Oud Sultani: Nha Trang

Oud Sultani’s signature is a wild, auxiliary-licious concoction that ditches any monkoh serenity for a deep purple floral heart characteristic of “one of those rare, old Malaysians… the ones that smell like flowers,” now cut through with a resinous blue vein, punctuated with the heavy-toned duo of violet leaf and rare Nepalese spikenard infused into crimson jasmine petals sweetened by castoreum. At the center of all that blue-purple you’ve got the most insane entourage of ouds that has ever gone into an EO parfum. The entire basis of Oud Sultani has always been a perfume rendition of the gorgeous purple floral ouds of yesteryear. This time, instead of honing in on a specific purple facet, we’re pulling out the full spectrum that creates the peerless ‘Sultani’ profile; oud directly from the very jungles that produce this signature purple-flower tenor. In this case, the trinity that defines the legendary West Malaysian jungles and gave rise to Sultani’s own Terengganu and Ahmad’s Kelantan, and the blue-floral brainzap courtesy of Pahang. Between Terengganu and Kelantan’s stunning blue-purple resin, honey, rain-soaked earth – Pahang imbues its narcotic lily-violet sparkle that shifts with temperature and humidity, dense as sinking incense, centuries deep. Oud of this caliber, this resinous, this rare, comes around once in a lifetime. Spray it, and the first top notes taste like biting into a handful of juicy grapes and dark berries, skins splitting cold, juice running underneath – while the trio’s cool mint and rain-wet forest floor cut straight through the purple florals. Tonkin musk and castoreum arrive right behind it, raw and leathery, pulling that blue note into something closer to a chipped sapphire than an empty sky. Then the Sultani DNA takes over: jasmine and rose swelling in, violet leaf and tenacious spikenard cutting a green, bitter edge through them, vintage orris coating the middle in violet-dusted suede.  Give it an hour and Pahang starts working its way into the corners – a narcotic lily note that wasn’t there at the start, a resinous weight that thickens the air around you like incense smoke that hasn’t finished clearing a room. In the cold, it deepens into something like a square of dark chocolate studded with candied violets, the mineral edge only showing up after the sweetness does. In heat, the florals swell until you can almost feel them at the back of your throat, and the blue note goes syrupy, narcotic, like blue lotus left steeping too long. Not only did I want to consolidate the best facets of the previous editions, but also add an even louder roar to its “blue-purple blast of sticky resinous goodness.” That’s why this edition also contains a generous dose of Tigerwood 1991, because this distillation dates back to the ‘Oud Sultani’ era that inspired this perfume, is from those very same Malaysian jungles, and gives this edition that ‘91 flare everyone’s been praising. By the drydown, Tigerwood 1991 and the vintage ouds take the wheel — dense, plum-dark, faintly smoky, with West Melayya trinity still numbing the back of the scent like a sliver held under the tongue.  Now, after the trinity was locked in and this already felt like the most complete Oud Sultani ever made, I still went and added another oud, the one I’ve said I’d keep if I had to give up every other oud I’ve ever made. While it’s praised for its “red” aroma, I personally find Nha Trang LTD incredibly blue – which is why it’s central to Mystical Lotus. Here, it injects that kyara signature; that mouth-numbing narcotic, camphoric sharpness, and a medicinal bitterness that cuts straight through all that blue-purple honey. As I lament here, the fact that Pahang has flown under the radar is criminal. That lily-violet-flowered, centennial resin vapor hits like a crystalline hallucination. Smell Oud Ahmad buzzing with the floral voltage of Oud Sultani, funneled through the earthy soul of Pahang’s blue spice, with Nha Trang buzzing through them all. Then again, you could say that each and every one of the ouds in the perfume has flown under the radar. The reason is simple: Where to find them? This edition includes: Wild, sinking-grade Nha Trang LTD (aged ~17 years) Wild, sinking-grade Terengganu (aged ~40+ years) Wild, sinking-grade Kelantan (aged ~40+ years) Wild, sinking-grade Pahang (aged ~40+ years) Tigerwood 1991 Wild, incense-grade Myitkyina (aged ~40+ years) Wild, incense-grade Mantarang (aged ~15 years) For context: at 25% concentration, a standard “extrait de parfum” bottle contains ~12.5g of aromatic compound in total. At 30%, it’s ~13.8g. In other words, oud alone makes up more than half the aromatic load a normal extrait formulation contains. But this is not a