Initio Parfums Prives
Oud for Greatness
Oud · EDP · 2016
A heavy oud-lavender hybrid with saffron and patchouli. Loud, sticky, and made wearable by the lavender. One of the most counterfeited Initio scents in Russia. A character scent, and a poor office choice.
Context
Oud for Greatness is Initio’s wearable oud. Lavender and saffron open it up for a wider audience than a raw animalic oud would. Patchouli in the base adds earth. The brand sells it as a booster scent.
On skin
The opening is saffron, nutmeg, and lavender, bright and sharp. After 30 minutes oud and patchouli come forward, dark and warm. Longevity is outstanding: 10 hours and longer, a full day on clothes. Projection is strong, past 2 metres. In heat it is suffocating. In the cold the trail is deep and dark.
Fakes
Initio in Russia is almost entirely parallel import. Official distribution is thin. Oud for Greatness and Side Effect sit near the top of the fake list. The original has a dense, natural-feeling base. Fakes are often flat and boozy. A decant is required. How heavy it sits on skin is hard to predict from a blotter.
Verdict
A good pick if you want a loud modern oud with lavender. Poor for beginners and poor for the office. Wear a decant before a bottle. Skip it if you want a resinous classical oud. This one is a hybrid.
Scores
Notes
Top
- Saffron
- Nutmeg
Heart
- Oud
- Lavender
Base
- Patchouli
- Musk
Before a bottle
Ask for 2 to 10 ml. Wear it three times on your own skin. A blotter will not tell you what hour four smells like.
Request a decant
