FRAGRANCE | Octavian Pure Parfum by Electimuss: A quality take on the familiar

Octavian is my first foray into London-based niche house Electimuss. I wasn't eyeing it or anything at all but the opportunity just presented itself. As insane as the price the brand commands for a bottle (just look it up), so was the deal I got it for. It was as if Vito Corleone gave me an offer I couldn't refuse.

The bottle is pure eye candy with its flashy, contemporary aesthetic. The combination of gold plating and colored glass stands in stark contrast to the bottle's rather minimalist lines. And I love how the juice casts a reddish brown hue against the purple bottle. It's also really thick and heavy, packing a weight probably similar to my bottle of Royal Crown Ytzma. Now I have two light dumbells I can exercise with. As for the sprayer, it's pretty good. I like the fine mist it produces. The box is a little underwhelming, though. It's not as sturdy, which I think doesn't match the heft of the showstopping bottle.

The scent is basically centered on oud and rose, a pairing that has practically lost its novelty already. However, I'm a believer in that there are a thousand and one ways of interpreting a scent. Just as there are countless fougères, chypres, and aquatics that still carry their own identities, so can there be room for another oud and rose fragrance. And my, does Electimuss do it beautifully!

The oud here carries a bit of a barnyard character and is especially evident in the opening. Although I don't think it's too skanky, it's sure to throw some people off. It even caught the attention of one of my cats as I was petting him. He suddenly freed himself and proceeded to sniff my arm until he found the spot where I sprayed it—and then licked it. A similar thing happened before with my other cats when I sprayed Cupid MVI, which is more animalic than this by leaps and bounds. Still, the oud's animalic nature is palpable.

There's a powdery facet that accompanies the oud in the opening, which somehow keeps the latter's barnyard character in check. On the few occasions that I've worn it, I noticed that the degree of powderiness that I get varies. I reckon it must be influenced by the weather or the temperature in general.

The rose, on the other hand, takes its time, starting off as a bud before going on full bloom. An ambery sweetness creeps up in parallel, and together they take the scent from animalic to a more affable sweet floral but without ditching the oud at all. Although the scent can be quite strong for three hours or so, it never is loud or brash like Mancera's Black to Black. Rather, it maintains an elegant stance similar to MFK's Oud Silk Mood. The difference is that Octavian understands oud completely and embraces it instead of glossing it over beyond recognition.

Octavian by Electimuss may not be unique but it's beautifully executed. Whether or not the price is justified is relative but what I can say is that the quality is perceptible and it's undeniably top-notch. It's a long-lasting, unisex scent that commands attention in the classiest way possible. Its warm and sensual character makes it ideal for evenings, date nights, and cold weather. Of course it's not going to be to everyone's taste, primarily because of the kind of oud used, but this is a fragrance that's definitely something. And I'm very happy with it.