Oud Essentiel

Guerlain announced Oud Essentiel in the spring of 2017, in limited distribution, as a unisex fragrance. It joined the Les Absolus d’Orient collection a year after Ambre Éternel, in a line the house devotes to precious woods and the noble materials of perfumery, alongside Santal Royal.

Oud wood according to Thierry Wasser

Thierry Wasser, Guerlain’s master perfumer, created the composition. The house says the rare and precious oud wood inspired him, and at launch it presented a woody leather fragrance, soft and powerful at once, halfway between East and West.

The perfumer himself speaks of an ode to this legendary wood, whose most sensual character is revealed by rose and the leather accord. The eau de parfum comes in a single 125 ml size.

From Les Absolus d’Orient to Absolus Allegoria

The collection has since changed its name. Oud Essentiel now belongs to Absolus Allegoria, which Guerlain describes as its absolute fragrances: a nocturnal journey among the wonders of the world, extending the Allegoria collection into nightfall.

Guerlain announces a formula in which more than 90% of the ingredients, water included, are of natural origin. Its French beetroot alcohol comes from a supply chain committed to responsible farming.