normal extrait bottle – the concentration is even higher. And at a formidable 8 grams of oud per bottle, this is also the highest concentration Oud Sultani to date. Limited. Reviews of previous editions… Man this is good!! Most definitely should have not played it safe and grabbed a 30ml though. I absolutely have to experience Brunei Kynam and Terengganu smh —Demarcus S / USA Right off the bat, OSBK is a bold, smoky, punchy oud based perfume. As soon as you spray it on skin, it leaves a noticeable orange/brown stain on your skin that screams “you’re in for a wild ride”. Underneath the smoky, woody Oud I can sense some soft florals and sweetness that are working to balance out the raw oud opening. The sweetness is coming from vanilla, which is handled nicely here. I can sense the vanilla and it plays its role dutifully, however it is not trying to be the star and outshine the oud. There is also orris in the composition that adds some additional sweet creamy qualities, almost slightly lactonic at times, which plays well with the vanilla and smoky oud. The animalics in OSBK are fantastic! Tonkin musk absolute is the perfect musk for this composition as it has that natural creamy sweetness that blends perfectly with orris and vanilla, while still adding that raw animalic punch. Ambergris ensures you know this is an EO perfume, adding a perfect mineralic/salty accord. And finally, castoreum adds another leathery, animalic element to the composition that pairs wonderfully with the woody and smoky oud. Finally, the oud. EO lists Brunei Kynam, tigerwood 1990 and raw oud resin as the ouds in OSBK. Now, I have no idea how much BK and tigerwood are actually in a 30ml bottle, but I can definitely assure you that the oud profile is strong, and glorious. It is resinous, smoky, woody but also at times, cooling and blue or purple. The ouds are complex, and meld with the animalics and florals. Oud is the canvas, and the paint here, while the animlaics, florals and vanilla are the brush. —Mackenzie L / Canada “Oud Sultani: Brunei Kynam” is an olfactory masterpiece. From the first whiff, the rare Brunei Kynam essence reveals a rich spectrum of deep, woody notes interwoven with fascinating blue-purple nuances. The heart of the fragrance showcases remarkable sophistication, blending sweet tones with a hint of cool, floral elements that unfold beautifully on the skin. The dry-down is exquisite, leaving a long-lasting, captivating aura enhanced by vanilla-smoky facets. A must have! The bottle design is also incredibly beautiful. The best EO perfume you can currently buy on the website, in my opinion. Opens very purple with lots of Tonkin musk and as already described the base is beautifully vanilla/smoky with lots of oud. But what’s interesting is that in colder weather the scent is noticeably more purple and in warmer weather I have more blue nuances, so the scent is also easy to wear in summer! Very addictive stuff:) —Julius H / Germany …I find the Brunei Kynam oud to give OSBK a more kinam effect, a bit bitter blue/green earthy vibe. Overall the Terengganu oud is also very well used and the whole Sultani DNA is absolutely beautiful. You get a tonkin-musk punch with some purple flowers, all placed over burning ouds. What makes Oud Sultani Kelantan better, which I wore yesterday? To me Kelantan has more going on. The depth of the oud used is unparalleled and also the overall composition is more refined. It’s always a matter of taste of course and I can understand if people would chose other versions of the Oud Sultani series as their favorites. It doesn’t matter which one you choose because each of them is a treat for your soul. —Dardan Z / Germany While there are much difference between spraying it on cloth and skin, especially for its opening. You will detect a blue hue on cloth but on my skin, maybe due to a summer heat day and high skin temperature, I only got a purple vibe from it. That blueish cooling profile, surrounded by a heavy does of ambergris and Tonkin musk, develops so well on cloth. That smoothing chocolaty furry feel from Tonkin musk and that beachy airy ambergris did a good job to support its opening. Soon you will recognise Orris, the signature note of EO, a bit juicy, powdery and buttery with slight earthiness. Ah, do not forget Tigerwood 1990, our old friend, provides a plum-like sourness and thin smokiness but coming with a dense layer of resinous foundation. Bright Jasmine offers a tea-like vibe to accompany musk. This is my favourite combo. When florals and sweetness become more prominent than animalic notes, I have more love on this exquisite floral combination. To my nose, it is a kind of floral accord with a bit earthy and animalic sweetness. It is so soothing and