Taesik Yun

Attar Yun
Staff member
Mirinda(600).png


Mellufluence Perfume - Mirinda
Tropical island in a bottle, that's what Mirinda is.

Mirinda gives a feeling of relaxation right upon application as if you're lying on a hammock under a palm tree near the beach. The fresh, dewy ocean breeze waft and the smell of a luscious tropical flower bring happiness with its delicate sweetness.

As the scent settles, the harmony of opulent flowers and musk, onycha gives off mesmerizing fragrance. it's so beautiful and sublime.

Mirinda makes me feel like a summer vacation whenever I wear it. I'm so happy to have this oil.
 

Grega

True Ouddict
View attachment 16401
Got a few new oils from Melli.
From left to right.

1. Santal de Chocolate 4
2. Spirit of Penta
3. Tasneem 3
4. Useera 2
5. Lorea
6. Musk Maharaja Imperial
7. Ye Lai Xiang

Reviews will follow... ;)
Ooooh. Can't wait!
 

Taesik Yun

Attar Yun
Staff member
Useera2(1080x1080).jpg

Mellifluence Perfume - Useera 2

Movie, music, paint, fragrance, whatever it be, experiencing other people's creations are always fascinating things to do for me because they allow me to see the world from the creator's viewpoint.

Useera 2 is Abdullah's interpretation of a dreamy cooling fragrance, so comparing his with mine was a joyful experience. though the scent of Useera 2 is not satisfying enough as much as I was hoping to.

Like always, Abdullah's description is spot on. Useera 2 opens up with a gingy(pepper) pine, cypress, and many other ethereal green notes with a dash of watery cucumber. then it transitions into sweet, vanillic base notes that consist of Thai oud, ambergris, sandalwood, vetiver.

Maybe Abdullah and I have a very different view on a dreamy cooling fragrance. I expected it to be greener with an ethereal, watery quality and has less spicy quality from the description I read. so I got disappointed a bit when I smelled it. I've worn it more than a dozen times but I still don't like it as much I wish to. but, I didn't give up on it yet. I'm planning to revisit this one this summer to see if I change my mind.
 

Taesik Yun

Attar Yun
Staff member
Lorea(600)jpg.jpg

Mellifluence Perfume - Lorea
Lorea starts with overtly feminine notes of juicy orange flower, mimosa, immortelle. the opening smells like a flower garden filled with bright yellow flowers. yet the juicy aspect is contrasted by powdery sweet benzoin, ylang ylang, vanilla. this contrast of juiciness and powderiness creates unique complexity and depth and it's deepened by various musks.

It settles down into powdery sweet benzoin, and vanillic ambergris, a musky soap(myrrh), soft fur-ish scent. the oud here acts as a fixative and adds a bit of complexity.

Lorea is a seductive, playful, positive blend that would greatly lift the mood in spring. it's too feminine for me to wear but I'd love to smell it from women with a bright, positive character. I imagine Vanellope von Schweetz from Disney's animated film, 'Wreck-it Ralph' would love Lorea.

Projection is great for about 2 hours and it lasts about 6 hours on the skin.

I'm quite surprised Mellifluence pulled out this blend because it's very different from his usual style.

Listening: Depapepe - Hi-D!!
 

Tauhid Shaikh

True Ouddict
View attachment 16667
Mellifluence Perfume - Lorea
Lorea starts with overtly feminine notes of juicy orange flower, mimosa, immortelle. the opening smells like a flower garden filled with bright yellow flowers. yet the juicy aspect is contrasted by powdery sweet benzoin, ylang ylang, vanilla. this contrast of juiciness and powderiness creates unique complexity and depth and it's deepened by various musks.

It settles down into powdery sweet benzoin, and vanillic ambergris, a musky soap(myrrh), soft fur-ish scent. the oud here acts as a fixative and adds a bit of complexity.

