La Collection M7 Oud Absolu Yves Saint Laurent for men

this perfume was gifted for me by my uncle he was a diplomatic so i guess this is how its smells in room full of Diplomats and its similar to Dior homme intense and both of them are master pieces the patchouli plays so good in the perfume and also the oud for me its the best oud perfume I've smelt in my life.

M7 Oud Absolu is a warming and suave scent that massages the nostrils. In a good way. The Mandarin, Myrrh and Oud really do blend well. A sort of Dr Pepper note is produced.
I did like the 2002 M7 and still have a small red travel bottle. Lighter than M7 Oud Absolu I think.

For me, Ysl M7 in its latest formulation is the perfect release!
Compared to the old red version of the M7, this one is almost the same - only it has less of a medical touch at the beginning - which means that it is a more and more beautiful wearable version!

With it, Tom Ford tried to release something brave and extremely new - that's why it is a very important fragrance as the debut of perfumery with the addition of Oud!

I would say that everything is well thought out and nicely mixed together!
From the beginning, the bright mandarin intertwines with the dark patchouli, and a little later, the fairly quiet oud and labdanum keep company the entire time...
Myrrh here has a typical resinous sweet touch, which ties all the notes together and leads to the final phase of the perfume!

It's not too heavy and it's not overpowering - it's just right in tune!
As I already mentioned, it is the first release in the designer world of perfumes with an ouda note - so everything is made with carefully measured quantities...

I'm just fine with his performances - if he was "louder" he would be able to overexert himself!
It will always have a special place in my collection!!!!

Soft and luscious delicate oud. More on the feminine spectrum

I have a stash of vintage Yves Saint Laurent M7. I am willing to part with some, for a bottle of the Yves Saint Laurent La Collection Oud Absolu, specifically the batch with the black coating on the bottle. If interested, private message me.

Thanks to AndyWarholsFavoriteWig for pointing to a good clone! Still, should I need a full bottle I'd opt for the formulation pictured above.

I got the (clear cube bottle) M7. I find to be very similar to L'homme Idéal by Guerlain with subtle differences in the top notes.

Stunning Fragrance ! Elegant, Classy, Sophisticated , Modern ,
Complex and Unique. In my opinion, A MASTERPIECE with High Quality Similar to Niche Perfume that has well-blended composition and Lovely balance between Patchouli , Myrrh and Labdanum. I love The Myrrh note in this Scent. YSL M7 Original has The Oud note for first-time in the history of perfumery and I haven't tried it yet. This review is based on the new reformulation clear bottle M7. It opens up with a bit sweet medicinal warm spicy, earthy and balsamic notes in the background then dry down is Creamy a bit Smoky, Balsamic and Ambery. YSL M7 is Soft and Smooth , I really enjoy it from the opening to the dry down and I feel so honoured to have this Masterpiece in my collection. Longevity is good and The Performance is Average. It smells so good and very pleasant, This is perfect for the Cold Weather. If you find YSL M7, It is a blind worthy fragrance. Highly Recommended.
Two Thumbs Up.
Bravo YSL !
Rating : 9 / 10

Let's clear up some confusion of M7.

If you're stepping into the captivating world of oud fragrances, YSL's M7 Oud is an excellent initiation. However, it's crucial to distinguish between its various iterations.

1. **Original Red Bottle (2002):**
- *Overview:* A pioneer in the oud fragrance scene, this version set the stage with a bold and distinctive oud presence.
- *Consensus:* A classic that laid the foundation for the subsequent variations.

2. **Reformulation in Red Bottle (ca. 2007):**
- *Overview:* A refined interpretation of the original, blending oud with subtle changes for a smoother experience.
- *Consensus:* Embraced for maintaining the essence while offering a more polished olfactory journey.

3. **La Collection M7 Oud Absolu (2011):**
- *Overview:* Housed in a clear cube with a black sticker, this reissue pays homage to the original's spirit with a modern twist.
- *Consensus:* Considered a bridge between the vintage charm of 2002 and the contemporary allure of later versions.

4. **Current Clear Cube Bottles (2016, now M7):**
- *Overview:* A refined and modern expression, the 2016 iteration showcases a balanced blend of oud and supporting notes.
- *Consensus:* Embraced for its contemporary appeal, striking a harmonious balance between tradition and modernity.

**Update: Availability and Reassurance:**

In the quest for M7 Oud, the first three iterations might prove elusive, but fear not. The reassuring aspect is that the nuanced differences between these versions are not significant enough to cause panic. The essence of M7 Oud endures, making it a timeless fragrance that remains captivating and accessible, regardless of the specific iteration you encounter. Happy exploring!

There is much confusion about this version of M7. My bottle is clear and does not say Oud Absolu anywhere, but I am told it is that fragrance. Regardless, this is a nice masculine scent that smells expensive and exudes class. I find the staying power to be good. It becomes a nice intimate skin scent that isn't offensive to others. I recommend this if you can find a bottle. Luckily when it was discontinued I bought mine for 50% off!

Just got this and it’s amazing. I got it along with a decant of the original M7. This is close to the M7 OG but it is still not the same at all. The OG is stronger and the opening is much better. This is nice but I can see why the original is highly sought after.

Amazing smooth oud fragrance. Only one store nearby sells this, i should have bought it

A nice and interesting scent, but I don't think it lives up to the hype. A lovely bottle. I think the price is ok but a bit expensive for this fragrance which has normal longevity and projection. I don't think this is a complimenting fragrance, it leaves a lot to be desired. My bottle is one of the new ones, from 2023. Overall rating 8/10

Lively, fresh and easy to wear. The oud is very beautiful, but stays in the background. The most beautiful ingredient here is clearly the tangerine. I love her in this fragrance. This perfume should actually be called M7 Mandarin Absolu!

Someone further down mentioned it being her 'before bed' fragrance. It's the same with me. Every night I got a preferred night time fragrance I spray on before going to sleep, and M7 Oud Absolu is one of them. It's quite soft and smooth on my skin - not overpowering. Even the oud seem toned down..which I like. I also seem to detect a powdery note. The dry down has hints of Givenchy's Foudroyant.

Overall a nice bedtime fragrance.

the dirtiness associated with oud with a chique ysl finish... a very important fragrance, that by all means still smells modern and refreshing. rubbery burning resins, remembrances of masses before the cathedral gets smoky. classy, thick resins, that dont feel too woody. like smelling incense granules

Powdery Dr. Pepper

If this was toned down a hair this could've been great. But just too strong for me.

A MASTERPIECE!!!

I actually own both - the original and the latest release and both are getting me more complements than any perfumes I ever used.

I’ve had a woman chasing me outside of a supermarket asking about it!

It’s simply different than any fragrances out there. It smells like red wine on skin on a summer evening. I think the closest relative would be SANTAL ROYAL by Guerlain.

Rich, warm, luxurious, velvety and spicy with fruity undertones and TONES of charisma.

Also, I love the masculine amber simplicity of the original bottle which screams Tom Ford’s DNA (not to mention the super-controversial marketing!)

I can’t stress how rarely this happens… I have no other option but to give this
10/10(!)😳

This is a review of the black-dipped Oud Absolu bottle, not the clear one that seems to get panned for terrible performance.

M7 Oud Absolu is an incredibly handsome and versatile fragrance, with a touch of darkness and romantic artistry that keeps both wearer and passerby interested.

Compared to the OG M7's rosemary-heavier opening, Oud Absolu features more orange and an elevated patchouli note, delivering a slightly more dirty-earthy opening. Underneath is a base of oud and myrrh, which together provide a pleasantly light and sweet cough-syrup effect. Sounds maybe questionable, but it's actually fantastic. The oud is quite mild and approachable, and the overall product is quite well blended. I can't identify too much labdanum here.

Comparing the original M7 with Oud Absolu, up close the original leans a hair sweeter and smoother with that incredible touch of rosemary. In the air, they're virtually identical. In terms of performance, the original M7 gets rave reviews for its longevity, but either my original M7 bottle has faded from age, or my nose simply grows anosmic to this whole DNA. Oud Absolu's performance is certainly a bit of a quieter fragrance, but that also enhances its compelling intimacy.

Overall, both fragrances are phenomenal. I wouldn't fret about missing out on the original, because Oud Absolu gets you 95% of the way there. Earthier when smelling it up close, but otherwise almost identical impression and wearability

Lovely, dry and woody. Like all other Ouds it also lasts a while. Sensational.

I have one of the newer batches, as mentioned below… Just says M7.

To me…. And I’m shocked it hasn’t been mentioned. This smells like IM Nuit d’Issey Pulse of the Night. But with hints of something along the lines of Oud Wood…. And touches of ambery Myrrh that definitely remind of Costume National Soul..

I don’t always like to review fragrances by comparing it to other fragrances… But sometimes it just makes it easier when it seems so obvious to me..

Obviously PotN and CN Soul took some inspiration from this beauty… And the original dna was created under Tom Ford… So… The Oud Wood nuance makes sense.

Regardless of all that…. This is a beautiful woody amber and a pillar of modern amber scents..

Love it..

This review is for the new glass bottles labeled just M7; batch 3/2023.

This opens very dry and woodsy, and in a few seconds there is an incense and rosemary accord that joins the woods that's smokey and herby. The rosemary and incense combo reminds me of the original 2002 formulation although lighter. It really lacks the depth, whereas in the original it was almost as if you had rubbed some rosemary between your fingers during a church service. There is an orangey-sweetness, but it's in the background. The Oud Absolu release on my skin has no rosemary or incense, mostly the tart, rindy and sweet mandarin orange blended with a smooth patchouli. Performance is 5-7 hours (unless I'm going nose-blind to it), and overall it sticks pretty close to the skin. Recommended.

Nice opening, smells like Dr pepper with a woody base . It's not as heavy as I expected and will be a nice spring night, or fall time wear. Performance is slightly above average, I got 3 hrs projection and 9 hours skin scent. I'd rate this one a 8.5 out of 10 as it is a great scent I'll enjoy having in my collection.

You've git to be in the mood for this one but when you feel like it wow. It's bright zesty opening oud and myrrh in dry down is lovely. I'm getting on a bit so keep this for special occasions really. Had a lot of compliments for this one too. So glad I managed to pick it up. Beautiful

Warm, dark and comforting with a great balance between sweet and earthy notes. M7 Oud Absolu was the fragrance of the year for me for 2022. It is both a sensual and a comforting, homely fragrance. It is more suited to the colder months but I like to wear it at various times throughout the year and it always performs well. This and Kouros are my two favourite scents from the YSL stable.

