A symbol of wealth and prosperity, Petroleum is an unexpected essence, once referred to as ‘Black Gold’. It is rich, dark and mysterious…a miraculous gift from the depths of our Earth. Perfumer Gérald Ghislain uses his creative brilliance in a modern inception of oudh. Traditionally used in Far East lands and highly esteemed for its aromatic power, it is an essence so fragrant, complex and rich that we imagine it being used by Arabian Kings. It is a precious gift from nature.
Petroleum features top notes of agarwood, bergamot and aldehydes; middle notes of rose, agarwood and ambergris; and base notes of agarwood, civet, leather, patchouli and white musk. It is an absolu eau de parfum.
An excerpt from a review by cafleurbon:
Petroleum is the most original of the three Edition Rare fragrances and the one I liked best because of that aspect. When M Ghislain gave me a preview sniff of this last August at the Elements Showcase in New York I wasn’t prepared for what the name implied. A fragrance named Petroleum? What was going to come from that? Not what you think, I’m guessing, because it surprised me. Instead of mineral spirits or gasoline, Petroleum refers to the unrefined power of crude oil and, depending on how it is refined, what it can become. The crude ingredient being refined here is oud and throughout the development of Petroleum the oud becomes very refined indeed. The start is to take the raw oud note and surround it with a whirlpool of aldehydes. This makes the early going of Petroleum a very elemental experience. After the first distillation the oud has become something less primal and a bit smoother but it still retains a bit of medicinal bite. Rose and Amber add some olfactive heat to turn the oud into something fit for refined company. That refined company shows up in the base, as leather, white musk, patchouli, and civet conjoin with the oud to form a decadent opulent pastiche of richness. The base of Petroleum is a high octane kick to all that I enjoy in the notes present. Not one of them feels forced and if one were missing Petroleum would feel less for the absence. Petroleum hums through its twist and turns like a high-performance sports car using premium fuel.
