New Fragrance Review: Code Deco White Oud and Malabar / Two From the Tropics

by: Ida Meister

Mme. Gauri Garodia frets: “Is the oud a bit heavy due to the saffron? I wanted the oud to stay still and creamy and warm. My next version for myself will have more sandal and less herb...it will not diffuse at all.” I assure her: “Nothing you create is heavy, Gauri! You are the Queen of Gauzy and Diaphanous.”

Which she is.

Perfumer Gauri Garodia of Code Deco has created two new masculines—a monsoon-jungle mossy fragrance and a polished bare bones oud of the modern bent. They possess the discerning restraint which feels like her fingerprint.

I've addressed this characteristic before: despite an enduring love of/for the potent aromas which fleshed out her Indian childhood, Gauri lives in Singapore, where it's hot and humid on a regular basis; any fragrance which swells up and fills a room would be woefully intrusive! Cloying, grasping perfumes would violate her aesthetic and sense of balance.

There are several schools of perfumed thought, as I see it. Many enjoy [or prefer] heavier scents, intense ouds, powerhouse florals. Another group wants to smell lovely, but not at the expense of suffocating the neighbors. Some of our preferences are cultural as well. Gauri strives to maintain a delicate veil of fragrance, utilizing materials which always have the potential to overwhelm; in her hands, they never do.

White Oud Top Notes: mandarin, bergamot, sage, myrtle Middle Notes: red sandalwood, gaiacwood, saffron, labdanum Base Notes: Assam oud, suede, ambergris, patchouli

This is a minimalist's oud, a whispery pashmina of understated elegance. Citrus and herbal accents are the prelude to a luminous heart of glowing wood, resin and saffron. If it were a hue, it would be yellow ochre. The base is more subtle than it looks on paper: no one element drowns another, and the suedelike effect is soothing and tranquil.

I think that White Oud may appeal to men and women who desire oud­-as­-second­-skin with the understanding that second skins don't shout. It is very herbal and will smell marvelous in the warmer months; also a discreet choice for office and close quarters.

Malabar Top Notes: mandarin, bergamot, green foliage Middle Notes: pepper, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom Base Notes: moss, patchouli, sandalwood, cedar, musk

Our perfumer refers to raw mango and wildflowers in the top notes, but these aren't listed here; the nose implies their presence. Hot spices mingle with moss and woods, redolent of sylvan dampness. Even the cardamom smells green. Powerful base notes retain their presence while feeling sheer. I can't explain the contrasts here, except to infer depth without weight; Malabar possesses lusty character without a massive footprint. It won't trample you underfoot, but it will linger with you throughout the day like an adventurous verdant memory.

It seems that I've written twice in a row about subtlety. ;­)

Well, so be it!

As it warms up, all aromas will be amplified incrementally—and perhaps being able to "dose" wisely may be a good thing indeed.