Rose and oud is one of those fragrance combinations that sounds slightly intimidating if you’ve never really explored oud before. Rose is familiar enough, but oud has a reputation for being dark, smoky, medicinal and sometimes downright challenging.
Jo Malone’s Velvet Rose & Oud is a much easier introduction and it was one of the first rose and our combinations I have tried (the other being Rose D’Arabie by Armani).
Jo Malone’s Velvet Rose and Oud is a rich, jammy rose with a darker woody background, but the oud never feels particularly aggressive to me. In fact, it’s barely perceptible as a distinct note on my skin. Instead, it seems to sit underneath the rose, giving it depth and stopping the sweetness from becoming too pretty or lightweight.
If you’re curious about oud but don’t want to jump straight into something particularly powerful, Velvet Rose & Oud is one I’d try.
What Does Jo Malone Velvet Rose & Oud Smell Like?
The first thing I notice is the rose. This isn’t a fresh, dewy rose or the sort of airy floral you might reach for in spring. It’s darker and sweeter, with a distinctly jammy quality that makes it feel almost velvety on the skin.
Jo Malone lists Damask rose as the heart of the fragrance, with oud in the base and clove as the top note. There’s also praline in the composition, which helps give the fragrance its sweeter, richer character.
The oud is there, but I don’t find it particularly challenging. I don’t get a strong animalic or medicinal oud from this fragrance. Instead, there’s a darker woody quality underneath the rose that gives it some depth. If you’re new to oud, I think this is part of what makes Velvet Rose & Oud so easy to wear.
The Rose Is Dark, Sweet and Jammy
If you like your roses fresh and green, this probably isn’t going to be the one for you.
The rose here feels much darker. It’s sweet, rich and almost syrupy, although I wouldn’t describe Velvet Rose & Oud as a gourmand fragrance. The praline adds some sweetness and softness, but the rose still feels like the main event.
It’s the sort of rose that makes sense with the name Velvet. There’s something plush about it rather than crisp or sparkling.
And this is probably my favourite part of the fragrance. I like rose perfumes in a lot of their interpretations. This has enough darkness and warmth to make the rose feel much more suited to the colder weather.
Is the Oud Strong?
I don’t find the Oud to be strong in Velvet Rose & Oud. I expected the oud to be more obvious, particularly given the name, but on my skin it’s very much in the background.
I can tell that it’s doing something. The fragrance has a darker, woody quality that you wouldn’t get from the rose alone, and the drydown feels deeper than the opening. But I wouldn’t smell this and instinctively recognise it as oud.
And I think that’s a good thing if you’re new to the note. There are plenty of oud fragrances where the oud is the entire personality of the perfume. Velvet Rose & Oud isn’t like that. It’s more like the oud gives the rose a darker backdrop.
How Does Velvet Rose & Oud Perform?
This is one of the Jo Malone fragrances I’d reach for when I actually want my perfume to stick around.
It has good projection when I first spray it and, more importantly, it lasts well on me. It’s not one of those fragrances that disappears after an hour or two.
I find it particularly noticeable on clothes, where the scent can hang around for much longer. On skin, I still get the rose and woody sweetness as it dries down.
That’s worth bearing in mind if you’re used to Jo Malone’s lighter colognes. Velvet Rose & Oud is a Cologne Intense, and it has considerably more presence than the fresh, transparent scents I tend to associate with the brand.
When Would I Wear It?
For me, this is definitely a cold-weather fragrance.
I wouldn’t reach for it on a hot or humid summer day. The combination of sweet rose, praline and dark woods feels too dense for that to be particularly enjoyable.
Autumn is where I think it really comes into its own. It’s perfect for those colder days when you want something with a bit more depth, and I can see myself wearing it throughout winter too.
I’d probably reach for it most often in the evening, whether I’m going out for dinner or just want something a little more substantial at home. It could work during the day too, particularly paired with a polished outfit in cold weather, but it’s not what I’d call an easy office fragrance.
Who Is Velvet Rose & Oud For?
I’d particularly recommend trying this if you’re new to oud but curious about it.
If you’ve been put off oud because you’re expecting something smoky, medicinal or animalic, Velvet Rose & Oud is a much gentler introduction. The rose is sweet and familiar, while the oud mostly works in the background to make it darker and more textured.
I’d also recommend it if you already like rose fragrances but want something deeper for autumn and winter.
If, on the other hand, you’re looking for a really prominent oud, this probably isn’t going to satisfy you. The oud isn’t the star here. For me, it’s the thing that gives the jammy rose its depth.
Final Thoughts
Velvet Rose & Oud isn’t the most challenging rose-and-oud fragrance you’ll find, and I think that’s exactly why it’s so wearable.
It’s a dark, jammy rose with a soft woody depth underneath it. The oud is there, but I find it surprisingly difficult to pick out as a distinct note on my skin. Instead, it gives the fragrance a darker edge without overwhelming the rose.
For anyone curious about trying oud for the first time, I think it’s a particularly approachable place to start. And if you simply want a rich rose fragrance that performs well and feels made for cold weather, it’s worth trying even if oud isn’t normally on your list.
You can purchase Jo Malone’s Velvet Rose & Oud from LookFantastic for £116 for 50ml.
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