I had the original when it first came out and didn't like it at first, untill a friend wore it one night and just kept smelling it in his trail and fell in love with it,was one of the first fragrances I really liked and started me of on my fragrance journey then it just vanished.. Then got another bottle when they re released it, and to me it smells exactly how I remembered it from all those years ago, I absolutely love it... I've still got a tiny bit left in the oud absolute bottle as I tried to get another bottle but looked like it disappeared again.. But have seen shops have re stocked on this so ordered another bottle incase it dissapers again.. As for being a ysl fragrance it seems to preform really well on my skin and if you liked the original would defo recommend this gem

@Mountain Air
This newer version has no choice in concentration, only EDT, as it should be normally in YSL 'classic' men's releases. But it's definitely not short lived, it's quite long lasting, I can feel it the whole day when I use it. Somehow I even like it more than the original Tom Ford's edition - it's rich, warm and more rounded like you rightly remarked. I only miss the original bottle, because this new one is just a pain.

Random gift from my partner, I’d not come across this one before but love it. A big, rich, warm winter fragrance, masculine, but beautifully rounded, I really like this. My only criticism is that I have the EdT, but find that it’s a little short lived, so will definitely try the EdP.

If you’re a myrrh lover then this is the fragrance for you

An adorable warm beautiful fragrance when i had it few years ago... i dont know if it has been weakened in its recent releases or not

@SbangDMV, sorry to hear that, but this fragrance is vastly available in South Africa. It’s everywhere.

This is gorgeous. I bought this a LONG time ago...not exactly sure when, but it was at the very least about 10 years ago. I never appreciated the beauty of this. I wasn't mature enough to appreciate oud, especially when it's done this well. I've lived in the Middle East, on and off, for the last 12 years and I've grown to actually love oud. I'm glad I kept this bottle. I will use is sparingly because it's been discontinued for a while and it's very hard to find. If you can get your hands on this beauty, take it and take it fast!

Cherry flavored Dr. Pepper & smoky play dough with woody/earthy powder.

9.6/10

Love this fragrance. Absolutely masculine but unisex in the same time. Its like being covered in a woody dream.
Got it 3 weeks ago and it became my signature scent.

The only downside is it does not last very long and the sileage is not too amazing.
Sprayed 6 times this morning at 6;30am and it was gone by 11:30am.

always carrying tiny bottle in my pocket so can respray after few hours :)

Agree with the person below me:

Masterpiece

Masterpiece

Masterpiece, masterpiece and a big MASTERPIECE.
Knowing that this scent is a designer oud and came in 2002 makes me surprised and what a big thanks for Jacques Cavalier and Alberto Morillas for this masterpiece.
This is sexy luxurious scent, the quality is so good and for me it’s signature scent worthy. 10/10

Rosequeen is so acurate on her 2018 description

" Fact is, they've made a fabulous fragrance. And one that is amazingly like original Opium parfum, in the red plastic snuff bottle presentation fresh from 1978, or whenever it first arrived (sorry, I didn't look it up first). M7 Oud Absolute is not exactly like Opium, but close enough and only $45 on eBay. "

the fragrance is the opium parfum striped of its florals and such ...

only thing i can add is that it is oficially discontiued for good

It’s this in place of my original M7 in my collection. Don't want to use all the original up to quickly. This is almost just as good, but it is slightly different (sweeter). Now can’t find this anymore! The M7 line by YSL is bar far my most favorite. All the good reviews on here read accurate about M7.

I love patchouli note in general, thats why i appreciate this perfume a lot.

I get earthy patchouli and more earthy patchouli and I absolutely love it. If you ever smelled Chanel Coromandel and Dior Patchouli Imperial it has that same type of base. This is not a compliment beast if that’s what you’re looking for. This is artsy if I may say. The bottle not that it really matters is really nice and looks great on my shelf. Longevity and projection are good not great but hey it’s still a YSL so that’s par for the course.

So soothing and warm. This doesn't have that awesome cherry note that the original has, or not as strong anyway. It also is nowhere near the performance of the original. Maybe it is like ombre leather which you come somewhat noseblind towards and everyone else is complimenting you.
On my skin the drydown gets a bit bubblegummy, which oddly enough I love. The patchouli gives me a same vibe as the base of Armani Attitude does.
I got a 75/80ml bottle for 50 euros. This seems to be in stock at least in notino and other stores for about 60-80€.

Church vibes. Reminds me of midnight mass. I only wear it on occasions because it’s increasingly becoming an oddity amongst collectors. Regardless, this one was released on the tail end of YSL’s backslide into lazy. If you have the money, M7 Oud is worth the price of admission. Especially if you’re a collector.

It's that "cherry cola" smell that ruins it for me. Except I don't smell it as cherry cola, I smell it as a sort of medicinal, almost quasi-camphorous accord. There are a couple of fragrances out there that have a very strong camphorous mothballs smell (Creed Royal Mayfair and Nishane Sultan Vetiver) that I don't like. I say they smell like opening my grandma's cedar chest full of mothballs. Well, this M7 Oud Absolu is like that same cedar chest left open to air out for a week after taking the mothballs out. Now, as this goes through the drydown, and the medicinal accord recedes as the creamy amber and woody oud accord takes over, it improves. But still not a love for me.

Orange-y up top, with a deep, sweet warmth to it. Surprisingly sweet. Overrated in my opinion. Dry down gets less sweet and a bit more smoky. Pleasant. Recommend.

This opens with an orange marmalade. It reminds me of L'Homme L'Intense but not nearly as sweet. Not sure if it is the oud or myrhh but there's a slight booziness that gives it a warming quality. As it dries down the patchouli comes out to play. It's only slightly earthy but feels more like a dark bitter chocolate. Reminds me of Issey Miyake Nuit Parfum. Lends to a deeper base but still inviting. Calling this Oud Absolu seems out of place as one can barely detect any oud. If you're looking for an oud forward fragrance then look elsewhere. Projection is okay at an arms length for a few hours then more of an intimate scent for the 8-9 hours it lingers. Reminds me a lot of the L'Homme line in that it is a pleasant scent that should appeal to most but it let down by price especially given performance.

I have a 10 ml decant of this M7 Oud Absolut and all I can say is that its bold and beautiful, a gorgeously masculine fragrance. I love its scent profile and it's a must in my collection. I already placed an order for a full bottle. I also have a full bottle of the newly reformulated YSL M7 and I like it as well. They share the same DNA but I love this M7 Absolut much better. In fact, I haven't put my nose yet on the original or the rare discontinued vintage M7 but I guess I don't need to, since I am already satisfied with these two.

I'll give this gorgeous masterpiece a 10/10

“Let's spread the scents of peace and kindness. The two most beautiful fragrance in the world that will cost you nothing and will get you a totally different kind of compliments” 🙏

Reminds me of G&B wood infusion, as well as oud wood. Has that same synthetic oud aromachemical in it, or at least very similar. In all 3 of these it comes across a bit like anise, which i don't love. Real oud fragrances (at least the few ive experienced) don't have this anise-like smell though.

I will say that it is certainly pale and flat when compared to the OG, but since that's like unobtanium at this point, I'll describe it in a vacuum. BY THE WAY I have the most recent bottle style with clear front that just says M7, not oud absolute.

I get more orange than is voted, combined with subtle myrrh which makes it like a warming orange over the oud and patch base. There's almost a little powder in there, which is really nice coupled to the orange, almost refreshing/cooling but not into menthol territory. I think it's really nice and a likeable masculine scent that's VERY versatile (again, akin to oud wood in this way). Drydown keeps the orange tinge which is impressive, i expected the citrus to die down right away.

7.5/10

EDIT: just got a sample of the original, and it’s not so different. Slightly higher quality but almost identical smell. What I originally had was a sample of M7 fresh (I think) which smells amazing. Now I’m on the hunt….

Blind buy this one because of the outstanding reviews of the original YSL M7 in fragrantica, and it appears to be okay. Maybe I was expecting too much, that I could still have the M7 DNA by buying this one. I was wrong the whole time.

Wear it during summer and winter days, and I would say it favors the colder climate. It is warm and citrusy. Chocolatey may be because of the patchouli and a bit sweet of amber.

Sillage is good, so is the performance. I enjoy it personally, but not a compliment getter.

Give it 7/10.

I recently obtained some Dior Patchouli Imperial and upon testing it out I immediately had a comparison to M7 Oud Absolu. I don’t really get oud from this but a huge whiff of patchouli for sure. I’m so happy I scored this before it became hard to find.

Dark and a little sweet, M7 Oud Absolu is a warm and comforting fragrance that exudes elegance and a certain sensuality. As much as people rave over the original M7, I tried it at an airport duty free years ago and I thought it was good but not outstanding. But this flanker of the original is masterful. To my nose M7 Oud Abolu opens with an enticing blast of caramelised orange peel, then the darkness of the oud comes though. The oud intensifies a little during the dry down and the patchouli also becomes more noticeable. Bringing it all together is the comforting warmth of the amber. It's a beautiful fragrance that I enjoy wearing, there is a certain masculinity about it but I think that some women could carry this scent well. This fragrance is not very loud and so it has some versatility, it could be worn in certain professional settings and is suitable for more intimate occasions. The fragrance projects moderately well and it lasts most of the day on me as a skin scent.

A sweet, smooth, soft oud, potentially great fragrance let down by poor performance. I've the clear cube bottle, M7 on the front.
3.5/5

if you can't find this or want a cheaper alternative, Bentley for men intense. the dry down reminded me of M7 straight away
I don't know what the old formulation smells like as this is my first. I have a 2020 batch, the clear bottle and it just says M7 on the box.
love it so much I'm on the hunt for the original (tall red bottle) 👁️🔍

This is known as an oud fragrance, but there is hardly any oud that I can detect. The most prominent note, once the scent has dried down is patchouli. To me this is a very simple patchouli scent with not much else going on. It's a natural, leafy and mostly clean kind of patchouli. It's a great scent, but it's not what it's marketed as.

This is my favourite fragrance to use before bed. It was warm and dark and delicious. It's been a rough week and nothing in my wardrobe could offer me the same comforting embrace as this beauty. I mainly get soft oud, warm myrrh and the wonderful aroma of making marmalade when the orange peels are bubbling in sugar. Sumptous!

I used have the original m7 always loved it bought it twice and never knew it was discontinued until it was too late
This one is a close one but not as good The longevity is good and the scent is acceptable

UPDATE: July, 2021. I wore M7 Our Absolu today on a hot, humid day and the fragrance really woke up. Projection was increased and after 10 hours on my skin, the scent is still going strong.
The fragrance remains restrained in hot weather. It has neither overwhelmed me, nor felt inappropriate for the conditions today. The Cherry Cola note seems less present in high heat and the oud has revealed a more noticeable trace-note of animalic funk at the base of the fragrance. Today has been a revelation. The changes to the 2016 formulation found in the 2021 iteration may have dulled the scent in cooler environments, but in the heat, they have improved it--making it wearable, and indeed exceptionally pleasant, in the warm. I knew this fragrance was versatile, but now I know that it is among the very best hot weather designer oud scents available today.

Reviewing the 2021 formulation in the clear bottle with the painted label. I saw this new version of M7 Oud Absolu while waiting for a flight and since my roughly two decade old bottle of M7 is down to its last few dozen sprays, I blind bought it.

