Van Cleef & Arpels is considered one of the greatest jewelers on the planet. Then, one fine day, the house decided to design a new type of adornment for its clients.
The Collection Extraordinaire from Van Cleef & Arpels brings together high-quality perfumes, each one elevating an emblematic raw material of perfumery and showcasing it in its finest expression. All these fragrances are exceptional, quality statements that always work with a legendary ingredient from the perfumer's palette. In 2020, Van Cleef & Arpels decides to honor one of the most precious woods: oud wood. Its fragrance is named Oud Blanc and highlights the full light of this rare and prestigious wood. So, what is its composition really like?
Oud wood as a source of inspiration for Van Cleef & Arpels
As the name of the perfume Oud Blanc suggests, this is a fragrance inspired by oud wood, a true woody gem and the quintessence of the olfactory journey to the Orient. Considered one of the rarest raw materials in perfumery, oud wood sells for its weight in gold. Thus, it is an ingredient exclusively reserved for fine perfumery. Also called agarwood, aloeswood or wood of the gods, it is known in every Asian country and has been used since the dawn of time for its medicinal, aesthetic or spiritual virtues. Already present in the Bible or in sacred Indian texts, oud wood has burned for a very long time to aid meditation. It therefore gives off a soothing breath that is fully found in the perfume Oud Blanc from Van Cleef & Arpels. Long neglected by perfumers, it is now highly sought after. However, this enthusiasm comes at a price… Oud wood is only found on two or three varieties of tropical trees. Demand, meanwhile, is growing ever stronger. Thus, oud wood sometimes sells for more than gold itself. Like most fragrances that claim it, Oud Blanc only recreates its woody, earthy and smoky scent. The result is a formula with multiple facets, as captivating as it is intriguing.
The ingredients contained in the formula of Oud Blanc from Van Cleef & Arpels
Oud Blanc from Van Cleef & Arpels owes its existence to the perfumer Anne Flipo, who chose to draw inspiration from the scent of burnt wood to design its fragrance. Oud Blanc is an oriental fragrance that includes an oud wood accord elevated by a whole host of other ingredients placed in the background. First, it releases a gourmand and lemony burst. Then, its heart becomes more floral. The rose elevates its poetry while being accompanied by a smooth and resinous vanilla. Little by little, Oud Blanc gains depth through the presence of musk and spices. Incense and balsamic notes give it its more oriental side. The result is an aroma rich in numerous flavors, lingering on skin and leaving behind a feeling as soothing as it is captivating. Oud Blanc from Van Cleef & Arpels is a true journey of the senses to the other side of the world.