Western Oud

I bought a bottle of the original 1977 formula of YSL Opium at an antique store in San Antonio.

There was something about that bottle that stayed with me. It had the kind of presence that made me want to reach back into that era and find something I could wear today.

I kept picturing a ranch hand in the 1970s.

He’s spent the whole day working, and now he’s back at the bunkhouse. He takes a shower, throws on his nicest clothes, and wipes the dirt off the tops of his boots. A comb through his hair. His favorite hat. Then a generous spray of the cologne he saves for heading into town.

That’s the world I wanted Western Oud to belong in.

When I put it together, it smelled good, but it was missing the contrast that tells me a fragrance is finished. I added a tiny amount of oud, and that was what made it click. I started with a vintage Western idea. That last addition made it Western Oud.

Oud and rich woods give it its weight and character. There’s depth to it, something warm and enveloping that makes me think of the timber walls of that bunkhouse and the quiet confidence of a man who has finally called it a day. The woods carry the grit; the warmth belongs to the evening ahead.

It’s the feeling of rough hands buttoning a clean shirt. The day’s work still in his shoulders, but his mind already somewhere else.

Then he’s off to the local bar.

For cold beer, questionable romantic decisions, and absolutely no intention of getting home early.

Western Oud is my way of stepping into that scene. A masculine woody oud with an old-school spirit, dressed for a night that could go just about anywhere.

Prepared and bottled by Workflow Fragrance Co. using a Fraterworks compound with an added touch of oud.