Quite simply...fantastic! I had hugely high, even unrealistic expectations about this one to the point I was preparing to be disappointed and it’s not! Purple Oud is a really impactful scent with a bold, provocative and highly original opening. Purple Oud is a Purple as Prince! It’s fruity, but not sweet and definitely not playing around, it means some serious business and although completely changes when settled, some scents you can feel the basenotes lurking from the very first slightest, waft, like gazing at a distant storm you know a short time from now will be right upon you. I’d say it’s berry like, blackcurrant and hints of dark licorice melt away into a leathery, woody, Oud smell, which is rubbery and with hints of skankiness and minimal touches of smoke. The very deep drydown after about 6 hours is a very low lying, clean woody smell. It’s intoxicating, interesting, even a little strange and challenging at times but Demachy has created something I think deserves a great amount of merit.
To my nose this smells like an 80s men's fragrance. As it dries down it has a sort of cigarette-infused car interior vibe. I can imagine an estate agent from Swindon smelling like this in the early 90s. It does smell like it has vetiver in it, but it doesn't smell anything like Encre Noir. I get nothing remotely oudy from this at all.