Saks Fifth Avenue. The New York specialty store is synonymous with luxury. Bond No. 9, has collaborated with the 111 year old company and released an exclusive fragrance, Saks NY Oud. Although I am growing weary of agarwood as the “it” note, this new fragrance is neither a redundant oud-centric offering nor is it a clichéd flanker. It picks up on the idea behind 2011’s NY Oud, which took a newly arrived “fresh off the boat” oud and tamed it, NYC style, and evolves it effortlessly into something rather refined and civilized.
The dominant saffron in the opening acts as a buffer between crisp classic bergamot and dry nutmeg. Floral and every-so-slightly spicy, these golden pistils keep fresh ground nutmeg from making you cough and cut the astringent citrus resulting in a mild-mannered and very jovial scent. The streamlined heart of rich palisander rosewood and a subtle, less indolic, jasmine exudes an androgynous slightly creamy balance of both wood and flower. True class knows no gender, and Saks NY Oud radiates it without committing to such trite and stereotypical associations. As it dries and develops, the woodiness gets deeper, smokier and sweeter. The noble oud wood is flanked with dark vanilla, crystalline amber and a palpable, yet inoffensive, muskiness that captures the natural wildness of its namesake note, as it smolders, strongly yet sensually, inside its flawlessly tailored suit.
Photo by Aleksandra Arsenovic
Saks NY Oud is a stunning merger between a prestigious niche company, one that continues to reinvent even the most overdone of themes with perfumed panache, and one of the oldest and most respected retailers in America. From the restrained oud-kissed floriental that was Bond No. 9 Perfume right through to this most current iteration of westernized exoticism, this company proves it can keep up with the times. The gentrification of one of the most polarizing and raw notes in perfumery echoes the class and finesse that can be found in its stores’ wares and services. After a trip to Saks, our sensual savage has been manicured, polished and dressed to impress-without any phoniness or pretense at all. I look on as oud evolves before my very nostrils into something cultured and well-bred, leaving its ancient homeland to survive and thrive in its new cosmopolitan home. Sillage: average to good. Longevity: slightly above average.
Disclosure: Review based on a sample spray sent to me from Bond No9 via Saks Fifth Avenue.
–John Reasinger, Senior Editor