Lorea is a seductive, playful, positive blend that would greatly lift the mood in spring. it's too feminine for me to wear but I'd love to smell it from women with a bright, positive character. I imagine Vanellope von Schweetz from Disney's animated film, 'Wreck-it Ralph' would love Lorea.

Projection is great for about 2 hours and it lasts about 6 hours on the skin.

I'm quite surprised Mellifluence pulled out this blend because it's very different from his usual style.

Listening: Depapepe - Hi-D!!
Thanks for the review. I tried Lorea today and enjoyed it very much. I found the Mimosa and benzoin as you mentioned without any struggle. Good projection past 3 hours, still projecting. Quiet deep.
 

Taesik Yun

Attar Yun
Staff member
Ye Lai Xiang(1080x1080).png

Mellifluence - Ye Lai Xiang
It was very difficult to finally write this review because the more I try to describe the scent of Ye Lai Xiang, the more it became difficult to describe it.

There are several color codes I get from Ye Lai Xiang, and these codes are consist of several notes that harmoniously intermingles together.

Yellow
osmanthus, neroli, orange flower, mimosa, Chinese oud

White
lotus, coconut, ambergris

Brown
almond, bouya wood, laka wood

Interestingly, the woody base notes suppose to sensible at the last stage but it peeks out even from the opening and tame down the sharpness of neroli and orange flower. for this reason, the scent feels quite simple at first glance but it feels complex and mysterious if you try to make sense of it.

with that said, Ye Lai Xiang opens up with tamed florals, citrusy neroli, powdery sweet almond, creamy coconut, and Taiwanese sandalwood, woody accord. as it settles down, it becomes sweeter and the almond gets more prominent while woody accord holds the core of this blend.

Ye Lai Xiang specifically reminds me of a stone-carved buddha statue that holding a lotus in its hand. and it's one of the best temple-ish scents I've ever smelt.
 

Taesik Yun

Attar Yun
Staff member
Does the Hainan/Chinese Oud stand out at all? I’m not too familiar with Bouya at all.
I do think I'm getting a bit of Chinese oud from it but I'm unfamiliar with Chinese oud profile. maybe it could other elements.
the same goes with the Bouya too. I get a bit of chocolatey quality that I think is bouya wood.

I don't know how raw materials smell like in most of Melli's blends because he uses many materials that I've ever heard about.
so when I'm talking about Melli's blends, I tend to avoid pointing out specific ingredients unless I'm pretty sure.
 

Tauhid Shaikh

True Ouddict
I do think I'm getting a bit of Chinese oud from it but I'm unfamiliar with Chinese oud profile. maybe it could other elements.
the same goes with the Bouya too. I get a bit of chocolatey quality that I think is bouya wood.

I don't know how raw materials smell like in most of Melli's blends because he uses many materials that I've ever heard about.
so when I'm talking about Melli's blends, I tend to avoid pointing out specific ingredients unless I'm pretty sure.
I tend to sample a lot of raw materials for being able to appreciate their smell on their own and detect them in blends.

Its as interesting and surprising as smelling good Attars and Ouds.
Bouya wood smells similar to Oud is what I have heard but I am yet to try it. I have the Chinese Hainan from Mellifluence and it’s a very good Chinese Oud, with hints of Fennel Seed.
Like his other blends, I doubt if the Oud will stand out. His materials are mixed very well.
 

Taesik Yun

Attar Yun
Staff member
Mono no aware.jpg

Abdullah, the nose behind the house of Mellifluence often makes a blend that brings out floral aromatics' airy subtlety in an introspective way.

Mono no aware, one of his latest releases follows this aesthetic. from the opening, all the notes rose, neroli, frankincense, musk, lilac, civet, peach simultaneously blooms graciously. minute notes of citruses bring out the liveliness of subtle rose and musks. there's an unmissable dewy quality that is different from a typical aquatic quality. thanks to the ample amount of ambergris, this dewy mist of pink-purple of juicy musk flowers diffuses broadly and creates a serene atmosphere.

