FRAGRANCE | Vial trial: Oud Silk Mood EDP by Maison Francis Kurkdjian

Another one from Maison Francis Kurkdjian's Oud Mood collection, Oud Silk Mood is the perfumer's take on the now-commonplace oud and rose combo. It's available in eau de parfum (EDP) and extrait de parfum concentrations. This review is for the EDP.

Oud Silk Mood is a characteristically smooth and elegant blend with a strong and beautiful rose as the star. From the beginning and unto the very end the rose is there in full bloom. It's sweet, quite jammy to my nose, but stops itself short of being cloying—although it can be if you overspray. A little goes a long way with this one. And while it's a long-lasting scent, I see no harm in an extra spritz or two in the afternoon, if only to reignite its potency.

Despite what the name suggests, this isn't an oud-dominant fragrance. The oud, completely glossed over to appeal more to Western tastes, merely plays second fiddle to the rose. In hindsight, second fiddle may not even be an apt description because it's relegated far into the background, unlike, say, Mancera Black to Black, where the oud is on equal footing with the rose. However, that doesn't make it any less of a fragrance. It still is wonderful in its own right, and I really, really like it.

Oud Silk Mood behaves mostly in a linear fashion to me. Although the opening carries with it a certain brightness, with a touch of citrus perhaps, it doesn't last. Simply put, it's a rose fragrance more than anything. I reckon rose lovers will like this but if possible, always try before you buy. It's a little feminine-leaning by mainstream standards although I'm sure guys (apart from me of course) can rock it just the same.