This current M7 Oud Absolu has much less in common with the original M7 than I'd hoped. You get a lesser fragrance in every way than the 2016 reformulation. Compared to the 2016 formulation, which was itself a watered down version of the original, this new formulation is further weakened and some of the notes are a.w.o.l. I am not going to write an extended tiresome moan about this fact. Rather I will just provide my thoughts about the bottle I just bought as if it were a new flanker release in the M7 products line.

M7OA opens with a bit of orange--juicy, but not too sweet. The Orange recedes pretty fast and the patchouli emerges along with some myrhh. The combination of these notes also mixes with the oud producing the distinctive cherry cola scent that has been part of the M7 DNA since the beginning.

Eventually, the cherry cola accord fades and a vaguely animalic, Western synthetic oud comes to the fore and stays for the duration (which lasts up to 6 or so hours on my skin with moderate projection gradually fading to a skin scent). This is office-safe oud and nice enough. It won't offend anyone (or perhaps I should say that I can't imagine it doing so). This scent is unisex as well.

Following the designer oud explosion of the past decade or two, (which lest we forget, is often traced back to the release of the original M7) there are lots of oud scents available and, candidly, many of them are better projectors, have longer duration or feature more pronounced oud notes than M7OA in its current iteration. But the smoothed out, toned down nature of this fragrance might be its biggest virtue because as currently constituted, M7OA still smells distinctive and pretty darn good, but it can be worn in situations where more "beastly" ouds have no place.

You can decide if this scent is worth acquiring at the seemingly ever increasing prices it commands these days. If you can find a discounted bottle and you are a big oud fan or a collector of oud fragrances, M7 Oud Absolu might well be worth getting. It is a versatile oud, and there aren't too many such fragrances out there. It is also a link to what has become a milestone in modern fragrance and worth considering for reasons of historical significance as it approaches its 20th anniversary on the market.

An excellent fragrance. Very sophisticated, gentlemanly; elegance in a bottle.
I have a 2016 bottle. The cola vibe is unusual in the sense that it makes the rest of the of this fragrance feel effervescent.

YSL m7 oud absolu, starts out with a heavy dose of orange, followed by patchouli and then to my nose, the myrrh kicks in. This fragrance lasts a bit, about 7 to 10 hours for me. Its subtle in sillage after 2 hours, but body heat seems to increase the sillage a little bit.

A well crafted fragrance. I bought mine in 2017. Is it worth the $120+ that people are being gouged with on the Net? I dont think so. But, if you've got money to burn, then go for it.

The price of YSL M7 Oud Absolu is going up really fast. It was around $87 at fragrancex when I purchased the first bottle three months ago, $95 a month ago, $107 two weeks ago when I bought backup bottles, and now it's $110. It's time to stack up some bottles before it gets too late.

Good scent. Blended the orange up top with the rest of the fragrance very well. Will perform on winter nights and the sillage and longevity are still both above average.

At the time of writing this review, I have applied M7 Oud Absolu (black label) to my neck and chest, as usual, and...sprayed my the back of my right hand with one shot of the original M7 (4 ingredient, amber-sided bottle) to do a comparison.
Here we go...and the lovers of the original (of which I am one) are not going to like this:
They are almost identical, AND, I even have to give the edge to the Oud Absolu for projection.
I won't go into a scent description, as there are plenty of reviews on this site and other sites to peruse.
So...it's your choice. Spend $200+ for the original, or spend about half and essentially have the same product, albeit without the bragging rights.
Let me end with saying, I love both of these products and they are prime examples of high-end perfumery.

I owned the original M7 (red bottle), then M7 Oud Absolu (with the black paint) and now the M7 (without the black paint and without the 'Oud Absolu').

The original was 'one fragrance for life' material.
The M7 Oud Absolu came pretty close, but not the same. Lacked some depth. Lacked performance big time.
The current M7 lacks all.

*review from a woman*
I am usually not a big fan of Oud, nor patchouli.
But I really like this scent on my husband!
It smells so « though », I don’t know if you see what I mean but it smells like a boss who is having an affair with his assistant and having 50 shades tastes.
Well I hope my bossy husband is not having an affair with his assistant but otherwise I like this scent, it turns up to a powdery kind of smell of him-Uomo Valentino vibes, nice!

Fairly new to oud fragrances. After reading about the hype behind this one I'm very disappointed. I get a gross sickly CocaCola sweet vibe that stays pretty linear. The oud is there but it's synthetic and smells horrible against the overwhelming sweetness. Also the performance sucks.

I have the black painted bottle and I love this stuff. It’s not the get you laid scent that everybody wants. This is artsy-medicinal. This scent screams F@ck You to the masses lol. If your a fan of older Tom Ford type scents and could stand Gucci Guilty Absolu then pick this bad boy up!!

Has to be some of the best Oud related juice I've sprayed. I've heard this isn't like the original formulation of M7. I heard from someone I trust that this is still a good substitute. I for one love this cologne. It's formula is like art. The staying power is amazing and lasts all day. You won't go wrong blind buying this. I sure did and don't regret it!

It's a skanky medicinal vetiver smell to me. It has the bioparox vibe of Eau Sauvage Parfum. Just simply smells bad

Be careful and check the box when you buy it! The new(er) versions don't have "oud absolu" in the title under M7. It's a new, even more dilluted formula, which I don't even recommend.
M7 oud absolu was relatively fine, but this new M7 (without the oud absolu title) in all transparent bottle is a disappointment. :(

I just wanted to provide a review of the fragrance without reference to the original. This is an absolutely incredible masculine fragrance. The oud is front and centre, but quite restrained and not animalistic. The sweet and powdery components play off with the oud exceptionally well and the opening is citric, but not cloying. As a stand-alone fragrance, I think this still stands tall amongst the other oud giants across the industry. If you can find it for a decent price, buy it. It’ll become a winter staple.

@primerno

There are 3 or 4 versions of M7.
You have the first one in the rectangle bottle with red hues on all sides (the vintage one, has 4 ingredients on the box).
The second version is still in the rectangle bottle but with clear sides on all but one (has more ingredients on the box).
And then you have the M7/M7 Oud Absolu in the small square bottle shown above. I'm not sure which came first, but it's obviously the reformulation which doesn't really have that ''cough cherry syrup'' accord the vintage has. The vintage is also much stronger and in my opinion worth seeking out if you're a fan of this blend.

Discontinued

Its a unique fragrance however it turns too soft on my skin after an hour, there is a period of transition in the dry down which is wonderful but it only last a short time and then its gone.
I bought a 5ml tester and a bottle as it was the last one and it is discontinued, I am glad I was able to test it so I did not open the the box and will return it.
The fragrance just really does not do it for me and I will save my money for another unique fragrance.

Have you noticed how the price of this fragrance has skyrocketed in the last two months? Why?

Opens with a mandarin note which whilst not photo realistic is enjoyable. The magic for me is in the transition between the top and the patchouli mid where I get a liquorice / anise accord. It could well be the oud note, it is certainly the only time I detect an oud like quality in this perfume. The patchouli mid is great but during this period the performance lets me down as it only shouts for the first 1 - 2 hours but its very classy. The dry down is ambery and delicious. I am half way through a bottle and if it only could perform a little better in terms of projection I would say this would be a designer I would re purchase but I will probably just enjoy the rest whilst I have it.

If you want to know what this smells like, get yourself a bottle of John Varvatos Platinum edition. When I last last purchased Platinum a 4.2 ounce bottle was about 80 dollars. To my nose almost a carbon copy.

A fresh, refined almost gourmand fragrance with a slight tangy oud note. Reminds me of an orange creamsicle I used to eat as a kid. Not bad, just not something appealing to me. Does have a Dior Homme vibe as others suggest below, also slight similarities to Loewe Man. Its overall orange, creamy and delicious.

As good as M7, to my nose. I'm still not quite sure how much the differences between Oud Absolu and the original can be chalked up to the age of my original bottle or formulation changes. All I know is that Oud Absolu feels like it has a crisper citrus topnote and a drier woodiness to it. The original feel more sweet-sticky-ambery. Both are excellent scents--definitely pick up this re-release before it surges to aspirational prices down the road. A brilliant, wearable, and appealing dark evening scent.

I think it is a shame that so few women have discovered this scent. M7 is one of my all time favourite fragrances. It is warm and rich, comforting and deep. This is one of the few modern releases that truly has staying power. Completely beautiful and worth every penny.

which one do u mean? 8/10
i said standard for longevity...
u should try fahrenheit 32 dior for longevity and u will understand my point.. unfortunately there is no one in tokped sell Fahrenheit 32 as a decant until now
for scent is strong for me in opening....but well done on me when the drydown is coming

I Love Love Love this fragrance. My favorite of all in my collection. I have two bottles of the original formulation that I love even more. The current formulation is a bit more harsh but still wonderful. This may not be a crowd pleaser but wear it for yourself.

This is weaker then the original M7 by TF.. Still good juice, just wish it lasted longer

amazing perfume. to me it is the smell of a soft burnt wood with soft oud (which is made perfectly here). the creamy drydown is just lovely. it lasts only 4 hours on me, i wish it lasts longer...

The most bland oud perfume I have ever experienced. Weak, expressionless. The only thing I have to give in its favor is the distinction of its oud: it serves as reference, to get to know what oud is and should be in other perfumes: here it is almost natural, quite pure, very distinguishable. But that's just it: pure oud that disappears in minutes and the end. Laughable performance, a summer deodorant exhales and fixes more. It surprises me how much the designer perfumery industry hits consumers with bitch-slaps like this, by keeping certain ridiculous values on the market.

Tweaked version is remarkably similar to the original, but the point of my review here is just to reassure readers that both smack you in the face like a 20-pound leather boot, and leave you stunned upon spraying either for the first time.

This is a real big-boy fragrance, next best thing to applying gasoline directly to your pecks...

The reformulation doesn't do justice to the original version created by TF. This one is less potent but still one of my favorites

wasn't raving about the originl M7 but this one with oud more is a vey seductive and well made mens perfume.not much myrrh ,more oud and the result is perfect! definitely woody one!

Top & Middle: horrible medicinal, 3th World Hospital in the 60ties kind of smell, that lasts for about 2-2,5 hours.
Once that dirty nauseating scent is gone, it becomes a very soft far in the distance sweet skin scent. Feminine sweet.
Moderate Longevity, Zero projection after the first hour.

I blind bought this back in 2014 based upon the rave reviews. One of my worst mistakes. In my opinion overhyped.
It took me 5 years to give Oud another chance. Another blind buy but this time not an overly expensive gamble.
Banana Republic Oud Mosaic for 1/3 of the price I paid for YSL Oud Absolu.

This one is more Animalic than Medicinal and therefore a much better option for me.
Today I took a shower after 6 hours of wearing it and I still can detect it on my backhands afterwards. Good to very good projection.
I will reconsider other Oud fragrances now, as long as they are not medicinal.

