Question:
My nose seems to delight only in orientals, but right now I'm disinclined towards sweet fragrances and between amber/vanilla/tonka it is hard to avoid sweetness in orientals.
Which oriental frags are the least sweet? If it is not possible to have "brut," perhaps one can try for "extra dry." I need my oriental notes, but in a more bracing than soothing form.

Answer:
Padparadscha is a nice, dry oriental that is deffinitely not sweet. It's very warm, with a lot of sandalwood.
Then there's Yatagan. It's a dry leathery oriental with very nice drydown, which is it's only redeeming quality.
S

Answer:

Balenciaga Pour Homme (Balenciaga)
Habit Rouge EDT Légère (Guerlain)
Habit Rouge EDP (Guerlain)
Héritage EDP (Guerlain)
Ho Hang (Balenciaga)
Jaïpur Homme Fresh EDT (Boucheron)
JHL (Aramis)
Noir Epices (Editions de Parfums)
Oliban (Keiko Mecheri)
Opium Pour Homme Eau d’Orient (YSL)
Oriental Lumpur (Les Néréides)
Patou Pour Homme (Jean Patou)


Answer:
The older style orientals aren't particularly sweet relative to the newer style ones e.g. Lagerfeld Classic, Ralph Lauren Chaps, KL Homme, Escada Pour Homme.
Renato

Answer:
Originally Posted by stevolution Padparadscha is a nice, dry oriental that is deffinitely not sweet. It's very warm, with a lot of sandalwood.
Then there's Yatagan. It's a dry leathery oriental with very nice drydown, which is it's only redeeming quality.
S Thanks for the tip, I'll order a sample of Padparadscha from Luckyscent.
Renato, I was starting to think that might be where I'd want to start looking after wearing a dab of a sample of Habit Rouge EDC yesterday (sample graciously provided by Scentemental ).

Answer:
Do you really consider Oliban an oriental? I don't smell anything sweet in it.
Originally Posted by scentemental
Balenciaga Pour Homme (Balenciaga)
Habit Rouge EDT Légère (Guerlain)
Habit Rouge EDP (Guerlain)
Héritage EDP (Guerlain)
Ho Hang (Balenciaga)
Jaïpur Homme Fresh EDT (Boucheron)
JHL (Aramis)
Noir Epices (Editions de Parfums)
Oliban (Keiko Mecheri)
Opium Pour Homme Eau d’Orient (YSL)
Oriental Lumpur (Les Néréides)
Patou Pour Homme (Jean Patou)


Answer:
Originally Posted by Carlos Thanks for the tip, I'll order a sample of Padparadscha from Luckyscent.
Renato, I was starting to think that might be where I'd want to start looking after wearing a dab of a sample of Habit Rouge EDC yesterday (sample graciously provided by Scentemental ). Some other ones that come to mind from memory as not being too sweet are Equipage, Diesel Zero Plus, Roger & Gallet L'Homme Essential and possibly M7.
Then there's the orientals that don't smell like orientals to me, like Tiffany For Men and Egoiste.
Renato

Answer:
Originally Posted by phantagarow Do you really consider Oliban an oriental? I don't smell anything sweet in it. Not all orientals have to draw their sweetness from vanilla, or vanilla-like substances like tonka or benzoin, though most do, nor do all orientals have to be predominantly sweet. That's what Carlos was asking for, orientals that aren't to sweet.
Granted Oliban is not an oriental by one particular definition of the term, but it does manage nonetheless to cleverly produce a sweet oriental effect through the heady (and sweet, at least to me), syrupy richness of the blond tobacco that is blended seemlessly with the resinous frankincense, both of which together form an exotic accord at that heart of fragrance that is typical of orientals. The fullness of the ambergris gives it an animalic roundness and richness characteristic also of many orientals. Oliban is listed under the category of "Les Orientales" on the Keiko Mecheri website. To me, at least, that listing makes perfect sense.
scentemental


Answer:
Equipage? Oriental? I get floraly musk, but maybe that's just me.
I say Must de Cartier. I usually don't enjoy orientals for the same reason as Carlos (too sweet), but Must de Cartier is smooth, classy, well-blended, and it has a very recognizable anise note that's somewhat uncommon. The drydown features just a bit of tonka, but not enough not make it obnoxious. For an oriental, it's astonishingly subtle...which, to me, is good. I don't like being a roaring silliage machine.
I also like Opium, but beware of the spices. Opium is to spice as Gaultier2 is to sweet. But I like it.

Answer:
Frederic Malle Noir Epices is very dry. Almost a chypre. Crackling spices and woods. Aramis' JHL isn't very sweet either in my opinion.