Italian Wood

Stylish Italian Wood opens with a spicy lift of saffron over a sliver of mandarin, the warm-metallic shimmer that signals an oriental oud is coming. A leathery heart edged with orange blossom follows, then the composition sinks into its real character: a smoky, resinous base of agarwood, incense, amber and vanilla. Against the Cavalli original the dupe reads a touch sweeter and more rounded - the original's musty, almost dirty leather and gravelly texture are smoothed out, and the incense is dialled back so the oud-and-vanilla warmth dominates. It wears dense and cosy in cool weather, a winter-evening scent built for date nights and dressier occasions. Projection is modest and longevity skin-close after the first hours, the usual budget trade against the long-lasting original. As a smell-alike it delivers the headline saffron-oud-leather idea while losing some of the depth and grit that made Oud Edition feel luxurious.