elegant. You probably could find the similar accord from Tonkin musk pp but here it is more refined. At drydown, it surprised me! Ambergris is lasting forever, mixing with smokiness and cool blue Brunei oud resin, which does remind me of another true gem I love so much, Hajar Aswad. They shared the same feel at drydown, that zen, relaxing and meditative peace made me feel blessed. —Yisean Z / Australia For me the best of the Sultani series. This is the power of Oud on full display in my opinion. One of a kind Brunei Kynam adds a deep rabbit hole of depth with blue and purple crossing paths amazingly in the most resinous juicy format yet! Get one before it’s gone forever! —Travis H / USA We all know oud sultani, we love it and with every new version we got a perfume from what we thought it couldn’t get better anymore. The last one was Oud Sultani Kelantan and I remember smelling it for the first time and getting completely blown away by it. Months have passed and out of nowhere we got the new Brunei Kynam version. The purple syrupy blast in the opening of this version is without any doubt my favorite of all the OS perfumes… the grape(?) note is absolutely amazing! The Brunei kynam adds a blue touch to the purpleness and compliments the composition with a great oudy smell. If someone asked me what the difference between OSBK and the others is, I’d probably say imagine OST but in a amped up, even more purple and beautiful way. A sophisticated evolution of an “old” fan favorite. Longevity and silage are great, exactly what I’ve expected from a new sultani release. Too bad that I haven’t got the 50ml bottle of this perfume… —Chris A / Germany Blue-purple blast of sticky resinous goodness. Truly beautiful beyond words. —Rezwan G / Canada Deep, Resinous, Fruity, unique with a ton of musks. Yummy and beautiful. Need something to lift up my spirits and nose. One of my favorites. Tons of dark fruits, makes you think of plums,dates, blueberries, raisins…a super dense and thick base of resinous Ouds, dark and leathery ouds, and a mix of beautiful dark violet and orris. Everything holds together by this monstruos tonkin musk absolute, and to give it a final touch a sprinkle of Brunei Kynam oud on top. Many other notes, but those are the main ones to my nose. Is so dense and thick that might be difficult to tell apart notes for some noses, but as it develops and warms up on skin, you get many different nuances and hues along the wear, every time you wear it, you get something new. A funny history. My friend wore this on one of his visits to my house, and the musk was radiating like anything I have ever smelled, is crazy. Because up close you might not get that much, but in the air all you can smell is this kind of blue hue meaty musk, the whole room was filled up, even on the next day, the musk were all over the visit room.. it makes sense, musk is supposed to be this invasive substance, to mark territory. A true statement maker. —Sherling S / Dominican Republic In the realm where florals and sweetness reign supreme, I find myself drawn to this exquisite floral combination, exuding a soothing elegance with its subtle earthy and animalic sweetness. To my nose, it offers a refined floral accord reminiscent of Tonkin musk but with a distinct refinement. As the scent evolves, the enduring presence of ambergris intertwines with the smokiness and cool blue Brunei oud resin, revealing a captivating drydown that surprises and delights. —Syed S / Pakistan Despite the heatwave here, 44C, OSBK always comes in clutch, can’t wait to experience it in winter. —Muhammad D / Australia Purple – Resinous – Oudy – Green – Blue – Incensey – Longlasting – Highly Powerful Fantastic. —Travis H / USA I’m a pretty big fan of Oud Sultani. Terengganu was a revelation. Kelantan was even better. Now, Brunei Kynam tops them all. All I can say is that this Oud with this combination of ingredients hits a sweet spot. Where Terengganu could be just a bit bombastic, and Kelantan a tad sharp, Brunei Kynam has no rough edges. Everything sits together in an oudy, syrupy, musky, herbal melange that simply must be smelled to be believed. The sweet, oudy dry down is heavenly! —Nathan P / USA Oud Sultani is an olfactory journey through layers of opulence and rarity. It begins with a shimmering interplay of Brunei Kynam’s legendary coolness, unfolding in waves of blue-purple woody nuance. The opening is simultaneously deep and airy, where Tonkin musk and ambergris add a soft, beachy warmth, while hints of bourbon vanilla and jasmine create an almost ethereal sweetness. As the scent evolves, its floral heart takes center stage. Iris butter and rose weave a creamy, powdery elegance , complemented by the green crispness of violet leaf and