Preludio d'Oriente Cale Fragranze d’Autore for women and men

This is an hidden gem. One of those fragrances that fly under the radar but should definitely deserve much more attention.

Preludio D'Oriente moves in the same direction as other compositions a-la Avignon / Cardinal but where these two stay pretty linear in reproducing the liturgical frankincense, PDO is enriched by dark dry woods, leather and a tiny amount of oud. The opening is quite severe with a consistent incense note enhanced in its lemony aspect by astringent artemisia and citruses. Dry woods and leather join the party right away turning the fragrance into a darker and misterious composition that continuely moves on the thin line bewteen harshness and warmness while manitaining a perfect balance. Oud is subtle, toned down, restrained and used just to give some extra boldness to this marvellous composition.

Severe, dark and misterious. Top quality stuff!

Rating: 8.5/10

A warm incense scent combined with some subtle spices. In fact, the incense in PDO smells so fresh as if it had been just burned. Wonderful !
No cold smoke smell reminding of cold gothic buildings (as I often experience it with other incense frags), this one is special.

If you wear Preludio you feel like Cleopatra.
Majestic and sublime.

in fact ausliebezumduft's site lists it as a hearnote I see after checking!

good description, but some would like to smell like this. I'd say I'm amazed the "notes" say nothing about frankincense, but in fact am hardly surprised since the notes never tell the true story

This is a heavy incencey scent, with accentuating notes of leather and agarwood. It smells like an old wooden, expensive box where a church would keep its incence, that's the best and most accurate way of describing it. The top citrus notes are quite shortlived. I really don't think I want to smell like this though, as I am 100% sure any guy who smells it wil think I smell like a church. Its not sexy as far im concerned, but its a unique woody scent and would probably suit a man better.