Smelling 2012 batch. “La collection” had just been released, and the M7 relaunch was the most anticipated of the four males. All smell good, and are worthy namesakes of their respective originals. Oud Absolu is M7, yet a bit harsher, and less flamboyant than the all red bottle I also have the fortune to possess.
OU gets oudy too quick, so the name makes sense. The patchouly seems to be more prominent, and overall I perceive it as a less complex M7. It retains the delicate skanky vibe of the original, just feels a little flatter.
But if you never had the chance to experience the legend, this one gives an excellent picture. I have not tried the clear bottle of OU so I cannot comment on its current form.
****(*)

Wearing and comparing 4 different Oud frags. I'm not that familiar with Oud frags, so take these as a Oud novice trying to compare and contrast the following, in order to find some anchor point.

1. Ralph Lauren Polo Supreme Oud - Stronger than others. Dense, sweeter than others with definite cashmere characteristic. Nice enough, but too sweet for my taste. 6.5/10.

2. Versace Pour Homme Oud Noir EDP - Sweeter and denser than the others below. Similarly simple and linear as the Dunhill. Nice but don't love it. 7/10.

3. Dunhill Icon Absolute EDP - Similar to others, but a bit lighter and with a peppery edge. Simpler, not necessarily in a bad way. I'm not a fan of pepper, so not crazy about it. 6.5/10.

4. YSL M7 Absolu La Collection - Definitely has that YSL characteristic of quality, refinement, and a certain slickness/sophistication. Lighter, drier, and more etheral than the others. Most sophisticated and lightest of the 4. Not sure I love the drydown...will have to wear more. Like it the most for now. 7.5/10

I do not know the original M7, but I liked this version, the well-balanced oud gives an aura to medicinal wood, creamy and slightly sweet.


Aroma: 8.6
Originality: 8.6
Versatility: 8.5
Climate: day or night in autumn and winter
Occasions: formal and maybe cold days in office
Age: + 20
Quality: 8.6
Price: 8.5
Sillage: 8.5
Longevity: 8.5
Design (bottle): 8.5
Total rating: 8.6

Main notes I smell: Oud Wood
Emotions / sensation: autumnal foliage, ocher

Polished Oriental (Jacques Cavallier & Alberto Morillas, 2011)

During the years old M7 had to regulate his diet to maintain the line and lower the calorie intake. This new M7 is thinner, but keeps the old vibe. Compressed, like the CD quality of sound is compressed in mp3 format.
Oud Absolu opens with mandarin, and even some rosemary of the original. Patchouli and oud give some robustness. Although called Oud Absolu, oud is not prominent. It is Westernized, yet has some depth and full bodied. The strong resins in the base are the difference from the original. OA is drier and sticky sweet at the same time.
New version of the old beast. More easy to wear. Yes, it lost some of old charm, but the essence is here.

Rating: 7/10

do u know if the new version - just M7, without "Oud absolu" - smells more like the original versiobn? mhm?

is a beautiful tale with an opening of mandarin and medicinal oud, it develops with a thread of patchouly, wood and labdanum ... the construction is rigorous, top notes of citrus mandarin, heart notes oud and resin base notes ... a beautiful wood ... a beautiful work by YSL ... but M7 first version is an absolute masterpiece

I am the first to lay into YSL's parent company, and their eternal mission to destroy the heritage of the once great powerhouse fragrance company.

However, in the sea of trash that is churned out of this house, this fragrance shines as a glimmer of hope, a sign of true quality.

I had been reluctant to purchase anything YSL, following a few poor performing recent fragrances. I had a conversation with the YSL associate who knew what she was talking about, and she explained how strong her customer base was for this fragrance.

I used to wear the original M7, but somehow this is even better then I remember, the notes are truly incredible, it lasts and performs remarkably well. Please, please don't alter it.

Don't be in any doubt, this is superb.

This is a new one for me. I’m new to ouds in particular. This was a blind buy based on reviews and once I smelled it, I immediately thought of a fragrance I’d purchased before; Declaration Darkfall. Darkfall has a lot more smokiness (birch tar) going on, but the agarwood is evident in the mid-notes, as it is here, which gives both fragrances a kindred feeling. That aside, they diverge for me, both on top and in the dry down. M7 opens with the orange/mandarin notes (which fade quickly on my skin), and dries down into a much softer, incensy vibe. For the price especially, I’m definitely considering it a keeper so far. Really enjoying it.

Any suggestions for continuing my Oud journey would be welcome.

Edit: After wearing this one for a while, I’m definitely in love. I don’t even care if some don’t think of it as an official ‘oud’ - it smells fantastic. Full stop. This is a bottle I hope to never be without.

There are some reformulations that utterly slay a fragrance. In my humble opinion, the mark of a good reformulation is that the scent can trigger not only the scent memory of the times wearing it, but can also illicit the emotional impact of wearing it. There have been a few reformulations that have left me longing for the “good old days” (Givenchy Gentleman) but YSL M7 Oud absolu is not one. I guess in all honesty it is not strictly a reformulation, but a repackaging (a “make over?”). I had two original (read: legendary) four ingredient bottles of M7. I purchased them for a song, and during a fragrance purge sold them, for way less then then their value. I wore m7, not daily but to special events, while I wore a suit. I like what they have done with M7 Oud absolu. Is it a carbon copy? Nope, I remember M7 being a tenacious, and a very fragrant perfume. It projected an air of elegance, albeit, as my wife observed——- “old lady-ish” (I disagree but I did understand what she meant). I really enjoy the patchouli in this fragrance, it ties the other notes together. How do I feel when I wear it? Well to be honest the same as I felt when I wore M7. Thanks YSL.

@alexsuditu, absolute joke is your comment below. M7 Oud Absolu is one of the best oud scents on the market among designer's fragrances. It's very well balanced in a modern way, not too strong and sweet like arabic ouds, but bold and recognizable. It has excellent longevity and sillage and gets compliments always. The bottle instead is the weakest point of this fragrance. You have a very perverted taste, that's all I can say.

I started my fragrance hobby 5 years ago with the discovery of M-7 Fresh.
I still respect this fragrance. It's close to the original.

With a seasoned nose now, I realize this has a much stronger patchouli note, and a good one; chocolaty and medecinal. I allso think there are more aroma chemicals, aldehydes, that I pick up now. They are nice though, not synthetic in a cheap way...

An absolute joke of a scent.. wouldn’t pay more than £ 19.99 for it.. the bottle looks nice though

Review for the clear bottle:

I have never tried the original M7 however this is a nice and classy fragrance. There is detectable oud, patchouli and mandarin.

Projection is moderate to weak. As an oud fragrance, I was expecting something more pronounced and out there. Longevity is not bad for me though, I get 4-6 hours.

Ratings
Sillage: 5/10
Longevity: 6.5/10
Scent: 8.1/10

This is a review of the clear bottle not the black covered bottle. Don’t get me wrong this is a wonderful smelling fragrance it just disappoints me. Longevity is not good and neither is projection. The opening is basically citrus water or sparkling water, very little scent of any kind in the opening. Very quickly a sweet smell comes in and remains for the rest of the fragrance duration. I don’t know if it is oud I am smelling Or if it is sandalwood, but I do get woody notes in the base. For the full price that I paid I just wish that it was a stronger smelling fragrance. As to the time of year that you can wear this I would say that it doesn’t matter because you can’t smell it at a distance anyway so you could wear it anytime. I hate being disappointed.

UPDATE: I think I was too critical of this fragrance above. Now that I have worn it more I find it to be a great winter office scent. It’s very wearable and longevity is okay. I totally recommend it if you are looking for a good warm woody fragrance.

یاداور ام سون بزرگ
امروز آن را چیز خاص و متفاوتی نمیبینم
-----------
Scent & Quality: 7/10
Longevity: 7/10
Sillage: 7/10
Creativity & Uniqueness: 7/10
Affordability: 7/10
-----------
Overall: 7/10

This is light on me. I have to go heavy with it and then it gives a soft incense cloud that wafts gently round me. I must admit I prefer my perfume a tad more ballsy. And as a lover of oud, I like the patchouli in this! The vague hint of Agar wood here merely adds a little to the myrrh and labdanum to give the quiet temple fug.
That said, the effect is a good one when I catch it. The combination of orange, patch, and incense is sexy and refined. I have similar performance issues with my skin-chemistry and Jubilation XXV and have learnt I have to hammer these particular scents and/or manage my expectations.
Smooth warm and sensual if an ethereal tease, YSL Oud Absolu is classy and understated. Nice.

Really like this one. It has a patchouli similar to lidge and a woody note similar to oud wood. Much easier to wear than the original M7. Oud absolu also have a orange note. When im outside in the cold weather it has almost a bubble gummy note in the sillage. The versatility on this is very good. I think it would be mass pleasing and could be used both in professional as well as casual settings.

The aroma is pleasant enough but it leaves much to be desired. No concentration . . . average everything. So it sits on the shelf with my other disappointments keeping them company.

Won't buy it again.

Almost identical to Costume National Soul. I can't believe tha no one noticed that...

Disappointing would be an understatement. Weak and tepid best describe it. If there are any remains of oud in it, they are like the dusty relics of a provincial would-be saint.

Most definitely unisex, highly recommended

Don't know nearly enough about oud or M7's many reformulations to comment on this venerable scent's history. So this is an uninformed (and female!) opinion: this is an absolutely beautiful entry-level oud fragrance, with a well-judged dose of the aura of sourish-medicinal, not too stinky wood; whether or not it's the real thing, it's a respectable and manageable impression of the more well-behaved kind of oud. Would be perfect for men or women who are dipping a toe into the great smelly world of oud but aren't ready for the really weird wild stuff yet. M7 also has lovely depth and warmth in the orange and myrrh, and even the patchouli is on the civilised side, not a wild hippie fog but just a tinge of extra intrigue and character.

It's amazing value for money and just about unisex for women who really love deep, dark, woody-spicy stuff, too. (It gets just a tiny shade over-sour for me in the later hours). On performance - yet again - it's diplomatic and just polite enough, not overbearing but decent projection, longevity not astonishing but reasonable ... up to 5-6h on skin... and very pleasant in all its phases. Honestly, it covers all the bases.

So this one is under-loved, I think - maybe because of those haunted by past glories of previous versions. M7 is a well-priced, mainstream, truly reliable fragrance rather than an absolute monster or an inspired bolt of heaven.

So: a surprisingly solid, stolid, trustworthy thing. Should be an automatic try for those exploring oud.

I usually toss this on after evening showers. Clear bottle Seems a bit weak compared to the black bottle. Still so good for the money.

I had two bottles of the original M7 which I sold off for next to nothing. I can't remember why I did at the time and greatly regretted it later. I was glad to see it offered again in this edition.

It feels like it's a little less strong and more smooth than the original but still recognizable as old M7. Maybe it only seems this way because at the time this was a more daring scent and nowadays oud is very mainstream.

Good longevity and projection. I'm glad to have this one back in my collection.