Once this mist settles down, the familiar base notes of creamy sweet sandalwood, oud, vanillic benzoin, ambergris that I often feel in many of Abdullah's blends come out. but he added a bit of twist in these seemingly familiar base notes. there's a chewy, resinous, woody, sweet scent that almost verges into gourmand territory.

The longevity of Mono no aware is around 7 hours and its projection is moderately strong, sillage is subtle.

To be honest, I wasn't blown away by the smell of this blend. however, there's something unique about this blend.

Abdullah created Mono no aware during a period when he felt melancholic. and as if he bottled his feeling in this bottle, I felt this beautiful, yet also saddening feeling from this attar.

Scent-wise, there are many other attars that smell better than Mono no aware. but not many of them move my heart in a way that Mono no aware does.

Mono no aware is not the one I'd wear often due to this saddening mood it gives me. but it forecast that Abdullah will bring us special melancholic blends in near future. and I believe those will find a place deep in your heart. look forward to his next release of a melancholic blend. I bet you won't disappoint.
 

ouddita

Just Arrived
When I ordered the "I'm not picky" sampler, it felt like a lie. Because, well, I kind of am. First of all, I can't do rose forward fragrances at all so I expected anywhere from one fourth to one third of the fragrances to be no go right from the start. But, I got lucky and didn't smell a single rose in the entire batch. So that was a relief and then I really enjoyed almost all of them. Abdullah's work seems to suit my tastes extremely well. Even the ones that were quite strange and challenging seemed harmonious, well blended and respectful of the materials. He seems to have listened to the materials well and has an approach to them I would describe as humble, as though his work is simply to encourage them to be themselves and say what they have to say.

Keep in mind that I'm new to good quality oud fragrances and won't be able to distinguish them well.

Kolesa-
Base Notes: Cambodi Oud Supreme, Labdanum, Benzoin Siam, Sandalwood, Fossilized Amber, Myrrh

Heart Notes: Bushamans Candle, Ginger, Sarsaparilla, Buddhawood, Opoponax

Top Notes: Amber, Rum, Vanilla, Coumarin

This is the easy going amber of the bunch. It's heavy on the labdanum, has a warm spicy vibe and reminded me so much of another fragrance I already own (April Aromatics Calling All Angels) that I hesitated about going back for more. I'm glad I did though because on subsequent wearings I'm able to pick up more of the warmth and depth from the oud and it smells entirely unique and is the one I've been wearing the most. I don't get any rum at all and the "cola" note is more of the feeling of coke rather than the actual smell of it, if that makes sense. It's a warm spicy, amber, oud with a touch of sweetness. Easy to wear but satisfying.

Malaika-
Base Notes: Chinese Guangdong Oud, Thai Borai Oud

Heart Notes: Papua Rose Oud, Ambergris, Kashmiri Deer Musk, Red Champaca, Civet, White Lotus

Top Notes: Magnolia Flower, Jasmine, Moroccan Rose, Lilac, Frangipani, Turkish Rose, Elemi, Yuzu

Honestly, I find this one quite elusive. To the point that I can't really pick out any notes or even describe what I'm smelling. It's sweet and maybe a bit fruity? Sometimes I smell children's chewable vitamins and there's a metallic sort of freshness? Sometimes I even get the dreaded rose. And yet, this is the fragrance that got me interested in oud and was the one that inspired me to place another order. It was the first oil that gave me the "buzz" that people associate with oud. Sniffing the swipe is rather unpleasant, turpentine like? But it surrounds me in this soft cloud of rich, sweet floralcy. It's more of a feeling than a smell and one that will reward time spent. My sense is that it will reveal its secrets slowly as my nose adjusts. As a smell it doesn't seem particularly strong but it's impact on my physical state is profound.

