Every niche perfumer has come out with their own version of an Oud-based fragrance (see our earlier piece on Oud scents) over the past few years. While not necessarily a ‘new’ trend, it’s one that’s gained popularity in niche circles just as the aquatics of the 90′s and the citrus-blends of the 00′s. It also signals a trend that people are seeking something truly different and are willing to experiment with bolder elements.
Montale was among the first and is still the most prolific in their selection of Ouds by far, having at least one for each day of the week and twice on Sundays. The newcomers to the party have their work cut out for them by introducing something that isn’t simply a copy of someone else’s earlier idea, so the sheer number of Oud/Agarwood fragrances are providing fantastic choices for those looking for a more incense-laden, resinous and complex fragrance. I’ll say as a qualifier, I’m by no means an expert on the topic, so at the end of this article, please look for further links that provide a much better description of Agarwood, its use, and why its surging popularity.
When I learned that Dior had developed a Oud-based eau de parfum based around core elements of Oud and Leather, my interest peaked to sample and understand whether it delivered that sort of experience. Otherwise, I’d resort to layering with two Tom Ford Private Blend fragrances to derive a similar outcome: Oud Wood and Tuscan Leather. Would this resemble that combination in any way, or become something completely different? I was about to find out.
La Collection Privee Dior Leather Oud (2010): Francois Demachy, the house nose behind most Dior fragrances, was also the perfumer on this combination. Le Collection Privee is a selection of eleven (11) distinct fragrances that focus on a niche segment, some of which include new issues and reformulated classics (New Look 1947, for example). All are available exclusively through Dior-owned boutiques, or via Dior’s Website.
As I mentioned in my assessment of Fahrenheit Absolute, it appears that Demachy has taken some of the lessons learned from that experience and applied them into a more unique fragrance that would prove more suitable for regular wear. The Oud is wrapped around Guiac, Sandalwood and Cedar, with top notes that also include cardamom, interwoven with a beeswax-like honey to provide a unique sweetness to soften the Oud accords. Clove, birch, and hints of tobacco, along with some level of animalic civet round out the equation.
The result is warm, soft, sweet, attractive, animalic yet deep and seductive. It avoids being overpowering or suffocating; simply, it’s balanced nicely in an intoxicating and impressive way. Oud, more than being a focal point of a fragrance, winds its way through the fragrance in a slightly smoky manner, almost mingling with the crowd as it drifts its way around the composition. If Fahrenheit Absolute was deep, incensed and resinous to the point of being obnoxious, Leather Oud is the polite gentleman in the room whom you’ll notice without him being too ostentatious or bombastic. By design, this is a very calm, very subdued, very understated scent .
This is an Oud I wouldn’t be ashamed to let my wife try, and likely one of the few that I would be prone to qualify as a truly genderless Oud experience. Compared to the Tom Ford Private Blend Oud, Le Labo’s Oud 27, or Byredo’s Accord Oud, this is far more an exercise in subtlety where the others reflect a much more masculine, earthy, woody fragrance combination.
Projection is very good, longevity is in excess of 8 hours for me, and it’s definitely not a cloying concoction.
So…as to an overall verdict and the answer to my question in opening.
Rating: 4/5. High Recommendation. My reservations are the exclusivity of the fragrance (available only via certain Dior Boutiques and by Dior’s Website), though the price point is very reasonable for a EDP of very good quality (125ml for $150, 250ml for $225). It prices closer to a mass-market point than in the niche range of over $200 for 100ml. My other complaint about the availability is that the Dior Boutiques really don’t have sales staff equipped to advise on the fragrances, and sampling is limited to paper or a visit to a boutique, there are no available vials nor will they supply them.
As to the question of whether this matches the layered combination of Tom Ford Tuscan Leather and Oud Wood, it’s a simple answer: No. Tuscan Leather is a very masculine and rugged leather, and his Oud a bit more tamed. Layering in his case results in more Leather than Oud, sacrificing the personality of one to satisfy the other. And it involves purchasing two fragrances to achieve a very different but incomplete effect.
Bottom-Line: If it wasn’t already clear, this is an Oud I like not so much because it’s simply an Oud, but more by being a unique, wearable, subtle and understated scent that drifts by often enough to remind you of its presence, and something capable of becoming a daily wear signature. While not the absolute best scent of a collection, it has its moments and is a solid addition to a wardrobe. This is more daily wear than special occasion.
I'm Andrew Buck, the man behind the words. I'm a published author, project management practitioner for over 20 years, work on Wall Street, and am a fragrance aficionado. I've had a passion for fragrance for 30+ years, and enjoy trying scents and adding to an expanding and rotating collection for some time now. 
