When one thinks of a Montale oud, lavishly exotic and over-the-top cocktails of fruit and musk come to mind. And while those are wonderful, Oud Dream is a different sort of oud scent, a delicately sweet and spicy musky oud better suited for a romantic night under the desert stars instead of a disco ball, no matter what it might look like on the bottle. The key difference is a lovely touch of restraint- notes like "sweet honey" and black pepper are, in fact, handled deftly, never sticky-sweet or nose-crunchingly spicy. Even the rose-oud of the heart is toned down from the opulence of Roses Musk, feeling smooth and romantic and keeping you leaning in for more. Don't get us wrong- there's still a place for the opulence of Montale's other oud scents. But once the sun sets, the situation calls for a touch of elegance- and that's when Oud Dream has its chance to shine.
