On the hunt for the best oud perfumes and fragrances? Bazaar Arabia shares a list of a few of our favourites here…

For many of us in the GCC Oud is so much more than a single note within a perfume. Some of us associate it with home and loved ones – fondly remembering moments with family, the smell of our mothers and grandmothers lingering in the air – while others associate it with a new life and adventures abroad. Spend any amount of time within the region, and the adoration for this precious note by nationals and expats alike becomes evident.

The renowned essence is desired by fragrance lovers from all over the world for good reason; extracted from the bark of the agar tree its intoxifying scent is considered a rarity, its values often surpassing that of gold.

Here, Bazaar Arabia shares 26 of the best oud fragrances for those looking to expand their repertoire to include bold yet nostalgic options when it comes to scent.

19 of The Best Oud Perfumes

Oud Ulya by Amouage

Amouage‘s Oud Ulya is an attar fragrance, formulated with the strong scent of oud assam with notes of vanilla and birch tar. The highly concentrated nature of the attar means that you require just a dab or two of this to awaken the scent – which is precisely why it has made our list of the best oud perfumes.

Oud Rosewood by Christian Dior

Don’t let the minimalistic design of the bottle fool you. Oud Rosewood is a good starting point for those who aren’t as familiar with this precious scent. Combining soft notes of sandalwood and rosewood with oud it perfectly complements a dry, hot climate and an adventurous spirit.

Oud Ispahan by Christian Dior

Another star of the Dior collection is Oud Isphahan. This amber-floral scent has a long projection and a warm, spicy and somehow familiar Oud character.

Oud Satin Mood by Maison Francis Kurkdijan

This perfume embodies the desire to escape into an exotic world, to forget time and become lost in the moment. The tenderness of violets meets Bulgarian roses within the fragrance, and falls into perfect harmony with lush amber-vanilla notes, completing this oud ode to nostalgia.

Oud Wood by Tom Ford

Tonka bean and amber will caress all your senses whilst a smoky blend of rare oud wood, sandalwood and vetiver add that certain something that will leave others wanting to know more about the wearer of this unique fragrance.

Velvet Desert Oud by Dolce&Gabbana

Light as a breeze yet powerful as a tornado. A soft smoke of dark wood gives way to deep amber notes. Soft musky notes complete the scent that will blow your senses, without being too obtrusive.

Pur Oud by Louis Vuitton

Keeping its overall composition simplistic to let the oud be the true star of the show, Pur Oud is the perfect match for minimalists appreciating true beauty in its rawest form.

Oud & Spice by Acqua di Parma

The powerful oud is tempered by warm and spicy notes of cinnamon and pink pepper, creating a somewhat unexpected experience for the senses. Sweet tones of raspberry and cisto labandum guarantee a most addicting scent that is grounded in the earthy patchouli, which is precisely why it’s made our list of best oud perfumes.

Cherry Oud by Guerlain

Created by Guerlain’s perfumer Delphine Jelk, this out fragrance has a sweet surprise in the form of a cherry note. Fruity, floral and woody, it also features cinnamon, cardamom, Turkish rose and Bulgarian rose.

Outcast Blue Extrait de Parfum by Ex Nihilo

The spicy, woody scent, recreated by Jordi Fernandez, is a reinvention of the iconic Outcast Blue fragrance and features the strong base notes of agarwood, vetiver, sandalwood, tobacco, oakmoss with top notes of saffron and black pepper.

Oud Nude by Guerlain

Subtle, soft and warm , this oud fragrance is spicy and amber-y in the perfect way. Featuring notes of white almond, cumin, raspberry and atlas cedarwood, it unveils oud wood paired with vanilla from Madagascar.

Oud Immortal by Byredo

Byredo is a brand that focuses on creating olfactory memories in bottle form. This fragrave is an oud injected with a tobacco notes to create a deep and rounded scent that honours the Oud but makes it complex and contemporary. Perfect for day to night wear for someone who wants an Oud with an edge.

