Midnight Special

Midnight Special, inspired by Ex Nihilo Midnight Special (2017)

Midnight Special begins with spice: saffron, with its leathery, honeyed bitterness, and the bite of black pepper, with cinnamon underneath. Rose absolute then fills the centre, dense rather than dewy. In the base, an agarwood (oud) accord gives a woody, faintly medicinal darkness, while patchouli and vanilla round it out. It stays dark and enveloping from start to finish.

About the original

Ex Nihilo presents Midnight Special as a nocturnal reinterpretation of the mukhalat, the layered blends of Middle Eastern perfumery, in a classic oriental style. It is sold as part of the brand's Parisian Blend line. Olivier Pescheux is credited as the perfumer, and fragrance references date it to 2017. The brand sells it only as an eau de parfum.

Our version

Ours is an independent eau de parfum made to evoke the same character. It is not Ex Nihilo stock, not an official relaunch and not the original formula.

Who it suits

Admirers of rose and oud pairings will recognise the territory immediately. It is rich and spiced, suited to someone who enjoys a dense scent. The saffron and agarwood can feel heavy or medicinal to a newcomer to oud.

Related scents

• Ex Nihilo French Affair
• Ex Nihilo Santal Calling
• Ex Nihilo Vetiver Moloko

Notes of the original fragrance, as published by the brand.

Top notes: Saffron, Black Pepper, Cinnamon

Heart notes: Rose Absolute, Rose

Base notes: Patchouli, Agarwood Accord, Vanilla

Saffron and black pepper with cinnamon give a spiced, leathery opening.

Rose absolute and rose make up a deep floral heart.

Patchouli, the agarwood accord and vanilla settle into a dark, sweet-woody base.

Does Midnight Special contain real oud?

The brand lists an agarwood accord, a composed impression of oud rather than a declared natural oud oil. It gives the base its dark, woody character.

Is Midnight Special sweet?

Moderately. Vanilla rounds off the drydown, but saffron, pepper and patchouli keep it more spicy than sugary.

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.

Ex Nihilo and Midnight Special are trademarks of their respective owners, and all rights remain with them. Parfumour is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or connected to Ex Nihilo 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.