Great fragrance ! M7 was kind of template for future Private Blend by Tom Ford and still is really good, smells fantastic. As many people said before you can try first formula, but I don't think it's worth that much money unless you're a vintage collector. I have newest bottle without Oud Absolu, just plain M7. Oud Wood is more spicy, M7 is more ambery and balsamic.

Edit: The citrus opening reminds me a lot of M7 Fresh, but Fresh has even more citruses, it makes my mouth watering :D

I wanted to buy Tom Ford's Oud Wood, but I simply won't pay that much for such a small bottle.

M7 Oud Absolu seems to be a great alternative. It's the cheapest Oud fragrance I could find, which I assume must be a consequence of it having less oud inside. I still get to smell enough of it and I really enjoy the sweet part, which seems to be mandarine (though I couldn't identify it). But it still smells manly enough, which is great.

The only thing I miss from Tom Ford's Oud Wood is the woodier campfire deepness, like burnt wood. I don't get that here. So I might like Oud Wood a tiny bit more, but considering M7 gives me more liquid for less money, I will always opt out for the latter (unless I become a millionaire).

EDIT: After longer use, I have to say I don't like the opening as much as the dry down. It starts weirdly, very slightly off-putting even.

EDIT No. 2: After even longer use, I really have to say I have a love-hate relationship with this fragrance. I'm just not sure. Everytime I put it on I'm kind of disappointed I bought it, but then later in the day, especially when I have other perfumes on my body and smell the comparison, I always love it again. It smells high quality and really pleasant in the later hours.
I don't hate the opening though. It is a pretty sharp one and the oud is nearly absent, but I can't say I hate smelling it. I don't love it, either. But for whatever happens later, right now I don't feel like tossing this fragrance yet (or removing it from my favorites / love-list).

The problem is, before drydown hits, in order for it to really smell good in the first few hours, I have to breathe on my skin and quickly catch a sniff, or bury my nose into the skin. I don't have this issue with my other perfumes.

I have no issues with the performance, it always lasts all day for me, but I don't think it projects very far for too long.

الى كل من يجول محلات العطور
باحثاً عن عطرٍ رائع ..!!
..
الى من يبحث عن العود
الى من اهدر ماله .. الى من اسرفه
على دور النيش .. ولم يجد ضالته
..
لن تكون سعيداً
وراضياً الا هنا ..!!
..
شيئت ام ابيت
القصة ابتدأت من هنا
وهذا مهبط الوحي
..
فلا تكن مكابراً

Perhaps my favourite YSL fragrance and one that should rightfully garner a cultish following. The warm, dark Oud brings an almost medicinal accord which softens alongside the sweet earthy resinous base notes. Long lasting, refined and sophisticated, it’s a sexy nocturnal unisex fragrance that subtlety raises Oud to a new level of elegance.
I don’t get the haters, but having never tried the original there is nothing remotely offensive about this alluring fragrance.

M-7 Fresh started my fragrance journey about 4 years ago.
I had Oud Absolu a few years ago and gave it away. I liked it but wasn't using it much.

I missed it, and when I saw you can buy it for under $50, I purchased it again.

A bit of a review now. I have gotten to know and love good patchouli fragrances. This has a nice sweet, chocolatey patchouli in the base. You can allmost think of it as a patch fragrance with oud, myrhh, and vanilla.

I have mostly a niche collection and I like strong challenging fragrances now. This still feels like a forceful fragrance, rich, cozy, and creamy smooth.
Someone compared it to Dior Homme without the Iris note; that's pretty close.

This is a great cheepo. It smells high quality, sweet, oudy, woody, rich.
Great for the cold weather.

As stated before, people who claim this one is not good are just fragrance nerd that can't handle that a designer has such a great fragrance on their catalog, that you can find around $40/$50 online. (Sometimes even lower)

It's a powdery patchouli-orangey oud, supported by a heavenly myrrh in the drydown. I like the comparison with Dior Homme Intense, without Iris, more woody and with slightly lower projection. At the opening, it's a light medicinal style oud (much lighter than Malle's animalistic oud-focused fragrance the Night).
I never smelt the vintage M7, and in my opinion, this M7 oud absolu is a masterpiece (and I just got the clear "new" bottle).

It is unfortunately impossible to test outside of the few YSL flagship stores (maybe 5/10 in the world?), and blind buying is thus the only option.

Personnally, I love it.
Fall/winter evenings, 30+

Edit: I don't know M7 (original) or M7 Oud Absolu (1st edition with black sticker on bottle), but I agree that, despite the scent is good and you can smell it at arm's length, it is not a "beast". (And total longevity - even just has a skin scent - is just 4/5hrs). That said, is it such a bad thing to have an oud perfume that does not scare the people around you? I don't think so! :)

Edit 2: I'm still loving it. But let's be honest... this is more about patchouli and myrrh than oud...
More realistic oud-centered cheap fragrances? Go for Boss Damask Oud (smoky/burnt oud) or Elie Saab No.4 Oud (round oud)
Just my 2 cents!.

This juice hammer's you into submission with how over powering it is. This is an amazing BEAST MODE fragrance. This last twelve plus hours on my skin. Projects for at least 7 hours with 2 sprays. An amazing quality juice. Mandarin, Oud and Myrrh. Extremely linear to my nose. For the price this is a must have if you 1) like oud and 2) love the original M7. Enjoy!

Tested on skin from the black coated bottle. Dry, woody, earthy oud fragrance. It's not heady as some other Western designer ouds (i.e. Armani Eau de Nuit Oud or Polo Oud Supreme) - I'd say the M7 is more balanced and restrained, which is a good thing for wearability. If you're looking for a serious and masculine take on oud, and you love patchouli, this could be the one for you.

edit: 3.5 hours later and it's almost gone from my wrists unfortunately, but YMMV!

Q.R. Crumm's is the best review. It's clear, precise and expresses perfectly the real situation between OA and the older M7. I personally prefer OA over the old one. Have the black bottle and it's powerful great sillage and longevity. Excellent!

I just received today a new bottle of M7. I also have the older style bottle that's painted black. Both juices smell identical with longevity being the same.(5hs.) It's a beautiful mature scent, with a great Kick of Oud. If you love Oud you'll love M7. Perfect for fall and winter.
If Tom Ford or Creed was selling this it would be $500.00. For the price it's an absolute bargain.

Full disclosure; I'm a 72-year-old woman who wears a lot of men's scents. I saw this on eBay a couple of years ago and wondered how YSL would handle an oud fragrance.

Fact is, they've made a fabulous fragrance. And one that is amazingly like original Opium parfum, in the red plastic snuff bottle presentation fresh from 1978, or whenever it first arrived (sorry, I didn't look it up first). M7 Oud Absolute is not exactly like Opium, but close enough and only $45 on eBay.

I have wondered whether the $45 bottles are faked, not really YSL. So someone please tell me if you think they are. Whatever they are, I think it's a fabulous scent. M7 Oud Absolute is a strong scent, but not as strong as the scents made for the Arabian market. It's not Roja Oud either.

I don't have the life most perfume wearers have. Most people would wear this only when out at night, but I wear it to the grocery store in the daytime. I'm considered an old woman, so I can get away with it.

As stated before, people who claim this one is not good are just fragrance nerd that can't handle that a designer has such a great fragrance on their catalog, that you can find around $40/$50 online. (Sometimes even lower)

It's a powdery-orangey oud, supported by a sweet patchouli in the drydown. I like the comparison with Dior Homme, without Iris and more woody. At the opening, it's a light medicinal style oud (much lighter than Malle's animalistic oud-focused fragrance the Night).
I never smelt the vintage M7, and in my opinion, this M7 oud absolu is a masterpiece (and I just got the clear "new" bottle).

It is unfortunately impossible to test outside of the few YSL flagship stores (maybe 5/10 in the world?), and blind buying is thus the only option.

Personnally, I love it.
Fall/winter evenings, 30+

Edit: I don't know M7 (original) or M7 Oud Absolu (1st edition with black sticker on bottle), but I agree that, despite the scent is good and you can smell it at arm's length, it is not a "beast". That said, is it such a bad thing to have an oud perfume that does not scare the people around you? I don't think so! :)
Also, despite Fragrantica doesn't allow me to vote for it, this reminds me of Zegna's Peruvian Ambrette, because of the orange vs mandarine orange, and the light medicinal oud vs ambrette (vegetal musk). Not a clone at all, but definitely the same vibes.

Disappointing would be an understatement. Whatever the original "beast" may have been, this is nothing even remotely worth comparing it with that. Weak, sweetish, utterly forgettable. A sheer waste of money.

This is a resinous concoction that just stands out from others. Totally unique to my nose and so masculine. I wear this with Emirartie outfit

No no no..... this was heavy and suffocating back in 2002 and is still pretty much the same with the new formulation.
I remembered this was way to heavy for me years ago. A friend had it and was in love with it. When he got a bottle of M7 he actually got rid of all his other perfumes. I never understood the hype. To me it just smelled like thick heavy patchouli oil.
Then I have been reading all the reviews on how amazing this stuff was so I had to give it a try now in 2018. Still terrible. I got a major headache after 15 min and this does not want to wash off.
This was never commercial and today with all the light and fresh oud scents M7 just feels hopelessly outdated.
Sorry YSL and all M7 lovers :)

me like and need to get a bottle soon!!>..)

اعجبني هذا العطر كثيرا.. يلفت الانتباه .. ثابت وفواح .. مميز للامسيات الرسميه الباردة
انصح به بالتأكيد.. ثمنه مناسب جدا من المواقع الاجنبيه
الاصدار القديم توقف.. وهذا متوفر ولازال جميلا فاتنا
يظل من اجمل عطور العود على الاطلاق
9/10

After ordering M7 Oud Absolu, I thought at first I had been shipped the wrong product by mistake, as what I got has no mention of Oud Absolu. Just says M7. It is a clear bottle with amber liquid. On the side it has the year 2002 and the notes, which clearly are the 2011 Oud Absolu notes. So, I think they've repositioned it, discontinued the old M7, and they're calling the Oud Absolu just plain M7, and pretending it is from 2002.

The fragrance is absolutely gorgeous. I love the mandarin opening, and the oud, amber, pachouli, myrrh combination is addictive. Very gentle and wearable, nothing offensive about that oud. It doesn't project very far, ending up fairly intimate, but seems to be long lived. I can't stop smelling it.

This fragrance is the reason why I dislike oud. It's a beast for sure, even after a shower i smelled like it. Highly recommended for men ages 40+.

I am wearing it right now. For me, this one's scent is not even closer to the wonderful original M7. Sorry but I'm not expert with ingredients but have a very fine nose. I am lucky I have from the original M7 the after shave and deodorant. They differ by far,,even on its longevity and sillage.

