Amber Oud

Amber Oud, inspired by Kilian Amber Oud (2011)

The start is aromatic: bay leaf, the spicy, clove-tinged leaf used in bay rum, sits over a dusting of dry spice. Within minutes the oud shows itself, but quietly, as a woody, slightly smoky note propped up by Atlas cedar. What carries the scent from there is amber, benzoin and vanilla. Benzoin is a tree resin with a sweet, almost caramel-like smell, and here it gives the base a dense, enveloping feel. The result reads mostly as amber and vanilla, with oud as a shading rather than the centrepiece.

About the original

Calice Becker created Amber Oud for Kilian's Arabian Nights collection, where it was the fourth release; sources date it to 2011 or 2012. Kilian presented it as oud with the animalic side taken away and replaced by Madagascar vanilla and Laotian benzoin. It is unrelated to Al Haramain Amber Oud, a different scent that shares the name. Amber Oud is absent from Kilian's current list of oud fragrances, and collectors report that it has been discontinued, though the brand has not issued a statement.

Our version

Ours is an independent eau de parfum made to evoke the same character. It is not Kilian (By Kilian) stock, not an official relaunch and not the original formula.

Who it suits

Someone who finds most ouds too rough will probably get on with this one. It is a rich, sweet resin scent. Anyone looking for a smoky, leathery oud may find it too gentle and too vanilla-led.

Notes of the original fragrance, as given in the launch information.

Top notes: Bay Leaf (west Indian / Saint Thomas Bay), Spicy Notes

Heart notes: Oud, Atlas Cedar, Smoky Notes

Base notes: Amber, Benzoin, Vanilla

Bay leaf opens it with an herbal, clove-like spice. The effect is aromatic rather than fresh.

Oud and Atlas cedar form the middle, with smoky notes giving a dry, faintly burnt edge. Nothing here is sharp or medicinal.

The drydown is amber, benzoin and vanilla: resinous, sweet and dense, with the woods fading into the background.

Is this Kilian Amber Oud or Al Haramain Amber Oud?

Kilian Amber Oud, the 2011 Arabian Nights fragrance by Calice Becker. Al Haramain's Amber Oud is a separate scent with a different composition.

Has Kilian stopped making Amber Oud?

It is no longer listed in Kilian's current range, and collectors describe it as discontinued. Kilian itself has not announced anything publicly.

Does it smell strongly of oud?

Not much. The oud is kept quiet and reads as smoky wood, while amber, benzoin and vanilla do most of the work.

Inside the EU, delivery is free on orders of €49 or more. Below that it is a flat €4.99. Outside the EU, delivery is a flat €4.99 on every order. We send every order in 1 to 2 working days. It arrives in 3 to 7 days across the EU and in 7 to 14 days outside the EU. You have 14 days to return an unopened bottle.

Al Haramain and Amber Oud are trademarks of their respective owners, and all rights remain with them. Parfumour is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or connected to Al Haramain in any way, and no business relationship of any kind is implied. Our product is an original interpretation created to evoke a similar scent profile, and the trademark names are used purely for honest, descriptive comparison, so that you can quickly identify the style and fragrance family you are looking for. We make no claim to sell the original product, and we do not use the same ingredients or formula. Any similarity lies in the overall impression of the scent as interpreted by our own perfumers, not in the source materials.