Hello Frag Hags,
Every now and then I get to town and at one of our department stores, David Jones, there is a niche perfume store hidden on the basement level and the guys there, Gary and Dan, are so incredibly helpful, knowledgeable and friendly. I love to go there and spend half an hour talking fragrance releases, trying the newest releases to hit Australia and shopping. You pay a bit more than overseas prices but the advice and joy the men have in perfume is astounding, and priceless. Not so long ago I was given a sample of today’s fragrance which has morphed magically into a full bottle.
Midnight Oud by Juliettte Has A Gun 2009
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives thee featured accords:
Top: Damask rose, saffron, bergamot, papyrus
Heart: Morroccan rose, agarwood, castoreum, geranium
Base: Patchouli, musk, sandalwood, amber
Love Oudh? Hate Oudh? Never tried the nearly over madness of the 21st century’s most overused and abused new mainstream fragrance ingredient? Worried that you’ll smell like a Band-Aid, medicine or as if you’ve just rolled in horse apples. Maybe you tried an Oudh and Rose fragrance and it scared the living beJesus out of you, punched you in the nose, picked you up by the scruff of the neck and threw you to the ground? And then stayed on your skin for DAYS!! Quell Horror! Calm down, this is not like those scary Rose Oudh oils from the Middle East, it nods elegantly to them, whispers of souks, harems and Ali Baba but does it with a modern and refined European sensibility.
The opening spritz whiff is the most confronting and oudh-ish that Midnight Oud ever gets, and it is so not confronting. It is beautiful and deep and resinous and dusty with rose floating beautifully and dominantly over all. I love to wear Midnight Oud and it is so deliciously wearable. There is a Blue Moon rose blooming in the front yard and it is so like the rose in Midnight Oud a spicy, citric, leather rose. YUMMY!
Though the fragrance has a story and heads sweeter in the dry down it isn’t a huge story with enormous highs and lows but a short story that weaves in and out of itself and comes back to points you think long forgotten. There is a little side swiping at the gold tone bottle in blogs but I love it and the chocolate coloured suedette cylindrical case it comes in is so unusual and hints at the care taken with the juice. Some days I get 8+ hours out of Midnight Oud and others only four but every time I enjoy the ride immensely, a fragrance that should definitely be on your try list.
Photo Stolen ZeusBox
For further reading 1000Fragrances and BeautifulWithBrains
Libertine is the Australian site for Juliette Has A Gun, and many other niche brands, their prices include shipping and they only do Australia
FragranceX has 100ml $95 + shipping to the world
SurrenderToChance starts at $4/ml
Have you tried Midnight Oud or any of the Juliette Has A Gun range? What did you think? Are there any you really want to try?
I hope you enjoyed wandering through my fragrant musings because there is real joy in bringing them to you and I hope it’s a nice place for you to de-stress and just float along with me. We at APJ are grateful that you do come by. See you tomorrow.
Portia xx
Australian Perfume Junkies 
This one sounds lovely. I don’t have any JHAG scents, but my daughter does. Maybe I’ll raid her collection this week while visiting. Better yet, to avoid the post Thanksgiving mall rush, maybe we’ll go perfume sniffing at Kuhl-Linscomb here in Houston. Hope you’re having a great day!
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Super great day and I hope you enjoy your perfume sniffing day.
Try the JHAG’s and come back, tell me how you went Tatiana,
Portia xx
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This is such a wonderful, soft oud! Lucky you for having a full bottle 🙂
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I know. The universe has been good lately,
Portia xx
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This was a timely review – I’ve been wondering about this line as well as about oud. By the way, Juliette has a gun has a superduper sample offer on their website – I think (I might remember wrong) you get all their fragrances in 2,5 ml spray vials for 10 euros. In Europe shipping is free, don’t know about shipping fees overseas. I’m particularly interested in Lady Vengeance, as I obviously will have to replace my beloved rose Knowing, as everone else (=stupid morons) seem to dislike it (they shy away like neurotic horses) when I force-feed them with my Knowing fragrant wrist. Meh!
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Thank goodness we wear fragrance for ourselves Ann-Sofie. Most of the time it’s pearls before swine.
He He He
Portia xx
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I haven’t smelled enough oud scents to dislike them. I think that may be a good thing sometimes. This sounds good. The only JHAG scent I’ve tried so far is Lady Vengeance. That was a really nice rose that didn’t go sour on me but I don’t know if it’s something I want a bottle of.
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Hey Poodle,
Oudh was a revelation to me when I first smelled it. I big fat dirty dose of barnyard, riding tack and horse apples. I am a fan. This is a soft, sexy and slinky oudh, much quieter and more elegant, added to a hefty dose of rose it is glorious.
Portia xx
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I am just mad about the Oud. Al Oudh by L’Artisan Parisian is my fave and I have a few others that I hanker to wear every day. I must admit I have not smelled a perfume from the Middle East with Oud, only European takes on the Agar Wood scent.
I have not tried this one yet but boy it sounds great! Get me two tickets on the Midnight Oud Train!
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Lanier,
Go to the http://www.profumo.it/perfume/prodotti_mignon.asp site. They can show you oudh to blow your mind. Also http://perfume.zahras.com/
Portia xx
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oh thanks I need a bit of mind blowing !! Off to see the wizard
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Being a budding perfumista I haven’t had much experience with Oud. But given the reviews I’ve read this might be a nice place to start. Today I am wearing a sample of Lady Vengeance, and I am disappointed. It just smells of powder on my skin 😦
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It’s not really what you expect from a frag called Lady Vengeance is it?
You might like Midnight Oud, costs nothing to try it at a department store if you have one nearby. Otherwise get a sample.
Portia xx
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Great review! I tried Midnight Oud a few weeks ago & really enjoyed it. It’s definitely an apt name as it’s as mysterious as midnight. I have a sample on the way so I can try it a few times. Not sure if I would purchase a full bottle but you never know! 🙂
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It took me a few weeks and rewearing before I knew it had to grace the library.
Sometimes a decant is enough though, there’s SO MUCH to sniff.
Portia xx
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I think I haven’t tried Midnight Oud… I’m not sure. I might at a store. Or not. Since I’m not a big fan of agarwood, a perfume should be extraordinary (for me) to try it on my skin. Juliette Has A Gun isn’t my brand, in general: I do not dislike most of the perfumes I smelled/tried but I’m not in love with any of them enough to go even for a decant. I might change my mind one day though (you know how it happens 🙂 ).
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Oh yes Undina,
Never say never in this addiction,
Portia xx
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