The M7 Oud Absolu is the clone of the Dunhill Icon Absolute Perfume but with more longevity and farther sillage. The Dunhill's may last 15 minutes and 0 sillage and the M7 Oud's could last 4 hours at most on me and may be perceived up to 2 feet far for the first hour. No compliments yet :(

Update:
Last night, I realized it was still on my skin, having sprayed 3 times in the morning, I estimate 12+ hours of longevity & 0 compliments which means 0 sillage because this fragrance smells really good (the discontinued M7 is in my top 15 yet, this one isn’t). Today, I wore it again but also sprayed some on my shirt so now I can say that few people complimented the fragrance.
I apologize for my grammar, English is my second language, and if I am inaccurated on my commentaries is because I am novice and a learner but addicted to fragrances and reading your reviews in Fragrantica.com

Having bought a 5ml decant of this, I have been trialling it today.
I love the scent; it's rich, smoky, and kind of resinous. Probably not suited for summer as it is here, but I'm impatient!
I've re-applied a couple of times during the day, and to be honest, I'm disappointed with it's staying power. I'm talking 3 hours tops, half of which is as a skin scent.
It smells great, and the way it smells leads me to expect greater longevity. It could just be my skin of course, but my instincts tell me it's just a poor performer.
It would definitely be bottle worthy if it didn't suffer in this way.

To me, this has an intense boozy accord in it. In our country you can buy orange liquor which smells pretty much exactly as this. And that does not have to be a bad thing, but I was expecting more oud and a bit different fragrance.

Winter, night situations.

Scent: 7/10
Performance: 7/10
Versatility: 3/10

Oud Absolu...? More like Oud Absolutely missing.

Don’t get me wrong - this is a pleasant and refined fragrance; on my skin M7 ‘Oud Absolu’ opens with lots of citrus and sweet resin followed by a dry smokiness that lasts for a good 8 hours or more but lacks Oud and is somewhat linear insofar as it doesn’t develop so much as loses the citrus and smoke to leave a long lasting resinous scent.

It’s nothing like the original M7.

For me I found this a very classy and elegant fragrance

I got resin, a little sweetness, little or no oud, and cedar.

The feel of this fragrance was that of understated wealth, like the kind of person who has it , but is not flashy, but could be.

If you wanted dior homme without the iris and a bit more woody this will be your dream come true.

recommended and very well done

Oddly enough I found this unisex, but leaning masculine , 25 plus

I tried it privately a number of times and it reminds me of a church bench, incense sticks, the mine of a pencil perhaps and for some reason, grilled meat and stale oil. Now, I do like a tasty kebab with extra onions and without it drowning in sauce about once or twice a year, if at all, and I have nothing against relaxation by the tenderness of an incense stick, except for the harmful fine particles which are released and which are comparable to cigarette smoke, which then again ruins it, but to refer to it as sensual in a voluptuous way beyond the correlation to a scented room in which intimacy would happen is wondrous to me. It reminds me of claims that "For Him Musk Collection" is sensual heaven. Apparently some like to exaggerate or claim a lot of things, thinking perhaps that this will make them more desirable. They both seem to be well made though and some of the components of the fragrance discussed here can make it wearable for both men and women. I usually refrain from locking fragrances to ages, but in this case a higher maturity and or some spiritual affinity might be reasonable.

A good elegant perfume with medicinal touch.
In my opinion the note of patchouli is more predominant than that of oud.
Average longevity and middle chair.
Not bad.

I have the half black bottle of oud absolu and I wonder why it says 2002 on the side. As far as I know, this is a reformulated version of the original m7 which was introduced in 2002, so this one can't be made in the same year. Can someone explain please?

Yet another thing, I'm surprised that some people can't find the occasion to wear this. I wear it to work, when going out, and even at home. It's not a gourmand fragrance nor a middle Eastern Oud beast. It's a really safe scent for me.

This review is based on what my husband said when he wore it. He loves this scent and especially likes to wear this for a either night out for dinner or a special occasion. The only thing he noticed is that it is more woody like a fresh pine than oud and can also detect rum notes even though it is not one of them. Sillage is very good and longevity is moderate - 4 hours max. Very intense and masculine scent to wear.

at first spray, this one is not as "medicinal" as original M7, more woody than oud. I guess it is tamed version of M7, as for the projection and longevity not as good as original one. I would like this M7 Oud Absolu but not love it as original M7.

I had never tried this perfume or the original M7 but found a full bottle for almost nothing and I have to say that I'm impressed. It is sweet but masculine. I don't know much about notes, but I can detect mandarine, Oud, and a touch of cherry. I like it but I find kind of hard to find the ideal moment to wear it; maybe at night, winter or fall with a leather jacket. I'm glad to have it in my collection.

This is a very nice scent and was way ahead of its time when its predecessor M7 launched in 2002. I get syrupy oud with myrrh, very similar to M7 but not identical. I like to call this western oud and it's made for people who have never experienced real oud or find it pungent or barnyard-y.
One of the main reasons I bought this is that of my memories of the original M7 and sure it doesn't disappoint, however my favorite M7 version is the 2010 formulation because it is very spicy and less syrupy, too bad I couldn't find one.

Bvlgari Man In Black dry down with the opening of Dior's Fahrenheit Le Parfum IMO.

I had the original in 2002 and it was a monster...one spray was enough.
It was ahead of it's time..one of the first oud fragrances. Sales were low but it did last for about 5 years and then m7 fresh came out.
After ysl discontinued it it became something of a cult fragrance like the Helmut Lang fragrances. L'Oréal rereleased it in 2011 and it smells just as wonderful as it did then but toned down a notch.
The old bottle was sooo nice but let's be glad it's still around.

This is not my cup of oud. Got a new bottle used 5 sprays not going to use this again. Its very original and on the right person I would even compliment them. I nothing in my collection that smellls like this however it’s a little too dark and strong for my taste. I prefer Tom ford versions of oud. Happy I didn’t buy an original m7 as this was under 75$
It’s a great scent but anything I can’t spray more then once is to powerful for me.

First of all, this is nearly a complete clone of the original M7. Those that claim it's not either owns the original, is selling the original on ebay ($200+) or for some reason is in denial how close this one is to the original.

As others have said, this fragrance is the definition of pure class, sexy in a modest way, and hypnotic. Although that sounds like a sales pitch from the fragrance counter, it still does not do this justice. La Collection M7 Oud is one of those men's fragrances you only want to wear on special occasions. It' so good you'll want to save it for only the very best situations so you won't get bored with it. If that is even possible.

One of my clients has the original M7 and I've been trying for years to buy it from him. But his answer was always the same... sorry, no can do. Well, when he smelled this formulation he was like WTF. He ordered a bottle the next day on Amazon as a back up to his original. And let me tell you, if he finds the two formulations nearly identical, like I do, then so will most people. I think the only ones that might see any significant differences are those with extremely advanced noses when it comes to notes. Fortunately, that is not me. Yes, fortunately!

M7 you shall remain my companion for years to come even though you are a near clone of your father. The torch has been passed.

does it have some similarities with Fahrenheit absolute?
My FA is close to say farewell. Im seeking alternatives. Fahrenheit parfum doesnt work for me.

This screams sex. So sensual and erotic. For colder nights. Only for men. Do yourself a favour and sample this. I have a full bottle. Woods and spices. 10/10

'favourite', 'hypnotic' and 'unique' are just some of the words that pop up when i do a random scroll below.

i couldn't agree more.

i've been collecting bottles for a good two years period now, and i gotta say this gentleman right here is currently on my throne.

'elegant' and 'sophisticated' are my two words to the countless superlatives below.

There is a huge hype on classic M7 and I don't understand why ? Because it is no longer available ? Between Oud Absolu and classic are only little differences. Classic is sour form bergamot and OA is more sweet form mandarin. Overall they are identical , I was expecting much more from classic after reading so many reviews.

@Alessandro Bonfirraro Nops, you'll get resinous vibes earthy slightly spicy kind of oud/wood. not very incensy yet u can detect some Myrrh.

This juice is hypnotic, but I cannot say I smell a lot of oud in it. Oud, at least as I have experienced it in several other fragrances, has a slightly sour wood smell. This scent, on the other hand, is quite sweet, anchored by spice.

The opening is very much orange citrus and myrhh incense, with a patchouli frame around the picture.

The dry down maintains this sweet and spicy character, with the orange receding just a bit, but not much.

Upon closer inspection (sniffing very close to the skin), there is a faint oud note here, but it is quite buried under the myrhh and patchouli. You could say that it influences and gives a new shape to the myrhh/patchouli presentation, but to my nose it doesn't stand out enough on its own to label this as an "oud fragrance."

Let me repeat that, so there is no confusion. Yes, there is oud here, and it plays a quiet role of slightly shading the colors of the other, stronger notes. But this is primarily a spice and orange fragrance, and it is no less intoxicating for being so.

Highly recommended. If you are a fan of oud fragrances, purchase this scent with the understanding that the oud is very subtle, but definitely add it to your collection anyway.

Currently my favourite scent. It's quite unique when comparing it to a lot of modern fragrances and a bit different from other ouds (both modern and classic) although I haven't smelled the original M7.
It comes off as something that might be considered a bit offputing to some but it's such a great mature/night out scent that it's worth it.

Tried couple of days ago from a friend's bottle and was surprised by the fact that didn't get much oud out of it (specially the medicinal or animalic one), instead what I got was a pleasant sweet myrrh and patchouli scent with a tame creamy orange on the top.
Of course, being a supposedly oud base fragrance I was expecting that principal note would come out somewhat more challenging and over the top: I'm not complaining by any means, it's a really nice and smooth take on the oriental/woody theme.
Comparison wise there were two scents it reminded me of, instantly from the top was Prada Amber Pour Homme Intense with its citric, myrhh and patch qualities; towards the heart and base the one that poped out of my mind was Bentley Intense (not sure why since they don't share many notes if any actually, but whatever).
Again, really nice blended quality scent for cold weather though I also see it working perfectly in a summer night formal event for eg.

Hello if anyone wants to no what the vintage M7 was like a very good representation better than this fragrance by YSL.
please buy mancera sand aoud hand on heart is much closer to the vintage M7 trust me i should no the vintage M7 has been my obsession for a long time. I've managed to aquire around 12 large sealed bottles as i love the addictive beautiful vintage M7 so much. Mancera sand aoud is stunningly close to the legend.

Bright start moving quickly to red candy and drying down to patchouli and myrr. The drydown is heavenly but, unfortunately, this fragrance is skin scent within an hour or two. Sillage is light but significant while it lasts, which isn’t long. The Oud is smokey and nicely done for the ten minutes it’s around and then it’s gone like it was never there. I chalk this up as a “like” because it’s really nice and it’s not expensive. Had I paid real money for this it would be going back so fast it would make heads spin. I’ll keep it around for when I’m staying close to home and don’t need anything to last longer than a grocery store run.

