Sniff Test fragrance Review: Atkinsons Oud Save the Queen

Sniff Test Fragrance Review: Atkinsons Oud Save The Queen

Sniff Test

A light, modern oud fragrance for her with notes of earl grey tea, bergamot, cloves, jasmine, orange blossom, oud, tonka bean and guaiac wood.

She Says:

The brand is named for the posh former address of the onetime perfumer to the English royal court. The venerable perfumery also has a cameo in Virginia Woolf’s modernist novella Mrs. Dalloway—she passes the shop while running errands over the course of her now-famous London walk. In this perfume’s case, the name is an irreverent wink at that other quintessential British brand, the one almost as famous as the House of Windsor: the Sex Pistols. So are the ingredients. Some people find he ancient resinous scent of oud off-putting). I’m usually one of those people. But it’s sparing and nicely rounded out with the bergamot of Earl Grey tea as well as nutty and gourmand notes, like dark fruits (I’m getting the currants of eccles cakes). Tangy and sweet, like the insides of a liqueur-filled chocolate sampler. 2.5 out of 4

He Says:

Most modern fragrance houses today create at least one oud fragrance to cater to the Middle Eastern scent customer who loves the rich, deep, spicy notes. Oud, the resin of the agarwood tree, is one of the most expensive ingredients in modern perfumery so perfumers need to be highly skilled to use it well. At first sniff, I’m intrigued. I smell bergamot and earl grey tea notes which are fresh and uplifting. Soon, a little clove appears. The oud note is present but it is handled with such a light hand it acts as an accent rather than overpowering the other notes. It was clever to add some jasmine and orange blossom as the white flowers have confidence and strength to balance the oud nicely. Tonka bean adds a hint of sweetness.  This is beautifully blended. My compliments to perfumer Francis Deleamont. 3.5 out of 4