Our take
What does Oud de Carthage smell like?
Boucheron added Oud de Carthage to La Collection in 2017. Dominique Ropion, who wrote Portrait of a Lady for Frédéric Malle, composed it. The house calls it a leathery oriental. The opening pairs incense with what the brand calls royal honey. Resin comes first, dry and smoky. Then a sweetness arrives that sticks a little to the fingers. The heart rests on tonka bean and labdanum absolute, which bring amber and a faint animal edge. The base joins an oud accord with a leather accord. This oud has nothing medicinal about it. It acts as a dark canvas for the leather and honey. Compared with Tom Ford's Oud Wood, which is drier and woodier, Oud de Carthage is sweeter and warmer. Fans of honeyed ambers will enjoy it more than oud purists.
When to wear it
An evening winter scent for a coat or scarf. One or two sprays will do since it projects hard for the first few hours.
It belongs to the Leather family. Oud de Carthage is one of 18 creations by Boucheron in our encyclopedia.