Never been so head over heels for the original M7 as I percieved it a bit too "grown up" for me when I tried it for the first time.
FFWD a "few" years and I stumbled upon a good deal on this one, so good it was really a shame to let it pass. Tought, what the hell, it will fit the collection, if nothing else the bottle is neat, even if I don't care for the smell so much.
Talk about getting older...
This is pure class in a bottle... strictly winter class, mid me, but still class wirh a capital C.
Old, slightly dusty, cracked wood with a orange overtone, all built on a foundarion of a healthy dose of patchuotoli to carry the scent (but not too much, so it doesn't stick out like a bulge, something that often happens with that ingredient).
It is a full suit scent, for formal occasions and it needs a few gray hairs on your head, no two ways about it. This is not a young fellow by any means and it is something to wear on a bad roullete night somewhere in Cortina d'Ampezzo. Also it is a winter only sceny, a cashmere scarf is a must with this thing.
Performance is stellar (2011 batch), with 10+ hours, and 24 on clothes, projection is good to excellent in the first 3 hours and good for the next two. Sillage is fantastic.
Can be a bit overbearing because of the dustiness so be careful with application.
It is а, as the black/white folks would say, old man scent but in a good and distinguished way. This is a classy old dude, and who wouldn't be that?
Man, I'm getting old.

With what appears to be hundreds of reviews of this scent, what can one add that has not already been said? Notes have been covered, over and over again. So how about this....

Back in my 20s (when dinosaurs walked the earth) I used to work for a bank. We had a very old branch that had a few tunnels underneath it. One of the rooms off one of the tunnels had a smell that was very reminiscent of M7. Weird I know, but every time I wear M7 (vintage or this newer version) I can picture that room.

I own both the vintage / original version of M7 as well as this newer version. The original is a bit heavier, harsher and edgy to my nose, but unless you are heavily into fragrances (as most of us on this site are) you will not really be able to tell much of a difference. Meaning that John or Jane Doe from the street will more than likely tell you they are the same.

So why do I say that? The original M7 is very hard to find now a days and very expensive if you do find it. As of this writing, M7 Oud Absolu is easy to find and fairly inexpensive. While I love the original, you are better off purchasing a bottle of M7 Oud Absolu. If you really want to try the original, look for a small sample to satisfy your curiosity. My $.02.

Bottom line: IMO, every man should own this scent, or at the very least, try a sample of it.

New M7 is very nice without a doubt smooth sweet delicious, but without a doubt nothing compared to the original first formulation that is a unique creation ultimate deep sweet very addictive and rumoured to contain real pure oud oil which is believable as the projection silage and longevity are stunning.

I had the privilege of trying the original version of
M7 a few times when it first came out back when I was in high school that my friend left around. Not having much knowledge at all back then of specifics on accords, all I remember was how fantastic it smelt that my friend had to yank it out of my hands to get it back. Fast forwarding 15 years later, that led me to blind buy the remake. I'm wearing it for the first time since then and WOW! I am reminded of how great this masterpiece truly is! Even thought It is difficult for me to say which is better since its been 15 years, but I must say it still smells fantastic. Being that I don't like Oud scents, this is the only exception so far...

شروعی قوی و حرفه ای تا افت و زوال مستمر
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Scent & Qualiy: 8/10
Longevity: 7/10
Sillage: 6/10
Creativity & Uniqueness: 8/10
Affordability: 6/10
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Overall: 7/10

Original M7 is an interesting fragrance, but somewhat rough and aggressive--that's what makes me think caused it to go out of the shelves. In contrast, M7 Oud Absolu seems to me as if the original juice was polished its rough edges, thus becoming much more pleasant and user-friendlier.

My new bottle landed on my hands yesterday afternoon before coming back home. After unpacking it, I said to myself, "This is the same classic M7!" I sprayed some on my wrist, and I was blown away--yes, it is the same scent, but it's more rounded, creamier, and nicer; it's like they took the original juice, diluted it, and added more sparkling mandarin orange, myrrh, and labdanum to polish it so that more people can enjoy it. You can feel the typical cherry syrup vibe that is really unique (in classic M7, it's more like a raspberry syrup smell to my nose). For those who are wondering if this is the same old M7, I'd say this is 85-90% the original fragrance.

When it comes to performance, M7 Oud Absolu offers fair longevity (4-6 hours), with moderate projection and sillage; it's not a beast as you can see, but classic M7 isn't that beastly, either--it sports 6-8 hour longevity, with medium sillage and projection. It stands out mostly at night, but it can be used in the daytime with fewer spritzes. Fragrancewise, M7 Oud Absolu smells wonderful! I like this one a lot more than its elderly brother, but I do wish performance was better. In my humble opinion, this perfume makes up for the absence of the old juice, and so it prevents us from having to spend too much money on it.

Here's my rating:

Fragrance: 10/10
Sillage: 8/10
Projection: 7/10
Longevity: 6/10
Value for Money: 7/10
Score: 7.6/10

AUGUST 5TH, 2017 UPDATE:
At around 10 p.m. last night, I sprayed some on my left arm, and I was still able to feel it at 7 a.m. today. To me, M7 Oud Absolu is a superb fragrance, and let's take into account it's been produced by L'Oréal.

This is my new rating:

Fragrance: 10/10
Sillage: 8/10
Projection: 8/10
Longevity: 9/10
Value for Money: 9/10
Score: 8.8/10

Noses are sooo different. The citrus in the top of this one hit me in the face. It reminded me of Shalimar meets Mugler Miroir De Voluptes or Jul et Mad Amour de Palazzo but sharper and rougher. There was that powdery non-Middle-Eastern take on oud but it vanished quickly. Then, this was a rich rich rich amber scent. Glorious. I wanted it to stay there. It did remind me of a rougher and far-less-expensive version of Amour. Then the patch kicked in. It's a patch/amber in the base that is wonderful. A soft skin scent.

Only ever tried this iteration of M7 so i have no refernce re original.
This is one of the best smelling oud-dominant designers on the market. I especially love how the citrus-sweetish, chinotto opening develops into a patchouli/oud cooling middle. The trick is that it opens warm and develops to almost a cool minty patch within the first hour.
This i think makes it not just a cold weather scent, but wearable in most spring weather.
Eventually it transitions to a lovely syrupy, myrhh and oud combination.
It is a beautifully composed scent given the minimal accords used.
The one let down on my skin, is that i am luck to get 6 hours maximum longevity. Thus sits close to skin from the outset, and i find myself craving to get wafts of it as the day progresses.
At this point, i'll keep it in my colection because it lasts long enough for evening wear, and reasonably priced enough that i am not going to be stingy with sprays.

Scent: 8.5/10
Performance: 5/10

I never had the opportunity to test the legendary M7. I do not even recall to had seen it. Maybe because (I read this just a few weeks ago) it was a commercial failure for YSL and it only got its cult status after discontinuation.
Thus, after reading all the great comments on this, I decided to go for the M7 Oud Absolu. It was a blind buy since YSL "La Collection" is not available in my city.
I am glad I did it. Just using it today ... I am impressed.
It is a nice, warm and romantic scent that gets apart from all the top sellers of today, so you won´t find more folks using it.

Scent: 10
Sillage: 6
Longevity: 10
Versatility: 8

I have both the original m7 and oud absolu. The truth is the original is way better;but just because it has been discontinued it doesn't mean we can't enjoy it's little brother! They both have the same DNA but in oud absslu the citrus makes the perfume fresher but less exclusive. I don't really know what they were thinking!! One week ago i bought loew 7 and in the shop i saw the newest version of oud absolu that doesn't have the black sides on the bottle and it was closer to the original m7..guys! I think we should all get over and start to enjoy the new perfume..the little masterpiece!! :)

A lovely scent overall. However, the medicinal oud note, although certainly present here, is not offset by the clean sweetness of the amber as it is in the original M7. In this one, it appears to be to all rather cloying and a bit sickening between 10 and 30 minutes in (as a result of the labdanum or myrrh, I suppose?) I prefer the contrast in the original. The opening of this one is very good though, and it's a still good alternative if you can't find the original though.

I just got my M7 black version. I'm very excited cause a lot have been said on this. On til now 5 min it's worth it. I definitely like it.

Smelled this and instantly loved it. I love amber and myrrh and incense and I get shades of jubilation xxv from it, even if all those notes aren't in there. I also get a boozy note from it. All the warm, soft, sweet accords wrap around each other perfectly. The mandarin at the top is delicious, quickly joined by the warmer myrrh and oud which fill out the fragrance. The composition and blending is gorgeous and when u smell it for the first time, its like a lady with doe eyes looking at you from across the room. And just like that look, it only lasts for a second. The projection and longevity are absolutely criminal on me, I get half an hour to an hour at best. I thought it might be me but it doesn't last on clothes either. I love this smell but it is obsolete to me because I can't use it for anything and I'm devastated, absolu-tely devastated.

Oud is middle east style scent which showing manly and mighty person. Oud fragrance is very typical and strong so it is suitable for the hot weather in middle east.
I have the M7 Oud with clear bottle or without black coating. it is a tasty and fresh fragrance. However, the smell of oud is not too strong, aka vague smell. No wonder many girls like this fragrance.

It's so classy and so formal, it's like that 007 suite that Tom Ford made in every single movie for Daniel Craig, but it's made for all of us. If you combine this with a black shirt and black tie the result will be a legend.

Blind bought this for cheap and didn't have terribly high hopes with all the negative reviews and my own embittered personal history with reformularions and flankers. Maybe just looking for a pleasant twist and passing familiarity as I wear and love the original formula. I have to say it's startlingly good. To my nose it's slightly less ambery, drier, more bitter, and perhaps even more challenging and niche like in its character than the original formula. Lives up to the oud absolue title accurately. I'm also picking up a bone dry yet sticky black licorice note here. My only complaint is that it could last longer. Brilliant. WIN!

I just blind bought this and I wanna say that I am totally enjoying this fragrance. I've never smelled the original but as far as I'm concerned, I don't have to. This fragrance gets me compliments and performs exceptionally well on my skin, I couldn't be happier with this one!

At first spray the oud comes in a a bit sharp. It quickly settles behind myrrh, patchouli and labdanum giving an ambery powder feel with accents of mandarin. To my nose patchouli sticks out the most. A little sweetness from the myrrh. To me this is a unisex maybe "feminine" fragrance. It does smell a bit like old lady talcum powder as bugmenot098 said. I think my mama would like this : )

Longevity is good on this one. Two sprays to the chest last me all day. Sillage and projection are a little below average. It sticks quite close to the skin. Works in every season but summer. No compliments yet and I don't really expect many. M7OA might smell weird to some.

I have a clear bottle from 2015. Bottle design is simple and elegant; sprayer is good. My only complaint is the cap feels a little flimsy.

I like this. It's different, unique, maybe a little strange. No one else will have this on but you. Performance issues don't bother me much. I don't think I'd like this too project hard. Maybe not worth retail price but can be found for a good deal online. Try this one before you buy. Nice edt from ysl.

Too sweet for me.

