Astrophil & Stella Nabati Oud (Christian Provenzano) 2025 + Desert Night Giveaway

Astrophil & Stella Nabati Oud

Image of Astrophil & Stella Nabati Oud by Karl©

When a pre-launch of Astrophil & Stella Nabati Oud was presented to me at Esxence 2025, I paused. There are brands one respects professionally, and then there are brands one adores. For me, Astrophil & Stella has long occupied that latter category. Their manifesto—fusing poetic metaphor with rigorous composition—feels less like a marketing conceit and more like a philosophy: scent as narrative, art as communion, the cosmos as a backdrop for human intimacy.

Christian Provenzano perfumer

Christian Provenzano courtesy of the perfumer.

Composed by Christian Provenzano, Astrophil & Stella Nabati Oud is not a quiet sequel to the 2021 original—it is its bold crescendo. I first encountered it at Esxence in the heady swirl of industry air, but it was later, when the bottle came home with me, that its full architecture revealed itself. Of all I have encountered this year, it stands as one of my favourite discoveries—a composition that brings the Nabati story into fuller, more tactile relief. Where Nabati traced the cadence of Bedouin oral poetry in mineral strokes and soft spices, Astrophil & Stella Nabati Oud steps into darker terrain. The oud is unapologetically central—smouldering, dense, but never overwhelming. Provenzano’s structure allows it to rise and resonate, surrounded by ornament but never obscured.

The opening is alive: rum-laced saffron, cardamom, star anise and ambrette grain flared with sea salt and citrus. It’s immediate, textured, and generous. Then the heart arrives—rose and iris tangled with davana, softened by water, gripped by leather. The oud here is not a gesture—it is the gravity around which everything orbits. The drydown, long and expressive, drapes the skin in amber, patchouli, sandalwood and cedar, touched with the dry shimmer of vetiver and a low hum of vanilla.

Nabati Oud by Astrophil & Stella

Image of Astrophil & Stella Nabati Oud by Karl©

Astrophil & Stella’s manifesto speaks of cosmic dualities, human longing, and mythic entanglements. What I have always admired—and continue to find confirmed—is their refusal to dilute that vision. Astrophil & Stella Nabati Oud is not a departure from the original narrative, but an amplification of it. The voice is louder now. The dusk has become night. The poetry has shifted register. This collaboration with Christian Provenzano is instinctive. His ability to shape resins and woods into structures of emotional weight is precisely what Astrophil & Stella Nabati Oud demands. Together, they have delivered a fragrance that expands the brand’s identity while remaining rooted in its founding poetics.

At Esxence, amidst the saturation of newness, Nabati Oud cut through—resonant, immediate, magnetic. And now, in the quietude of home, it continues to reveal new tonalities. It’s a scent I reach for when I want gravity. There’s theatre in it, yes—but no pretense. It wears like a garment of memory: fragrant, textured, and haunting.

Image of sunset into night courtesy of Unsplash.

There is movement here—sunset into night, ink into voice. Unlike many oud-driven compositions that lean on predictability, Astrophil & Stella Nabati Oud has articulation. Its story builds. Its silences speak. As someone who writes not simply about fragrance but about what fragrance remembers, I can say this: Astrophil & Stella Nabati Oud is an expansion, not a revision. It takes what was hinted at in Nabati and speaks it aloud, unflinching. It is one of the most significant releases I’ve experienced this year—not because it demands attention, but because it holds it.

In a market chasing novelty, Astrophil & Stella have done something more difficult: they’ve taken a story worth telling and dared to speak it again, louder.

Top Notes: Ambrette, Bergamot, Star Anise, Saffron, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Rum, Heart Notes: Orris, Turkish Rose, Leather, Oud, Davana, Aquatic Accord; Base Notes: Sandalwood, Patchouli, Cedarwood, Vanilla, Vetiver, Amber, Oud

Karl Topham, Senior Editor.

Nabati Oud by Astrophil & Stella

 

courtesy of the brand

Thanks to the largess of Astrophil & Stella we have a 50 ml tester of Nabati Oud for one registered reader (USA & EU). To be eligible, please leave a comment describing what strikes you about Astrophil and Stella Nabati Oud based on Karl’s review, and where you live. Draw closes 6/26/2025.

