Question:
Everyone with Montale samples or bottles is invited to participate in this thread.
People have expressed an interest in trying this line, but they wonder where to start.
In addition to the Aoud line, Montale makes many fragrances. I think there are 35 in total.
So, come on, join us in and let us know what you think.
I'd like to start the thread with my favorites, Montale's oud + rose fragrances. There's something here for everyone. Woody roses are like a Crusade for me. I've tried to sample all of those from Montale's line, side-by-side, so you can determine which would be best for you. All things being relative, please know this--Montale's roses tend to be big, and his ouds tend to be bold. That being said, here are the comparisons:
Oud + Rose Fragrances
Aoud Rose Petals - Strong roses. Cool, lemony geranium. Bittersweet oud.
Black Aoud - Medium roses. Warm, orange and patchouli. Bittersweet oud.
Aoud Queen Roses - Strong roses. Fragrant spices. Sweet, diffusive base. Milder oud.
Attar - Medium roses. Fragrant spices. Sweet, rich sandalwood. Smooth oud.
Aoud Damascus - Mellow roses. Light, sweet base. Mildest oud.
Aoud Rose Petals
Notes: rose, geranium, amber, cedar, teak, oud.
Rosy, cool, woody. Holy Grail of woody roses. Oud starts out with a leathery bitterness. A cool, strong, airy rose kicks in, tempered by lemony geranium. The oud backs off. The rose grows and sweetens for hours. Indescribable satisfaction for that rose craving. Bouquet of red roses wrapped in a black leather jacket. The scent of deep roses wafting in on a cool breeze.
Black Aoud
Notes: rose, mandarin, musk, patchouli, oud.
Warm, rosy, woody. Holy Grail of rose + patchouli. If you like earthy roses, this one is devastatingly beauritful. Oud starts out bitter then gives way to a combination of dark rose and sweet orange. The entire fragrance is warmed up by earthy patchouli. Gothic roses. Glowing, neon roses. The menfolk adore this. Sexy, sexy. Unisexy.
Aoud Queen Rose
Notes: rose, hibiscus, oud.
Rosy, sweet, spicy. Most feminine version of oud + rose. If you want lots of roses but don't want to wade through the bitter oud, this one is right for you. Strong roses carried aloft by a sweet, extremely diffusive base. Great, grand sillage. Sweetness is tempered by fragrant spices (of the "salty" variety, like saffron or curry.) Fun, bold, exotic.
Attar
Notes: sandalwood, rose, oud.
Sweet, spicy, rosy. Smooth oud. Rich, elegant sandalwood provides great sweetness. The sandalwood alone is reason enough to try this fragrance. A medium rose presents itself along with fragrant spices (of the "salty" variety, like saffron or curry.) If the rose in Aoud Queen Rose is too much for you, this is the way to go. Rich, deep, intoxicating.
Aoud Damascus
Notes: rose, oliban, gurgum, oud.
Sweet, subtle, rosy. Mellow roses accompanied by a light, sweet base. No oud bitterness. Notes are well-integrated. The olibdanum (which is incense resin) and gurgum (which I believe is safflower) do not present themselves distinctly, but merely scent the mix. Tamest oud offereing in the line. Amazingly, some people still think it is harsh. Goes to show how perceptions differ.
Another oud fragrance, but without roses:
Aoud Cuir d'Arabie
Notes: tobacco, leather, burned wood, oud.
Raw, pungent, smoky. Leather for the S & M set. Cigarettes and latex. When the smoke dispels, the leather remains, still bold, but with a more natural aroma. There is a surprising, creative mint interval that I cannot explain. If I had any guts, I would wear this downtown to the Cinema XXX and see who follows me.
Now for the Non-Oud fragrances:
Vetiver Des Sables
Notes: vetiver, mahogany, iodine note, Indian spices.
Wonderful rendition of vetiver. Lemony and grassy right out front. Refined, non-smoky, un-harsh. Salty and spicy underneath. Clean without soapiness. Lightly sweet and very fresh. As it dries, it acquies a haylike note. Long-lasting, and the vetiver stays true to the end. I love this.
Soleil De Capri
Notes: citrus, grapefruit, kumquat, white flowers, white musk, Mediterranean spices.
This is one of my favorite citrus scents. It is a wonderful grapefruit fragrance. Natural-smelling citrus, perfect and juicy. I can imagine the oil bursting into the air from the peelings of the opened fruit. Don't expect hours of strong projection, just enjoy it with all your heart while it lasts. I don't smell the floral and spice notes--but they do a teriffic job supporting the citrus. Beautiful.
Patchouli Leaves
Notes: patchouli, vanilla, amber, musk.
I recommend this patchouli to anyone seeking a sweet, smooth, but "true" version of this note. This is like a creamy, dreamy, stripped-down Oriental base. It is sweet patchouli, as simple and as enjoyable as it gets. Good longevity, and the patchouli remains warm and sweet throughout. Has the soft edges and chocolatey, musty aroma of nice, aged patchouli.
Sandflowers
Notes: Sea notes, juniper berries, sandalwood, oakmoss.
Oceanic. Smells as "open" as a fragrance can get. Starts out breezy, airy, and spacious. A nice marine note (in the opinion of a person who is picky about marine notes.) Smart pairing of juniper berries and oakmoss create a dry, woody accord that is the best part of this fragrance. As the sandalwood warms, it provides a pleasant sweetness which never overwhelms the salty underpinnings. Juniper berries are rarely found in a women's fragrance, neither are marine fragrances without florals or fruits. That, in particular, is a good reason to try this. I think it is unisex.

