Perfumer Liz Zorn of Soivohle is one of the few perfumers we give a free pass if  we see  the word Oud in the name of one of her fragrances. Oud Lacquer is one of the best indie perfumes using oud of the past several years.

Liz created a perfume called Underworld, which many of us thought was inspired by the Vampires of the Underworld Series. Not so, but it did give Liz the idea to base a fragrance based on Vlad the Impaler- otherwise known as Dracula. First, Liz gathered information about the plants native to Transylvania and the Carpathian Mountains. Then she envisaged Dracula as depicted in Bram Stoker’s Dracula written in 1897 and  by Gary Oldman’s brilliant portrayal of the character in Francis Ford Coppola’s 1992 movie. The result was a fragrant fusion of a gentleman prince and bloodthirsty monster

Which bring us to the oud accord. According to Liz, ”Beneath  the floral heart, fluttering like gossamer at the stroke of midnight, the intention was to pull from the  sensual nature of oud and  wrap it in an intoxicating bouquet of intense beauty.

Notes: Citrus, Alpine Accord (fir balsam, rhododendron leaf, laurel leaf), Dianthus, Wild Mountain poppy, Parma Violet, Orris butter, Oakmoss Accord, Black Amber (patchouli, resins, vanilla) Musk, muscone accord, soft earth accord (agarwood oil from Laos and India oud base), Blood cedar, Atlas cedar, Rosewood, Sandalwood and spices

Price: $190 /50 ml, 11ml /$50.00

Available October 15, 2013  www.soivohle.com and at Liz’s store in the Pendelton Art Center, Middletown Ohio

Source: Liz Zorn

Editor's note: Knowing Liz, this ode to Dracula is more Butterfly than Bat

–Michelyn Camen, Editor in Chief