Astrophil & Stella Nabati was featured in Karl’s review here. Please enjoy Karl’s review of Astrophil & Stella Madame M and Shanghai 1930.

Enjoy Lauryn’s review of Sweet Pulp. Read Olya’s review of Paris Cheri here and J’s review of A Night at the Opera.

Astrophil and Stella In Extremis was a Best of Scent 2024 for Michelyn and Karl

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10 comments

  • Vladimir says:

    Karl’s review excels in its rich, evocative language, treating the perfume not just as a scent but as a narrative art form highlighting the perfume’s bold, unapologetic oud while praising Christian Provenzano’s masterful talent that allows it to shine without being overwhelming. The detailed breakdown of the notes—from the “rum-laced saffron” opening to the “gravity” of the oud heart and the “long and expressive” drydown—creates a sensory journey for the reader. The compelling element is how the review captures the emotional and intellectual depth of the fragrance, describing it as “theatre… but no pretense” and a “garment of memory,” making it resonate beyond just a scent profile.

    In a market which is definitely overly saturated with oudh compositions, I am somewhat intrigued by this particular scent and would definitely love to try it as I have never sample anything from the brand.

    Thank you once again for the detailed review and the kind giveaway.

    Based in the EU

  • Scentofme says:

    That sounds unpredictable and magnetic. I like Nabati and am eager to try the darker Nabati Oud. Both are composed by Christian Provenzano. From EU.

  • wonderscent.mari says:

    What an incredibly intriguing review! Sounds a really magnificent harmonious composition but somewhat a more complex and depth fragrance structure. I am not familiar with the Nabati but I am very intrigued to try both of them and see the hidden treasures that have these compositions. I am very intrigued to experience the darker version of it which sounds quite magnetic and devine! It feels more present. The most intriguing part to me though is the base with all of the resins, woods and the oud that make this blend irresistible. Creating a depth and giving a darker shifting to this poetic composition of the Nabati is sth that sparkled my interest. I am very impressed by this captivating description and very curious to explore this house.
    Many Thanks for this generous giveaway!
    From EU

  • paulREN says:

    I read a lot here about Astrophil & Stella on Cafleurebon, and bought a bottle of In Extremis after Michelyn and Karl included it in their best of 2024. It is unlike anything I have ever smelled and Karl said it was Meo Fusciuni’s best which got my attention. Nabati Oud also sounds like a blind buy or a sampled, since it impressed Karl so much.
    This quote, “Astrophil & Stella’s manifesto speaks of cosmic dualities, human longing, and mythic entanglements. What I have always admired—and continue to find confirmed—is their refusal to dilute that vision.”… and the oud and rum USA

  • Laurentiu says:

    I really liked the last part of the review and I must admit that it put my curiosity on fire, it’s the cherry on top – ‘In a market chasing novelty, Astrophil & Stella have done something more difficult: they’ve taken a story worth telling and dared to speak it again, louder.’

    Nabati Oud sounds really good and I hope I will be testing it out soon. Thanks! EU

  • goldenswan says:

    Nabati Oud sounds really appealing with its mix of spice, florals, and deep woods. I like that it’s described as both rich and wearable—oud can be overwhelming, but this sounds more balanced. The intro was poetic and set the mood well. USA

  • absurdnose says:

    I love the combination of these bold notes. I looked back to the post on the original Nabati for more of a backstory and was so charmed to see that beautiful poem inscribed within the text of the box. I would love to try this scent. I am in the USA

  • Pancake says:

    All Karl had to say was Rose Iris and Rum. That sounds amazing. I really appreciate how he writes out the story of the fragrance’s journey after it’s sprayed.

  • samozain1 says:

    I am always looking for a new oud composition. This brand’s philosophy of poetic metaphor is superb. the “drydown, long and expressive, drapes the skin in amber, patchouli, sandalwood and cedar, touched with the dry shimmer of vetiver and a low hum of vanilla.” It’s everything you need from an oud. I am also a fan of Provenzano.!!

    USA

  • Ramses Perez says:

    I’ve gotten to know the house of Astrophil and Stella on this site and have always thought they make very unique/exotic fragrances. Anything Christian Provenzano touches turns to gold and I’m glad he can do the same for this house. I’m very interested to know how the aquatic notes mix with the oud but based on the notes it gives a summery vibe. I still haven’t has the chance to try any of their fragrances but dying to. I’m located in the USA.