Tahitan Gardenia was a killer release, out of over a hundred of different perfumes in my collection, TG was the only one perfume I took with me to a 3 days 2 nights getaway retreat over the weekend, there aren’t many that could beat TG in versatility, it’s beautiful, regal, and very uplifting. For the first time, I was getting a good dose of tropical fruitiness undertone, it isn’t a basket full of fruits or anything like that, but a very delicious and mouth-watering fruity goodness teasing in the background. I wore TG day and night, 3 days in a row, it always put a big smile on my face EVERY SINGLE TIME.
Hard to imagine I almost traded TG away after just 2 wearings, I didn’t fall in love with it until my 5th and 6th wearing, so glad I kept this gem around and now I can’t get enough of it. Musk Gardenia has a stellar track record of being one of the best releases from EO, for good reason. When the new Berke edition is announced, and with many different sizes available….how could I resist? I can’t. Musk Gardenia is too lovely of a composition to pass up. Now, comparing MGB to TG side by side, Ensar couldn’t have put it better: MGB is as much of a flanker to TG as Tibetan Musk is to EO2.
MGB opens with a thick and heavy punch of chocolatey musk, in my face! seems like at least 3x muskier than TG and all other Musc Gardenia combined. EO could have easily named this Mongolian Gardenia and it would have been a suitable name for it. The musk isn’t as animalic as Tibetan Musk or EO2 for instance, but it has about the same intensity in the opening. Then came a big dose of Ouds, ouds, and more ouds, nothing medicinal or offputting, no fermented/soaked funk here either, they’re incorporated beautifully, at least 2~3x Oudier than TG!
Other than Musk and Ouds, there are some spices up top, I picked up a touch of Pink pepper for just a bit of extra kick. The floral accord here in MGB also seems thicker and jammier than TG and White Kinam editions, with Frangipani and Jasmine stood out a bit more, backed by the watery and intoxicating Blue Lotus. MGB isn’t as fruity as TG but there are still some fruits in here too! Seems like the fruits came from the combination of Ouds naturally. Those who owned OST and are intimate with that release WILL recognize a purple-type fruit in MGB here, thanks to the Terengganu SQ.
To my nose, MGB went through a revolution update, you’ll smell something familiar BUT completely new at the same time. All I could think of is, just imagine having three musketeers decided to get together, between Musc Gardenia, Oud Sultani Terengganu, and Tibetan Musk joined force, and you’ll get an idea how MGB may smell like, with Gardenia leading the charge obviously. That’s what I perceived on first wearing.
Surprisingly, I didn’t get completely nose blind to the Mongolian musk here either (which I previously did in Chypre Sultan), the chocolatey musk in MGB come and go (borderline anosmia for me) and whenever it came back, it sure penetrated deep behind my skull, excellent tenacity, the Mongolian musk went balls deep here in MGB.
After 30min, the musky scent bubble continues to envelop me, the floral accords turn velvety with a hint of dustiness (some would perceive as a bit powdery), carrying along the jammy purplish oudy fruits. 3hr later, the floral became more buttery and creamier, the Gardenia remain the centerpiece while musk and ouds are still going nicely. Due to the much heavier Musk and Ouds in MGB, TG still reigns supreme in versatility as it is less challenging to the unfamiliars(those who never smell real ouds and musk), and TG is definitely more mass appealing in direct comparison.
But all Musk fan, Oud fan, MG fan….try to get a sample or decant and give it a sniff, I think you’ll enjoy it. I also think this new MGB leans more masculine than TG, certainly a lot bolder, muskier, and oudier, with that said, if female fans could rock Tibetan Musk, OST, and MG, then I don’t see why can’t you rock MGB too! Not to mention, this has absolutely ZERO Mint in it, not even a trace, at least I couldn’t perceive any of it.
Just when I thought TG was the bomb, and this new MGB take Gardenia to a whole new level, this is a VERY different beast entirely, it’s a banger release and my type of jam….I’m going to have to check my budget to see if I could squeeze in a backup bottle of this gem, if not I’ll sell something else in my collection to get more of this, 30ml simply ain’t going to cut it!! Well done Ensar Oud I thoroughly enjoy and love this one from the get-go.
Follow Up:
Wearing the new MG the 2nd time today, two sprays to the upper chest, it exceeded my olfactory sensitivity threshold and triggered my anosmia. This is the type of Musc Gardenia with the capital M. Yesterday wearing with just 1 spray the musk was thick, pronounced, and had lots of oomph, but now I could hardly smell the musk with 2 sprays, the application site is also closer to my nose, the Musk is projecting heavily as my family can smell it just fine from a few feet away, I’m almost choking them out. lol
When Ensar Oud said at the end of the description….“Spray cautiously… a little goes a long way!’ he wasn’t exaggerating or overstating it, this stuff is absolutely nuclear!! The Mongolian musk is a bit of my kryptonite as I’m anosmic only to this variety, not with any other type of musk. The result I’m getting now is hardly a surprise, less is more and I’ll just go back to 1 spray max next time, if I must wear 2 sprays, I probably would have to apply them to my calves or knees.
Not getting a whole lot of spices up top, and with the musk being tuned off, what I’m getting however, is a thicker layer of beautiful floral, it’s creamy, buttery, powdery, with plenty of honey sweetness and a bit of fruit. I’m picking up more Mimosa, Frangipani, and Blue Lotus today. The gardenia accord is so damn gorgeous, it’s being boosted by a hefty dose of juicy purple ouds, very pristine and clean.
I can almost smell the musk, almost, but it keeps being tuned out, the overall scent profile is luxurious and very rich, elegant, alluring, and addictive, with excellent tenacity and density. This release is 
….the type of scent that I could see James Bond wearing in his Tuxedo, NOT just any Bond, it has got to be Sean Connery’s.