Sidrah II -
Base Notes: Sandalwood Roots, Sandalwood Abs, Vetiver Abs, Chang Rai Oud, Borai Oud

Heart Notes: Atlas Cedarwood, Himalayan Cedarwood, Beeswax, Ambergris, Mongolian Deer Musk

Top Notes: Neroli, Port Orford Cedarwood, Chinese Cedarwood, Ambrette

This was the third oil that I liked enough to go back for a bigger size and another one that is a bit mysterious. Some days, I wonder why I bought this, others it seems quite wearable. There's a pencil shaving note that I get in the beginning which is typical of cedarwood and again that kind of sweetish oudiness that I also get from Malaika. Again, the swipe smells unpleasantly woody but the aura is sweet and pleasant. I wish I had something intelligent to say about this one but I don't even really understand why I bought it. Just put a spell on me I guess.

Sessile -
Top Notes
Top Notes
Key lime
Key lime
Hyraceum
Hyraceum
Heart Notes
Heart Notes
Muhuhu
Muhuhu
Vetiver
Vetiver
Gurjum balsam
Gurjum balsam
Indian white oud
Base Notes
Base Notes
Oakmoss
Oakmoss
Cambodian oud
Cambodian oud
Labdanum
Labdanum
Mushroom absolute
Mushroom absolute
Indian oud
Indian oud

My one kind of complaint about the "I'm not picky" sampler was that it included a frag that was no longer available on the website. Though truthfully, I'm not sure I would want more than the sample and I'm grateful to have been able to smell this fascinating fragrance at all.
This is vetiver in all it's rooty glory. It's smelled completely different on different wearings and it goes through many transitions, ending up in a completely different place than it begins.
I tested this one first, before I'd figured out that Parfumo had the notes list so I went in completely blind. This time I got a tiny hint of the lime and then a strong version of the vetiver I know from perfumery accompanied by some marshiness. The next morning it was all maple syrup and cinnamon (Cambodi oud?) On a subsequent wearing with a bigger swipe it was a positively feral vetiver that I scarcely recognized, salty like marsh grass and almost Encre Noir like in its black rootiness.
Again I'm impressed with oud's ability to ground and smooth notes I don't usually care for (vetiver, especially Encre Noir style) into something pleasing. Still, I'm surprised at how many times I've gone back for swipes from this vial, there's something about the raw naturalness of this that's the next best thing to pulling up a fresh handful of vetiver grass and sniffing the roots.

More to come . . .
 

DubOudh

Aster Oudh
I have recently started buying oils from Abdallah....very impressed with what I have picked up so far.....
But I never knew that Abdallah was a vendor here years back......every day can be a school day for learning....
 

ouddita

Just Arrived
Litore II-

Base Notes: Paraguay Vetiver, Hainan Oud, Atlas Cedarwood, Sylhet Supreme Oud

Heart Notes: Ambergris, Laka Wood, Seaweed, Coconut, Patchouli MD

Top Notes: Galbanum, Tarragon, Cascarilla Bark, Angel Weed, Blue Lotus

Another fascinating oddball that I find myself coming back to again and again. It really smells of the beach on a cold day bringing me back to summers spent on beaches of the Gulf Islands of British Columbia. The smell of driftwood is so literal I can almost feel the wood in my hand when I'm wearing it. I can pick out the seaweed and patchouli and what must be a lot of ambergris and there's the oud which somehow takes this scentscape and makes it a wearable fragrance. I'm a bit prejudiced against aquatic or oceanic scents as something to actually wear but this one is transportive.

Adamu II -
Base Notes: Burmese Myitkyina Oud, Vetiver Abs, Labdanum, Fossilized Amber, Sylhet Supreme Oud, Somali Myrrh, Vanilla

Heart Notes: Sweet Clover, Liatrix, Hay, Coffee, Cocoa, Clary Sage, Flouve, Iris

Top Notes: Anatolian Rose, Nepalese Deer Musk, Coffee Blossom, Tobacco Flower, Bitter Almond

I'm hesitant to say anything about this fragrance because I'm not getting any of the listed notes and certainly nothing to do with Dior Homme (the inspiration). On me this was all barnyard all day. It's not a bad smell, but a whole day of sun warmed cowpat is a bit much. I'll come back to this one when my nose is more experienced with oud and these types of fragrances.