the earthy depth of Nepalese nard. Jasminum auriculatum adds a tea-like delicacy, balancing the composition with its subtle brightness. Together, these notes create a sophisticated and soothing floral accord, underscored by the unmistakable refinement of EO’s signature orris. In the dry-down, Oud Sultani reveals its meditative soul. Burmese oud and aged Brunei resin anchor the fragrance with smoky, resinous undertones. Ambergris lingers endlessly, mingling with the velvety animalic touch of castoreum and the chocolaty warmth of Tonkin musk. This base is rich, tranquil, and utterly mesmerizing, evoking a sense of calm and zen-like peace. Oud Sultani – Brunei Kynam is a masterpiece of contrasts: floral yet earthy, sweet yet smoky, soothing yet commanding. It’s an exquisite blend of luxury and artistry, a fragrance for those who seek unparalleled depth and elegance. Still cannot decide which of all Sultani Series I pick as #1. —Thomas W / Germany This smells absolutely delicious!! —Wyatt K / USA We all know the legacy of the Sultani series, most of us have tried the perfumes and I think that we all agree that this series is probably one of the best creations from EO- period. OSK is my personal favorite from the Sultani trio. You’ll get the core DNA from the previous sultanis but then there’s Oud Ahmad and Melayu SQ which give this perfume a smell that’s not comparable to anything else. It opens with a massive load of purple florals, a legendary grape note and it doesn’t take long until the ouds start to enter the show. It’s hard for me to find the right words but I’d say that the ouds inject a darkness to that sweet-purple profile that couldn’t be any better. It’s so heavy and oudy that you really don’t need more than two sprays to get covered in a cloud of this smell. I remember when I’ve tried OSK for the first time… One single spray on my arm and even when I’ve put on my sweatshirt it projected through the fabric and I knew that’s it – I need that stuff in my collection. —Chris A / Germany Trying OST for the first time tonight. And it is stellar, WOW! Kudos to Ensar and his entire team! I also have a swipe of Terengganu SQ going on one arm. It is a beautiful oud oil, with the purple flowers everyone mentions, plus vanilla, earth, leather and molasses. I should add that the OST parfum does have floral and fruity notes, but the oud oil itself is dominant. This is an oud perfume! Fabulous ! —JW James / USA The King has finally arrived! HE IS OUDY! AND HE KNOWS IT!! Biggest props to the entire Ensar Oud team. #text-1887174102 { font-size: 2.5rem; line-height: 1.3; } @media (min-width:550px) { #text-1887174102 { font-size: 2.25rem; line-height: 1.4; } } —Acainc M. / Canada I know it’s new, but I feel I can safely put this in the top 3 EO parfums my nose has had the pleasure of greeting. The Oud in this is out-of-this-world good. Here are some words that come to my mind as the fragrance wafts off of my skin: Regal. Majestic. Opulent. Warm. Candy. Balanced. Sweet. Woody. Smooth. Oudy. Velvet. Musk. Palace. Joyful. Special. Restrained. Tasteful. Pink. Purple. Ecstasy. Glory. Epic. Deep. Mysterious. Ancient. #text-3543104503 { font-size: 1.6rem; line-height: 1.5; } @media (min-width:550px) { #text-3543104503 { font-size: 1.7rem; line-height: 1.5; } } —Nathan P. / USA Oh. My. God. Insanely beautiful. #text-2257428393 { font-size: 3.75rem; line-height: 1.3; } —Lawrence S. / Singapore #row-4502577 > .col > .col-inner { padding: 36px 0px 0px 0px; } Today, I gave myself the most sprays that I have since receiving it. The more I wear it, the more I want the 50ml. #text-606020862 { font-size: 2.5rem; line-height: 1.3; } @media (min-width:550px) { #text-606020862 { font-size: 2.5rem; line-height: 1.4; } } —Chad H. / USA If you’re familiar with the Tibetan Musk, then Siber Extreme would feel like home to you. It is in the same caliber as the Tibetan Musk, it doesn’t quite have that spicy and peppery bite but it is heavier and muskier. Obviously, this one has the unmistakable Siberian signature and characteristic… a hint of uranious in the beginning, though it isn’t offensive at all, a bit more animalic than other varieties. Ever since the shipping notification and many posts regarding to Oud Sultani Terengganu I am so excited to get my nose on it. OH MY MY this is a beauty alright…and I agree with other reviewers that OST is tad more floral than OS75. As bona fide floral gal may I just say the florals here are magnificent The right amount of sweetness and beautiful addicting florals just hit my soft spot. It may have taken the place of OS75 but just slightly. Actually both of them have climbed very top of my EO collection. Slathering myself with this gorgeous scent while unpacking and run