The New Ouds: 8 Fragrances to Wear as the Nights Cool Down

In the UAE, oud has never needed a comeback. It is woven into the region’s fragrance culture, from the familiar ritual of burning bakhoor to the scent that lingers long after someone has left a room. What is changing, however, is how perfumers are choosing to interpret it. 

This season, oud is taking on several new personalities. Dior has introduced it to Sauvage, Francis Kurkdjian has looked to the Liwa desert for inspiration, and regional fragrance houses are finding fresh ways to work with a note they know particularly well. Think less of oud as a single scent profile and more as an entire fragrance wardrobe: smoky, sweet, spiced, leathery and sometimes unexpected.

With cooler evenings approaching and the social calendar filling up, there is good reason to revisit the note. Here are eight new oud perfumes worth getting acquainted with.

1. LOOTAH Perfumes Desert Oud and Dolce Oud

Why settle on one interpretation when you can have two? Emirati fragrance house LOOTAH expands its Oud Collection with Desert Oud and Dolce Oud, a pair of in-house compositions that take the same ingredient in distinctly different directions.

Desert Oud stays close to the note’s traditional character, bringing together warm spices, dry amber, smoky incense and earthy vetiver. It is woody, atmospheric and particularly suited to evenings outdoors. Dolce Oud, meanwhile, takes a sweeter route. Strawberry, crisp apple and bergamot introduce a fruity opening before caramel, jasmine and vanilla meet oud and leather.

One is understated and smoky; the other has a playful gourmand streak. Together, they make a convincing case for owning more than one oud. Wear Desert Oud for quiet evenings, and save Dolce Oud for the nights that run late.

Price: AED 595 each (Eau de Parfum, 80ml)

Shop: Desert Oud at LOOTAH Perfumes  |  Dolce Oud at LOOTAH Perfumes

2.Dior Sauvage Extrait

Oud has finally made its way into Sauvage. For this denser, woodier interpretation, Francis Kurkdjian, Dior's Perfume Creative Director, built the heart around precious Vietnamese oud from a Dior supplier that meets strict traceability standards. Its animalic, leathery character sits within a chiaroscuro of noble woods, where dark Indonesian patchouli meets lighter, creamier Madagascan vetiver and Virginia cedarwood, all lifted by a fresh, aromatic opening.

It is the most familiar name on this list, which is exactly why it works: an easy introduction to oud for anyone who has worn Sauvage for years and wants something deeper for the cooler months.

Price: AED 840 (Extrait de Parfum, 50 ml)

Shop: Dior Sauvage Extrait at Dior UAE

3. Maison Francis Kurkdjian OUD velvet mood

This one has a UAE story at its heart. Francis Kurkdjian was inspired by the dunes of Liwa and a night spent in the Dubai desert, and set out to capture the warmth and softness of sand in a new Extrait de Parfum. The raw character of oud is tempered by a joyful, textured peach, while osmanthus brings leathery, apricot facets and a supple suede accord creates a bare-skin effect.

As the latest chapter in the Maison's OUD mood collection, following OUD silk mood and OUD satin mood, it presents oud with the rough edges smoothed away: velvety, glowing and surprisingly easy to wear. This is the one for anyone who thinks they don't like oud.

Price: AED 1,145 (Extrait de Parfum, 35ml); AED 1,765 (70ml)

Shop: OUD velvet mood at Ounass

4. INITIO Parfums Privés Oud for Grace

The newest addition to INITIO's Black Gold Project is oud in its most controlled, contemporary form. Bergamot cuts through at the top, before sandalwood, cedarwood and guaiacwood meet oud at the heart. Vanilla and praline bring warmth rather than outright sweetness, kept in check by a touch of black pepper. Woody, ambery and spicy, it is a fragrance about quiet confidence.

Price: AED 1,620 (Eau de Parfum, 90ml)

Shop: Oud for Grace at INITIO Parfums Privés UAE

5. Maison Origine Paris Oud of London

A fragrance inspired by London, built around an Arabian scent profile and introduced to the world aboard Emirates. Oud of London comes with an unusual origin story. The composition brings together oud, saffron, incense and leather, resting on a base of sandalwood, amber and musk. Rather than attempting to soften oud with fruit or gourmand notes, it embraces the richness of a more traditional woody-spiced fragrance.

There is a familiar warmth to the combination, particularly for those accustomed to Middle Eastern perfumery.

Price: AED 1,590 (Extrait de Parfum, 100ml, Gold Edition)

Shop: Oud of London at Scentitude

6. Hind Al Oud Deep Ahojas

Emirati house Hind Al Oud has spent years building its name on oud, and Deep Ahojas shows exactly why. It opens on dark fig and saffron, rich and slightly jammy, before a heart of white and brown tobacco, roasted cacao, blond honey and cinnamon turns it warm and gourmand.

Underneath it all is aged oud, wrapped in smoked vanilla and soft leather. The result is dark, sweet and smoky at once, a fragrance that feels made for long evenings outdoors now the heat has finally broken.

Price: AED 1,450 (Eau de Parfum, 50ml)

Shop: Deep Ahojas at Hind Al Oud  |  Deep Ahojas at Ounass

7. Kajal V

Some fragrances arrive with a story, and Kajal V has a particularly good one. Once a collector's secret known as The Whispering Oud, it has now been renamed and given a proper introduction. It was inspired by the tale of a princess and an ancient oud tree.

Perfumer Sidonie Grandperret weaves dried fruits, tobacco, rose and honey around a rich oud heart, with a little leather for good measure. The fruit and honey give it a warm, rounded quality, while the tobacco and leather keep it firmly in evening territory.

Price: AED 945 (Eau de Parfum, 100ml)

Shop: Kajal V

8. Canéza Sultan

Oud fragrances can come with considerable price tags, but spending four figures is hardly a prerequisite for exploring the note. Canéza’s Sultan takes a classic approach, pairing rich oud with cardamom, cinnamon and rose. The spices bring warmth, while rose introduces a floral dimension that complements the woody character of the fragrance.

It doesn't try to reinvent oud, and that is part of its appeal. For anyone curious about the note without wanting to make a four-figure commitment, Sultan is an accessible place to start.

Price: AED 245

Shop: Canéza Sultan at Canéza