I got into fragrances big league, and it all started with M-7 Fresh.
Now 200 reviews later and a complete colection, I am wearing TF Oud Wood, and M-7 Oud Absolu.
I payed the big bucks and have the first and second vintage formulations of M-7.

I want to praise Oud Absolu. With TF Oud Wood being reformulated with less longevity and depth, M-7 Oud Absolu is realy very close, in quality, blending, and performance, and only 10% the cost of Tom Ford Oud Wood.
It is allmost as good as the vintage also, Oud Absolu and vintage M-7...

In Oud Absolu, the oud is lighter but good quality, and it has the mandarine orange note, that the old discontinued M-7 Fresh had, still a great fragrance. (M-7 Fresh)

It is literally the worse oud scent on the market. One thing we can learn from this is that cheap laboratory oud and orange dont mix well at all.

AUTUMN CAN'T BE MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN THIS
it's 5.35 pm ,right before sunset ,i'm walking outside and rain is drizzling.
Sky is full cloudy and getting darker,it's cold but pleasurable
i'm smelling my wrist.autumn, can't be more beautiful than this.
i wish good feelings was forever...
Delicious sweet Oudh ,myrrh and patchouly
9/10

the best of yves saint laurent 10/10

4/10

A beautiful dry oud scent with well-balanced bolstering notes of patchouli, myrrh and labdanum.

The oud here may seem subdued compared with more recent scents, but one has to put this into historical context - oud simply wasn't used as a note in Western-style perfumery before the original M7. If you're expecting a contemporary oud scent with a dominant medicinal, animalic oud note, then look elsewhere. But if you prefer a drier, woodier and more subtle oud note, M7 is near perfect.

What I like most about M7 is that the dirtiness of the patchouli intersects beautifully with the subtle animalic aspect of the oud. It's a dry, woody and herbal accord which is utterly alluring. There's also a subtle smokiness that hints at incense without ever dominating.

Along with Tauer's L'Air du Desert Morocain and Guerlain Heritage, this is unbeatable as a dry woody scent. Utterly unforgettable.

YSL's M7 Oud Absolu is different from the original M7, but a great fragrance in its own regard!

While the original seemed to have more cherry with a light oud, it performed less on me. M7OA seems to have a bit more oud, patchouli, myrrh, and some sort of wood (though that is not listed as a note). The new version lasts 10+ hours and projects for a few hours. Not sure I have received any compliments with this one. Mainly this is used as an evening fragrance.

I love the way old M7 smelled, but also love this one in its own regard. Maybe YSL should have used a different name and I think would not suffer from comparisons.

10 of 10.

such a daring and gratyfing fragrance that has top class notes, top class smell and very unique and it stands on its own you can not compare it with any other 9/10 indeed

Sigh.

I have the clear glass bottle (reformulated?) and they should have called this Patchouli Absolu.

The Oud is there but on my skin it takes a back seat to the patchouli and mandarin orange. The incense quality of the fragrance is pronounced but I feel like you have to really search for it behind the patchouli.

I know it's strange but this is giving me some serious Le Beau Male vibes because the patchouli is so pronounced on my skin. Not nearly enough Oud.

I wanted to like this so badly-and I do...but for the wrong reasons.

Scent: 6/10
Projection: 4/10
Sillage: 4/10
Longevity: 2-3/10 it dosent even last on clothes for more then 4 or 5 hours and only barely at that. On skin, it fails to project for more then the forst 30 minutes or so and becomes a skin scent therafter-and vanishes entirely within 5 hours.

Will I still wear it on the right ocassion? Sure.
Would I buy it again? No.

its GREAT perfume! i own version reformulation, i adore it unfortunately its weak and doesnt last long period of time i also heard the reformulation ruined it again so its even weaker and probably ysl will stop producing it .
Wonderful perfume :)
Several times it was called one of the best man's perfumes of all time.

M7 is in a class of its own, I own a bottle and I wouldn't give it up period! I use it on VERY special occasions and when I get that urge to be enveloped with such a seductive animalistic aroma. M7 Oud Absolu may not compare but you know what it ain't that bad considering the price. The aroma isn't as intense and may not have the staying power but it's a decent quality juice. I bought this juice because I know that it may not last as long...again there's hundreds of other niche fragrance which don't have the longevity either and they cost a heck of lot more.
Overall,
The aroma is almost a carbon copy of when you wore M7 6hrs later. It's decent fragrance all considering. Those who really want the original version, this juice is about 80% similar. It lacks that strong masculine woodsy/spicy aroma combined with that medicine aroma at first spray. I would recommend it.....7.5/10

Blind buy a sample of this good fragrance based on reviews.
At first I can feel a pike of wood and incense, after the first hour I can't smell theese at all, meaning theese notes are very light and never annoying. Others can still find a note of "masculine" even after some hours, but my nose can smell just a sweet and powdery note.
I disagree with the balsamic note described, the balsamic is just a soft feeling compared with Terre d'Hermes or Encre Noir.
To me YSL are always on top, but my expectations were of a little bit stronger parfum.
7/10

Formulation re formulation blah blah blah non compare to the original vintage all Amber bottle. That's the ultimate and true M7.

I just tested the two together, side by side. I opened a new tester of the old one and one of the new ones, sprayed the already opened ones on my wrists and the newly opened ones on my inner elbows. 3/4 smelled the same, one was off and it was the old one that had been sitting there under the light for a long time (sour and alcohol smell). It's the same, you're all starting to obsess over these batch numbers, you're starting to believe everything is constantly being reformulated. Chill people...chill.

Clearly the black cover doesn't affect the juice inside for colour at all, doesn't create shade, making it look darker. People are becoming crazy over reformulations. It's not reformulated. It's the same fragrance. No batch is ever going to be the same as the one before. Every batch is different, even if the recipe is the same.

I'm liking this one more and more. Upon first spraying this it is all over the place. I've never seen a fragrance change so many times and so quickly through the opening.
But about a hour in it finally settles into a sweet spicy light orange with a glimmer of powder. It is both mature and elegant.

8.5/10

This really is a great fragrance guys. I blind bought it of course as I wasn't about to blind buy the discontinued version that people want to charge ridiculous prices for.
I was expecting something more "wood" like or like Tom Ford Oud wood for some reason. It's a sweet and dark fragrance. The Oud is not too loud or anything. We are all created different and our noses can pick up certain notes in a different way so this is all subjective of course. If I am going to take someone's opinion serious, I look at their scent wardrobe of course, just like if I was going to get a tattoo I would look at the artists portfolio naturally.
When I read someone got a powder note that was overwhelming after the fact I ordered it, I started to get worried. I got it, sprayed it and no powder of course.
What I do smell though, is a great blast of patchouli and some Oud and other dark woods lightened up with some sweet Amber and maybe a little vanilla.
I think I got very lucky with my blind buy.
I would recommend this fragrance to a dark and mysterious fragrance enthusiast
i give this an overall 8/10
If you would like me to do a full review of this on my YouTube channel, ConsumerThis, I will. Just let me know .


Edit update** today it's my SOTD. I'm getting great longevity and recognized s couple times at the office. It's important not to spray too much at the office as this juice creates a trail of silage easy and can get a little overwhelming. I do believe that it is not worth getting the old vintage version that's 5 times more expensive when this stuff is just as good if not better. Just my opinion as a frag head and collector. Thanks!!

For me nothing compares to the vintage first formulation of M7 the all Amber dark bottle. Simply stunning and unique. Lucky i have lots of bottles to last me many years. The new M7 is still nice but no where near as deep and intense.

scent : 8/10
sillage : 9/10
longevity :8/10
100% night fragrance
good smoky oud scent

Very classy scent! One for special occassions at work or play. This is still one of my Top 5 favs. Lasts quite long throughout the day for me. Easily recommended.

I have actually smelled the original version of M7 and it's fresh version - I can firmly say that this is definitely in the same family and I enjoy it just as much as the original! I am a sucker for powder notes and myrrh, which this has in droves, so that may have influenced my opinion in comparison to the original. This beast starts with a crisp citrus note smashed against the very potent oud wood note - dense, dark, and a little smoky - this quickly shifts to an oud and powder combo that softens and sweetens over time. The myrrh starts to stir around an hour or so (this smells quite like the myrrh accord in Dior Eau Sauvage Parfum) and it mixes beautifully with the powder note and the waxing and waning of the earthen patchouli note. There has to be some amber in the base because the fume carries a resinous sweet powder note that just gets sweeter and warmer with time. The end of the journey is just a slightly quieter mid phase - sweet myrrh and powdery amber! I would suggest using this only on cold and wet days - the powder note gets a tad stifling in the heat! I also feel that this is a gender bender as the amber and powder notes would be gorgeous on anyone. Well, I hope the daily grind doesn't steal the show away from your beautiful fuming!

Day 44 - The days go on
Listening to: Agnes Obel - Dorian (Daniel Matz Rework)

DO NOT BUY THE CLEAR NEW BOTTLE! It is an absolute watered down crap scent compared to the original M7 Absolu with the black plastic body. The loud amber back tone has been removed and the entire scent smells like an indian spice shop with a lingering dirty teabag note. Waste of a space of perfume. It is now a total skin scent, no projection whatsoever. If the batch code says 2016 and onward it is the clear bottle filled with sh*t.

Back in 2002 I can still remember the fuss about the M7 release: Tom Ford's involvement, the naked advertisement, the unusual oud smell... I remember testing the perfume back then, when it was first released, I can hardly recall its smell but I remember thinking that the smell was weird and quite nothing like I had smelled before! It was hard to appreciate M7 back then though, I was just 22 and on the ride of Le Male, Givenchy Pi and Moschino Uomo perfume trend.

So it's quite hard to compare the smell of the old M7 with the one of Oud Absolu. All I can say is that Oud Absolu is an amazing, unusual and very masculine perfume. I really get hints of cherry syrup smell in it and I love it, I still don't get the Oud Wood similarity that many have mentioned here, it smells completely different to me. Oud Absolu has a great longevity but a quite moderate sillage. I also have to mention that quite weirdly enough, even though I adore this perfume, I have never got any compliments for it.

So, if you think about owning this one, all I have to say is go for it! It is not a perfume for everybody, it is quite weird and maybe a love it or hate it kind of perfume, but after all there is so much history here!

PS: I still don't get why they changed the bottle. No more black sides and silver letters on it, just a clear bottle, which is quite boring and uninteresting. Still the same juice in it though.

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*This review was written after several full wearings of the perfume and not just after smelling this on paper or on wrist.

I'm writing a review based off of the clear bottle. it's not a full review just an impression. I do have the bottle, but just got it last night and I like to share what I think of it initially. for me, this smells similar to the dry down of Dior Eau Sauvage Parfum (the green juice). If you take that myrh dry down and add oud, you get this. it's not a beast in terms of projection. it sits close to the skin. it's masculine for sure. i have a hard time determining which season to wear this since its kind of a light woodsy scent, it almost seems like it can be worn in the 70-80 Fahrenheit range, but you might want something fresher for anything warmer than that.