Crystal Flowers
Notes: rose, mandarin, lily-of-the-valley, white musk, ambergris.
Opens with a big breath of ultra-clean, "oxygen" type musk. Salty, sweet, clean musk and fresh, lemony rose. A deceptively light fragrance. I put it on, forgot about it after the initial rush, and it kept returning its fragrance to me, over and over. A beguiling, clean, skin scent. Friendly, happy.
Sweet Oriental Dream
Notes: rose, Turkish delight (loukhoum), almonds, honey
Almonds and honey, not much rose, but mercifully not too sweet, either. Less distinctly almond than the Serge Lutens Rahät Loukoum. Gourmand without being cloying. I don't wear gourmands, not because I don't like them, but because they make me hungry. This is a good one.

Answer:
Thank you for that wonderful review and Sweet Oriental Dreams sounds right up my alley. Will it ever end?

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There are 39 Montale fragrances that I know of. ParfumsRaffy.com has a list of 35, two they don't list is Montale's Steam Oud and Taif Rose. There are also two brand new releases called White Oud and Rose Musk. I've had 35 of them to sample but I didn't make any notes and have passed many on to other sniffers already.
White Oud
Strong and dense amber with vanilla with a modest well blended oud note, slight powder--the oud and powder give me an incense/smoky impression. Actual note list not yet available.
Blue Amber *
Notes: bergamot, bourbon geranium, coriander, ambergris, vanilla
This was a must have for me, the amber hater. It's fresh and uplifting yet deeply supported by a gray velvet ambergris, and a dry vanilla. Serene, warm and elegant.
White Musk *
Notes: violet leaf, ylang ylang, purely feminine white musk, bourbon geranium
My other Montale must buy so far. Startling fresh, crisp, lightly sweet green floral musk. Ylang ylang is pronounced.
Dew Musk
Notes: orange blossom, pomegranite, musk, patchouli, ylang ylang
Tart, moist, fruity, light and slightly earthy musk. Gives a thicker sense than White Musk and yet stays closer to the skin as though held behind a fog bank.
Ginger Musk
Notes: sparking ginger, blackberry, white musk, red berries
A flash of nose tingling ginger followed by LOTS of berries a gentle bit of white musk. The berries are very pronounced and clear--no sugar added.
My nose is shot for today, from wearing the above three musks!

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Jasmine Full
Notes: Jasmine, Orange blossom, honeysuckle
This jasmine is so breathtakingly beautiful it almost hurts. It opens up with lots and lots of white florals with a little green peeking through. Never too heady or cloying. Good sillage and it excellent longevity. A Jasmine for jasmine lovers!

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This could turn into a nice Montale lookup thread - I will return with my mini reviews shortly. I need to revisit the samples.

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I have a bottle of GREYLAND and it's one of the few cumin-heavy scents that I can tolerate. Kingdom sends me running, Diptyque L'autre makes me feel like a curry restaurant, but Greyland mixes it up with fresh citrusy elements and some woods to make an all around pleasant experience. If you can't stand cumin, you'll probably want to stay clear, but it is a definitely interesting and spicy warm weather fragrance.

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Soleil De Capri: This doesnt really work for me. The opening burst of citrus and grapefruit is pleasant enough, however it lasts for all of 5 seconds. From there, the citrus morphs into something sweet and floral - the kamquat fruit is the key ingredient here, and it provides the "juicy gum" accord which is so dominant here. I would like some more mediterranean spices in the mix here, please. There are too many other more slickly composed citruses to take this one seriously.

2.5/5.0

Vetiver Des Sables: Lots of mint and spices kick off this vetiver frag. Seconds later, the vetiver note creeps out - but it never comes out of the closet. This is an easy to wear vetiver fragrance, but unfortunately it doesnt contain a whole lot of vetiver. I tried layering it with the fruity Soleil De Capri and the result was somewhat androgynous. As the fragrance evolves, the vetiver is drowned out by the spice notes. Vetiver Sables definitely can't stand shoulder to shoulder with serious vetivers like Vetiver Extraordinaire, guerlain Vetiver, MPG Route De Vetiver, or Creed Vetiver '48, and it lacks the allure of fellow easy vetivers like Creed Original Vetiver or MPG Racine. Close, but no cigar (or vetiver in this case).

3.0/5.0


I will be back with some of the more impressive Montales later

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Quote: Originally Posted by julia7 Jasmine Full
Notes: Jasmine, Orange blossom, honeysuckle
This jasmine is so breathtakingly beautiful it almost hurts. It opens up with lots and lots of white florals with a little green peeking through. Never too heady or cloying. Good sillage and it excellent longevity. A Jasmine for jasmine lovers! I am in one hundred percent agreement with this, well said! This is so far at the top of my wish list for Montale. Truly beautiful.

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For any Montale fans in the UK I have just bought 100ml Blue Amber direct from their website for £43.00. USA prices are much higher.
Blue Amber
Notes: bergamot, bourbon geranium, coriander, ambergris, vanilla
A beautiful warm and comforting fragrance.

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Thank you for adding the fragrances I have missed, good people.
Some of those will be on my list to try, they sound sumptuous.
I had a nice collection of samples--not a "bad" one in the bunch. I think this is a fun and interesting house.
However, this is not meant to be a cheering section for Montale. I confess, I have a big heart for love when it comes to fragrance...
We seek your opinions, positive and negative. Go ahead and write 'em up. This is all about openness, and no one gets offended.