M7 Oud Absolu
Yves Saint Laurent (2011)

I have been wearing this since I brought my 1st bottle in NY back in 1999 .... works for this old hippy/surfer dude from the '70s !!!

Dark and a little sweet, M7 Oud Absolu is a warm and comforting fragrance that exudes elegance and a certain sensuality. As much as people rave over the original M7, I tried it at an airport duty free years ago and I thought it was good but not outstanding. But this flanker of the original is masterful. To my nose M7 Oud Abolu opens with an enticing blast of caramelised orange peel, then the darkness of the oud comes though. The oud intensifies a little during the dry down and the patchouli also becomes more noticeable. Bringing it all together is the comforting warmth of the amber. It's a beautiful fragrance that I enjoy wearing, there is a certain masculinity about it but I think that some women could carry this scent well. This fragrance is not very loud and so it has some versatility, it could be worn in certain professional settings and is suitable for more intimate occasions. The fragrance projects moderately well and it lasts most of the day on me as a skin scent.

Blast the out, hurl the patchouli into my nose: The opening is just that, an oud-patchouli attack. Not an unfriendly one, though, for the oud is quite agreeable, and both are neither too brutal, nor too harsh or intrusive. Touches or mandarins and mineralic undertone are more present in the scent pyramid that actually materialising on my skin.

The second stage is an ambery wood-base impression courtesy of the cistus; this rock rose is given added depth by a herbal add-on in the shape of a myrrh note. A touch of smokiness appears in the final stage also.

I get moderate sillage, excellent projection, and nine hours of longevity on my skin.

An agreeable wintery flanker, somewhat predictable and less fruity that the original. It is a bit too generic to excite, but overall executed well with some nice nuances. 3/5

At the time of writing this review, I have applied M7 Oud Absolu (black label) to my neck and chest, as usual, and...sprayed my the back of my right hand with one shot of the original M7 (4 ingredient, amber-sided bottle) to do a comparison.
Here we go...and the lovers of the original (of which I am one) are not going to like this:
They are almost identical, AND, I even have to give the edge to the Oud Absolu for projection.
I won't go into a scent description, as there are plenty of reviews on this site and other sites to peruse.
So...it's your choice. Spend $200+ for the original, or spend about half and essentially have the same product, albeit without the bragging rights.
Let me end with saying, I love both of these products and they are prime examples of high-end perfumery.

*Review for the bottle with the dark plastic cover surrounding it

This is a very sexy fragrance and definitely has more than a passing resemblance to its namesake, M7. The longevity and silage is tenacious; one spray to the chest will last all day. It is velvety smooth and definitely one that is great for a night out or dinner date. The notes/accords that stick out to me are Orange, Patchouli, Oud and Myrrh. Similar in vibe to Tom Ford Oud Woid as well although I find Oud Wood to be overall brighter and more work appropriate. Big thumbs up.

Sorry, but to me this is in no way a fragrance for men. Way, way too sweet and syrupy. Strong cherry cough syrup note. Very unpleasant to my nose. Smells better on a woman or I should say more appropriate for a woman.