Oriscent - Sheikh´s Borneo och Sweet China

"Resistance is futile, you will be assimilated"


That very well sum up what I feel when I try two different oud-oils from Oriscent. http://www.oriscent.com/index.php


I hadn´t heard at all about Oriscent before I swapped some treasured drops with one of my blog readers. Oud is an aromatic oil, that comes from agarwood, and more specifik, agarwood with rot. The tree is defending itself against the rot with an overproduction of resin and with resin and rot, the result is oud (more about how to make oud and such you can read at Oriscent homepage, it´s really interesting).


Oud as a perfume ingredience has been quite unusual in West, but much more common in Asia and Middle East. Lately Western perfumers and perfume companies have start making perfumes with oud, I´ve wrote about L'Artisan´s Al Aoud, and about oud-scents from Montale. If Al Aoudh is oud for beginners, Montale´s oud-scents is for enthusiasts and people with some oud-knowledge, then the oud-oils from Oriscent is for the hardcore-oud fans and conneseurs.


I have wrote about being covered in greenery when wearing Bandit. Sheikh´s Borneo and Sweet China is making me to a tree. Sheikh´s Borneo is from start quite soft, aromatic and likeable, while Sweet China is a struggle. It´s strong, pungent and overwhelming. A tiny little drop is more then enough, the opening of Sweet China reminds of being on top of a manure pile a hot summer day. It´s a very, very special scent experience and if it wasn´t for that I´m sure it will be an interesting trip I would go and wash it of at once. But apart from the strong smell of manure there is notes of warm wood, sweetness and something spicy... thankfully.


Sheikh´s Borneo is much lighter and easier to wear from start. I can totally see whu it´s popular among sultans and sheikhs. Don´t be foled by thinking it is soft compared to other perfumes though, it is soft and gentle only in comparision with Sweet China.


As mentioned, a single little drop is more than enough with both of the fragrances. When the opening wears of a little it´s like a close study of a tree. Sheikh´s Borneo is all the way on the softer side, but I´ve had to admit that in the long run I think of Sweet China as the most interesting of the two. After a while, the smell of manure are lightening up, but still remains until the end. I can smell smoky, leathery and earthy nuances in Sweet China. As a scent it feels very swirly the different notes are coming after each other. Sheikh´s Borneo on the other hand seem to have the different notes in layers. I can detect some floral scents and sweetness in it. Sheikh´s Borneo is much more serene and calm than Sweet China.


After several hours (both of the oils last at least for a full day) the scents are mostly about wood. Beautiful, warm and harmonic. Again I think of Sweet China as more lively and interesting, the base in it is green, living and kind of happy, like a dancing tree. Sheikh´s Borneo become more golden, powdery and comfortable woody. Really, I think Sheikh´s Borneo is the one that smells best, but I think of Sweet China as more genuin and less tame.


It´s really interesting that something that originate from a rotten tree can smell that good, exciting and complex. And that different kinds of oud-oil can vary so much in between. I can also feel that the oud-oils is about more then smelling good or interesting, they manage to affect my mood, and make me feel calm and relaxed. They also feel very luxurious and exotic to me. If I wasn´t occupied with being a tree, it wouldn´t be hard to imagine me to be a part of the Royal Saudian family.


The sillage is impressive, I feel liked soaked in oud-scent only with a small amount. The lasting power is amazing, put a drop on in the morning and the scent will last all day long at least. If you have the slightest interest for something different then western perfumes, you must try something from oriscent, even though I´m aware of that they can be quite hard to come by.


Pic: davidkphotography
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