Ramón Monegal
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
A sharp burst of green apple and orange blossom immediately arrests attention, whilst the Assam oud emerges as a woody whisper beneath—almost earthy, like autumn leaves damp with morning dew. The fruity-woody interplay is immediate and slightly disconcerting, each note refusing to yield ground to the other.
As the apple fades, rose and jasmine materialise with understated grace, their milky-soft presence softening the woody skeleton that now reveals itself more fully. The leather accord surfaces here too, a subtle suede-like texture that adds tactile dimension without ever becoming overtly animalic. The composition transforms into something more intimate, more evidently perfumed.
Ambroxan and birch emerge as the composition settles into its final hours, creating a clean, almost woody-amber residue that smells vaguely like driftwood left in pale sunlight. What remains is sophisticated restraint—a barely-there woody-amber skin scent that carries whispers of the rose and leather notes, more remembered than actually perceived.
Alhambra Oud is a study in controlled contradiction—a fragrance that marries the austere elegance of Middle Eastern oud with the bright, almost Scandinavian crispness of apple and citrus. Rather than drowning in the animalic depths of its woody foundation, Ramón Monegal has orchestrated a deliberate tension between sweet fruitiness and leather's austere rasp. The Assam oud arrives not as the typical dark, smoky protagonist but as a structural backbone, lending woody density without dominating the composition's delicate geometry.
What emerges is a fragrance of intellectual sophistication—one that appeals to those who find mainstream oud fragrances either too precious or too aggressively animalic. The apple-oud interaction is particularly noteworthy; the crisp, almost tart character of the apple flesh prevents the oud from becoming ponderous, whilst the oud lends gravitas to what might otherwise feel merely fruity. Rose and jasmine arrive as supporting players rather than the floral leads, their presence felt as whispered florality rather than obvious opulence.
Add fragrances to your collection and unlock your personalised scent DNA, note map, and shareable identity card.
4.0/5 (790)