Montana Graphite Oud Edition

by: Miguel Matos

Montana is a perfume house that made its name through the decades, achieving a cult status mainly because of the 80's groundbreaking powerhouse Parfum de Peau. The strong accords and stunning bottles transformed fashion designer Claude Montana into one of the landmarks of perfumery. The house has undergone some changes but both Parfum de Peau and Parfum d'Homme have never stopped being available. They are still in production today and modern reformulations haven't changed their character very much.

But Montana is not just about the past. This brand has a present and a future. Keeping the heritage alive, this name still creates new editions. In the masculine line,Graphite is a very interesting scent. What's even better is that in 2014,Graphite was given a flanker, in a limited edition to please the Middle Eastern market, called Graphite Oud Edition. The woody character of Graphite has in this edition oriental shades of spices, fruits and oud (of course).

During the Esxence expo in Milan, I had the pleasure to meet Philippe Benady, president of Empire of Scents which is the company that nowadays holds the license for Montana Parfums (and also Rallet and Aubade). He explained to me that Montana never stopped being a reference for perfumery. Even when it seemed that the brand was dorment. Well it is not, and this wonderful oud is proof that Montana keeps up with the trends, but also tries to make their editions as interesting as the public expects them to be.

I have to confess that oud has never really been one of my favorite accords. But recently some fragrances have changed my opinion and finally I'm letting my nose enjoy it. The ones that opened up my doors to oud were Versace Oud Noir, Jesus del Pozo Arabian Nights, Aigner Nº1 Oud and this beautiful Montana Graphite Oud. After finding these scents, I started to appreciate oud in more intense and complex niche offerings. Graphite Oud has a fruity-woody theme, based on the traditional combo of rose and oud. It is mainly an arabic song of the resin and the flower. But the mix of red fruits at the top and the nicely sweet, woody blend, makes it vibrant and fresh, deviating from what we would expect from a oud+rose fragrance.

This is a very youthful scent, and I mean it in a very good way. Oud can sometimes be too heavy and serious, but in Graphite Oud, the fruits change it so much that it becomes cheerful and sexy. It's an intelligent use of raspberry and lychee, something we wouldn't inmediately expect. The fruity opening doesn't fade quickly and keeps following the development of the fragrance when rose ispahan enters the stage. Rose is now the star, with the company of ylang ylang and the strong wood presence. The fruits, flowers, woods and oud dance in an almost seamless composition. It's something undeniably contemporary, with a touch of tradition and a dash of playfulness. And it is a loud scent, to be honest. It projects greatly and doesn't fade easily.

Something sweet and creamy develops and makes Graphite Oud get yummy, but not gourmand. This comes from an almond note that is not too evident, but envelopes all the other ingredients in an oily and comfortable sensation. As the perfume evolves on the skin, the animalic undertones become more evident and this is a sign of Montana's DNA. The house of Montana never did pure fresh and clean scents, for there is always a leathery, musky quality to their perfume offerings. In this case, the heart of the brand was preserved, even though most probably Mr. Claude Montana doesn't even know of the existence of this edition. Oud and vetiver play along at the base of the perfume, contrasting with the previous sweetness, while rose still lingers on the skin. To me, it may not be the purest oud perfume, it may not even be a natural oud, since this retails for about 75€ for 100ml. But it surely is one compelling oud I wear regularly and with much pleasure in winter and in summer, for it's versatile, contemporary, fun and intense enough for my taste of strong scents.

Montana Graphite Oud Edition Top notes: raspberry, lychee, rose ispahan Middle notes: ylang ylang, rose absolute, almond Base notes: oud, vetiver