Parfums de Nicolaï - Oud Sublime

Picture: The Moose in the snow
Painting by John Bauer (1882-1918)

Oud Sublime is a luxurious elixir based on real cambodian oud, created by perfumer Patricia de Nicolaï for her own house, Parfums de Nicolaï. As the rest of the Nicolaï ouds, Oud Sublime stands out as a different oud compared to the common, strong, medical, syntecial intrpretation of this woody note. In the oud fragrances of Nicolaï oud is gentler and not as dominating, it's one of several notes inteacting in well constructed accords.

Oud Sublime starts smelling almost as Incense Oud for a while. Then Oud Sublime takes a darker and deeper trail, with less patchouli, smoother and a bit mysterious. It's texture and color is like a mossy green velvet gown under a dark chocolate brown velvet coat. There is no harsh chemical notes and no cloggy thickness which could be an issue with some "commercial" oudfragrances. Instead, despite of it's darkness, there is an element that could be described as fresh in Oud Sublime, it's the freshness of walking in the forest in the mid-winter, not the acquatic or citrus sort of fresh. The patchouli in Oud Sublime is the same characteristic "Nicolaï patchouli" as in Patchouli Homme/Patchouli Intense and the note is intergrated with the other notes in a seamless way. The base are dominated by the characteristic dark green, chalky, slight mossy elegant Nicolaï accord, the Guerlinade of the house of Nicolaï. In Oud Sublime, this houseaccord seems to be wrapped in dark, woody, slight animalic and natural oudy notes with a hint of a clean incense.

Picture: Oud Sublime
Photo: PR Parfums de Nicolaï (c)

Overall, to me Oud Sublime seems to be an extrait variation of Incense Oud, darker, smoother and close to the skin whereas Incense Oud is the more radiant, brighter, higher positioned on the fragrant notescale.
When it comes to the difference/similarity between the two versions it's about the same relationship as between Andy Tauers versions of his moroccan desert fragrances L'Air du Desert Marocain and Au Coeur du Desert where the former is the brighter and more radiant and the latter extrait variation is darker, smoother and close to the skin.

Oud Sublime is a wearable fragrance both for gloomy autumn/winterdays and for evenings year around. It's a unisex fragrance, close to the skin with a longevity for more then 12h. Silage is somewhere between close to medium.

For a conniseur both Oud Sublime and Incense Oud are worth owning, just as the classic Guerlains and Chanels are different enough to justify owning all versions. As Oud Sublime is quite expensive, Incense Oud is a good option which on the other hand is quite friendly to the wallet.

Rating: 5

Notes: Davana, coriander, rose, ambretta, cambodian oud, patchouli, incense, styrax

Parfums de Nicolaï is now avaible on Fragrance & Art