No. 5 Frenesie

While most oud fragrances are proud and severe, their throaty, animalic rasp giving pause for thought, Frénésie is as soft and inviting as a freshly powdered bosom. Cowed into submission by an expansive floral bouquet dominated by an apricotty osmanthus, the oud is pushed to the edges of the scent, where it hums away sottovoce. Dressed up in this cloak of jammy florals, the oud is transformed into a glazed lychee tart that teeters on that quirky, Japanese-esque line between floral and fruity. The soft, gummy suede lurking beneath is the perfect counterpart to the syrupy osmanthus and roses, streaked here and there with a peppery peony bite. If we didn’t know better, we’d swear there’s violet in here too, casting an ethereal purple glow over the bouquet that holds it all together. Either way, the oud just a whisper, a faint trace of something woody in the lower register. A fuzzy haze of musk brings up the rear, diffusing the fudgy floral center into a spacey lightness. Lovely, and quite innocent-smelling.