London

London is Scentleys' extrait interpretation of WIDIAN's London, part of the Emirati luxury house's Sapphire city collection and one of its most distinctive oud compositions. The dupe opens with a dark, resinous oud paired with violet and cypress, chasing the deep, slightly harsh opening WIDIAN's original is known for before it softens. A raspberry and lily-of-the-valley heart adds an unexpected fruity-floral lift that gives the composition its earthy, fruity dimension, a signature touch of the real London. The base settles on leather, vanilla, amber and musk, aiming for the sweet, ambery leather finish that ties the whole thing together. Scentleys' opening is a fair match for the oud-violet drama of the original, and the raspberry-lily-of-the-valley heart is a distinctive enough detail that it clearly signals the same fragrance family rather than a generic oud. The base is where the gap widens - WIDIAN's oud carries a dense, almost harsh resinous quality that some wearers find challenging before it dries down into sophistication, while Scentleys' leather-amber base is smoother and more straightforwardly pleasant from the start. Performance is strong for an oil extrait, six to eight hours with confident projection. A worthwhile way to sample the oud-raspberry-leather genre before considering the far pricier Dubai original.