errands… I SMELL FANTASTIC! —Ruby Y. / USA DHL came earlier than I’ve anticipated. Oud Sultani Terengganu has a heavy dose of juicy purple and syrupy oud in the opening, with a hint of medicinal, rooty, earthy, and herbalicious undertone, I sprayed OST on one arm, and OS75 on the other to compare them side by side, keep sniffing them back to back. The difference is negligible, they smell very similar, like 98~99% match, but if I must split the hair to set them apart then I would say the OST is a bit fruitier and oudier in the first 30min, OST came off a wee bit brighter (not darker), with the Orris and Rose notes from OST being a bit more pronounced, lending to a slightly more floral and playful impression. Neither OST or OS75 is as flowery as the Purple Kinam PP in comparison, you may find some similarities between them though, but both OST and OS75 simply hit the right spot for me, even more so than Musc Gardenia aka the Moon Juice.. In the first 30min, the OS75 has a tiny bit of twang that is absent in OST, and the molasses is a little more pronounced on OS75, comparing them side by side the OS75 seems to be a tiny bit darker, not the other way around (your mileage may vary), while the OST is a little bit more vibrant in the opening. But after an hour or so, they’re almost indistinguishable, very beautiful florals with that super duper juicy purple shizzo going for them, both have a bit of creamy, ambery, and herbaceous note in the background, and a tiny bit of bitterness that balances out the sweetness. The Musk here is enough to make its presence, but it is nowhere near as musky as Tonkin Musk PP, it’s a very nice boost on top of the castoreum to provide that warm and cozy feeling. The far drydown remains the same, OST didn’t turn into a dark knight on me, I didn’t anticipate it to anyway, but someone mentioned previously that it became darker in the far drydown? Not on me it didn’t. Performance is very good on both, same sweetness too, neither one is cloying. I’ve smelled the Terengganu Oud oil neat from the sample stick before I sprayed the perfume, definitely identifiable in OST, it’s a good reference point. Overall, the core profile is pretty much identical, if you missed out on OS75, or need backup of OS75, the OST would be a great alternative. If you love OS75, you will also love OST, they both have that super addictive juicy purpleness going for them. If I get to smell and sample both of them before I buy, I would literally have to flip a coin to decide which one I would go for, there isn’t any clear winner as they both are equally awesome, both OST and OS75 are extraordinary releases and I would be happy to own and wear either one. What sold me on this OST and OS75 is the unbelievably alluring Purpleness, it’s the star of the show, very mesmerizing, stunning, and addicting at the same time, highly recommended!!. —Ben W. / USA —Ben W. / USA Reached out for this gem tonight while I’m burning some nice blue lotus incense. Still my favorite of the Sultani series. Dark wafts oud coming out of a purple sea of sweet floral notes. Smelling the incense together with the wafts of Oud Sultani Kelantan is the perfect aromatherapy for this cold stormy evening. The dark oud notes have evolved so nice over the time, I can highly recommend grabbing a bottle or decant if you can get your hands on it. You’ll love it! OSK is such a legendary scent, awesome performance, long story short – perfection! —Chris A / Germany Follow Up: Wore OST to work today, this is the 4th wearing. 2 sprays to the chest and 9hr later it is still projecting nicely. Performance is excellent! When I was at home, 1 spray to the chest is more than enough. I’m happy with the current scent profile exactly the way it is now, absolutely do NOT want to make any adjustment to the composition in any way, shape, or form, it is perfect for me AS IS. This is an expensive perfume, but the scent quality and performance met my expectation, wouldn’t be happy with anything less for sure, so far I’m very pleased to have a 50ml of this gem. Dammit, i need to win the lottery so i could buy some backups, I want 5 bottles of this shizzo like 10 years ago! —Ben W. / USA Nice review. I pretty much had the same experience, but I found the dry down more oudy and had that dusty malaysian profile. Great composition overall. —Reda S. / UK Yes, Perfect description of mesmerizing & addicting purpleness. So good, so punchy and makes you go back for more sniffs. It almost makes you think “this might be my favorite perfume all all time” when you’re wearing it. —Chano V. / UK Second straight day wearing this. The dusty woody musky combo is nothing short of magnificent. #text-337372913 { font-size: 3.05rem; line-height: 1.3; } —Edward L. / USA