Hellicum II -
Top Notes
Top Notes
French lavender absolute
French lavender absolute
Bergamot
Bergamot
Yuzu
Yuzu
Cypriol
Cypriol
Heart Notes
Heart Notes
Patchouli
Patchouli
Castoreum absolute
Castoreum absolute
Cognac
Cognac
Black pepper absolute
Black pepper absolute
Clary sage
Clary sage
Civet absolute
Civet absolute
Nepalese deer musk
Nepalese deer musk
Base Notes
Base Notes
Laotian oud
Laotian oud
Oud
Oud
Bhutanese oud
Bhutanese oud
Thai oud
Thai oud
Blond tobacco absolute
Blond tobacco absolute
Vanilla
Vanilla

This is an absolute beast of an oud, a purring black panther of an oud sleeping deep in a pitch black oudy cavern.
It was a real struggle for me to appreciate this one. The first few times it felt like my nose was circling this giant, impenetrable, black lump of oud without finding a crack where I might actually smell something. I didn't like it at all. But again, I kept coming back, trying again, experimenting with different amounts and application techniques. With only a toothpick tip's worth, it becomes more approachable, more house cat than big cat.
It's very animalic on top of being very oudy. I have yet to smell anything floral or citrus in this one, but there is a sense of the vanilla, not as a foody element but as adding something a bit more friendly to the uncompromising darkness.
Sadly this one is already gone from the web store but I'm going to keep trying to befriend my sample vial.

Bay Civet -
Base Notes: Wild Pailin Oud, Ruh Khus, Mysore Sandalwood, Sumatra Benzoin

Heart Notes: Tulip Tree Abs, Fir Abs, Osha Root 2005, Ambergris, Civet Abs, Beeswax, Green Patchouli

Top Notes: Bay Leaf 2010, Green Pepper, Melissa 1995, Bitter Orange Abs, Cucumber

This was the one I was most afraid to try, imagining a pissy civet bomb. But it's probably the tamest fragrance of the bunch. Light, waxy and slightly medicinal but also sweetish and approachable. Close sniffing yields the promised civet but otherwise it's easy going and friendly. It seems to wear quite close and last only a few hours.
Weirdly, I was a bit disappointed it wasn't more challenging.

Zhuru-
  • Koh Chang Oud, Chantaburi Oud, Taiwanese Sandalwood Absolute, Wood Accord
The Taiwanese Sandalwood comes through quite clearly as a note and I think Abdullah's description of it is spot on: "the aroma lingers somewhere between Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Buddhawood and Agarwood." I appreciate the way this scent captures woodiness in all it's variety and complexity.

Zilonis-
Base notes: Thai oud, Indian vetiver

Heart notes: Castoreum absolute, styrax, civet absolute, ambergris, Mongolian deer musk, gurjum balsam

Top notes: Lilac, juniber berry absolute, nagarmotha

Another oudy, animalic bomb that needs to be applied extremely sparingly (tip of the toothpick only). The Nagarmotha (Cypriol oil) is the star of the opening adding a note of grimy machinery to the oud. So a black panther prowling around an old motorcycle garage. Then it moves on to a lot of that "band aid" facet oud can have, and plenty of barnyard, plus civet for good measure. So now the black panther is pissing on a cow shed. Fortunately this all fades within an hour and what's left is a pleasant, faint woody vetiver and civet. After all that hard charging beginning it's almost shocking how quickly it fades.
If I were to rank these frags from most feminine to most masculine, this would be the most masculine, the kind of thing insecure men like to describe as "for real men only."
Honestly, this one is very difficult for me to appreciate as an oud noob. It's like a collection of all the most challenging aspects of oud in one place and quite overwhelming in even teensy doses. I can't promise I'll come back to it but never say never.

OK, so that's the last of the "I am not fussy" sampler. That leaves freebies, attars and one I picked up elsewhere left to go . . .
 
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