Oud Elixir Precieux
Christian Dior (2014)

Oh boy! Sharp, unabashed formulation a la François Demachy that pays a dignified ode to oud!

The reviewer "Dandy Lion" really describes Oud Elixir Precieux well - I can't find too much more to add except to say that I found it to be a synthesis of chemicals that create an authentic composite picture of oud proper.

I don't perceive OEP to be a simple liquid version of actual oud macerated, melted, etc. down; it fuses the typical elements that make up the oud experience - rosiness, "band-aid" antiseptic, smokiness, dry wood, rubber, tar, et. al.

If I were a rich man, I'd buy THIS Elixir Precieux potion, given my obsession with all things oud. It's raw, daring, even brutal...a small dab would last me all day and into the next! It has a merry-go-round quality, showcasing each distinct sub-note over time in an interesting way! It's not linear nor predictable; in the end, it just fades away though never ceasing to be a deep, dark experience.

Christian Dior does well offering this uber-niche, pricy, but legitimate fragrance in its arsenal. For now, a decant would be a great start for me. :-)

the presentation is stunning. if you have ever bought one of Dior's Collection Privee fragrances you know they come in a nice, cylindrical, white cardboard case. same thing here except it's black and much shorter obviously. the bottle itself is brilliant. you know how the main Privee fragrance bottles are nice and heavy? this is REALLY heavy. and it's bigger than it looks in pictures. i can palm a basketball and the bottle reaches from edge to edge on my palm. it's big and heavy and screams quality. as does the top, which unscrews to reveal a long glass swiper stick. there's a metal ring on the top. just perfect presentation from Dior.

swiping the oil on the wrist, it's a very thick, orange oil which temporarily stains the skin.

the smell - let me start by saying i have never smelled anything like this before. and that's rare, isn't it? especially us fragheads. we think we've smelled all the notes there are to smell, and we start complaining about how everything smells the same after a while. well, NOT HERE! good god this stuff is from another planet. what do i get in the first 10 minutes? (buckle your seat belts) ... i get (yes) barnyard Assam-Indian style oud, a fierce burning rubber note (think Bulgari Black on steroids, or walking thru the Pirelli factory), dry burlap sack, aged taif rose, hardware store, a nice hit of beeswax, a tiny bit of curry, fertilizer, and a soupçon of gorgonzola cheese.

it lasted til the next morning. over time, the fragrance softens its crazy edges and comes down to earth, but doesn't morph into something much different. rather, it seems one note after another simply drops off, with thankfully the taif rose being the last note to go. a really beautiful "life" it gives you.

these elixirs are meant to be layered with other Dior Privee fragrances. so i did that on my other wrist. i layered this Oud Elixir underneath Ambre Nuit. i also tried layering with Patchouli Imperial, and Oud Ispahan. they ALL worked amazingly well. like... it's at this point where my superlatives will fail me. they are all BEAUTIFUL. it takes Ambre Nuit (already amazing) to yet another level. whereas AN is light and sparkly, it becomes dark and mysterious when paired with this oud elixir. i really can't describe it... all i can say is that i have rarely smelled anything better. i can't wait to experiment with some other Privee fragrances, like Gris Montaigne (which is one of the few Privee frags i've never smelled, but this is the one Dior recommends to pair with Oud).


THE VERDICT - I absolutely love this Oud Elixir Precieux and am impressed beyond my very high expectations going in. it is highly unique, quite potent, and an extraordinarily creative interpretation of oud. no one is going to mistake this for real oud oil, which i prefer (i have enough real oils). instead, we get to enjoy the immense artistic talent of François Demachy and revel in the childlike wonder that is experiencing something beautiful for the first time again.

what a gift.