Oud Palo by Diptyque

Crafted as a mesmerizing masterpiece, Diptyque’s Oud Palao draws inspiration from the intricate beauty of Zellige mosaic tiles. Infused with the exclusive Palao oud from Laos, it seamlessly blends dark woods, sensual animalics, and creamy depths—a truly perfect balanced scent.

Oud Abramad by BDK

Amber is the foundation from which this scent is built upon, with notes of an equally precious Middle Eastern export, Saffron, this perfume is a woody and spicy meant to transport you to a marble adorned palace.

Oud Royal by Armani/Prive

Armani Prive’s line Les 1001 Nuits, 1001 nights, is composed of a capsule of Haute Couture fragrances that are meant to transport you through the orient, and their Oud is no exception. For a smell that is already so deep in our culture, this wonderfully balanced woody-spicy version really is worth its weight in gold.

Oud for Greatness by INITO

Patchouli and musk is juxtaposed with sweet notes of lavender and saffron in this fragrance, and with a name like Oud for Greatness to live up to, this scent does not let you down. A textured and grand scent profile that really combines the best of woody and fresh character that is bold yet traditional.

The Night by Fredric Malle Editions

Explained as a love song to the Middle East, this fragrance is an ode Oud and Rose. Nose Dominique Ropion is also behind Portrait of a Lady, and this too is a balanced power scent that is an obvious addition, with generous doses of incents and rose, dry-down that makes everyone around you ask: “what perfume are you wearing?”

Helfiti by Penhaligon‘s

How can you go wrong with Bergamot, Rose and Oud? The fragrance is a cult favourite by the prestigious British heritage perfumer. This complex and mysterious scent artfully weaves an intoxicating tale rooted in the black rose note, building it out into a complex and intoxicating smell experience.

Jo Malone

Arabian Tonka by Montale

Rose and Tonka bean are truly regal notes. Montale’s Arabian Tonka is a spicy, exotic, feminine testament to the Region.

Oud & Bergamot Cologne Intense by Jo Malone

When it comes to a heavenly match, citrus and oud make a delightful pair. This fragrance, a part of Jo Malone’s Cologne Intense collection, features a beautifully blended, sparkling bergamot top note, harmoniously balanced by cedarwood and, of course, oud. The outcome is a hypnotic and enchanting homage to the spice routes.

Oud & Rose by St Dupont

Woody notes and of course the BLABLA oud are topped off by a soft bouquet of exotic roses, evoking dreams of Thousand and One Nights and nights under the stars spent with a lover.

Oudmazing by Montale

A scent encapsulating the very essence of summer. Bergamot-orange and Mediterranean figs and pears will send you all the way to the gates of Alexandria, where iris and patchouli will enchant you and leather and vanilla leave you with the desire for a lavish adventure.

Oudh Imperial Pure by Henry Jaques

Nothing feels more luxe than treating yourself to a little flacon of Henry Jacques (after all, we couldn’t share our list of best Oud perfumes without including them) – and the Haute Perfumerie’s Oudh Imperial Pure Perfume is certainly no exception. Notes of patchouli and amber add something a little bit exotic (perhaps even dangerous, in a way?) to this evoking scent. A must-have for our repertoire of best oud perfumes.

Eau Fine’s So Oud by Fame

So Oud was created to match the personalities of flamboyant, strong women who go after what they want in life; those femme fatales who have a fiery attitude, which is clearly highlighted by notes of saffron and chilli pepper, and tempered by elements of rose and milk.

Oud Praline by L’Occitane

For those with multiple different sides to them. The calm and kind side as sweet, as a praline which stands in contrast with the wild, untamed one, here reflected by fresh spices. Together these notes only bring each other out even more and create a beguiling ensemble.

Oud & Musc by Cartier

Powerful and woody notes come together with the combination of oud and musk in this scent, to create a perfect harmony that is both delicate and intimate.

Lead Image From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s March 2022 Issue.

Photography: Mazen Abousrour. Styling: Seher Khan. Model: Mellyna Chassy at Women360. Hair: Tanya Mahri. Make-Up: Rebecca Doney. Creative Director: Marne Schwartz. Executive Producer: Jesse Vora. Studio Manager: Ines Guendouz. Video: NineSeven1 Media. With special thanks to Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort.